These classic Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas takes tortillas, chicken, and a creamy cheesy mixture and smothers them in a tangy green chile sauce. These easy enchiladas are the perfect weeknight meal.
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I LOVE Mexican food. Enchiladas, Tacos, Burritos, you name it, I love it. Although enchiladas with green chili sauce holds a special place in my heart. This recipe is inspired by my favorite dish at Javier's Cantina, which is a salsa verde enchilada dish. My variation is just a little bit lighter and made with a twist.
The enchilada filling is super creamy, due to the addition of Labneh. While it might sound like an odd addition, labneh is a tangy and creamy spread that is similar in texture to cream cheese. If you love Tex-Mex check out my Gluten-Free Enchiladas With Red Sauce Recipe, or my Dutch Oven Chili recipe.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Crowd Pleaser: Everyone will love this enchiladas recipe. It's perfect for a potluck or a tasty dinner with the whole family.
- Prep Ahead Convenience: You can prepare these enchiladas in advance and simply bake them when ready to serve, making them a perfect option for busy weeknights or entertaining.
- Versatility: Green chile enchiladas can be made vegetarian or with your choice of protein. You can also make them dairy-free, making them a crowd-pleasing dish for all dietary needs.
Ingredients
- Chicken Breast: I like baking or cooking my own chicken in the crockpot, and keeping it in the fridge for recipes like this. If you don't have pre-cooked chicken you can either slow cook a couple of chicken breasts in the crockpot or use leftover rotisserie chicken or chicken thighs for this recipe.
- Labneh: I know, it sounds strange to add labneh to enchiladas, but I promise it makes all the difference. I have a super easy labneh recipe, however, you can always substitute it with cream cheese. To keep this recipe dairy-free, you can also use a dairy-free cream cheese substitute. I’d recommend a cream cheese substitute rather than omitting the cream cheese altogether, so you get a nice creamy texture!
- Green Chilies: Canned green chiles work well for this recipe.
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Chili Powder
- Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar is my favorite, however, if you don’t do dairy, you can leave this out or use your favorite non-dairy cheese.
- Tortillas: You can use any tortilla you like. if you want to keep this recipe gluten-free, be sure to read the label. If you are looking for a good gluten-free tortilla, I highly recommend Siete Tortillas. They taste great and are good quality.
- Enchilada Sauce: I'm a huge fan of taking a little help from the grocery store when I can. I love using Siete's Green Enchilada Sauce. If you want to make homemade sauce, you certainly can!
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1. In a large bowl shred your chicken breasts. To the shredded chicken, add labneh, green chilis, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and ½ of the grated cheddar cheese. Mix to combine.
Step 2. Add a little oil to a medium pan and heat tortillas one at a time on medium heat for thirty seconds per side, or until tortillas are warm and pliable. Alternatively, you can pop the tortillas in the microwave for twenty seconds until they are warm. If you skip warming the tortillas, they will be more challenging to work with and may tear or break.
Step 3. Fill the warm tortillas with 2-3 tablespoons of the enchilada filling, roll it up tightly, and place seam side down in the bottom of the baking dish.
Step 4. Top them with the enchilada sauce, then add the remaining cheese.
Bake the green chicken enchiladas at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy.
Substitutions and variations
- Tortillas: I usually make this recipe with Siete's grain-free tortillas, but you can use any tortilla you like. If you want to keep it gluten-free you can use corn tortillas, and if gluten is not an issue feel free to use regular flour tortillas.
- Dairy-Free: If you want to make this recipe dairy-free, skip the labneh and cheese, and substitute with dairy-free cream cheese and dairy-free cheddar cheese.
- No Chicken, No Problem: If you don't have chicken on hand, you can make this recipe with ground beef, or just cheese.
Serving
Wondering what to eat with creamy chicken enchiladas? Check out the list below.
- Mexican Rice
- Black Beans
- Refried Beans
- Side Salad
Optional Toppings:
- Guacamole
- Cilantro
- Pickled Red Onions
- Labneh or Sour Cream
- Green Onion
- Monterey Jack Cheese
- Pepper Jack Cheese
- Hot Sauce
Storage and reheating
If you have any leftovers of these creamy green chile chicken enchiladas, you can store them in an airtight container. They will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
You can reheat the enchiladas in the oven at 300 degrees for 10 min. Also, check out my other tips and methods for how to reheat enchiladas.
FAQ's
Yes, these enchiladas are perfect for making ahead! Prepare them without baking, cover them tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Then simply bake straight from the fridge until hot and bubbly.
The spice level can vary, but most green chile enchilada recipes have mild to medium heat. The green chiles provide earthy, smoky notes rather than searing heat. You can adjust the spice by using milder or spicier chile varieties.
A blend of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses is classic, providing a creamy, melty filling. But you can experiment with other cheeses like pepper jack for more kick or queso fresco for a fresh, tangy note.
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Green Chilie Chicken Enchiladas (Gluten-Free)
Equipment
- Baking Dish
- Mixing Bowl
- Spatula
- Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Breast
- ½ cup Labneh
- 4 oz Green Chiles
- ½ teaspoon Onion Powder
- ½ teaspoon Garlic Powoder
- ½ teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 cup Grated Cheddar Cheese divided
- 8 Tortillas Siete brand
- 15 oz Green Enchilada Sauce Siete brand
Instructions
- In a large bowl shred your chicken breasts. To the shredded chicken, add labneh, green chilis, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, and ½ of the grated cheddar cheese. Mix to combine.
- Add a little oil to a medium pan and heat tortillas one at a time on medium heat for thirty seconds per side, or until tortillas are warm and pliable. Alternatively, you can pop the tortillas in the microwave for twenty seconds until they are warm. If you skip warming the tortillas, they will be more challenging to work with and may tear or break.
- Grease the bottom of a casserole dish with butter or olive oil and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Fill the warm tortillas with 2-3 tablespoons of the enchilada filling, roll it up tightly, and place seam side down in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Top them with the enchilada sauce, then add the remaining cheese.
- Bake the green chicken enchiladas at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown and bubbling.
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