Easy Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

5 from 17 votes

Easy Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce

These Easy Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce are super cheesy, creamy, and full of flavorful salsa verde. Use leftover shredded chicken for an even easier weeknight meal that can be ready in about 30 minutes.

Prep Time5

Cook Time45

Total Time50

Course: Main

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 1246kcal

Author: Brianna May

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken Filling

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs*
2 Tablespoons avocado oil
1 teaspoon EACH Morton kosher salt, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, & granulated garlic*
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup water or chicken broth
4 ounces 1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
¾ cup sour cream

For Assembling

10 6 inch flour or corn tortillas, warmed
26 ounces (about 3 ¼ cups) good quality mild or medium salsa verde*
8 ounces (2 cups) monterey jack cheese, shredded

Optional Garnish

cilantro, red onions, pickled jalapeños, avocado, & cotija cheese

Instructions

In a large stainless steel skillet, toss the chicken, oil, and spices until coated.
Turn the heat to medium high and sear each side for 3-4 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions and stir so the excess seasoning coats them.
Deglaze the skillet with the water, scraping any brown bits off the bottom.
Once the water is boiling, cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook for 25-30 minutes. Using 2 forks shred the chicken. Cook off any excess water that is left in the pan. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sour cream and cheese. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Spread a thin layer of the salsa in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish (enough to just coat the bottom).
Spoon enough chicken to fill the tortilla. Roll and place seam side down in the salsa.
Repeat with remaining tortillas and pour remaining salsa over the top.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
Garnish with cilantro, red onions, pickled jalapeños, avocado, & cotija cheese if desired.

Notes

Chicken: If using leftover or rotisserie chicken, you will need about 3 cups. Sauté the onion in the oil until soft, then stir in the chicken and spices. Continue to Step 6 and follow the rest of the recipe as written.
Kosher Salt: All of my recipes are tested with Morton kosher salt unless noted otherwise. It is the best salt for everyday cooking because of its size and flavor. If using table salt, the amount should be reduced. I highly recommend picking up some kosher next time you are at the store!
Use good quality salsa. I really like the Homemade Salsa Verde by Sabor Mexicano. It can be found at Whole Foods. The tomatillos are roasted which give it a great flavor. It is just as good as homemade. Regardless, be sure to taste the salsa on its own first because if it does not have a good flavor or is too acidic or bland, the dish will not taste the best.
Shred blocks of cheese. I always recommend shredding cheese fresh instead of buying pre-shredded bags of cheese. The pre-shredded cheese is covered in anti-caking agents which prevent it from melting as well. It also does not have as good of a flavor.

Nutrition