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Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Ben Carraoli

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

I’ll never forget the first time I made these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas — that creamy, tangy sauce drizzled all over the soft tortillas just made me sigh. After I’d baked them and let them rest for a few minutes, I served the first piece and thought, “Yes — this is what comfort food feels like.”
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Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 12 6-inch corn tortillas — to roll without tearing (or flour tortillas, but corn holds sauce better)
  • ½ Tbsp cooking oil — for crisping the tortillas gently
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast — cooked, chopped or shredded
  • ½ cup sour cream — adds creaminess and tang
  • 8 oz pepper jack cheese shredded and divided — gives a little spice and melt (you can use Monterey Jack for milder flavor)
  • 2 green onions sliced — for freshness and crunch inside the filling
  • ½ tsp garlic powder — for gentle garlic flavor
  • ½ tsp ground cumin — warms the filling
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper — optional boosts heat
  • ½ tsp salt — adjusts seasoning in filling
  • 2 × 4 oz cans diced green chiles with liquid — the green chile flavor base
  • 2 Tbsp cooking oil — to form a roux
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour — thickener
  • 1 tsp ground cumin — depth and warmth
  • ½ tsp garlic powder — subtle flavor
  • ¼ tsp onion powder — rounds out the aromatics
  • 1 cup water — for thinning
  • ½ tsp salt or to taste — for balance

Method
 

  1. Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toast each tortilla for about 30–60 seconds per side (dry, no oil) until the edges show light color. Stack and cover them with foil (or invert a bowl) so they stay pliable.
  2. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium, add ½ Tbsp oil, and cook chicken breasts about 5–7 minutes per side until fully cooked (165 °F internal). Let rest, then chop or shred into bite-size pieces.
  3. Purée both cans of diced green chiles (with juices) in a blender. In a small pot, heat oil, whisk in flour, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder; cook until it simmers and bubbles for about 1 minute. Then stir in water and the puréed chiles, whisk until smooth, let it simmer briefly, and season with salt.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. In a bowl, combine sour cream, half the shredded cheese, green onions, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne, salt, and the chopped chicken. Stir well to combine.
  5. Place about ¼ cup of filling in each tortilla, roll it closed, and lay seam-side down in the casserole dish. Pour the green chile sauce evenly over all the rolled enchiladas. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 30 minutes until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted.
  6. Allow to rest for a few minutes after baking. Serve warm, garnish, and enjoy.

Notes

  • I always toast the tortillas first — it prevents sogginess and helps them hold shape.
  • If my sauce seems thin, I simmer a little longer rather than adding more flour — it thickens naturally as it cools.
  • When mixing the filling, I taste and adjust salt before rolling; that way you don’t end up with bland enchiladas.
  • I cover the dish with foil for the first 15 minutes of baking if the top is browning too fast, then uncover to finish the cheese.
  • Leftover sauce? I freeze in small jars — then I can use it next time without making it from scratch.