How To Make Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

Chicken enchiladas drenched in a delicious, creamy green sauce made with roasted poblanos, garlic, cilantro and avocado. This recipe will become a staple in your home and is ready in under thirty minutes!

If you like this recipe, you will love Camarones Culichi, Pollo Asado Chicken and Corn Salsa.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH GREEN SAUCE

This chicken enchilada recipe will become one of your favorite easy weeknight dinners! Made with store-bought rotisserie chicken, you will be able to make this recipe from start to finish in under thirty minutes.

What is delicious about this sauce is we are skipping the store bought canned green sauce and you will learn how to make a homemade poblano cream sauce that is literally drinkable.

With that said, when I tested this recipe, I used store bought rotisserie chicken and prepared chicken breasts in the crockpot. Whatever tickles your fancy will certainly work for this recipe.

Finally, the star of this recipe is absolutely the homemade green sauce that is doused in flavor. This sauce is quite universal and can be used with many recipes. Make a double dose and find all the additions that pair well with this sauce.

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED?

Surprisingly, most of the ingredients needed are household or can be found at your local grocery store. Once you identify if you'll prepare this recipe with rotisserie chicken or crockpot chicken, you are halfway to making this delicious recipe.

Here is what you will need:

CHICKEN ENCHILADA INGREDIENTS

1. Medium sized tortillas. Flour is used in this recipe, but corn will work if that is your preference.
2. Queso, Monterey Jack or Quesadilla Shredded Cheese. Use your favorite melting cheese. To explain, any white cheese will work.
3. Salsa Verde. Store bought is perfectly fine. The canned version works best for easy use. This helps to bind the shredded chicken together when preparing the enchiladas.
4. Rotisserie Chicken. Purchase any flavor that you prefer. In this case, most of the skin will be removed so the flavor does not matter.

CROCKPOT MEXICAN SHREDDED CHICKEN

This step is certainly optional but if you'd like to take the extra step to prepare the shredded chicken at home. Here is what you will need:

1. Boneless skinless chicken breast. For this recipe, I used chicken tenderloins but while chicken breasts will work as well.
2. Chicken Bouillion. If you don't have this seasoning, you certainly should purchase it. Adds deep flavor and the only seasoning you will need for the crockpot chicken.
3. Onion. Yellow, white or red will work, use what you have on hand!
4. Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. This can be found close to the canned salsa verde. Adds a great smoky flavor and a nice spice that is pleasing to the palate.
5. Fresh Garlic
6. Water

Poblano Cream Sauce

There are simple, approachable ingredients in this poblano sauce recipe. Here is what you will need:

1. Poblano Peppers– Mild, smoky with a hint of spice. Provides the overall flavor of the sauce and also the rich green hue of the sauce.

1. Jalapeno Peppers– These peppers provide the heat in the sauce. You can certainly deseed the pepper depending on your heat preference.
2. Garlic– Fresh is best as this will be roasted with the other vegetables. No need to chop, we will roast them whole!
3. Avocado– Provides the richness and creaminess that the sauce has. Ripe avocados work best.
4. Mexican Crema– This is one of my favorite ingredients to use in Mexican dishes. With that said, it is best to find something similar to this brand. However, if you can’t locate Mexican crema, use full fat sour cream.
5. Chicken Bouillion– You can find the exact seasoning here. This is the main seasoning for this sauce, do not skip.
6. Lime Juice– The juice of about one lime helps to balance all the flavors!
7. Cayenne Pepper– Certainly optional but if you prefer a bit of spice, use this ingredient.
8. Water (or Milk)- Will be used to help with the consistency of the sauce. If the sauce is too thick, adding a bit of water will help thin the sauce.

LET'S GET COOKING!

First, depending on how you are preparing the chicken, remove meat from the bone and shred the rotisserie chicken and set aside. If preparing the crockpot style Mexican shredded chicken, follow the steps below.

CROCKPOT MEXICAN CHICKEN

In a crockpot, add the chicken breasts. Next, sprinkle the chicken bouillon over the chicken breasts. Then, sprinkle the onion over the chicken breasts and add the fresh garlic cloves.

Now, add the chipotle in adobo peppers and stir the ingredients until combined. Last, pour in the water and cook on low for 2-4 hours until the chicken is cooked through.

POBLANO CREAM SAUCE

Poblano cream sauce, also known as culichi salsa is prepared with roasting poblano peppers, jalapeno and garlic. Mexican crema, avocado, fresh cilantro and seasonings are also added and blended until smooth.

Click here to learn how to prepare the sauce. Once the sauce is prepared, come back to this recipe and finish preparing the chicken enchiladas with green sauce!

ASSEMBLE THE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Now that the shredded chicken is cooked through, begin by placing the cooked chicken in a mixing bowl. Next, add the salsa verde and stir thoroughly until well combined.

Now, using the tortillas, pour the shredded chicken mixture into the center of the tortillas. It is best to use about ¼ cup of shredded chicken for each tortilla.

Then, sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the shredded chicken and roll the tortillas tightly, placing them in a greased baking dish. Repeat this step until the baking dish is full with rolled chicken enchiladas.

At this instant, pour the poblano cream sauce over the chicken enchiladas making certain the sauce is spread evenly. Last, sprinkle the cheese on top of the casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees until bubbly and golden brown.

TOPPINGS TO PAIR WITH CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

The toppings are certainly endless with this chicken enchiladas recipe with green sauce. Here is what was added in this recipe.

1. Fresh diced tomato.
2. Chopped cilantro.
3. Sour cream.
4. Fresh diced jalapeno.

TIPS AND TRICKS

1. Use your favorite protein! This recipe will pair well with shrimp, beef or any of your favorite protein.
2. Make the poblano cream sauce ahead of time.
3. Prepare a double batch and freeze for later use.
4. Swap flour tortillas for corn. Depending on your preference, either type tortilla will work!

IF YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE, TRY THESE!

Camarones Culichi

Pollo Asado Chicken

Corn Salsa