Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

These salsa verde chicken enchiladas are a deliciously bright, zesty, and smoky twist on classic chicken enchiladas. Easy to prepare with rotisserie chicken and good-quality jarred salsa verde, this recipe is brimming with corn, sautéed onion, fresh green onions and cilantro, warming spices, and an ooey-gooey topping of melted cheddar cheese!

Enchiladas with a green twist

Nothing brings some TLC and takes the edge off a zany week quite like some delicious comfort food. Enchiladas fit the bill perfectly.

While we typically crave my recipe for saucy steak enchiladas, we recently had a hankering for a big pan of enchiladas with a slightly different twist, one with a green sauce instead of red.

Enter my salsa verde chicken enchiladas, brimming with juicy, pre-cooked chicken (rotisserie is fantastic here!). They've got corn, sautéed onion, fresh herbs, lots of cheese, and a good-quality salsa verde from a jar. I've made sure they're loaded with lots of bright and zesty flavor.

I love that this enchilada recipe is “semi-homemade”. I'm using some pantry staples jazzed up with fresh ingredients, plus more flavor from a combo of warming spices.

One bite of these enchiladas, and you'll be feeling (and tasting!) lots of comfy-cozy vibes that only this type of comfort food can provide. Each bite is absolutely brimming with mouthwatering flavor!

My recipe for salsa verde chicken enchiladas

There's something about preparing homemade chicken enchiladas that I find kind of fun, especially when the list of ingredients calls for some pantry staples and pre-made ingredients to use as shortcuts.

Rotisserie chicken (or any other pre-cooked chicken) is really perfect for the preparation of these enchiladas, and acts as a real timesaver. All you need to do is chop or shred it.

To the chicken filling I add a trio of spices—smoked paprika, chili powder, and cumin. Those spices warm things up and offer more zestiness and flavor. I also add sautéed onion, corn kernels, fresh green onions and chopped cilantro, as well as shredded sharp, white cheddar.

The savory filling is rolled up in flour tortillas, as I prefer the texture. I also find them a little easier to work with. You can sub corn tortillas if preferred, but either way, you'll need roughly 7 to 8-inch tortillas for this recipe.

To keep the enchiladas from sticking, I add a little of the salsa verde to the bottom of my baking dish. Once rolled up and nestled into the baking dish, they're generously topped with more salsa verde and more cheese before heading to the oven!

Here's a glance at my recipe for salsa verde chicken enchiladas:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I sauté my diced onion for a few minutes, and allow that to cool just slightly.
2. Then, I add my shredded or chopped pre-cooked chicken to a bowl, and add in the cooled, sautéed onion, spices, corn, fresh herbs, a touch of shredded cheese, and a pinch of salt and pepper. I toss the filling mixture together to incorporate the flavors.
3. I spoon a small amount of the salsa verde onto the bottom of the baking dish or pan (9 by 13-inch), to have it ready.
4. Next, I assemble each enchilada by rolling them up with my filling, then laying them seam-side down on the sauce, in the baking dish.
5. Then, I pour the rest of the salsa verde over top of the chicken enchiladas, top with lots of cheddar cheese, and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until golden-brown on top and gooey.
6. I finish by garnishing the salsa verde chicken enchiladas with fresh green onion, cilantro, and Cotija cheese, if desired.

Recipe

Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

These zesty salsa verde chicken enchiladas are a mouthwatering twist on classic enchiladas, brimming with lots of bright and smoky flavor!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican-American

Yield: 8 enchiladas

Nutrition info: 475 calories (per enchilada)

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds cooked chicken, shredded or chopped (roughly 1 whole rotisserie chicken, skin removed)
• Olive oil
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ cup corn kernels (frozen and thawed, or canned and drained)
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish and serving
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions, plus extra for garnish and serving
• 2 (15.5 ounce) jars salsa verde, or roughly 4 (scant) cups, divided use
• 3 (heaping) cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided use
• 8 flour tortillas, roughly 8 inch size
• Cotija cheese, optional garnish
• Lime wedges, optional garnish
• Sour cream, optional garnish

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°, and have a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish ready and on hand.
3. Add the cooked, shredded or chopped chicken to a large bowl, and set aside.
4. Next, place a skillet over medium-high heat, and drizzle in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add in the chopped onion, along with a pinch of salt and black pepper, and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes, or until softened and lightly golden.
5. Once the onion is softened, add in the garlic, and continue to cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until aromatic.
6. Next, allow the sautéed onion/garlic to slightly cool, and once cooled, spoon it into the chicken in the bowl.
7. Then, add to the chicken the smoked paprika, chili powder and ground cumin, as well as the corn kernels, the chopped cilantro and green onion, plus ½ cup worth of the salsa verde, and 1 cup worth of the shredded cheddar cheese.
8. Toss these ingredients together to combine the seasoning and everything else together well, and add a pinch or two of salt and black pepper, if needed. Set aside this chicken filling for a moment.
9. Next, spoon about ½ cup worth of the salsa verde onto the bottom of the casserole dish, and set aside to place the rolled enchiladas into.
10. To assemble the salsa verde chicken enchiladas, place 1 flour tortilla in front of you on a work surface. Spoon about 1 tablespoon worth of the salsa verde onto the flour tortilla (only the side facing you), spreading it over the top of the tortilla.
11. Then, spoon about a heaping ½ cup worth of the chicken filling in a mounded line onto the lower center of the tortilla, and roll the tortilla over the filling, rolling it into an enchilada.
12. Place the chicken enchilada, seam-side down, into the prepared casserole dish. Repeat this process with the rest of the salsa verde chicken enchiladas, until you have all 8 assembled.
13. Then, spoon or pour the remainder of the salsa verde over top of the chicken enchiladas, taking care to cover the tops of the enchiladas, using a spoon to spread the salsa verde out evenly.
14. Evenly sprinkle the remaining shredded cheddar cheese over top of the sauce-covered enchiladas, and place the casserole dish into the oven to bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, until the cheese is slightly golden and the enchiladas are hot in the center and well set.
15. Allow the salsa verde chicken enchiladas to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes (they will be piping hot!), then finish by garnishing with chopped cilantro and green onion, some Cotija cheese (if using), and serve the enchiladas with any additional toppings/garnishes you desire.

Tips & Tidbits for my salsa verde chicken enchiladas recipe:

• Rotisserie chicken, for convenience: This is the ideal recipe to make use of a whole, store-bought rotisserie chicken, or even pre-made, cooked chicken breasts. One whole rotisserie chicken with the skin removed pretty much yields the perfect amount of meat for these enchiladas. All you have to do is give the chicken a good chop or shred, and you're good to go!
• Good quality, jarred salsa verde to keep things simple: I love that these salsa verde chicken enchiladas make use of semi-homemade and pantry ingredients. Using jarred salsa verde, or better yet, a fresh-yet-prepared salsa verde is just the ticket here. No need to make a homemade salsa verde when you're pressed for time. Opt for good quality jarred or prepared.
• Zesty spices to spice things up: Using a combo of smoked paprika, chili powder, and ground cumin brings a bit more zippiness and zest to these salsa verde chicken enchiladas. It also helps jazz up the rotisserie chicken for more flavor. Don't skip the spices, as they do offer lots of added flavor. But feel free to get creative with them, if desired.
• Shredded cheddar cheese, or your favorite melty kind: I love a nice sharp cheddar here, but Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or even smoked Gouda would be delicious. Just make sure it easily melts for that gooey effect we love in chicken enchiladas. You can even add some of the Cotija—about ¼ cup worth—to the chicken filling, if desired.
• How to make these salsa verde chicken enchiladas ahead: If you'd like to do some of the prep work a day or so ahead, you can prepare the enchiladas up to the point that they're assembled and in the casserole dish. But, don't add the salsa verde over top at this point. Just wrap the casserole dish in plastic and refrigerate the enchiladas until ready to bake. When ready, you can take them out, about 1 hour before baking, to take the chill off. Then, top with the salsa verde and cheese, and bake as directed.

Craving more comfy-cozy and zesty recipes like this one? Check out my recipe for Steak Enchiladas, Salsa Verde Chicken with Beans, Chili Verde, Arroz con Pollo, Chicken Tostadas, Mexican Pizza, Mexican Chicken Soup, or even my recipe for Mexican Lasagna!