Chicken Enchilada Recipe

This green chile Chicken Enchilada recipe is quick, easy, and perfectly spiced. They are a top-requested family favorite!

We frequently make these Chicken Enchiladas when we have company over for dinner because everyone loves them! We love to serve them with Mexican Rice, Homemade Salsa, and Tacos for an all-out Mexican dinner!

A family go-to!

Because of my heritage, I’ve learned how to make so many Mexican recipes – one of those being today’s Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (we obviously love enchiladas and have versions for Red Cheese Enchiladas and Beef Enchiladas as well).

Not only are Chicken Enchiladas so easy but they are so good! They are perfect for making in mass quantities and are super freezer friendly.

I usually have all the needed ingredients on hand so we make them quite often. I love giving this Chicken Enchilada recipe (frozen) to new moms so they have a simple and delicious dinner for their families. 😉

How to Make Chicken Enchiladas

Making this Chicken Enchilada recipe is simple! Just follow these simple steps to make this easy, cheesy dinner recipe!

PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

CHICKEN MIX. Combine the shredded chicken, cheese, green chiles, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.

TORTILLAS. Bring the enchilada sauce (or homemade Enchilada Sauce) to a boil and then remove from heat. Dip each tortilla into the heated sauce for a few seconds to soften them. (If your tortillas are falling apart during this step, then your tortillas could be old and should probably be microwaved instead to soften).

FILL. Place the softened tortilla in the baking dish and spoon ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons of sour cream down the center (NOTE: The squeeze sour cream packages work great for this!)

ROLL + BAKE. Roll up the tortilla and make sure it’s seam-side down in the baking dish.

BAKE. Top with shredded cheese and bake for about 20 minutes.

This easy Chicken Enchilada recipe makes 4 servings, but we usually double it to feed a larger crowd and use a 9×13 pan.

Recipe Tips

Chicken. Use canned chicken, chicken breasts in the oven, or rotisserie chicken and shred it with a fork. Another idea is to keep shredded chicken in the freezer to use in your favorite recipes.

Cheese. Using a different cheese blend can certainly change the flavor. Try a Mexican blend, grated marble Colby jack, or cheddar cheeses and pepper jack blend.

Soften the tortilla without dipping or frying. Warm tortillas in the microwave or on a pan in the oven. When they are just warm, keep them wrapped in a thick kitchen towel or a tortilla warmer.

Red and green enchiladas are both delicious. Red Enchilada Sauce is made using a base of red chilies and or chili powder whereas Green Enchilada sauce uses different blends of green chilies, tomatillos, and jalapenos. 

Soggy enchiladas. Enchiladas should be saucy, but not soggy. Some factors to think about when making Chicken Enchiladas include: 

• Bake uncovered and then let them cool a bit to allow steam to evaporate.
• Soften the corn tortilla so that it rolls easily, but don’t saturate it. 
• Adding too much sour cream or enchilada sauce can cause it to be soggy. You can always add more sauce after they have baked.

Variations

Here are a few ways to change up this Chicken enchilada recipe:

• Swap the corn tortillas with similarly sized Flour Tortillas. No need to dip flour tortillas in the sauce before rolling.
• Substitute the sour cream for your favorite plain yogurt.
• Add olives, diced onions, sliced jalapenos, cilantro, salsa, chili peppers, black beans, or corn.

Remember the toppings can change the taste too – add all your favorites to make them even better!

What to serve with chicken enchiladas

The Mexican side dish options are endless!

These are some of our go-to’s

• Spanish Rice
• Homemade Salsa
• Refried Beans
• Homemade Tortilla Chips
• Esquites

In general, we like to have lots of side options but preferably made by different cooking methods. If the oven is used for baking these Chicken Enchiladas, then we make a side that can be done in the slow cooker or on the stove.

Keep that in mind when deciding what to serve with these enchiladas.

Make more Green Enchiladas

Want to make this in a 9×13 pan? No sweat!

Here is what you’ll need:

• 3-4 cups shredded chicken
• 3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese
• 1-28 oz. cans Las Palmas Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
• 12-15 corn tortillas
• 1-2 cans 4.5 oz. chopped green chiles
• 1½-2 cups sour cream
• salt and pepper

Enchiladas are the best!! We’ve made several versions before, but for a standard Chicken Enchilada recipe, this is our go-to.

We also have a more American version with flour tortillas that you can check out HERE.

SToring Info

Make ahead of time. Make the enchiladas as instructed, cover them with foil or saran wrap, and place them in the fridge for up to 24 hours in advance. To make them even better, take the excess sauce and place it in an air-tight container. Pour on the sauce and add the cheese before storing.

To reheat. If stored properly, Chicken Enchiladas can last in the fridge for up to 4 days. We typically reheat them in the microwave, but you can also reheat them on low in the oven.

FREEZE. We LOVE to freeze these Chicken Enchiladas and save them for later. In fact, we often double the batch and then eat one and freeze the rest for another night.

We suggest making them in a disposable pan. Cover tightly with foil and place in a freezer-safe bag. When done this way, they can last in the freezer for several months.

To cook, let the enchiladas thaw in the fridge overnight and cook for about 25 minutes.

Recipe FAQ

For more enchiladaS:

• Red Cheese Enchiladas
• Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
• Breakfast Enchilada Casserole
• Crock Pot Enchilada Soup
• Beef Enchiladas
• Enchilada Casserole