With the stress of this year’s election, I think we all deserve something a little extra cheesy and delicious this week. These chicken enchiladas are my definition of comfort food, and they can easily be made ahead which is always a plus! Flour tortillas are stuffed with a tasty chicken and poblano pepper filling, rolled up and topped with a homemade cheese sauce and salsa verde. Finish in the oven for that bubbly cheesy goodness, and you have the perfect warm and cozy meal.
I wanted to make a cheese sauce for this dish to make it extra creamy and delicious, but you could substitute regular shredded cheese or a store bought queso to make for an even quicker meal. I was making this ahead to bake on another day, so I had the time for a little extra effort. When I make these enchiladas again, I will probably use shredded cheese instead of the sauce. I’ll let you know which turns out best! I used half hot habanero cheese for my sauce, but some may prefer to use a milder option like pepperjack or skip the spicy cheese altogether.
I think the poblano peppers are what make this dish so special, but the beauty of enchiladas is that you can customize them any way you like. Change up the filling, use your favorite sauce, or switch up the toppings. You really can’t go wrong. BUT…if I were you, I would keep the poblanos ????. Corn adds a little sweetness to these enchiladas which I think is nice. I chose to use store-bought, cooked rotisserie chicken for ease, but you can cook up any chicken you have on hand. Just dice it up and sauté it with your onion and peppers.
No matter what you choose to put in your enchiladas, the process remains the same.
Assembling Enchiladas
- Lay out a large flour tortilla and cover it lightly with sauce.
- Load the center with your filling of choice and top with either a cheese sauce or shredded cheese.
- Roll up the tortilla and place seam side down in an appropriate size baking dish.
- Smother with another layer of sauce and cheese and bake until golden and bubbly.
Freezing Enchiladas
Don’t forget that you can easily make these ahead and freeze for a later date. You will want to cover them tightly with plastic wrap, then with a layer of aluminum foil. They will keep for several months in your freezer. I would increase the total baking time to 30 minutes when reheating from frozen. This is also a great dish to prepare for a gathering to pop in the oven when you arrive, or to send to a friend when they need a little extra support. A close friend of mine sent frozen enchiladas to our house when my little one was born and it was perfect.
Hope you enjoy. Let me know how it goes!
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Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Flour tortillas are stuffed with an ultra tasty chicken and poblano pepper filling, rolled up and topped with homemade cheese sauce and salsa verde then baked in the oven for an extra cheesy, warm and cozy meal.
Ingredients
Enchilada Filling
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed from bones and chopped (about 3 cups of chicken)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 5 poblano peppers, roughly chopped into bite sized pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup canned corn
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (you can substitute water here)
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 1 can of refried beans
- 1 16 ounce jar of salsa verde
Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups 2% milk
- 3/4 cup shredded hot habanero cheddar cheese (substitute pepper jack, or double the cheddar cheese for less spice)
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Toppings:
- fresh cilantro
- sliced avocado
Instructions
Prepare the Enchilada Filling:
- Sauté diced onion and poblano peppers in 2 tablespoons of canola oil over medium heat until softened (about 7 minutes).
- Add the chopped chicken, minced garlic, corn, kosher salt, cumin, and chili powder. Stir until thoroughly combined and cook until the garlic is fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth or water and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Prepare the Cheese Sauce:
- Melt butter in a sauce pot over medium-low heat, add flour and whisk until smooth paste forms. Stir continuously for 1 minute.
- Slowly add in your milk a little at a time allowing the sauce to heat up between additions.
- Bring sauce to a simmer, add salt, and cook for 10 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Be sure to stir and scrape the sides of the pot occasionally to avoid burning.
- Remove from heat and stir in your shredded cheeses. Check for seasoning, and add additional kosher salt if needed.
Assemble Enchiladas:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Lay out a large flour tortilla on your work surface and cover with a layer of refried beans and salsa verde. Use the salsa verde sparingly as you will want to have some leftover for topping the enchiladas.
- Spoon the enchilada filling over the center of the tortilla and top with cheese sauce (or shredded cheese if you skipped making the sauce).
- Roll up the tortilla and place seam side down in your prepared baking dish. You may need to fold the ends under so the enchiladas will fit.
- Repeat steps 1-3 with the remaining tortillas.
- Spoon the remaining salsa verde and cheese sauce (or shredded cheese) over the top of the enchiladas and cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 15 minutes, and remove foil to bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes.
- Top with fresh cilantro and sliced avocado and enjoy!
Notes
- Can freeze for up to 3 months
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Keywords: chicken, enchiladas, salsa verde
Loved this recipe! I was eating the cheese sauce out of the pan while layering the enchiladas ????
It also makes enough for leftovers which is great for busy weeknights!
Will definitely be making them again soon!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you liked them! I actually increased the amount of sauce in the recipe because I was also eating it by the spoonful making the enchiladas! Thanks for trying them out 🙂
Loved this recipe! Made the spicy version with the combo of habanero cheese and sharp cheddar for the cheese sauce and a medium salsa verde, and also toned it down a notch by using only sharp cheddar cheese for the cheese sauce and a mild salsa verde, and both were delicious! Also, love that you can make it ahead, or freeze for later.
★★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★★
Thank you for trying it! I’m glad you enjoyed. And yes, It’s a perfect freezer meal to reheat later or take to a friend. I love that you made it both ways!!
Delicious! Used regular sharp Cabot so it wouldn’t be too spicy for the children. The cheese sauce is SO good! Definitely a keeper.
Thank you!! We loved the cheese sauce. Hope the kiddos enjoyed too!
Oops forgot the stars! ????♀️
★★★★★
I am big on meal prepping and this was a perfect recipe to last me the entire week! Quick, easy, and delicious. My store was out of poblano peppers, so I used jalapenos…still delicious and not overly spicy given the amount of filling I made.
★★★★★
Yesssssss! Perfect for making ahead. So glad you liked it. Did you use the spicy cheese too? With the jalapenos? You are brave!!! Thank you so much for trying it out. I need to make this one again soon.