Name: Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (Small Batch)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tsp. Avocado or Olive Oil; 1/2 cup chopped White or Yellow Onion; Salt (to taste); 2 cloves Garlic (minced); 1 cup Salsa Verde; 4 oz. Green Chiles; 1/3 cup Sour Cream; 2 tbsp. Whipped Cream Cheese; 2 tbsp. finely chopped Cilantro (divided); 2 cups Shredded Rotisserie Chicken; 1 cup Shredded Colby Jack Cheese (divided); 4 6" Flour Tortillas

A small batch green chile chicken enchilada recipe that makes four enchiladas and comes together in about 40 minutes. (This recipe can be doubled or tripled if needed!)

This is a super easy green chile chicken enchilada recipe with shredded rotisserie chicken, green chiles, salsa verde, shredded cheese, sour cream, and so much flavor. This is a small batch recipe that makes four enchiladas and comes together in about 40 minutes.

Note: this recipe does not use green enchilada sauce. I find the taste of salsa verde and green chiles to be better, so that’s the route we took! You’re welcome to use green enchilada sauce in place of the salsa verde if you like, but it is not necessary for this enchilada recipe.

A ceramic plate with a cheesy chicken enchilada resting on it - the enchilada is cut in half so the inside is revealed. — A quick, easy, small batch green chile chicken enchilada recipe that makes four green chicken enchiladas.

Enchiladas can be made with either flour or corn tortillas, so I encourage you to use your preference. Yes, corn tortillas are more traditional, but I recommend using what you like best. 🙂

Ingredients

2 tsp. Avocado or Olive Oil
1/2 cup chopped White or Yellow Onion
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 cup Salsa Verde
4 oz. Green Chiles
1/3 cup Sour Cream
2 tbsp. Whipped Cream Cheese
2 tbsp. finely chopped Cilantro, divided
2 cups Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
1 cup Shredded Colby Jack Cheese, divided
4 Fajita-Sized 6″ Flour Tortillas

Ingredient Notes and FAQs

Salsa Verde

I absolutely love the salsa verde from Trader Joe’s. If you have access to it, try it! If not, this one is popular, as well as this one. You can also use green enchilada sauce if you prefer.

Green Chiles

Hatch green chiles are preferred here, but any four ounce can of green chiles will work! Hatch green chiles are grown in nutrient-dense soil (in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico), from April to August every year. Their flavor is a little spicy and sweet, and really well balanced – and will totally make these enchiladas the best they can be!

Shredded Rotisserie Chicken

If you have leftover chicken breast or chicken thighs that are lightly seasoned, or have some sort of Tex-Mex seasoning, that is a perfect substitute for rotisserie chicken. If you need other recipes to use more rotisserie chicken, check out these Chicken Bacon Ranch Wraps, Incredible Chicken Salad Croissant Sandwiches, or this Chicken, Poblano, and Black Bean Soup.

Colby Jack Cheese

I just like the color Colby Jack cheese adds to this recipe. You can use Pepper Jack cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, Cheddar cheese, or any melty cheese that you love here.

6″ Flour Tortillas

Admittedly, the tortillas I used in these photos were 8″ tortillas. I would have preferred them to be smaller so they would fit into the 8×8 pan a little better. Any size tortilla between 6″ and 8″ will work. You can also use corn tortillas in place of flour tortillas, but be sure to warm them first so they won’t break when you roll them up.

Hopefully some of the following tips and tricks can help you make these Green Chicken Enchiladas successfully, but if you have any other questions, feel free to email me anytime! 🙂

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Throw in Some Veggies if You Like! I kept this recipe super simple, but it doesn’t have to be! Adding black beans, bell peppers, jalapeño, or whatever veggies you’re feeling would be great! If you’re a cilantro fan, you can always add more of that, too. 🙂
Use a Different Cheese: The cheese choice in these enchiladas is super forgiving! Use whatever you have on hand (cheddar, Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, etc. will all work!)
Rotisserie Chicken Makes these Quick and Easy, but you can use any lightly seasoned leftover chicken breast or thighs for these enchiladas. Shred your leftover chicken first, then use it in place of the rotisserie chicken in step four.
Omit the Cilantro if You’re Not a Fan. I love it, but if you’re not into it, definitely don’t use it in this recipe. You could toss in a little Mexican Oregano with the garlic (in step one) instead, but it isn’t necessary.

Directions

How to Make Cheesy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Step One: Cook the Onions and Garlic. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Heat two teaspoons of oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add the onions to the pan with a pinch of salt, and cook for 4-5 minutes softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

Step Two: Add Salsa Verde and Green Chiles. Stir the salsa verde and green chiles into the onions and garlic. Turn the heat beneath the pan to medium-low, and let the sauce simmer for two minutes.

A wooden spatula stirring a skillet full of creamy green chile chicken filling for enchiladas.

A measuring cup held above a skillet full of creamy green chile chicken filling for enchiladas.

Step Three: Make it Creamy. Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the sour cream, whipped cream cheese, and half (1 tbsp.) of the fresh cilantro. Carefully reserve 3/4 cup of the sauce for pouring over the enchiladas later.

A skillet full of creamy green chile sauce with shredded chicken and shredded cheese resting in it.

A skillet full of shredded chicken and cheese coated in a creamy green chile sauce.

Step Four: Complete the Filling. Stir the shredded chicken and half of the shredded cheese (1/2 cup) into the remaining sauce in the pan until everything is well blended.

A woman's hand emptying a measuring cup full of shredded chicken mixture into the center of a tortilla.

A round flour tortilla with a line of shredded chicken mixture down the middle of it.

Step Five: Roll the Enchiladas. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto the center of one tortilla. Spread the mixture out so it creates a line down the center of the tortilla. Roll the tortilla up, and place it seam side down into a greased 8×8 baking dish. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.

A woman's hand pouring a measuring cup full of creamy green chile mixture over the top of four rolled flour tortillas in a dark square pan.

Four chicken enchiladas covered in a creamy green chile sauce resting in a dark square pan.

Step Six: Bake the Enchiladas. Pour the reserved green chile sauce over the tops of the enchiladas, letting some of it fall down into the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese over the top of the enchiladas. Bake the enchiladas at 350 F for 25 minutes.

Four chicken enchiladas covered in a creamy green chile sauce and shredded cheese resting in a dark square pan.

A cheesy chicken enchilada being lifted by a spatula out of a dark square pan.

Step Seven: Serve! Once the enchiladas are fully baked, let them rest at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. Sprinkle the remaining cilantro over the top of them for garnish, and serve hot!

Make this Chicken Enchiladas with Green Sauce Recipe Yours!

Ways to Customize this Recipe: You can use your favorite pasta shape (as long as it’s a small one), or your favorite cheeses:

Customize this Recipe:

Make it Spicy by adding fresh jalapeño (or pickled jalapeños).
Switch up the Cheese and use Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican Blend cheese.
Serve with fresh guacamole, pico de gallo, red salsa, green salsa, or sour cream for even more flavor!

Two cheesy green chicken enchiladas resting on a ceramic plate. One of them is cut in half to expose the inside.

How to Make this Ahead of Time

Make these enchiladas in their entirety up to three days before you want to serve them. Store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but let them come to room temperature before baking them.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Storing: Leftover enchiladas can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 300 F for about fifteen minutes, or until they are warmed through.

More Weeknight Tex-Mex Recipes

What to Serve with Green Chicken Enchiladas:

these Creamy Refried Beans
Mexican Rice
crunchy tortilla chips & Homemade Guacamole

Margarita Pairings

Want to make more than six servings? Increase the amount you want to make in the recipe card; there is a little slider bar near the “servings” section on the recipe card if you’re on a desktop, or if you’re on your phone, touch the number of servings on the recipe card (it will be a number, and colored dark red). You can adjust the slider bar that way instead of doing the calculations on your own! 🙂

If you make this Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas recipe and love it, please leave a comment and / or star rating below! You can also share it on Instagram and tag me, or use the hashtag #aflavorjournal so I can see it! If you have any questions about the ingredients or how to make it, send me an email so I can help out.

xx Sara