Amazing 20-Minute Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
These Amazing 20-Minute Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are a quick and flavorful Tex-Mex dish featuring shredded chicken mixed with a creamy, spicy filling, wrapped in tortillas, and baked with green enchilada sauce and melted Monterey Jack cheese. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner or casual gathering, they offer a delicious blend of creamy, tangy, and mildly spicy flavors with a comforting baked finish.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 10 enchiladas (serves 6-8) 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
Filling Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie works well)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, undrained
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Other Ingredients
- 10 corn or flour tortillas
- 1 (10 oz) can green enchilada sauce
- Additional shredded Monterey Jack cheese for topping
- Optional: Chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish to prevent sticking and prepare for assembling the enchiladas.
- Make the Filling Mixture: In a large bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, diced green chiles with their juice, chopped onion, ground cumin, and garlic powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix until smooth and well blended.
- Add Chicken to Filling: Stir the cooked shredded chicken into the cream cheese mixture, ensuring that the chicken is evenly coated and the filling is thoroughly combined.
- Warm Enchilada Sauce: Pour the green enchilada sauce into a small saucepan and gently warm it over medium heat. Heat it enough to be warm but do not allow it to boil, to preserve flavor and consistency.
- Soften Tortillas: Briefly dip each tortilla into the warm enchilada sauce to soften them slightly. This step makes the tortillas more pliable and prevents tearing during rolling.
- Prepare Baking Dish Base: Spread a thin layer of the remaining warm enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom of your greased baking dish to keep the enchiladas moist while baking.
- Assemble Enchiladas: Place a line of the chicken and cheese filling down the center of each softened tortilla. Roll each tortilla tightly and place it seam-side down in the baking dish. Continue until all tortillas are filled and arranged snugly in the dish.
- Add Sauce and Cheese Topping: Pour the rest of the warm green enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas. Then, sprinkle extra shredded Monterey Jack cheese generously over the top to create a cheesy crust when baked.
- Bake: Place the dish in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted and slightly golden brown.
- Rest and Garnish: Remove the enchiladas from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving. This helps the flavors meld and makes serving cleaner. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired for a fresh, herbal touch.
Notes
- Using rotisserie chicken saves time and adds great flavor, but any cooked shredded chicken will work.
- Both corn and flour tortillas are suitable; choose based on your preference. Slightly warming and dipping in sauce helps prevent them from cracking.
- Adjust the level of heat by selecting mild or hot green chiles and enchilada sauce varieties according to taste.
- You can prepare the filling mixture ahead of time and refrigerate it until ready to use.
- For a lighter version, substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt and use reduced-fat cheese.
- Leftovers store well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat in the oven or microwave.
Keywords: green chile chicken enchiladas, easy enchiladas, quick Mexican dinner, baked enchiladas, creamy chicken enchiladas
