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Home » Dinner Recipes » Green Chicken Enchiladas

Green Chicken Enchiladas

Published: Nov 30, 2023 · Modified: Jun 3, 2024 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

Your new favorite weeknight dinner! This recipe for green chicken enchiladas is creamy, cheesy and incredibly easy. Blanketed in a zesty green enchilada sauce, this recipe combines salsa verde, shredded chicken, sour cream, melted cheese and a kick from spicy jalapenos.

Cooked enchiladas smothered with melted cheese, cilantro and jalapeno in a white cassrole dish.
Jump to Recipe
46 minutes minutes 13 Comments

There is just something delicious about a cozy, comforting meal like enchiladas. This recipe was inspired by my obsession with finding easy weeknight dinners. As my life has gotten busier over the years, I’ve needed to add easier and easier meals into my rotation.

This pairs well with Avocado Corn Salad or Cinnamon Chili Roasted Sweet Potatoes.

Jump to:
  • 📋 Ingredients you’ll need
  • 🔪 Step by step instructions
  • ✏️ Substitutions
  • 📖 Variations
  • Storage
  • 💭 Cooking tips

📋 Ingredients you’ll need

The ingredients list here is small, just twelve ingredients, including salt and olive oil, with very minimal prep. This is why I’d qualify this as a perfect weeknight option.

Ingredients for enchiladas in glass bowls on a wooden board.
  • Shredded chicken is what we’re using for the filling. Whether you have leftover chicken on hand, or make a batch of homemade shredded chicken or opt for the convenience of a store-bought rotisserie chicken, it’s the heart of this dish.
  • Infuse richness and flavor by sauteeing onion and garlic in olive oil. This is enhanced with an easy spice and herb combination of cumin and oregano. This flavorful blend will be folded into the shredded chicken filling.
  • Cilantro is a favorite herb of mine and I love the burst of freshness that it brings to the filling.
  • The green enchilada sauce is made up of salsa verde and sour cream. Both ingredients are used in the filling and the mixture that is poured over top of the enchiladas before baking.
  • Shredded cheese tops the dish, adding a layer of gooey, cheesy perfection. I’ll use whatever I have on hand, it’s often either cheddar or Monterey jack cheese.
  • I use 10-inch flour tortillas in this recipe as I find they hold up well to the salsa verde sauce and are a little easier to work with.

🔪 Step by step instructions

This recipe is really simple to make, let’s go!

A spoon spreading salsa verde in the bottom of a white casserole dish.

Preheat oven to 350F and pour ¼ cup of the salsa verde on the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Distribute evenly with a spoon or spatula.

Cooked onion in a frying pan with cumin, oregano and garlic on top.

Heat olive oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for 3-5 minutes until onion is soft and translucent. Add cumin, garlic and oregano. Cook for another minute until very fragrant. The mixture will appear dry.

Onions, salsa verde, sour cream, cheese and cilantro in a glass bowl.

In a medium bowl, stir onion mixture into ½ cup each of salsa verde, sour cream and shredded cheese and the cilantro.

Salsa verde with sour cream in a glass measuring cup.

Stir ¼ cup of sour cream to the remaining salsa verde and set aside for topping enchiladas.

Shredded chicken in a glass bowl with filling sauce.

Stir shredded chicken into the filling mixture.

A plate with a tortilla and filling being rolled up.

Add ⅓ cup of filling to the bottom of a tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in prepared dish. Repeat with remaining filling and tortillas.

Enchiladas in a white baking dish with sauce being poured overtop.

Pour the remaining mixture of salsa verde and sour cream over top of the rolled enchiladas.

White baking dish with enchiladas with shredded cheese on top before baking.

Sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbling.

Hint: If you want your cheese to brown, you can place it under the broiler for 2 minutes before serving.

✏️ Substitutions

  • Sour cream: I wouldn’t substitute the sour cream completely, but you could swap in half of the amount of a high-fat, thick Greek yogurt. You could also swap in a little bit of cream cheese in the filling mixture for an extra creamy filling.
  • Cheese: I love Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese here because they are both cheeses that melt beautifully. You could also use Colby jack, Pepper Jack or a Mexican blend.
  • Flour tortillas: Enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas, I use flour as I find them a bit easier to work with and easier to find. You can absolutely use corn tortillas if that is your preference, I’d recommend frying them in oil for about 10 seconds a side before filling and rolling.
  • Cilantro: If you have an aversion to this herb, you can simply leave it out! You could also swap in fresh parsley if you still want a herbaceous note.
A pan of baked enchiladas with slices of jalapeno and cilantro sprinkled on top.

📖 Variations

There are so many ways you can swap up these enchiladas!

  • Spicy: Make sure you taste your salsa verde before adapting the spice in the recipe. The salsa verde I use has quite a bit of heat to it! But there are a number of ways to amp up the heat in this recipe. Add a minced jalapeno when you saute the onions. Or add some chili flakes with the cumin. You could also add your favorite green hot sauce to the salsa verde (avoid red hot sauce as it will turn everything brown!).
  • Veggie loaded: You can saute some sliced bell peppers to the onions (this will give the enchiladas a bit of a fajita vibe). You could also add corn (either fresh from an ear of corn or drained from a can).
  • Beans: Add your favorite beans to the filling, I like to use either black beans or white navy beans or white kidney beans.

See this recipe for oven baked beef fajitas on my website if you’re looking to use up some bell peppers.

Storage

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to eat, reheat in microwave or covered in the oven until heated through.

💭 Cooking tips

I often find enchiladas can be a little on the soggy side. If you have extra time, I love this tip from Bon Appetit about frying the tortillas in oil before coating in the enchilada sauce.

This recipe was originally published on March 17, 2018 and updated on November 30, 2023.

A closeup of half a pan of baked enchiladas with slices of jalapeno and cilantro sprinkled on top.

Green Chicken Enchiladas

Author: Louisa Clements
4.89 from 9 votes
Your new favorite weeknight dinner! This recipe for green chicken enchiladas is creamy, cheesy and incredibly easy. Blanketed in a zesty green enchilada sauce, this recipe combines salsa verde, shredded chicken, sour cream, melted cheese and a kick from spicy jalapenos.
Pin Print
Prep: 20 minutes minutes
Cook: 26 minutes minutes
Total: 46 minutes minutes
Servings: 5

Ingredients

  • 455 mL / 15oz jar of salsa verde, divided
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ¾ cup sour cream, divided
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 cups shredded cheese, cheddar or Monterey Jack
  • 2 cups shredded chicken
  • 8 7-inch flour tortillas

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and pour ¼ cup of salsa verde into the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Spread it evenly using a spoon or spatula.
  • In a small frying pan over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add chopped onions and cook for 3-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add cumin, minced garlic, and oregano. Cook for an additional minute until fragrant. The mixture may appear dry.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the sautéed onion mixture with ½ cup each of salsa verde, sour cream, shredded cheese, and the chopped cilantro. Stir the shredded chicken into the filling mixture until well combined.
  • Stir the remaining sour cream into the remaining salsa verde and set it aside for topping the enchiladas later.
  • Spoon about ⅓ cup of the filling onto the center of a tortilla, roll it up, and place it seam-side down in the prepared casserole dish. Repeat the process with the remaining filling and tortillas.
  • Pour the reserved salsa verde and sour cream mixture over the rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle additional shredded cheese on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Notes

  1. If your salsa verde is mild, you can make these spicier. Add a minced jalapeno and cook with the onions, and add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of chili flakes when adding the cumin. 
  2. You can use corn tortillas instead of flour, simply heat them in hot oil for 10 seconds a side before rolling and filling.
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + rating and let me know what you think!
Filed Under: chicken, Dinner Recipes, easy, Fall, meat, Winter
Nutrition Facts
Green Chicken Enchiladas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 521 Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 9g
Cholesterol 98mg33%
Sodium 1314mg57%
Potassium 490mg14%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 1147IU23%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 352mg35%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any specific dietary concerns, please consult with your healthcare practitioner.
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4.89 from 9 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Mrs. Raymon Jolly

    May 30, 2024 at 9:38 am

    How much chicken ??
    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      June 03, 2024 at 7:47 am

      Oh gosh, good catch! It should be 2 cups of chicken, I've updated the recipe. So sorry about that! I hope you enjoy.
      Reply
  2. Elaine

    May 13, 2024 at 6:37 pm

    How much shredded chicken? Can't find amount in recipe, thanks.
    ★★★★☆
    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      June 03, 2024 at 7:49 am

      Hi Elaine, I am so sorry for missing this! It should be 2 cups of chicken, I've updated the recipe now.
      Reply
  3. Elaine

    May 11, 2024 at 6:28 pm

    How much shredded chicken? I'm gonna try roasting 2 boneless breasts, will this be enough? Maybe I'm blind, I reread this recipe several times and CANNOT find the chicken amount, LOL.
    Reply
  4. Judy Embleton

    November 11, 2023 at 12:30 am

    Hi Louisa. Garry and I had a craving for Mexican food, so made these and they were so delicious! We used corn tortillas because I’m gluten-free. We also baked and shredded the chicken and preferred the texture to cubes. I used half the amount of cumin because I wasn’t sure how strong it’d be. I’ll put it all in next time. We decided to make a little sliced avocado side dish with lime juice and coriander instead of putting it on top of the hot enchiladas. But we inadvertently left the sour cream in the fridge! We’ll remember it next time, though - because, yes, we had leftovers! Yum!!
    ★★★★★

    5 stars

    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      November 27, 2023 at 6:27 am

      Hi Judy!! I'm so glad you both enjoyed these--love using corn tortillas and avocado on the side sounds perfect. I hope you are well!
      Reply
  5. Alisanne

    May 13, 2020 at 11:54 pm

    I'm thrilled my husband found you, Ms. Lou. I love to cook, but we've been cooking the same 'ol Greek and Italian dishes for some time. We really wanted to mix things up at home., now that we can't go to our favorite restaurants, especially. We are going to try several of your recipes, and started with this winner! Easy to make and absolutely delicious. It's flavorful, not too heavy, and yes, sour cream on top with the cilantro and avocado makes it that much more delectable. We cannot wait to prepare so many of your other recipes. Thank you!

    5 stars

    Reply
    • Louisa Clements

      May 15, 2020 at 10:02 am

      I'm so glad to hear that Alisanne! Please let me know how you enjoy the recipes and feel free to leave reviews & feedback! :)
      Reply
  6. Marci

    July 18, 2018 at 11:49 am

    I'm on a black bean, cilantro and avocado kick right now! These should satisfy my craving and not leave me hungry! Yum!
    Reply
    • Lou

      August 11, 2018 at 11:20 am

      It's a favourite combination for sure, I hope you enjoyed!
      Reply
  7. priyankadave

    April 27, 2018 at 1:49 am

    Looks Very delcious and tasty thanks for sharing
    ★★★★★

    5 stars

    Reply
    • Lou

      May 06, 2018 at 9:48 pm

      Thanks! Let me know if you give it a try!
      Reply

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Hi, I'm Louisa Clements & welcome to Living Lou. I've been creating simple, fresh & flavorful recipes for the modern kitchen for 14 years.
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