If you haven’t had these green chile chicken enchiladas, you are missing out! The quick and easy from-scratch cheesy, creamy white sauce takes them over the top!
There are those days that call for enchiladas.
And there are those days that scream for enchiladas, if you know what I mean.
And today is a screaming day.
If you haven’t made these creamy green chile chicken enchiladas, you have not lived.
Pinned over 50,000 times, there’s a reason they are so popular.
They don’t just look good on Pinterest…they ARE good.
Crazy good.
I first posted this recipe waaay back when in 2010 and many, many of you have made these enchiladas and loved them (just a quick glance through the comments affirms this).
Growing up, my mom made enchiladas for dinner a lot.
A lot, a lot.
And it wasn’t until college that I realized chicken enchiladas are sometimes, often…ok, usually, made with red sauce.
What?!? Creamy white chicken enchiladas were all I knew.
My existence completely revolved around them.
(P.S.: It wasn’t until this divine red sauce version came into my life that I finally admitted, just slightly, that red sauce enchiladas should even be players in the enchilada field.)
Over the years I’ve tweaked my mom’s fabulous recipe to use a really simple homemade white sauce + added hearty white beans and a touch of creaminess to the chicken and green chile filling.
They are easy and delicious – the perfect combo for a weeknight meal.
AND, they can be made ahead of time. I’ve made them the night before or the morning of, and they bake up great after being refrigerated for a little bit.
I’ve even frozen them (a big hooray for freezer meals!).
The texture of the tortillas and of the sauce tends to change a bit upon freezing and then baking later (the tortillas soften quite a bit), but it doesn’t bother us.
If you’ve made these in the past, be sure to check out the notes of the recipe below.
While I’ve left the recipe the same, I’ve added some variations and substitutions that I use quite often now (that tends to happen when you’ve made the same recipe for almost a decade).
And all that means for you is that the recipe is even easier and more adaptable.
They can be made with flour or corn tortillas, with white beans or without, with canned green chiles or with green enchilada sauce or salsa verde.
After all this time, creamy “white” green chile chicken enchiladas are still one of my favorite meals ever.
Mexican Rice
Fresh, seasonal fruit
Roasted broccoli or asparagus
Garnishes such as lime wedges, cilantro, sour cream, extra cheese, or cherry tomatoes
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You can sub out the green chiles completely and use storebought or homemade green enchilada sauce or salsa verde. Use about 2/3 to 3/4 cup of sauce in place of the green chiles in the filling.
I wouldn’t classify these enchiladas as being overly saucy (because I’m ethically opposed to soggy tortillas); if you like things on the saucier side, consider doubling the sauce.
Make Ahead Instructions: Follow the recipe instructions, letting the sauce cool to warm room temperature before proceeding with filling the enchiladas. Assemble the enchiladas as directed in the recipe with the cooled sauce. Cover the baking pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8-12 hours before baking. Bake according to the recipe, adding an additional 5-10 minutes if needed since the enchiladas were refrigerated. Alternately, after assembling, the baking pan can be covered with a double layer of foil and put in a jumbo-sized resealable bag and frozen for up to two months. Bake from frozen by decreasing the baking temperature to 350 degrees F and baking the enchiladas covered for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes to 1 hour until the dish is hot and bubbly.
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Recipe Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Recipe originally posted May 2010; updated with new pictures, recipe notes and commentary.