Spice up your life with green chili chicken enchiladas! Enchiladas are one of my favorite casserole-style dinners, with soft tortillas filled with creamy chicken drenched in a bright, tangy sauce and baked under melted cheese. These will definitely be hitting our table again soon with a side of jeera rice.

 

It was Mexican night recently, and obviously, enchiladas were a must. I’m not one to stray away from my classic chicken enchiladas, but I had a can of green chilis in the pantry and inspiration called. So, with some diced chilis here and a little jalapeño there, I changed things up with this bright and zingy homemade green chili sauce. Holy mole (lol), these green chili chicken enchiladas came out great! It’s a melty, gooey, and zesty fiesta in a baking dish. Olé!

Why I Love This Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

• Homemade sauce. After a few test runs, I hit a home run with the green chili sauce for this recipe. It’s made with simple ingredients and the flavors are bright and zesty, and just hot enough (it’s also easy to adapt if spice isn’t your thing).
• Super crave-able. Once the sauce mingles with the chicken and cheese, the flavors go through the roof! There’s something so comforting about a casserole dish of melty, spicy baked enchiladas. It’s a great family meal where we always go back for seconds.
• Easy to make. These green chili enchiladas are quick and easy to assemble, and you don’t need fancy ingredients. The longest step is roasting the chicken! I love making enchiladas whenever I have leftover chicken for this reason. Or, a store-bought rotisserie chicken is another way to speed things up.

Recipe Ingredients

These green chili chicken enchiladas are packed with flavor, and you might already have all the ingredients in your kitchen! Here are a few notes to get you started. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post where you’ll find a printable ingredients list and recipe details.

• Chicken – I use boneless skinless chicken thighs seasoned with smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. You’ll also want to rub everything in with a little olive oil to help it stick. Chicken breasts will work here, too, but the chicken will cook more quickly.
• Sour Cream – If you don’t have sour cream, use plain Greek yogurt.
• Cheese – Use your favorite shredded Mexican cheese blend, or grate your own. Grated cheddar cheese also works in a pinch.
• Tortillas – I make this recipe with 8” flour tortillas, but 6” also works, as do corn tortillas.

Green Chili Sauce

• Onion – Diced yellow onion, plus olive oil for sauteing. You can use any mild onion and any cooking oil you have on hand.
• Jalapeño – Seeded and diced. Feel free to use another pepper, like serrano or poblano. You can also go spicier with varieties like habanero. 
• Garlic – You’ll want to use fresh cloves, finely minced.
• Chicken Stock – This can also be chicken broth or vegetable stock. I like to use low sodium varieties as it makes it easier to season the sauce to taste.
• Green Chilis – You can use mild or hot canned green chilis, it’s up to you. You’ll also need a can for assembling the enchiladas.
• Seasoning – Ground cumin, plus salt and black pepper.

How to Make Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

There are a handful of steps to making my saucy, cheesy green chili enchiladas. I mentioned it in the ingredients section, but if you’re looking to get a head start, go ahead and pick up a rotisserie chicken to shred.

If you’re cooking your chicken from scratch, you can get started on the green chili sauce while it roasts in the oven. Everything else comes together just as quickly and easily. Let’s get started!

1. Cook and shred the chicken. First, season the chicken and get that roasting in the oven at 425ºF for about 20 minutes. Afterward, shred the meat and leave that aside while you make your sauce.
2. Make the sauce. Meanwhile, saute onion, jalapeños, and garlic in a skillet. Stir in stock and two cans of diced green chilis. Let that simmer for about 10 minutes, and then puree it in a blender to make a smooth sauce.
3. Mix the filling. Stir the chicken with sour cream, more green chilis, and shredded cheese for the enchilada filling.
4. Assemble. Once all your ingredients are ready, roll the chicken mixture up tightly inside the tortillas and nestle those into a 9×13” baking dish.
5. Finish with toppings. Lastly, top the enchiladas with chili sauce and cheese.
6. Bake. Bake these green chili chicken enchiladas at 375ºF for 15 minutes under foil, and another 15 minutes uncovered, then serve!

Serving Suggestions

Just like chicken tacos, these green chili chicken enchiladas aren’t complete without toppings! We love ours dolloped with sour cream, guacamole or avocado fries, pico de gallo, salsa, queso cheese, or Mexican crema. 

Serve enchiladas with a starter of taco soup and a side of Mexican corn (elote) or Southwest egg rolls. They’re great in the summer paired with a cucumber mojito! When we’re really up for a Tex-Mex feast, I’ll have these enchiladas as an appetizer alongside a bowl of beef birria served over rice.  

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Once the enchiladas have cooled, store them airtight and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them for up to 3 months and defrost them in the fridge for easy lunches and dinners! Reheat in a warm oven or use the microwave.

More Mexican Recipes

• Stuffed Poblano Peppers
• Breakfast Enchiladas
• Tamale Pie
• Chicken Pozole Verde
• Taco Casserole
• Burrito Skillet
• Mexican Taco Pasta