Made from scratch, slightly spicy, super tasty, and super easy, Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas feature melted cheese and juicy chicken, all wrapped up in a flour tortilla. Homemade fresh and bright, roasted tomatillo salsa verde is the crowning glory and brings it all together in one delicious bundle!
These delicious chicken enchiladas are perfect for Cinco de Mayo or anytime you are craving Mexican or Tex-Mex food.
What are tomatillos?
If you are not familiar with or have never cooked with tomatillos you are in for a treat, it couldn’t be easier. Just peel the papery skins, rinse, quarter, and pop them in the oven to roast for about 15 minutes. That’s it!
You may not know this, but tomatillos are the main ingredient in salsa verde. They are also frequently used in Latin cooking and look a little like small green tomatoes, but this tart fruit is related to the Cape Gooseberry.
Salsa Verde Ingredients:
The ingredients include tomatillos, onion, garlic, jalapeno peppers, ground cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice.
Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients:
For the enchiladas, you will need olive oil, flour, chicken stock, cooked chicken, flour tortillas, and Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend cheese. You will also want sour cream, avocado slices, cut up tomatoes, guacamole, or pico de gallo for toppings.
How to make Salsa Verde:
If you have never had homemade, you are in for a real treat. With its fresh, bright flavors, it doesn’t bear any resemblance to the jarred variety.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
Peel and rinse the tomatillos and then quarter them. You also need to peel and quarter the onion and cut the jalapenos in half. If you want a mild sauce, remove the jalapeno ribs and seeds. If you like your food spicy, leave the seeds and ribs in.
Place the vegetables on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes.
Remove the vegetables from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. When the vegetables have cooled, add them to a food processor fitted with a steel blade along with cumin, salt, cilantro, and the lime juice. Pulse about 10-15 times, or until the salsa is well combined but still slightly chunky. Set aside.
How to make the filling:
Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Next, add the onion and saute, frequently stirring for about 7 minutes or until the onion is soft and caramelized. Then, add the garlic and cumin and cook for one more minute.
Sprinkle on the flour and mix well. Add the chicken stock slowly, whisking continuously to make sure the flour doesn’t form lumps. Continue whisking until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken.
Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool a bit. Add half of the tomatillo salsa, 3 cups of cheese and the shredded chicken. Mix well.
To make salsa verde chicken enchiladas:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Add about a cup of the reserved salsa to the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spread out evenly.
Put about a half cup of the chicken and cheese mixture in the center of a flour tortilla and roll up as tightly as you can.
Place the enchilada in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Top with the rest of the salsa and sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the top.
Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until the cheese has melted and the mixture is bubbling. Let sit for about 5 minutes.
Optional, before serving, garnish with a scoop of sour cream, avocado slices, cut up tomatoes, guacamole, or pico de gallo, if desired.
Sharon’s Expert Tips:
You can make these enchiladas ahead and bake the casserole just before dinner. The unbaked chicken enchilada casserole also freezes well. Before baking, allow the casserole to thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed.
This recipe makes quite a bit, so you might want to do what I do and divide it up into two or more smaller baking dishes.
Another thing I like to do is to roast the vegetables and make the salsa, as well as cook and shred the chicken the day before I plan to make the enchiladas. Then, on the big day, all I have to do is assemble and bake.
The amount of cooked chicken in this recipe is approximate. Anything between two and three cups of cooked chicken works.
You can substitute homemade or purchased pico de gallo for the chopped tomatoes if you wish.
More easy Mexican and Tex-Mex recipes:
If you like Mexican or Tex-Mex dishes as we do, you might also like these delicious and popular recipes on my blog:
- Ultimate Sizzling Steak Fajitas
- Grilled Fish Tacos, Spicy Slaw & Avocado Crema
- Ultimate Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
- Easy Homemade Pico de Gallo
- Easy Crunchy Taco Cups
- Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
- Easy Tequila Lime Chicken Enchiladas
- Jack’s Ultimate Frozen Margaritas
Need more menu ideas or recipes? Check out these roundup posts: 31 Cinco de Mayo Menu Ideas and Mexican Recipes, 11 Easy Mexican Recipes and Menu Ideas, and Cinco de Mayo Recipe Roundup from the Pudge Factor blog.
★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thanks so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Easy Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas - Made From Scratch
Ingredients
Salsa Verde
- 2 pounds tomatillos husked and quartered
- 1 large white onion peeled and quartered
- 6 cloves garlic peeled
- 3 jalapenos seeded and cut in half
- 1 Tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
Enchiladas
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp chili powder
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups cooked chicken breast chopped or shredded, or you can use 1 deli roasted chicken
- 8 flour tortillas 10-inch
- 4 cups Monterey Jack cheese or Mexican Blend
Instructions
Salsa Verde
- To roast the vegetables for the salsa verde, preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Peel and quarter the tomatillos and the onion and cut the jalapenos in half and remove the ribs and seeds. (If you like your food really hot and spicy, leave the seeds and in.) Put the vegetables on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes. When the vegetables have cooled, add them to a food processor fitted with a steel blade along with cumin, salt, cilantro, and the lime juice. Pulse about 10-15 times, or until the salsa is well combined but still slightly chunky. Set aside.
Enchiladas
- Meanwhile, add olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute, stirring frequently for about 7 minutes or until the onion is soft and caramelized. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook for one more minute.
- Sprinkle on the flour and mix well. Add the chicken stock slowly, whisking continuously to make sure the flour doesn't form lumps. Continue whisking until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Add half of the tomatillo salsa, 3 cups of cheese and the shredded chicken. Mix well.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Add about a cup of the reserved salsa to the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spread out evenly.
- Put about a half of a cup of the chicken and cheese mixture in the center of your flour tortilla and roll up as tightly as you can. Place in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas.
- Top with the rest of the salsa verde and sprinkle the remaining cheese on the top.
- Bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes until the cheese has melted and the mixture is bubbling.
- Let sit for about 5 minutes. Optional, garnish with a scoop of sour cream, avocado slices, cut up tomatoes, and guacamole if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
*This post updated and republished on October 5, 2019, to include expanded directions and helpful tips. No changes to the original recipe.
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