Enchiladas are a perfect meal. Don’t buy frozen or even spend money at your favorite Mexican restaurant. At least not before you try these Green Chicken Enchiladas with Cream Cheese at home and enjoy the savings and the amazing flavor of these delicious green chile chicken enchiladas.
Whether you make a bulk batch to freeze or simply make this easy chicken enchilada dish for a special occasion dinner, you’re going to want to try it. Drizzle sour cream over the top and sprinkle on chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, and chopped fresh cilantro for the best loaded enchilada dinner!
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If you’ve not made green enchiladas with a cream cheese chicken filling, then you are in for a treat! This is one of the best chicken dinner recipes!
These creamy chicken enchiladas are full of flavor and texture, with a little punch from the chipotle, pepper Jack cheese, and salsa verde, a tangy creaminess from the cream cheese, corn tortillas to give the dish body, and chicken breast to give it some hearty protein.
You’ll love how easily these come together. Serve them with black beans and a side salad for an easy chicken dinner.
Why Make This
It’s easy. These easy chicken enchiladas are some of my favorites to serve because they are simple to make yet so packed with flavor. You can easily assemble them in less than half an hour.
It’s freezer friendly. Make up several batches of these cream cheese chicken enchiladas, wrap, label, and freeze. You can enjoy enchiladas on a weekly basis without breaking a sweat.
It’s super versatile. My friend Amy bakes this chicken enchilada recipe without the sauce and then serves several sauces at the table for her family to choose from. I think this is a brilliant way to let your peeps vary the flavors. You could also assemble the enchiladas in smaller dishes and top each pan with a different sauce.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Green Chicken Enchiladas recipe:
oil for frying the tortillas – A neutral flavored oil, like avocado oil is best.
corn tortillas – There are large and small corn tortillas available at many stores. Keep in mind that if you buy the large ones, the recipe may make fewer enchiladas.
cooked chicken – You’ll need cubed or shredded chicken meat. You can use a rotisserie chicken or cook your own chicken breasts.
cheese – You can use Monterey jack cheese, cheddar cheese, or I like to use pepper jack for a little extra kick.
cream cheese – For the richest flavor, use full fat, but you can also use neufchâtel cheese instead. You’ll need your cream cheese softened, so be sure to leave it out for an hour or so before prepping the chicken mixture.
onion – You’ll need half a chopped onion for the filling. If you don’t think you’ll use the other half within the next few days, remember that you can freeze onions.
taco seasoning mix – I make homemade taco seasoning, but you can use the commercial style as well.
salsa verde – I use plain salsa verde, either Herdez or Trader Joe’s. Feel free to use your favorite green enchilada sauce or a green chile sauce of your choosing.
Variations:
Change the tortilla. I used corn tortillas, but if you prefer to make your enchiladas with flour tortillas, you can totally do that. To prevent the tortillas from getting gummy, I recommend baking them without sauce so that the tortilla crisps.
Beef up the chile flavor. You can stir a can of green chiles into the filling.
Change the sauce. I love using a salsa verde or green sauce to top these enchiladas, but you can also use a red chile sauce or red chile enchilada sauce if you prefer.
For a rich alternative to plain salsa verde, combine the jar of salsa with 1 cup sour cream and use that as a sauce. It’s the same that I use in my Salsa Verde Chicken.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make this easy green chile enchilada recipe with chicken:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Add oil to a small skillet to a depth of about an inch. Heat over medium heat until the oil starts to shimmer. Fry the tortillas in the hot oil for 30 to 45 seconds each, turning once with tongs. The texture starts to look a bit leathery. Drain the tortillas on paper towels and cool enough to be easily handled.
In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, 1 cup of the Jack cheese, the cream cheese, onion, and taco seasoning mix. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
Assemble the enchiladas by placing 2 tablespoons of the chicken cream cheese filling on each tortilla. Roll and place the enchiladas, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
Pour the salsa or enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle the reserved cheese over the enchiladas. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes, or until the dish is heated through and the cheese is melted.
Top the baked enchiladas with chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and sliced olives.
FAQs
What differentiates green enchiladas from red enchiladas is the sauce. Green features green chile sauce or salsa verde.
The two are often made of the same ingredients, such as tomatillos and green chiles, but enchilada sauce is smooth and thick while salsa verde tends to be chunky with a thin liquid.
Salsa verde is great as a topping for enchiladas in place of enchilada sauce.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
Green Chicken Enchiladas with Cream Cheese
Enchiladas are a perfect meal. Don’t buy frozen and don’t go out. Make these at home and enjoy the savings and the amazing flavor.
Servings: 12 enchiladas
Calories: 224kcal
Cost: $10
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Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Add oil to a small skillet to a depth of about an inch. Heat over medium heat until the oil starts to shimmer. Fry the tortillas in the hot oil for 30 to 45 seconds each, turning once with tongs. The texture starts to look a bit leathery. Drain the tortillas on paper towels and cool enough to be easily handled.
In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, 1 cup of the Jack cheese, the cream cheese, onion, and taco seasoning mix.
Assemble the enchiladas by placing 2 tablespoons filling on each tortilla. Roll and place the enchiladas, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
Pour the salsa over the enchiladas and sprinkle the reserved cheese over the enchiladas. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes, or until the dish is heated through and the cheese is melted.
Notes
Variations:
Change the tortilla. I used corn tortillas, but if you prefer to make your enchiladas with flour tortillas, you can totally do that. To prevent the tortillas from getting gummy, I recommend baking them without sauce so that the tortilla crisps. Beef up the chile flavor. You can stir a can of green chiles into the filling. Change the sauce. I love using a salsa verde or green sauce to top these enchiladas, but you can also use a red chile sauce or red chile enchilada sauce if you prefer. For a rich alternative to plain salsa verde, combine the jar of of salsa with 1 cup sour cream and use that as a sauce. It’s the same that I use in my Salsa Verde Chicken.Nutrition
Calories: 224kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 193mg | Iron: 1mg
This post was originally published on November 2, 2014. It has been updated for content and clarity.
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