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If you’re looking for an easy weeknight dinner, enchiladas verdes are the answer! These flavorful green enchiladas are filled with tender chicken, smothered in a roasted tomatillo salsa verde, and topped with lots of cheese.
Enchiladas are one of my favorite Mexican recipes. I grew up eating cheese enchiladas (my Mom’s specialty) and chicken enchiladas, and I just can’t get enough. They’re a great way to incorporate tons of flavor but are still easy to throw together on busy weeknights.
When most people think of enchiladas, it usually involves a rich red sauce with a savory filling, but these enchiladas verdes are a nice break from the norm.
They feature a bright and tangy salsa verde made with roasted tomatillos, jalapeño peppers, onions, and garlic for a delicious layer of char, tang, and slightly sweet flavor. The filling is just a simple shredded chicken recipe that pairs well with the sauce, and, of course, you can’t forget a hearty helping of shredded cheese.
Here’s why I love this recipe:
- It’s simple and flavorful. The star of this recipe is definitely the salsa verde. It uses simple and minimal ingredients and is ready in only 20 minutes.
- You can prep everything ahead of time. You can make dinnertime even easier by prepping the salsa and fillings the night before. Just assemble and bake the next day for a quick and easy dinner!
What Are Enchiladas Verdes?
Enchiladas verdes are a traditional Mexican dish featuring a rich and tangy roasted salsa verde and juicy shredded chicken rolled up in warm corn tortillas. They’re a warm and comforting meal that’s great for weeknight dinners.
Ingredient Notes
- Tomatillos: This is the main ingredient in the salsa verde recipe. They’re bright and tangy, but when roasted, they have a slightly sweet and smoky flavor, especially when charred.
- Jalapeños: These peppers add flavor and a bit of spice. To make it spicy, leave the seeds in or keep it mild and use bell peppers or Anaheim peppers instead.
- Onion and garlic: Adds an extra layer of flavor, bringing out a hint of sweetness.
- Cilantro and lime juice: Add brightness and acidity to the salsa verde. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can easily leave it out or use parsley instead.
- Broth: Chicken broth helps thin out the salsa verde to make it the perfect consistency for the enchiladas. You can use vegetable broth or water instead.
- Shredded chicken: Juicy and flavorful shredded chicken is all you need for this filling. You can whip up my quick homemade shredded chicken recipe or use a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- Shredded cheese: Adds creaminess and is sprinkled on top of the enchiladas. I like to use a Mexican-blend shredded cheese, but feel free to use a more traditional Mexican cheese like Chihuahua or Oaxaca cheese.
- Corn tortillas: Enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas. They have a great flavor and can keep their shape with the fillings and sauce, especially when made the traditional way (which is lightly fried in oil). If you want a more Americanized version, you can absolutely use flour tortillas. It’s totally up to personal preference.
- Toppings: I love to top my enchiladas verdes with thinly sliced red onions, some crumbled cotija cheese, chopped cilantro, and a little drizzle of Mexican crema.
How to Make Enchiladas Verdes
Make the salsa verde by roasting the tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic under a broiler until charred, then adding everything to a blender with onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt, then blending until completely smooth.
Assemble the enchiladas by spooning some of the salsa verde onto the bottom of a large baking dish. Spoon some shredded chicken into each tortilla, then roll it up and place it in the baking dish seam side down. Pour the remaining salsa verde on top.
Top with shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes at 350ºF until the cheese has melted and the sauce starts to bubble.
Garnish with thinly sliced red onions, crumbled cotija cheese, cilantro, and a drizzle of Mexican crema before serving.
Recipe Tips
- To make these using the more authentic and traditional Mexican method: Shallow fry corn tortillas in a little oil for about 5-10 seconds per side to help them become pliable and prevent them from becoming too soggy. Drain off any excess oil, then dip each fried tortilla into the warm salsa verde. Place the smothered tortilla on a plate, add the filling, and roll it up. Top with any remaining sauce and a sprinkle of queso fresco or cotija cheese.
- Make ahead. You can make the salsa verde and shredded chicken filling ahead of time and assemble it when you’re ready to eat.
- Change up the filling. Enchiladas verdes are usually made with a simple shredded chicken filling, but feel free to kick it up a notch and mix in a dollop of sour cream, more shredded cheese, chopped onions, or even corn for extra flavor.
- It’s all about the salsa. The star of this dish is definitely the salsa verde recipe, which is why I recommend making it from scratch. You can use your favorite store-bought salsa verde if you’re short on time.
- Make it vegetarian. Use the filling from my black bean quesadillas to make this a delicious vegetarian recipe.
- Use flour tortillas. Enchiladas are usually made with corn tortillas, but you can easily swap them for flour tortillas if you prefer. It’s all personal preference!
Serving Suggestions
Round out your enchiladas verdes with tried and true sides like:
Storing, Freezing, and Reheating
- To store, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
- To freeze, let them cool completely in the fridge. Transfer them to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also wrap the enchiladas completely in aluminum foil and freeze them.
- To reheat, heat them in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until warm and steamy. You can also place them in the oven at 350℉ for 15 minutes or until warmed through.
More Mexican Recipes
If you tried this Enchiladas Verdes Recipe or any other recipe on Isabel Eats, don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing about your experience making it!
Enchiladas Verdes
Ingredients
For the salsa verde
- 1 pound tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 3 jalapeño peppers, stemmed (and seeded, if desired)
- ½ medium white onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ cup cilantro (stems and leaves)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (about ½ lime)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
For the enchiladas
- 12 corn or flour tortillas
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, plus more as needed
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 2 cups shredded cheese
For serving
- Thinly sliced red onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Mexican crema
Instructions
- Make the salsa verde. Add the tomatillos, jalapeños, and garlic to a large baking sheet. Roast directly under the broiler for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the tomatillos and peppers are charred.
- Add the roasted tomatillos, jalapeños, garlic, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt to a large blender and blend until smooth. Set aside.
- If using corn tortillas: Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and heat them in the microwave for 1 minute, flipping them halfway through until all of them are warm and pliable.If using flour tortillas: Microwave the tortillas on a plate for 1 minute, flipping them halfway through until all of them are warm and pliable.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Assemble the enchiladas by pouring ½ cup of the salsa verde onto the bottom of a large 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Spoon about 2 ½ tablespoons of shredded chicken onto a tortilla, roll it up and place it in the baking dish seam side down. Continue until all the tortillas have been filled. You may need to add more filling if using flour tortillas since they’re often larger.
- Pour the remaining salsa verde on top and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the sauce starts to bubble.
- Garnish with a generous drizzle of Mexican crema, thinly sliced red onion, and freshly chopped cilantro.
Video
Notes
- Shredded chicken: You whip up my quick homemade shredded chicken or use a store-bought rotisserie chicken and shred it at home.
- Shredded cheese: You can use a shredded Mexican-blend cheese, Monterey Jack, or a more traditional cheese like Chihuahua or Oaxaca cheese.
- To make these using the more authentic and traditional Mexican method: Shallow fry corn tortillas in a little oil for about 5-10 seconds per side to help them become pliable and prevent them from becoming too soggy. Drain off any excess oil, then dip each fried tortilla into the warm salsa verde. Place the smothered tortilla on a plate, add the filling, and roll it up. Top with any remaining sauce and a sprinkle of queso fresco or cotija cheese.
- Make ahead. You can make the salsa verde and shredded chicken filling ahead of time and assemble it when you’re ready to eat.
- Spruce up the filling. Enchiladas verdes are usually made with a simple shredded chicken filling but feel free to kick it up a notch and mix in a dollop of sour cream, more shredded cheese, chopped onions, or even corn for extra flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published in June 2016 and has been updated with new photos, more helpful tips, and a better overall recipe.
Photography by Ashley McLaughlin.
Made these tonight using leftover Thanksgiving turkey. PERFECTION. So. Good.
So tasty!!! Modified slightly by heating the tortillas on the stove top and dipping individually in the sauce
So good! Followed the recipe and loved it. Used a store bought salsa verde (the La Victoria brand) to cut down on prep time and it was really good! Broiled mine for a few mins at the end for the cheese to get brown. Definitely going to be trying more for Isabel Eats.
OK, this is about a new use for your chicken recipe I “discovered”. We had chicken tacos yesterday but instead of cooking the chicken in red taco seasoning as we usually do; I used your enchiladas recipe above. I marinated (double the amount of your recipe) four skin-on, bone-in thighs for four hours then popped them in the oven for 25 minutes. Juicy and tender (always a challenge with boneless, skinless breasts); sliced up nicely for tacos. I may have just found our go-to method for chicken tacos as well as enchiladas. Thanks again, Isabel.
Hi Charles! We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for sharing!
Easy-to-follow, straight-forward recipes – both the enchiladas and the salsa verde. It’s convenient that the times to cook the salsa ingredients and the chicken are about the same so, the two prep workstreams easily come together at the same time. Didn’t have shredded Mexican cheese blend (and that’s unusual in our house) so I substituted Cotija and Oaxaca cheeses; I otherwise followed the recipes as written. Very nice dish – easy-to-make and delicious to eat. Thanks, Isabel.
Thank you, Charles!
This did not work for me, the tortilla’s were soggy and the meat seasoning wasn’t enough even though i followed the measurements, not sure what i did wrong.
Hi Nick. We’re sorry this didn’t work out for you. If you used flour tortillas, those are more likely to get soggy than using corn.
Stacked enchilladas!! Same recipe, same taste and less time consuming. More like making a lasagna. Stellar!
Great idea! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
The amount of cumin the recipe calls for overwhelms everything.
Have you ever tried this as a Mexican casserole instead of making individual enchiladas? I think I’m going to try this to save time.
I have not, but I think that’s a great idea! Let me know how it turns out! You may need to adjust the amount of salsa verde, but I’m not sure since I’ve never made it.