Go Back
Print Recipe

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Makes: One 9x13 pan (about 10-12 enchiladas, depending on how aggressively you cram them), plus extra filling
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 3-4 cups shredded cooked chicken rotisserie works great; otherwise quick-poach 2-3 chicken breasts
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 4 cloves garlic pressed or finely minced
  • 1 12- oz bag frozen corn
  • Olive oil or spray oil for cooking

For the sauce:

  • 1 28- oz can tomatillos drained, OR 16 oz tomatillo-based salsa (don't drain the salsa)
  • 12 oz roasted green chile 1 12-oz jar or 3 flat cans, preferably Hatch
  • 1 8- oz block cream cheese cut into 4-5 chunks

For assembly:

  • 1 package corn tortillas yellow or white
  • 8 oz 1 block of cheddar or cheddar-jack cheese shredded

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F while you're assembling the tortillas.
  • Roast the corn. In a dry skillet (preferrably cast iron, but any large skillet will do), roast the frozen corn over med-high heat, until the kernels start to lightly brown. You don't need to thaw the corn first. Move the roasted corn to a bowl (this will become your filling bowl).
  • Cook the onions and garlic. Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently until translucent and just beginning to brown. Add the garlic, stir well, and cook until fragrant and soft, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the onion and garlic to the filling bowl.
  • Add the shredded chicken to the filling bowl with the onion and corn. Stir to combine.
  • Drain the tomatillos if using canned (don't drain if using salsa). Add tomatillos (or salsa), green chile, and cream cheese chunks to a blender and pulse until just blended. If you don't have a blender, an electric hand mixer or stand mixer works; as a last resort you can mix by hand, but you must mix until the cream cheese is fully broken down and integrated.
  • Combine. Add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the sauce to the filling bowl and stir to combine. You want enough sauce that the filling holds together on a spoon, but not so much that it's runny.
  • Assemble. Pour a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish and spread it out evenly. Take one corn tortilla, spoon in about 2 tablespoons of filling (regular kitchen spoon, not measuring spoon), top with a small amount of shredded cheese, and roll. Lay the enchilada seam-side down in the pan. The enchiladas may unroll a bit; just keep tucking and squishing them together. As you go, some may split a little on top. That's fine. They still taste good. Keep rolling and adding enchiladas until the pan is full. Cram them together; they help keep each other rolled and supported.
  • Top. Pour the remaining sauce over the rolled enchiladas. Top with cheese.
  • Bake. 20-30 minutes at 350°F, or until the cheese is bubbly and any visible tortilla edges are starting to crisp and brown.
  • Serve. With pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, or whatever else makes you happy.

Notes

Vegetarian Version

Instead of chicken, use 4 medium straight zucchini, diced into roughly 1/4-inch pieces, plus 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed). The corn stays.
The technique difference: cook the zucchini in the same pan you cooked the onions in, slowly over medium heat in 2-3 batches, with just a little oil to prevent sticking. You want the zucchini to release most of its moisture and start to brown. Don't overcrowd the pan or it will steam and turn mushy. Add each batch to the filling bowl as it finishes. Add the drained beans to the filling bowl with everything else.
This version is genuinely satisfying as its own thing, not a sad substitute. The roasted corn and browned zucchini have real depth. The beans add substance. You don't miss the chicken.
You can also play with the vegetarian version: swap mushrooms for the zucchini (cooked the same way), try different squashes seasonally, add spinach or other greens.