This Verde Chicken Enchilada recipe is a delicious and crazy easy enchilada to make at home. The filling is the perfect blend of tender chicken, fresh cilantro, black beans, onions and green chilies mixed in a delicious cream sauce all wrapped in a warm tortilla. Then they are smothered in verde (green) enchilada sauce and pepper jack cheese which gives this recipe just the right amount of heat!
RELATED: ENCHILADA SUIZA
Ingredients
Cooked Chicken- we love to use a rotisserie chicken to put these verde enchiladas together. If we don’t have chicken already cooked the preferred method is to poach the chicken.
Easily Shred Warm Chicken
Place WARM or HOT cooked chicken breasts in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on to low speed and let it run for 20-30 seconds, or until the chicken is shredded to your desired consistency.
Tortillas- you can use yellow corn tortillas or flour toritllas. If you use flour there is really no prep needed. We find that yellow corn tortillas have the most flavor, but they do need a little prep before you use them. Yoli Tortillas are our absolute favorite!!!
Prepping Corn Tortillas
To use corn tortillas make sure you prep them ahead of time by wrapping in damp paper towels and microwaving for 30 seconds. Or pan fry for about 10 seconds per side.
Black Beans- a can of black beans adds flavor and texture to your verde enchiladas. Some people have told me that they also add a little corn too!
Green Chilies- A can of diced green chilies adds nice flavor to your enchiladas and compliments the verde sauce.
Cilantro- A little chopped cilantro in the enchilada filling is such a fresh and delicious flavor. If you are among the group of people that find cilantro to taste like soap, you can skip it!
White Onion- has a crisp and clean flavor perfect for Mexican food. Mince up the onion and you won’t need to sauté it first, it adds a little sharp crunch to the verde enchiladas.
Cream of Soup- this may seem like an odd ingredient but it makes the filling nice and hearty and a little creamy.
Pepper Jack Cheese- we always reccome3nd that you shred your cheese instead of buying it pre-grated. It will melt up creamier and more flavorful.
Feel free to sub a different type of cheese or use what you have on hand. Monterey Jack or a Colby Jack works too!
Verde Enchilada Sauce- Use your favorite store bought verde enchilada sauce or homemade recipe.
How to Make Verde Chicken Enchiladas
Start by mixing the filling in a medium sized bowl:
- Cooked chicken
- black beans
- cilantro
- green chilies
- onion
- cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup cheese
Pour 1 cup of the verde enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan.
Divide the chicken filling between the tortillas, this recipe will make between 10-14 enchiladas. Lay them, seam side down, into the prepared baking dish.
Top the enchiladas with the remaining verde sauce and then the cheese.
Bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes at 350 degrees, then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Dinner’s ready!
Variations on Verde Chicken Enchiladas
Here are a few ideas if you want to change this recipe up to fit your taste:
- Use Monterey jack cheese instead of pepper jack for a little less spice.
- Add sauteed jalapenos or jarred jalapenos for a little extra spice.
- Try using carnitas (pork) or barbacoa (beef) instead of chicken.
- Use pinto beans instead of black beans.
- Make it vegetarian! Omit the chicken all together- instead use a mixture of black beans, pinto beans and rice.
- Top with fresh sliced avocado.
Verde Chicken Enchiladas for Dinner
During a super busy night we may just eat these enchiladas with chips guacamole and salsa. But if we are having a sit down dinner kind of night I will make Cilantro Lime Rice and Refried Beans to go along side. Citrus Herbed Pineapple or a Cilantro Lime Slaw would be great on the side too.
More Enchilada Recipes
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Verde Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cooked chicken breasts - – shredded or chopped (I like to use rotisserie chicken for ease and flavor or poached chicken)
- 15 oz can black beans - drained
- ½ cup white onion - minced
- ⅓ cup cilantro - chopped
- 4 oz can diced green chilies
- 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup - ( or cream of chicken soup)
- 3 cups pepper jack cheese - grated, divided (can sub other cheese per preference)
- 10-12 tortillas - yellow corn or flour- fajita or soft taco size
- 20 oz can green enchilada sauce
- Additional chopped cilantro can be used for garnish.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- In a large bowl combine the chicken, black beans, onion, cilantro, green chilies, condensed soup, and 1 cup cheese. Stir until well mixed.2 cooked chicken breasts, 15 oz can black beans, ½ cup white onion, ⅓ cup cilantro, 4 oz can diced green chilies, 10.5 oz can cream of mushroom soup
- Pour 1 cup of verde enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 pan.
- Divide the chicken filling evenly among the tortillas. Roll them up and lay each one seam side down in the 9×13 pan. If using corn tortillas make sure you prep them ahead of time by wrapping in damp paper towels and microwaving for 30 seconds. Or pan fry each one for about 10 seconds per side.10-12 tortillas
- Top the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with the remaining 2 cups of cheese.
- Bake, covered with foil, for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue baking an additional 10 minutes.
Storing
- Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe Tips and Notes:
Be aware you may need to add 5 minutes to the cooking time. YELLOW CORN TORTILLAS: These Yoli Tortillas are our VERY FAVORITE. They are a local Kansa City Company that has won a James Beard award for their tortillas!! To use corn tortillas make sure you prep them ahead of time by wrapping in damp paper towels and microwaving for 30 seconds. Or pan fry for about 10 seconds per side.
Tanya says
Hello
Do you use the soup straight from the can or dilute?? Thank
Susie says
Straight from the can!
Tom says
Awesome and easy recipe! I added 1/2 cup of sour cream and it tasted great. Thank you.
Scott Gigstad says
This is by far the best chicken enchilada Verdes recipe I’ve ever had!! The only tweak I make, is I add 8 oz of cream cheese.. O.M.G.🤪
Scott
Nancy says
I used cottage cheese, 1% and it works great, about a cup, and 1/2 cup of shredded yellow cheese also. Good recipe!
Staci H says
So good!! I actually make my enchilada chicken (with only onion and green chiles) in the crockpot ahead of time and freeze it. Then it’s ready when I want to make either these or red sauce enchiladas! All I have to do is just thaw the chicken, add the cream of mushroom soup, cheese, cilantro, and more chiles (I choose to omit the beans)! Then I follow the rest of the instructions and they are delicious!! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Maryann says
My tortilla got soggy
KPerry says
I liked the taste but my tortillas were very soggy as well. I did the night before prep as described in the notes so the bottoms were sitting the sauce. I did leave off the sauce and cheese on top until right before baking so followed the instructions exactly.
John says
This is better than a Mexican restaurant!
Susie says
Thank you! High Praise