Chicken Enchiladas With Salsa Verde  Recipe (2024)

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Stephen Martin

I have been making fabulous enchiladas from leftover roasted chicken breast for years. Store bought green enchilada sauce ishard to beat, particularly Hatch brand. An important step is, after browning the tortillas, to drag them through a shallow bowl of the green enchilada sauce.

Mix the shredded chicken, some green sauce, some onion, and some cheese before filling.

Betsy

Instead of dipping each tortilla in oil, you can instead microwave the stack of tortillas for 10-20 seconds, which will soften them up. Keep the stack covered with a kitchen towel to keep them moist as you take each one to roll up with the filling.

José

If you have the time, roast the tomatillos, onion, and garlic in the oven until lightly charred. Greatly improves the flavor of the sauce.

Lisa F

Queso Fresco is not meant to melt- it is often sprinkled over finished dishes for added flavor and texture. It is meant to have the same type of consistency as Feta cheese. In Mexican cuisine it is often served crumbled over black beans, enchiladas, soups, Chilaquiles, sopes, etc.

Donneek

It is so much easier to layer the tortillias with the meat like a lasagna, I usually do three layers cutting the tortillians in half and quarters to fit the pan. I've made it with beef and red mole sauce, and have used chicken and shredded pork butt with the chile verde. one square is the equivalent to three enchaladas.

I have added spinich or chard to the sauce before I blend it other favorites are frozen corn and mushrooms. It's a winner every time!

Sisters

Had no chicken--smashed up a can of pinto beans; no fresh chilis--used a can of Hatch fire-roasted chilis. Mixed the chilis and beans, seasonings, put a spoonful on a softened corn tortilla, added shredded cheese, rolled it up, into a greased baking dish, kept on until out of cheese, beans, and tortillas. Poured Hatch green enchilada sauce over it. Crumbled up queso fresco, put it on top. Baked at 350 for 30 minutes. HEAVEN! Ya use whacha got in the cupboard, right? =)

Anne

They turn to mush without oil and so don't come out of the pan whole.

LeeAnn

I put my cooked chicken breasts in the stand mixer, with paddle attachment, and it makes for perfectly shredded chicken. I do this for shredded pork as well.

BA Garcia

Tomatillos are best once they are charred in cast iron pan or in the oven along with onion, garlic, Serrano Chiles then processed. Put back in pan with some fat and fry a little to give it more dimension. Always fry tortillas to stand up to sauce and for texture. No melting cheese, top with Queso Fresco, onion and radish slices. Let sauce shine through....

Ed

I have on a couple of occasions used shredded Monterey Jack cheese, which melts well and has a nice flavor that marries well with the tomatillos.

MJ

One of the people I was cooking for has the soapy taste problem with cilantro so I omitted it, but the sauce still needed something, which turned out to be lime juice. I added about a tablespoon, which worked beautifully - apparently this is the best thing I've cooked in months, or so says my family. I'll definitely make it again.

Zac from VA

Not sure why the recipe calls for waiting until the cheese melts. Neither queso fresco nor cotija are melting cheeses - they're closer to cottage cheese or feta (respectively) that way.

kittypro

I always toss all the tomatillos, onions and garlic together, place on a foil lined sheet pan, and roast at 375 for 30-45 minutes. Then, put everything in a deep bowl, add the chiles and cilantro, and blend with an immersion blender. Makes cleanup easier. Roasting releases all the juices in the tomtillos and really perks up the flavor. Also, I always opt to triple the sauce. But I like it saucy, so just a personal preference. Good recipe that I have used many times!

Renee

The oil isn't to prevent the tortillas from sticking to the pan, it's to provide a binding for the sauce to the tortilla, without having the sauce penetrate the tortillas, so they don't get soggy. It's about layering flavors. Use the oil!

Jean Miller

In Austin we love enchiladas! This dish, however, is much easier as a layered casserole. Other weeknight hacks: canned tomatillos and a rotisserie chicken. Spread some of the tomatillo sauce in the baking dish. Follow with 4 tortillas, 1/2 the chicken, and 1/3 of the cheese, 1/3 of sour cream, and 1/3 of remaining sauce. Then 4 more tortillas and repeat. Top with final 4 tortillas and last 1/3 of cheese and sour cream. You can have this in the oven in 15 minutes. Fantastic and easy.

GeriR

Could this be made ahead and frozen?

rocky

We keep green chilaquiles sauce in the freezer and leftover chicken, so this came together super fast. Next time I might add chopped onion and maybe some sliced mushrooms. Tasty and fast!

John Golden

Bland and thin. So much better when tomatillos are roasted with vegetables and then puréed with chicken stock enriching the sauce and mixed with meat before rolling uo

Liz

How much salsa verde does the recipe make - in terms of substituting with store-bought salsa verde?

Liz P

These are a great use for the huge batch of tomatillo sauce that I made during summer and froze in jars. Straightforward, delicious recipe!

Pat

This was really bad. Tossed the leftovers. The sauce using roasted tomatillos went south with the addition of the serrano chili. And I love hot. Perhaps another pepper would have been better. Will not bother making again.Would double the tomatillos and substitute good flour tortillas if I did.

Castle Cook

I roasted the salsa verde ingredients (minus the cilantro) in the oven, broiled for a few minutes at the end to get a nice little char, and then added them, plus cilantro, to the blender. DELICIOUS!!!This was a hit!

d

Amazing recipe! Turned out so good especially the salsa verde! I did substitute flour tortillas for corn tortillas because flour has a bit more robust flavor profile and glad I did! Can’t wait to make again in the future

Elaine

I love this recipe! However, I use canned green enchilada sauce instead of the tomatillo-based recipe given here. This is my go-to left-overs recipe! Chicken, of course, but also beef, beans, pork. Yum!

Liz

how much canned sauce did you use?

Namesullycyn

We love Mexican recipes and anything with tomatillos. But these were kind of a disappointment. They were just ok. I could have used more sauce overall. I also might try the suggestion of first roasting the veggies—maybe that would make a difference. Personally, I would also add more spice—and I included the seeds!

Karen

I thought these were just okay, rather bland. I agree with the suggestion to roast the Tomatillos before using them in the salsa, but even so, I will not make this again as written.

Ras Daoud

This looks like a very good recipe. However, there is an error in the text. It says "if you want your sauce less spicy, then remove the seeds. Seeds have a lower concentration of capsicin than does the flesh of the pepper. That which they DO contain is absorbed in the seed coat by diffusion from the internal atmosphere of the berry (yes, peppers are berries).So, if you want a more piquant sauce, de-seed your peppers. (No thoughts on deveining.)

Ann

I took the tip to roast the sauce ingredients before blending and agree that it's even better. The tortilla step seemed stressful and I don't have a microwave so I tried this-- after I took the roasted veg out of the oven, I brushed each tortilla with a little olive oil and stacked them in a foil packet and put them in the still-warm oven while I made the sauce. It worked like a charm.

Sandra Talarico

While they were delicious, it was a lot of work. I made salsa verde several days prior (growing tomatillos this year). You could poach that chicken ahead of time as well (I did not). Frying tortillas calls for a lot of clean up on the stove. They were very, very good.

Shawn Oster

This recipe takes me back to my childhood growing up in Laredo, TX. We were a steak and potato family fresh from South Dakota until my neighborhood tia taught my mom a very similar recipe and we’ve been making it our own ever since. Still my favorite use of chicken or turkey leftovers.Since then I’ve learned many more regional versions but this is pure childhood comfort food for me.

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Chicken Enchiladas With Salsa Verde  Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can I use salsa verde instead of enchilada sauce? ›

You can use store-bought green chile enchilada sauce or salsa verde for this recipe. I like the options from Hatch, Las Palmas, and Frontera. Or, to make it from scratch, try this homemade salsa verde made with tomatillos, green chile peppers, and garlic (it's amazing).

Can I use salsa instead of enchilada sauce? ›

Salsa Verde is a fantastic replacement for green enchilada sauce. Most salsa Verde is a little simpler than green enchilada sauce, often just a mix of tomatillos and jalapenos without other spices. Enchilada sauce is often a bit more complicated, including onions, garlic, spices, and other additions.

What can I do with a jar of salsa verde? ›

Put It on Your Tortilla Dish of Choice

If a tortilla is involved, salsa verde can be too. Tacos, burritos, tostadas, quesadillas, any and all tortilla-based meals.

Do you put sauce on enchiladas before or after baking? ›

Easy Cheese Enchiladas Recipe

Happy to report it couldn't be easier. Step 1: Make 10 minute homemade red enchilada sauce using fridge and pantry staples. Step 2: Sprinkle shredded Mexican blend cheese into the centers of corn tortillas then roll and place inside a casserole dish. Step 3: Cover with red sauce then bake.

What is the difference between salsa verde and chili verde? ›

Chili verde is a whole dish with ingredients like slow-cooked pork shoulder, tomatillos, and sometimes potatoes. Most people would consider it a stew, more than a soup. Its flavors come from a sauce called salsa verde.

What is the difference between salsa verde and tomatillo sauce? ›

Tomatillo sauce: A Sause made using tomatillos, most of the time the final result is a green looking salsa, but it can end up being other color depending on other ingredients that where used. Salsa verde = Green salsa, is just to generic.

What can you use if you don't have enchilada sauce? ›

There's no cooking or heating involved to make it, so it's ready to go into your Mexican dishes in no time! You can often use Taco sauce in place of enchilada sauce, and salsa is a good substiture too.

What is traditional enchilada sauce made of? ›

Instead, all the rich and savory flavors come from only a handful of ingredients – dried chiles, garlic, salt and Mexican chocolate. (Check out this easy enchilada sauce recipe for a 10-minute version made with easy-to-find pantry ingredients like chili powder, tomato paste and broth.)

Is red or green enchilada sauce better? ›

If you are making enchiladas, you may be wondering, “Which sauce should I use?” This is an excellent question, and the most straightforward answer is whatever you prefer. If you are making beef enchiladas, it is more common to pair them with a red sauce, and chicken enchiladas usually have a green sauce.

How do you make store bought salsa verde better? ›

At the very least, a little fresh lime juice and some minced cilantro can wake up even the sleepiest of salsas, ushering back in the flavor of just-squeezed citrus and herbs that taste like they came from a living plant. Beyond that, a crunchy raw vegetable or two never hurts.

Why did Taco Bell get rid of salsa verde? ›

The Short and Spicy Answer

Taco Bell decided to discontinue the green sauce due to changes in their menu and customer preferences. They often update their menu, adding new flavors and removing less popular items to keep things exciting. But don't worry, green sauce lovers!

What's the difference between green taco sauce and salsa verde? ›

Green taco sauce is not the same as salsa verde, as it typically also includes green tomatoes in its ingredients. Salsa verde is a great dip for tortilla chips, topping for tacos or burritos, or sauce for roasted pork.

What is the secret to good enchiladas? ›

The most important tip for avoiding soggy enchiladas is to briefly fry your tortillas in hot oil before you fill and roll. This creates a little bit of a barrier so that the tortillas don't soak up too much of the sauce and therefore start to break down.

Is it better to cook enchiladas covered or uncovered? ›

Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until hot.

Are enchiladas better with corn or flour tortillas? ›

While some recipes use flour tortillas, corn tortillas are traditional — and for good reason — are the better option for enchiladas.

What is the difference between salsa and enchilada sauce? ›

Salsa vs Enchilada Sauce

These two sauces might overlap in their ingredients, but the key difference is that enchilada sauce is thin, smooth, and served hot. It's also considered an important part of dishes like enchiladas, while salsa roja is a cold table sauce that can be added to anything.

Do green and red enchilada sauce taste the same? ›

Most green enchilada sauces use green chilis, which includes jalapenos and serrano, tipping off the spicy scale. As with any color chili, green sauces range from mild to hot. Red enchilada sauce, on the other hand, is typically made from a variety of red chilies, vinegar, onions, garlic and spices.

What is herdez salsa verde used for? ›

Following tradition, HERDEZ® Salsa Verde is the authentic way to top your chilaquiles, create verde carnitas and heat up your favorite pazole. It's what you can expect from the No. 1 salsa brand in Mexico.

Is green enchilada sauce the same as tomatillo salsa? ›

Shortly, they share almost the same ingredients: green tomatoes (tomatillo), garlic, onions, water or chicken stock, salt, serrano or jalapeño chiles. But some recipes call for cummin, cilantro, lime juice, black pepper or sour cream (like enchiladas suizas). Also another difference is the texture of the sauce.

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