Cheesy, loaded with chicken and packed with flavor—these green chile chicken enchiladas are an easy dinner win that will be on your table in 45 minutes or less! Best of all, this enchilada recipe can be as homemade or store-bought as your time allows. I smother them in my homemade tomatillo salsa verde (it’s ready in just 25 minutes!), but feel free to use your favorite jarred enchilada sauce for a quick and easy meal everyone will love.
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These green chile chicken enchiladas are one of those meals that instantly became a hit in my house. They’re shockingly easy to throw together on a weeknight, and I can usually get a head start on prep earlier in the day (or squeeze it in between baseball and soccer drop-offs). I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken to keep things simple, then smother everything in a mild homemade green enchilada sauce and finish it off with plenty of melty cheese.
I’ve made them with my homemade green chile sauce and with a store-bought variety, and honestly? You can’t go wrong either way.
If you’ve tried my chicken enchiladas with red sauce, this is the green-sauce version we keep in regular rotation. It’s a little tangier, a little brighter with just the right amount of spice (read: mild!)—totally different from the rich, smoky vibe of a classic red sauce, but every bit as comforting.
Note: The photo below includes everything you’ll need if you’re making the green enchilada sauce from scratch (which I highly recommend!). If you’re using store-bought sauce, you can skip the tomatillos, chiles and a few of the other sauce ingredients.
- Chicken: You’ll need about 3 cups of cooked, chopped (or shredded) chicken for this recipe. I used my favorite store-bought shortcut: rotisserie chicken. Leftover chicken works great, too—or you can make your own using my easy roast chicken recipe.
- Onion + garlic: A quick sauté of diced yellow onion and fresh garlic adds a delicious savory base to the enchilada filling.
- Spices: Just a teaspoon of oregano and cumin adds warmth and depth to the chicken mixture without overpowering the green chile flavor.
- Tortillas: You can use either corn or flour tortillas here, but I usually reach for flour tortillas because they’re soft, easy to roll and hold up well under all that saucy, cheesy goodness. (If you’re a corn tortilla fan, try my homemade corn tortillas recipe!) I also have a recipe for soft flour tortillas if you want to make them from scratch.
- Green enchilada sauce: You can use your favorite store-bought brand or make it from scratch. I love using my homemade tomatillo salsa verde—it’s made with roasted tomatillos, green chiles, onion, garlic and a squeeze of lime juice for brightness. If I’m going the store-bought route, I reach for Las Palmas, Hatch or La Victoria.
- Cheese: I’m all about extra-cheesy enchiladas, so I top mine with 2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese blend before baking. Monterey Jack, cheddar or even pepper jack are all delicious, too. Once they’re hot and melty out of the oven, I finish them off with a sprinkle of crumbled cotija cheese for a salty, tangy kick (totally optional!).
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Sauté the aromatics. Start by cooking the onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil until soft and fragrant. Don’t walk away here—the garlic can burn quickly. Stir it often and keep things moving.
- Add the oregano, cumin and chopped chicken and stir until combined.
- Add a splash of sauce. Pour in ½ cup of your green enchilada sauce and stir until the chicken is well coated. This keeps the filling juicy and flavorful. Remove from heat.
- Ladle 1 cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. This prevents sticking and helps the tortillas get that saucy, bubbly base we all love.
- Dip, fill and roll. Working one at a time, dip each tortilla into the remaining green enchilada sauce to coat, then lay it on a cutting board. Spoon a little of the chicken mixture into the lower third of the tortilla, roll it up tightly and place seam-side down in the dish.
- Repeat until all the tortillas are filled and nestled side by side in a single layer in your baking dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce over top, sprinkle with cheese, and bake in a 425°F oven for about 10–15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and everything is hot and bubbly.
- Once baked, pile on your favorite toppings—think pico de gallo, jalapeños, radishes, or a squeeze of lime. My crew loves to go big with toppings, taco-night style!
- Don’t skip the toppings! I love to finish these with crumbled cotija, fresh cilantro, diced avocado and thin slices of fresh radish. You could also add chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives or a big dollop of sour cream.
- If your tortillas are cracking while you’re rolling, try warming them up. Wrap a stack in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds to make them more pliable.
- Want to sneak in some veggies? Add pre-cooked spinach, sautéed mushrooms, corn, black beans or roasted zucchini to the filling. Just be careful not to overstuff your tortillas.
Storage and Meal Prep Tips
These green enchiladas make the best leftovers. Store any extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm them in the oven at 350°F until heated through.
To freeze: This recipe freezes beautifully and is one of my favorites for meal prepping! Assemble the enchiladas in a freezer-safe dish, but don’t bake them yet. Go ahead and pour the sauce over the top and sprinkle on the cheese—yes, even the cheese! Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed. Because they’ll be going in cold, you may need to add 5–10 extra minutes to the bake time.
What to Serve with Green Chicken Enchiladas
These cheesy, saucy enchiladas are the star of the show, but I always like to round things out with a few simple sides (especially when I’m feeding my crew!). Here are some of my go-to pairings:
- Cuban black beans – Easy, flavorful and protein-packed. My kids and husband love them with a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
- Elote corn salad – Creamy, tangy and perfect with anything Mexican-inspired. It’s one of my summer staples.
- Tortilla chips + salsa or my protein guacamole
- Mexican rice or Cilantro-lime rice
- Black bean and corn salad
And for dessert, strawberry cheesecake chimichangas!
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 rotisserie chicken, picked clean and meat roughly chopped (about 3 cups)
- 4 cups green chile enchilada sauce or tomatillo salsa verde
- 8 (8-inch) corn or flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large sauté pan set over medium-high heat then add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the oregano, cumin and chopped rotisserie chicken and stir until combined.
- Add ½ cup of the prepared sauce to the chicken filling and stir until combined then remove the pan from the heat.
- Ladle 1 cup of the prepared enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- One by one, dip the tortillas into the prepared enchilada sauce then arrange them on a cutting board. Divide the chicken mixture among the coated tortillas, spooning it into the bottom third of each tortilla. Carefully roll up each tortilla then place it seam side down in the baking dish atop the sauce, arranging the enchiladas side by side in a single layer.
- Pour the remaining sauce atop the enchiladas then top them with the shredded cheese.
- Bake the enchiladas for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted, then top them with sour cream, avocado, radishes or other preferred toppings and serve.
Kelly’s Notes
- Want to make these enchiladas completely from scratch? Start with my simple roast chicken recipe, then make my homemade green enchilada sauce. Lastly, choose between homemade corn tortillas or homemade flour tortillas.
- Store any extras in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm them in the oven at 350°F until heated through.
- To freeze: Assemble the enchiladas in a freezer-safe dish, but don’t bake them yet. Cover tightly with foil and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed. Because they’ll be going in cold, you may need to add 5–10 extra minutes to the bake time.
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I hope these green chicken enchiladas earn MVP status in your kitchen the way they have in mine. Whether you’re making a weeknight dinner, stocking the freezer or feeding a crowd, they’re always a hit. If you try them, I’d love to hear how it went!
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