Switch up your fiesta night with Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas! The creamy, cheesy sauce is to DIE for!
I couldn’t do an entire month of my favorite Mexican recipes without sharing my FAVORITE one. This enchilada recipe was the dinner I requested for all of my birthdays or special meals. It’s SO cheesy and the flavor is unbeatable. Olivia eats the sauce with chips–she’s a smart girl!
Mexican food was always part of my birthday traditions. Growing up in a small town, though, Mexican food meant one thing: Chi-Chis. Ricky makes fun of me so much when I talk about how good that place was. Being half-Mexican, he grew up with REAL Mexican food. I still will vouch for the now closed Chi-Chi’s restaurants–you can’t beat those chimichungas!
My mom started making these when I was in high school. For my 16th birthday, these enchiladas were my first request for our dinner party–but things went a bit awry. Instead of the green chiles, which are quite mild in spice, she used cans of hot jalapeños. We didn’t realize what happened until all of our mouths were on fire during dinner. Whoops!
To this day, I triple check which canned chiles I’m buying. Don’t be scared of the green chiles–they’re not spicy at all! The only kick in these enchiladas is the chili powder…but you won’t be scrambling for glasses of milk at all.
- 2 pounds of chicken , cooked & shredded
- 1 cup onion , finely chopped
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 2 cloves of garlic , minced
- 2- 4 oz cans diced green chiles
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- Salt & Pepper , to taste
- 2 Tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 2 cups Mexican shredded cheese
- Whole wheat tortillas , fajita size
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Over medium heat, add butter, onion, garlic and green chiles. Saute for 2-3 minutes, until onions are softened.
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Season with chili powder and cumin, plus salt + pepper, to taste.
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Sprinkle with flour. Allow to cook for 1 minute, forming a paste.
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Slowly pour in heavy cream, whisking. Now add chicken stock. If sauce is still super thick, add more chicken stock.
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Add 1 cup of cheese.
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Preheat oven to 400º
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In a medium bowl, add shredded chicken. Add one cup of enchilada sauce and mix together. Taste to see if it needs more cumin or chili powder.
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In a 9x13 pan, add a thin layer of enchilada sauce.
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To roll, add one tortilla down in the pan. Fill with 1/4 cup chicken mixture. Roll in sauce. Repeat.
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Top with remaining sauce and cheese.
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Bake 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
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Optional: Top with avocado and tomato slices/salsa.
My mom’s original recipe is a bit heavier, so I lightened it up A BIT. But there’s still heavy cream and cheese. All about moderation, right? Instead of drenching the enchiladas in sauce, I simply roll the tortillas in the sauce. I also use whole wheat tortillas and top with a quick avocado and tomato salad. Are you drooling yet?
What was your most requested birthday meal growing up? If you loved Chi-Chi’s, please let me know I’m not alone!
That looks so yummy. I love how cheesy it looks too. We are a big fan of cheese in this house so anything covered in cheese is a recipe worth trying out.
This looks so good! This is a dish that I want to try out for my family this weekend. I like that the ingredients are simple and that it seems easy to make. I love the chopped Avocado on top.
You have my mouth watering at enchiladas and the special cheese sauce just makes me want to go to the grocery now. We will be making this recipe very soon and I will make sure I use green chiles and not jalepenos. I also think Chi-Chis had good food but I always love discovering really good Mexican food. Thanks for the great family recipe.
For some reason I have not made enchiladas in a long time. Need to try this recipe and get it back in our meal planning rotation. I love the addition of the green chile and avocados. Delicious. Plus, this recipe looks super easy!
Now this… This is amazing and I am so going to have to make these! I am a sucker for a great Enchilada! And chicken… even better! These would be so very yummy in my tummy! Haha. I think I will make these on my day off. There are simple and I can make enough to feed everyone in my house! Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe!
I’m always looking for new recipes to try. They look so delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Mexican foods are our favorite kind of food! I get excited when I have one planned for dinner. Store bought enchilada sauce just cannot compare to homemade. Yours is a little different than mine, so I need to try out your version. It sounds so good!
Love this take on enchiladas! These would never get old in my house. We love Mexican food!
I love Mexican cuisine and enchiladas are one of my favorite dishes! I’ve been on the lookout for the perfect recipe to try at home and for sure, I’m giving yours a try. It looks amazing!
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Woo-hoo – I love homemade Mexican food! This is a savory saver for me – and what a great post – thany you – love the recipe and the how to with your story 🙂
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These look delicious! I think I may need to switch up our taco night and make it an enchilada night..
Looks yummy! I was a manager @ 2 different Chi-Chi’s and still miss it. I love the copycat recipes. Keep them coming🌮🌯