EretenSouthern and Tex-Mex recipes

From-scratch Sour Cream Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

From-scratch Sour Cream Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
green chile chicken enchiladas topped with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado

You will love these Sour Cream Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

We wanted to share this recipe for Baked Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas sooner, but couldn’t quite get the right pictures. We know it sounds silly, but honestly it was hard to get ones that didn’t make them look like sloppy blobs. Because lets be honest, that’s basically what enchiladas look like as satisfying as they are. Either way, we're so happy to be sharing this recipe with y’all!

We love these enchiladas. They are creamy, cheesy, and satisfying. The one thing we hate about chicken enchiladas, is that they are often super dry. We've eliminated that dry chicken taste by adding in cream cheese to the filling. Say goodbye to boring, dry, chicken enchiladas. This batch is next level!

There actually used to be a freezer version of enchiladas that we bought all the time in college, we Think From SmartOnes called enchiladas suizas. We never nailed down a copycat of that one, but did come up with this one that we think is even better! This creamy, cheesy, satisfying recipe is suited to freezer meals and has some swaps you can make to make it lighter if that’s your cup of tea.

Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Recipe ingredients

  • Corn or flour tortillas
  • Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
  • Cooked, shredded chicken
  • Green chiles
  • Cream cheese
  • Black beans
  • Butter
  • Onion (or onion powder)
  • Flour
  • Chicken stock
  • Milk
  • Salt & pepper
  • Green chile enchilada sauce
  • Sour cream
ingredients to make green chile chicken enchiladas

How to make Green Chile Enchiladas

(full recipe card below)

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Mix together your filling ingredients (cream cheese, chicken, and black beans, and half of the green chiles). Set aside.
  3. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter. If using an onion, add this to the butter and saute until softened. If using onion powder, add this to the butter. Add in the flour and make a roux by whisking together. You’ll want it to are ready into a smooth paste like texture.
  4. Slowly add in the enchilada, stick, and milk sauce small amounts at a time while constantly whisking. You’ll want the sauce to remain thickened and smooth. Bring to a simmer and add in the salt, pepper, remaining green chiles, and sour cream, stirring until combined.
  5. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
  6. Layer a small amount of sauce across the bottom of the dish, covering the bottom.
  7. Fill each tortilla with about 2-3 tablespoons of filling and place seam side down.
  8. Pour the remaining sauce across the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.
  9. Bake for 25 minutes in the oven.
  10. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.
filling for green chile chicken enchiladas
onions sauteed in a skillet
roux made in a skillet with onions
green chile enchilada sauce in a skillet
green chile enchilada sauce in a skillet
pan with green chile enchilada sauce in the bottom
filled and rolled enchiladas in a pan
enchiladas topped with sauce in the baking pan
shredded cheese on top of sauced enchiladas

Can this Green Chili Enchiladas Recipe be made ahead of time?

Absolutely! In fact, it’s a regular in our freezer meal rotations. We usually divide it up into two 8×8 foil pans, cover with foil, label, and freeze. They are as good reheated! When you’re ready to bake, allow them to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, or you can bake longer in the oven if baking from frozen.

Green Chili Enchiladas Recipe alterations

  • Opt to leave out the onion and use onion powder instead. You can also leave it out entirely.
  • Use flour tortillas rather than corn tortillas. Picky eaters often prefer flour tortilla texture and taste.
  • Use half the amount of green chile.

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas Recipe tips

  • We specifically state sharp cheddar because of the strong flavors. If you opt for another cheese, you may not be able to taste it as much (extra calories for not much of a pay off in flavor).
  • We like to use our Instant Pot to make the shredded chicken. Keep an eye out for a post on how to do this.
  • It’s easier to mix in the cream cheese if it’s softened a little. It’s not necessary, but it does make it a lot easier. You could also put the hot chicken on top of it before stirring and that will help to soften it quickly.
  • The recipe does call for 8oz of enchilada sauce, but the cans can often be sold in 15oz. We'll usually whip up a second batch and freeze it to use up the extra sauce.
  • We have used both light sour cream and light cream cheese. Both work great. We've also made them with low carb tortillas. It also tastes memorable!

Green Chile Enchiladas FAQs

green chile chicken enchiladas topped with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado

How to serve Sour Cream Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Enchiladas go great with:

  • Refried Beans
  • Borracho Beans
  • Rice
  • Salad

Storing Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas should be cooled completely before storing. Once they have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Prep 10 minutesCook 25 minutesTotal 35 minutesMakes 14 enchiladas

Ingredients

  • 12-14 corn or flour tortillas
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese
  • 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 1 cup roasted green chiles divided
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 15 oz canned black beans drained and rinsed
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 onion chopped OR 2 tbsp onion powder
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1/3 cup chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 8 oz green chile enchilada sauce
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • salt & pepper to taste

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  2. Mix together your filling ingredients (cream cheese, chicken, and black beans, and half of the green chiles). Set aside.
  3. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter. If using an onion, add this to the butter and saute until softened. If using onion powder, add this to the butter. Add in the flour and make a roux by whisking together. You’ll want it to are ready into a smooth paste like texture.
  4. Slowly add in the enchilada, stick, and milk sauce small amounts at a time while constantly whisking. You’ll want the sauce to remain thickened and smooth. Bring to a simmer and add in the salt, pepper, remaining green chiles, and sour cream, stirring until combined.
  5. Spray a 9×13 casserole dish with nonstick spray.
  6. Layer a small amount of sauce across the bottom of the dish, covering the bottom.
  7. Fill each tortilla with about 2-3 tablespoons of filling and place seam side down.
  8. Pour the remaining sauce across the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese.
  9. Bake for 25 minutes in the oven.
  10. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

Other plates from the kitchen

Dishes that sit near this one, with their own ingredient list.