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Our green chili chicken enchiladas are bursting with flavor and perfect for busy nights – plus, it’s freezer-friendly!
A family go-to!
Because of my heritage, I have learned how to make so many Mexican recipes – and this green chili chicken enchilada recipe is the FIRST Mexican dinner I learned to make.
Since then, it’s been made HUNDREDS of times (maybe more) and we’ve deemed enchiladas as a family favorite dinner!
The flavors of green chiles + loads of chicken and gooey cheese make this an absolutely irresistible Mexican dish. Serve it alongside our Homemade Spanish Rice for a complete Mexican feast!
WHY WE LOVE It:
- Done in a flash. A 20-minute prep time makes these perfect for a quick dinner and entertaining.
- Feeds the masses. Great for making for company because it’s easy to double (or even triple!)
- Freezer Friendly. This is our favorite recipe to store in the freezer for a rainy day!
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 20 minutes
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken – Use canned chicken, Baked Chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even Shredded Chicken
- 2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese – or try a Mexican blend, grated marble Colby jack, or a cheddar cheese and pepper jack blend
- 1 (19-ounce) can of Las Palmas green chile enchilada sauce – or homemade Green Enchilada Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream – or plain yogurt
- 6-8 corn tortillas – We prefer corn tortillas since they are more traditional and add more flavor to the recipe, but you can swap the corn tortillas with similarly sized Flour Tortillas. (No need to dip flour tortillas in the sauce before rolling.)
- 1 (4½ ounce) can of chopped green chiles – For mild flavor use diced green bell peppers. For extra heat use diced jalapenos
- salt and black pepper – start with a little and add until the chicken is perfectly seasoned
- Toppings (optional) – Add olives, tomatoes, diced red onions, sliced jalapenos, fresh cilantro, salsa, chili peppers, black beans, or corn.
How to Make Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- FILLING. In a small bowl, combine 2 cups shredded chicken, 1 cup of cheese, 1 (4½-ounce) can green chiles, salt, and pepper.
- SAUCE. In a small skillet, bring 1 (19-ounce) can of enchilada sauce to a boil. Remove from heat.
- FILL. Dip each tortilla into the heated sauce for a few seconds to soften.
- Spoon ⅓ cup of chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons sour cream down the center for each tortilla (I usually put the sour cream in a sandwich bag and cut the bottom tip which makes it easier to squirt right down the center).
- Roll the tortilla and place seam-side down in 8×8 (or 9×9) inch baking dish.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour the remaining heated enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- BAKE. Bake the green chili chicken enchilada recipe uncovered for 20 minutes. Serve with favorite toppings like Pico de Gallo, Sweet Salsa Verde, Homemade Salsa, and Guacamole.
PRO TIP: Keep Tortillas from Cracking!
Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-60 seconds to help keep them from cracking while rolling.
Complete The Meal
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Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 2 cups Colby jack cheese, shredded
- 1 (19-ounce) can Las Palmas green chile enchilada sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 6-8 corn tortillas
- 1 (4½-ounce) can can chopped green chiles
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, combine shredded chicken, 1 cup of cheese, green chiles, salt, and pepper.
- In a small skillet, bring enchilada sauce to a boil. Remove from heat.
- Dip each tortilla into the heated sauce for a few seconds to soften.
- Spoon ⅓ cup of chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons sour cream down the center for each tortilla (I usually put the sour cream in a sandwich bag and cut the bottom tip which makes it easier to squirt right down the center).
- Roll the tortilla and place seam-side down in a 8×8 (or 9×9) inch baking dish.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour the remaining heated enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Avoid adding too much sour cream or enchilada sauce. You can always add more sauce after they have baked. Also, let the enchiladas cool for a few minutes before serving!
Make as instructed, cover them with foil or plastic wrap, and place them in the fridge for up to 24 hours in advance. Take the excess sauce and place it in an air-tight container. Pour on the sauce and add the cheese before cooking.
Allow the enchiladas to cool to room temperature and store smaller portions in airtight containers in the fridge. Enchiladas can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When ready to eat, reheat them in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) until heated through.
We LOVE to freeze these for up to several months! We suggest making them in a disposable pan. Cover tightly with foil and place in a freezer-safe bag. To cook, let the enchiladas thaw in the fridge overnight and cook for about 25 minutes.
Of course! Just double the ingredients and follow the same instructions.
Have made this a couple of times. It’s delicious, but i mix the sour cream and half the sauce into the chicken mixture. I also don’t boil the mixture… no need to get one more pan dirty! Going to try a free more spices, my husband likes them a little more spicy. E we prefer the flour tortillas and they come out perfect. Not gooey at all as others have mentioned.
Thanks for the tips! Let me know what spices you like to use to spice it up a bit. 🙂
Going to make this tonight! Question..is there a reason you do the sour cream separately? Could I mix it all together?
Yes you could definitely mix the sour cream together with the chicken mix. It’s just personal preference. Maybe try it both ways and see which one you like better. 🙂
Thank you
You are welcome!
This recipe is fabulous!! I tweaked it just a bit for extra flavor by sprinkling raw chicken breasts w/homemade taco seasoning prior to cooking, also added a couple handfuls of diced onions sautéed with 2 garlic cloves to the chicken mixture. The chicken was so good, my teen daughter & I had to stop ourselves from “taste testing.” We still had a lot of mixture left (3 lg shredded breasts equaled to 9 generously filled, burrito size enchiladas in a 9×13). Here’s where I think I messed up…I only had flour tortillas on hand—knowing they have a tendency to get soggy, I pan fried them bubbly golden brown on both sides w/slightly crisp edges, did not dip, filled as instructed, a little green chili sauce on the bottom of the pan & topped the rolled beauties with the remaining sauce & cheese before baking. Despite the extra effort, the enchiladas turned out quite gooey for our liking. Regardless, we picked our way through, still eating all the yummy goodness within. I will definitely make the recipe again! Next time I won’t substitute the corn tortillas & (for personal preference) plan to go easy on the sauce. Don’t get me wrong, the Las Palmas sauce is certainly delicious, I may just use it differently—possibly add a little to the chicken mixture before rolling & drizzle the warm sauce over individual servings after baking (???) Overall, the recipe is a keeper—quick, flavorful & easy! Absolutely 5 stars. I’ll be making it again very soon!
Thank you for sharing that! I am glad you did experimenting, that’s how we learn what we like or not like.
Easy to prepare, bake and a delicious Sunday dinner. Family loved it. Recipe keeper.
Yay!! Thank you so much for sharing that!
Love this recipe, freezes well
It sure does! Glad you like it! Thank you!
Soooo good!!! I love that it’s requires minimal ingredients and are so easy to make.
Me too! Thank you so much 🙂
Can you use red sauce instead of green ? Also will it be okay to not use green chillies ?
Here is a link to my red enchiladas & you can add chicken or whatever else you like. I haven’t used this specific recipe & used the red sauce. https://lilluna.com/red-cheese-enchiladas-recipe/
GREAT RECIPE CAME OUT SO GOOD
Oh, I am so glad! Thank you for letting me know 🙂
Christmas Dinner just double checking if i missed something…green chiles. Doh! I’ll use a touch of jalapenos. Also I am using a fajita mix with turkey breast. It is soooo tasty. Thank you for being here.
Merry Christmas
These are so good! A crowd pleaser and it makes a lot. I think we should make this part of our holiday celebration, too.