I'm pretty sure there are hundreds of different ways to make Chicken Enchiladas in Green Sauce. You can practically buy pre-made enchilada dishes just about anywhere but I prefer to make mine from scratch. Super easy to make and you get to tweak it to your liking.
The first time I came across this chicken enchilada recipe, I knew I had to experiment with it in the kitchen and adapt it to my style.
I need to mention upfront that if you are looking for a quick dish, this is not it. This Chicken Enchilada recipe is quite involved to make and will take some time. But in the end, it will be well worth the work!
An alternative to using chicken broth is Better Than Bouillon. I often use it when I don't have any chicken stock or broth on hand. I suggest you always keep a jar in the fridge so you are never without it.
Depending on where you live, you might have a hard time finding some of the ingredients. While I didn't have a hard time locating all the ingredients here in Southern California, I suspect other parts of the US (or other countries) might have a difficult time.
💭 Ingredient Substitution
If you can't find Poblano Peppers (also known as Pasilla Peppers), you can substitute with Green Bell Peppers. While Mexican Crema looks like Sour Cream, it's not. Mexican Crema is not sour. If you can't locate the crema at your local grocery store, you can make your own using Heavy Cream and Buttermilk. Google can help you in this situation.
And finally, if you can't find Queso Quesadilla at your local grocery store, you can easily substitute for Queso Asadero, Mozzarella, Fontina, Monterey Jack or Provolone.
🔥 How to Roast Poblano Peppers
Roasting Poblano Peppers might be a challenge for some especially if you've never done it before. But don't stress, I wrote an article on 3 different ways on How to Roast Poblano Peppers.
🐓 How to Handle Raw Chicken
Leave the chicken in the fridge until ready to use.
Be careful of dripping juices. Clean up immediately.
Do not wash raw chicken (which prevents cross-contamination).
Wash all utensils and cutting boards (if applicable).
If marinating the chicken, make sure you toss the juices before you cook. Don't ever use the juice from the marinade.
Wash your hands after handling raw chicken.
🌶 How to Handle Hot Peppers
The capsaicin in hot peppers is what makes peppers hot. If you handle hot peppers gloveless, it’s a guarantee that you’re in for a nasty case of chili burn, both on your fingers and anywhere you rub. Like your face. Ouch!
Even if you wear disposable gloves, be careful about what you touch. The gloves are going to protect your fingers, but touching any part of your body with the gloves after you’ve handled hot peppers can lead to severe chili burn.
Resist the temptation to rub your eyes. Wait until you’ve removed your gloves and washed your hands thoroughly with soap.
🌡️ How Hot Are the Peppers
The Scoville Scale is the measurement that tells you the spiciness of a given type of pepper.
| Pepper Type | Scoville Rating (Heat) |
|---|---|
| Bell Pepper | 0-0 |
| Banana Pepper | 0-500 |
| Poblano Pepper | 1000-1500 |
| Jalapeño Pepper | 2500-8000 |
| Serrano Peppers | 10,000-25,000 |
| Manzano Pepper | 12,000-30,000 |
| Tabasco & Cayenne | 30,000-50,000 |
| Habanero Pepper | 100,000-300,000 |
| Ghost Pepper | 855,000-1,000,000 |
| Carolina Reaper | 1,500,000-2,300,000 |
💭 Recipe Tip
Warm the tortillas in the microwave or oven before rolling the enchiladas. This will make them more pliable and easier to roll. It will also prevent the tortillas from cracking or splitting open which will mess up your enchiladas.
🌮 How to Soften Tortillas
When the time comes to warm up your tortillas, you have a few options. You can wrap the tortillas in foil and bake them for 10 minutes at 350°F. You can also put them in a non-stick pan to heat both sides of the tortilla (this is how I usually do it), heat them over an open flame, or if you must, wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave them for about 30 seconds.
For more great recipes with Mexican Crema, I suggest you check these recipes out:
📋 Gather your Ingredients
You will need the following ingredients to make this Chicken Enchiladas in Green Sauce recipe (see recipe card for quantities): Chicken, Low Sodium Chicken Broth, Dried Oregano, Allspice, Ground Cumin, Poblano Peppers, Jalapeño, Tomatillos, Fresh Cilantro, Garlic Cloves, Salt, Eggs, Mexican Crema, Corn Tortillas, Queso Quesadilla and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds.
🥣 How to Make Chicken Enchiladas In Green Sauce
In a dutch oven, combine the chicken, broth, oregano, Allspice, and cumin. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer covered for approximately 25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl and shred. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise. Remove the stems, seeds, and membranes. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the peppers cut-side down. Bake for 25 minutes or until the peppers are charred. Wrap foil around peppers ensuring they are well enclosed. Remove the skins from the peppers once they are cool enough to handle. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
Combine the poblanos, jalapeños, tomatillos, cilantro, garlic and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the egg and Mexican Crema to the pepper mixture and process once more until well combined.
Add ½ Cup of the green sauce to the bowl of shredded chicken. If needed you can add some of the chicken broth previously used to thin out the sauce if needed. Make sure all the chicken is covered in sauce. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spread 1 Cup of the green sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.
Place ¼ Cup of the chicken mixture along with 2 tablespoon of the queso quesadilla cheese. Roll the tortilla and place seam side down in the baking dish. If needed you can heat the tortillas up in the microwave to make them more pliable. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the sauce.
Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and starting to brown. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and serve. Cilantro lovers can sprinkle a bit of cilantro over the top for a little more flavor.
📖 Recipe
Chicken Enchiladas In Green Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs Chicken Breasts
- 4 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- ½ teaspoon Ground Allspice
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 lbs Poblano Peppers
- 1 Fresh Jalapeño
- 12 oz Tomatillos, drained
- ¼ Cup Fresh Cilantro
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 1 Egg
- 1 Cup Mexican Crema
- 12 Corn Tortillas
- 2 Cups Queso Quesadilla
- 2 tablespoon Pumpkin Seeds, toasted
Instructions
- In a dutch oven, combine the chicken, broth, oregano, Allspice and cumin. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let simmer covered for approximately 25 minutes. Transfer chicken to a bowl and shredded. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Cut the pepper in half lengthwise. Remove the stems, seeds and membranes. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the peppers cut side down. Bake for 25 minutes or until the peppers are charred. Wrap foil around peppers ensuring they are well enclosed. Remove the skins from the peppers once they are cool enough to handle. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
- Combine the poblanos, jalapeños, tomatillos, cilantro, garlic and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the egg and Mexican Crema to the pepper mixture and process once more until well combined.
- Add ½ Cup of the green sauce to the bowl of shredded chicken. If needed you can add some of the chicken broth previously used to thin out the sauce if needed. Make sure all the chicken is covered in sauce. Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish. Spread 1 Cup of the green sauce in the bottom of the baking dish.
- Place ¼ Cup of the chicken mixture along with 2 tablespoon of the queso quesadilla cheese. Roll the tortilla and place seam side down in the baking dish. If needed you can heat the tortillas up in the microwave to make them more pliable. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top of the sauce.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly and starting to brown. Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and serve. Cilantro lovers can sprinkle a bit of cilantro over the top for a little more flavor.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information provided for this recipe is based on 1 serving. This information is an estimate and may vary based on several factors. If nutritional information is important to you and your diet, please verify this recipe with a Registered Dietitian.
Jane
This recipe is delicious. The addition of all the spices make this recipe a very tasty one.