Enchiladas are a perfect meal. Don’t buy frozen or even spend money at your favorite Mexican restaurant. At least not before you try these Green Chicken Enchiladas with Cream Cheese at home and enjoy the savings and the amazing flavor of these delicious green chile chicken enchiladas.
Whether you make a bulk batch to freeze or simply make this easy chicken enchilada dish for a special occasion dinner, you’re going to want to try it. Drizzle sour cream over the top and sprinkle on chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, and chopped fresh cilantro for the best loaded enchilada dinner!
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If you’ve not made green enchiladas with a cream cheese chicken filling, then you are in for a treat! This is one of the best chicken dinner recipes!
These creamy chicken enchiladas are full of flavor and texture, with a little punch from the chipotle, pepper Jack cheese, and salsa verde, a tangy creaminess from the cream cheese, corn tortillas to give the dish body, and chicken breast to give it some hearty protein.
You’ll love how easily these come together. Serve them with black beans and a side salad for an easy chicken dinner.
Why Make This
It’s easy. These easy chicken enchiladas are some of my favorites to serve because they are simple to make yet so packed with flavor. You can easily assemble them in less than half an hour.
It’s freezer friendly. Make up several batches of these cream cheese chicken enchiladas, wrap, label, and freeze. You can enjoy enchiladas on a weekly basis without breaking a sweat.
It’s super versatile. My friend Amy bakes this chicken enchilada recipe without the sauce and then serves several sauces at the table for her family to choose from. I think this is a brilliant way to let your peeps vary the flavors. You could also assemble the enchiladas in smaller dishes and top each pan with a different sauce.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this Green Chicken Enchiladas recipe:
oil for frying the tortillas – A neutral flavored oil, like avocado oil is best.
corn tortillas – There are large and small corn tortillas available at many stores. Keep in mind that if you buy the large ones, the recipe may make fewer enchiladas.
cooked chicken – You’ll need cubed or shredded chicken meat. You can use a rotisserie chicken or cook your own chicken breasts. If you’re in a rush, skillet chicken tenderloins cook quickly.
cheese – You can use Monterey jack cheese, cheddar cheese, or I like to use pepper jack for a little extra kick. Remember you can freeze cheese to keep on hand for easy meals.
cream cheese – For the richest flavor, use full fat, but you can also use neufchâtel cheese instead. You’ll need your cream cheese softened, so be sure to leave it out for an hour or so before prepping the chicken mixture.
onion – You’ll need half a chopped onion for the filling. If you don’t think you’ll use the other half within the next few days, remember that you can freeze onions.
taco seasoning mix – I make homemade taco seasoning, but you can use the commercial style as well.
salsa verde – I use plain salsa verde, either Herdez or Trader Joe’s. Feel free to use your favorite green enchilada sauce or a green chile sauce of your choosing.
Variations:
Change the tortilla. I used corn tortillas, but if you prefer to make your enchiladas with flour tortillas, you can totally do that. To prevent the tortillas from getting gummy, I recommend baking them without sauce so that the tortilla crisps.
Beef up the chile flavor. You can stir a can of green chiles into the filling.
Change the sauce. I love using a salsa verde or green sauce to top these enchiladas, but you can also use a red chile sauce or red chile enchilada sauce if you prefer.
For a rich alternative to plain salsa verde, combine the jar of salsa with 1 cup sour cream and use that as a sauce. It’s the same that I use in my Salsa Verde Chicken.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make this easy green chile enchilada recipe with chicken:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Add oil to a small skillet to a depth of about an inch. Heat over medium heat until the oil starts to shimmer. Fry the tortillas in the hot oil for 30 to 45 seconds each, turning once with tongs. The texture starts to look a bit leathery. Drain the tortillas on paper towels and cool enough to be easily handled.
In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, 1 cup of the Jack cheese, the cream cheese, onion, and taco seasoning mix. Season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper.
Assemble the enchiladas by placing 2 tablespoons of the chicken cream cheese filling on each tortilla. Roll and place the enchiladas, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
Pour the salsa or enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle the reserved cheese over the enchiladas. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes, or until the dish is heated through and the cheese is melted.
Top the baked enchiladas with chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and sliced olives.
FAQs
What differentiates green enchiladas from red enchiladas is the sauce. Green features green chile sauce or salsa verde.
The two are often made of the same ingredients, such as tomatillos and green chiles, but enchilada sauce is smooth and thick while salsa verde tends to be chunky with a thin liquid.
Salsa verde is great as a topping for enchiladas in place of enchilada sauce.
More Easy Chicken Dinners
Tell us what you think!
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Green Chicken Enchiladas with Cream Cheese
Equipment
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- skillet
Ingredients
- oil for frying the tortillas
- 12 corn tortillas
- 4 cups chicken (cooked and cubed)
- 8 oz pepper jack cheese (shredded )
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese softened, can also use neufchâtel cheese
- ½ onion for ½ cup chopped
- 1 teaspoon Chipotle Taco Seasoning Mix
- 2 cups salsa verde or green enchilada sauce
- optional toppings for enchiladas chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, chopped cilantro, and sliced olives.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add oil to a small skillet to a depth of about an inch. Heat over medium heat until the oil starts to shimmer. Fry the tortillas in the hot oil for 30 to 45 seconds each, turning once with tongs. The texture starts to look a bit leathery. Drain the tortillas on paper towels and cool enough to be easily handled.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken, 1 cup of the Jack cheese, the cream cheese, onion, and taco seasoning mix.
- Assemble the enchiladas by placing 2 tablespoons filling on each tortilla. Roll and place the enchiladas, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour the salsa over the enchiladas and sprinkle the reserved cheese over the enchiladas. Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes, or until the dish is heated through and the cheese is melted.
Notes
Variations:
Change the tortilla. I used corn tortillas, but if you prefer to make your enchiladas with flour tortillas, you can totally do that. To prevent the tortillas from getting gummy, I recommend baking them without sauce so that the tortilla crisps. Beef up the chile flavor. You can stir a can of green chiles into the filling. Change the sauce. I love using a salsa verde or green sauce to top these enchiladas, but you can also use a red chile sauce or red chile enchilada sauce if you prefer. For a rich alternative to plain salsa verde, combine the jar of of salsa with 1 cup sour cream and use that as a sauce. It’s the same that I use in my Salsa Verde Chicken.Nutrition
This post was originally published on November 2, 2014. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Shari
I love how easy this was. I needed something affordable that would prove a hit for a family birthday dinner and it was.
Jessica Fisher
Yay! Love it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.
Stephen Williams
Jessica, I have found a new reason to be happy about making dinner again. I made these and substituted taco seasoning for fajita seasoning and added a southwest mexi-corn in the mixture and when we tried this, I was sure I had found my new favorite thing to eat. I have since experimented with several variations, and needless to say I have a deep freeze full of chicken enchiladas. If I was stuck on an island and had one food only to eat, this would be it
Jessica Fisher
That’s great to hear! Glad you’re enjoying them!
Nia
I’ve been reading here since 2009/2010. I have no idea how this recipe got past me until last week but it did. We made these tonight and everyone went back for seconds. I am so glad we found your recipe because I’d never heard of Chipotle chili powder. It really kicked up the flavor. I was worried one teaspoon of taco seasoning wouldn’t be enough but it absolutely was. To take down the spice for one of our members we used Monterey for half the batch instead of pepperjack and it was still one of the best batches of chicken enchiladas we’ve ever had. I was told it tasted like restaurant quality. Thanks for sharing your delicious creativity with us.
Carol
I give 4 stars because i haven’t tasted them yet. I have grandkids with celiac disease and will be making these for them. I think they will love them. Thanks so much.
Vicky
What kind of salsa verde would you recommend? I don’t have normally use it, just have had it at restaurants.
Jessica Fisher
I prefer Herdez or the Trader Joe’s brand. Others usually have added sugar which changes the flavors quite a bit.
Marilynn
These are superb!!!!!
Jessica Fisher
So glad you liked them!
Marilynn
As I said the chicken enchiladas are superb, but I’m having some elderly ladies over and intend to serve them.
I’m afraid they might be a little too spicy for them.
Would it hurt to use just 1/2 tea. Of the chipotle spice instead of 1 tea?
Jessica Fisher
I think that’s a great idea. Have a nice time!
Katie
I’ve made these enchiladas 5 times since early December, and had a baby in Dec, as well. Just mention that to show that these are super easy to make, and taste great! Everyone who has tried them has liked them. I made them last night when in-laws were visiting, and have another batch in the oven now because my husband was disappointed he didn’t get any last night!
I use the low-carb tortillas made with flax, so they are on my eating plan.
Jessica Fisher
Congrats on the new baby! And so glad you’re enjoying these. They are some of my favorites!
Erika
I would not have thought to put cream cheese in enchiladas, but these are amazing! I included some black beans & green chiles and used the refrigerated tortillas from Costco and this is another winner. Thank you!
Jessica Fisher
So great to hear it!
Johanna Masse
Jessica, I had emailed you a couple months ago saying how much I loved these (enchiladas). I think I am addicted!! But I had some leftover enchilada filling and no more corn tortillas, but I did have taco shells, so I used those. They came out practically the same as the others, so I wanted to share this time-saving step with you:)
I am off to make some enchiladas!
Jo
Jessica Fisher
That sounds delicious! Thanks for letting me know!
Emilia
PS: my husband is famous for his (ground beef) enchiladas. After he tried these, he said they were much better than his.
Jessica Fisher
Wow! I’ll take it. Yay!
Emilia
I made this and froze. Defrosted and baked. I was concerned with the enormous amount–it is just my husband and I… When we tried, we were amazed. These are THE best enchiladas we have ever eaten! I served with your slow cooked beans, that I mashed a little bit–kept in two cup containers in the freezer. Fantastic meal. We didn’t get tired of eating the same thing for several nights! Thank you so much for these delicious recipes.
Jessica Fisher
So glad you liked them. They are some of my favorites too!
Emily
Do you think pinto and/or black beans could be substituted for the chicken to make it vegetarian?
Jessica Fisher
I think so, but I’m not sure how you would mix in the cream cheese without smashing the beans. If you don’t mind smashing the beans, I think it would be fine. Alternatively, you could chop the cream cheese into really small bits. Let me know what you do and how it works out?
Emily
I used one can of pinto beans and it worked! I didn’t think to smash them. That would’ve probably been better but they were still yummy.
Jessica Fisher
Glad they were yummy. I didn’t meant that you should mash them. I just wondered how you could work the cream cheese in without mashing them. How did that work?
MamaG
I agree about the corn tortillas too! I usually only use corn tortillas, but recently, I made a batch of enchiladas for the freezer using flour tortillas for the first time, and did not like the texture of the tortillas at all.
Shannon
I COMPLETELY agree about corn tortillas. My husband, on the other hand, is a staunch flour tortilla supporter. Needless to say, there are many disagreements over this. I usually win. These looks great!