Easy Green Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
Creamy, cheesy, and easy enough for a weeknight, our Green Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas are perfect comfort food. You can either make our tangy green enchilada sauce or use store-bought, plus we give you a few short cuts to make dinner a breeze.
Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 50 minutes minutes
Servings 6
(OPTIONAL) For the green enchilada sauce: (makes about 3.5 cups) Or use store-bought
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium)
- 1 or 2 jalapeño (or serrano) peppers seeded and finely diced (optional)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 large garlic cloves grated or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 16 oz canned diced mild green chiles (don't drain) (4 small cans)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup cilantro (or more, as desired) from 1 small bunch chopped leaves and tender stems (optional)
- 1/2 cup sour cream, Mexican crema, or cottage cheese
For the Enchiladas
- 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken (from 1 rotisserie bird)
- 4 loosely packed cups (about 350g) shredded cheese (ideally a mix of mozzarella, sharp cheddar, and Monterey (or pepper) jack
- 3/4 cup Mexican crema, sour cream, or cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning store bought or homemade
- 8 to 10 flour or corn tortillas 8-inch
- 1 28 oz jar green enchilada sauce (if not making homemade) Optional
Optional Garnishes:
- Cilantro leaves
- Lime quarters
- Sour cream or Mexican crema
- Thinly sliced radishes
- Thinly sliced jalapeños
- Pickled red onions Homemade
Make the Sauce (if not using store-bought):
In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. When shimmering, add the onion, jalapeño, season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are soft and translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, stirring often, about 1 minute.
Stir in the flour and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Add the (un-drained) chiles and broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan smooth out any lumps of flour. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
Allow to cool a few minutes, then transfer to a blender or food processor. Add the cilantro (if using) and sour cream (or other dairy) and blend until smooth. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed.
Make the Enchiladas:
Preheat oven to 375°F and set a rack in the middle.
In a large bowl combine shredded chicken, 3/4 of the cheese (3 cups), sour cream (or other dairy) and taco seasoning. Mix until well combined.
Pour about a cup of the sauce into a 9X13 baking dish. If using corn tortillas, wrap them in very lightly dampened paper towels and microwave on low until they soften, about 1 to 2 minutes. If using flour, no need to soften.
Scoop about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the enchilada filling into a tortilla and roll tightly, arrange seam side down in the dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiladas followed by the remaining cheese.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until cheese is bubbling. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Make ahead tip: The enchilada sauce will keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. It can be frozen up to a month or two if well sealed.
Make ahead tip: You can refrigerate the assembled the enchiladas for up to 3 days before baking. Cover the dish tightly in foil or plastic wrap. When ready to bake, allow to come to room temperature before baking, remove foil and proceed with the regular baking time.
If baking from straight out of the refrigerator, loosely cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove foil and bake for another 10, until cheese is bubbling and the center is hot. Make sure foil is not pressed against the cheese or it will stick.