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Green chile chicken enchiladas with sour cream or otherwise called Suiza style, are one of the best ways I know of to eat enchiladas. Otherwise know as enchiladas suizas, these simple chicken enchiladas made with corn tortillas, are better than anything I’ve eaten at a Mexican restaurant. Keep it simple and make this chicken enchilada suiza recipe with rotisserie chicken, because the star of the show is really the creamy green chile sauce. And if you don’t want sour cream you can just go with pure green chile!
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With fresh roasted green chiles stored in the freezer, I decided to make a batch of Swiss enchiladas with creamy green sauce while Alex was still home. Luckily there were leftovers and Zoe was able to help herself, too.
As long as you love homemade green chile you will love these green chile enchiladas with shredded chicken.
Savory green chile should never be taken for granted and I think if you make a batch you will soon see why so many love it.
Table of Contents
Why I Love Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
As a lover of green chile I love anything made with it.
Whether I throw green chiles into a dip or a casserole doesn’t matter.
I can eat green chiles any way, but my most favorite way is to take a fresh roasted chile from the roaster and stuff it into a freshly made flour tortilla.
Oh my.
My love affair with green chiles began in New Mexico many years ago during a visit in the Fall.
Driving on the Low Road from Taos to Santa Fe, following the Rio Grande River, is something everyone should do at least once.
The cool crisp air is permeated with the aroma of roasting chiles and fresh red chile ristras are for sale wherever you look.
If you are a lover of roadside stands like I am then you will quickly understand what the attraction is on this special drive.
And yes, that is why I love green chiles.
Their flavor is incredible, but the memories they evoke, even more so.
Having a bowl of freshly made green chile, or using it to make easy green chile chicken enchiladas is one of the best ways I know of to eat green chile.
FAQ’s
Is salsa verde the same as green chile enchilada sauce?
Salsa verde is a raw sauce and a green chile enchilada sauce is a thinner sauce that has been cooked. Many make a green sauce with tomatillos but I prefer to keep things pure-so to speak…and just use green chiles to make this great recipe.
What are enchiladas suiza with chicken?
A chicken enchilada suiza recipe is made with chicken and a green chile sauce into which sour cream or Mexican crema has been stirred in.
What does Suiza mean?
Suiza actually means Swiss. The Swiss are associated with dairy products and it may have been Swiss immmigrants that worked sour cream into traditional Mexican dishes. It came to be that Sanborn’s Cafe in Mexico City in 1950 put an enchilada dish on the menu where the green sauce had sour cream in in.
Are green chiles spicy?
I use Hatch green chiles and have the option to buy them mild, medium or hot. Hatch green chiles are virtually the same as Anaheim chiles except, and I’ll use a wine term here…the terroir. Hatch chiles are grown in Hatch, New Mexico and truly have a special flavor. The roasting of the chiles only add to the flavor and that’s what give the chiles their unique smoky profile.
Ingredients for Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken:I prefer chicken breasts but I am not picky. Use what you have.
Decide whether you want to poach your chicken breasts and shred them. Or bake your chicken and shred it. Or if you just want to keep things simple and use leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken.
Green Chile:Make your green chile. This is one of the most popular recipes here at TIHIC.
Yes, you must click over for the full recipe which is very simple to make.
You could even make it a few days ahead so that making these homemade enchiladas with green chile becomes extra easy!
If you do that, keep in mind that green chile becomes sour if kept too long in the fridge so be sure to use it within a week or freeze it.
And if it thickens up, you can always add more chicken broth to loosen it up.
Reserve more roasted green chiles to mix with the meat of the chicken to create your filling.
I buy my green chiles each Fall but they can also be found here.
Cheese: I like using Monterey Jack cheese because it melts so well. For an extra kick use the cheese with peppers. OK. If you want to use already grated Mexican cheese you can, but I prefer you don’t! However I won’t tell!
Onions:White onions or yellow, and if you want some green scallions for garnish, that is fine with me.
Sour Cream or Mexican crema:Your choice-I used sour cream.
Tortillas:Corn is traditional and I think they add flavor, but some prefer flour tortillas.
Fresh Cilantro:I love the flavor of cilantro but some think it tastes like soap. Remember you are here to eat. Make what you like.
Tomatoes:Perfect for adding flavor and color when used as a garnish
How To Make Green Chile Enchiladas
The important thing to remember about these homemade enchiladas with green chile is that you do not need to make them as enchiladas suiza.
If you are using hot chiles you may want to make enchiladas suiza because the cream will help take away some of the heat.
However, some just love this chicken enchilada suiza recipe because of the creamy sauce.
I, for one, prefer unadulterated green chile but this green chile chicken enchilada recipe can be made both ways, and even in the same baking dish.
Just stir the sour cream into half of the chicken enchiladas recipe!
So let’s get started making the best green chile enchiladas you’ve ever had!
Begin by making the green chile. Very easy to do, but it does need to simmer for at least 30 minutes, so keep that in mind. And the longer you simmer the silkier it gets!
Prepare the chicken however you want. Rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken or bake the chicken or it can even be poached.
Make the chicken mixture by combining chopped green chiles, sour cream, cumin and shredded chicken.
Shred the cheese and chop the onion.
Prepare the casserole dish by lightly greasing it and spread 1 cup of green chile sauce over the bottom.
Preheat oven to 350.
Heat the skillet over medium heat with 1 T of oil.
Place the tortilla in to soften and be sure to flip so that the sides of each tortilla are soft and pliable.
Place the next tortilla in the skillet to soften and while that tortilla is cooking place 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture, 1 T of cheese and a large pinch of chopped onion into the bottom half of the tortilla.
Roll tortilla up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
Continue this until all green chile chicken enchiladas are made.
Cover with remaining sauce and top with remaining shredded cheese.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove foil and continue baking for 15 more minutes until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Let sit a few minutes and garnish with cilantro and tomatoes.
What To Serve with Authentic Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
I always like to serve the rest of the homemade green chile sauce.
Perfect for dolloping on these easy green chile enchiladas.
If you did not make Swiss-style enchiladas, feel free to add a dollop of sour cream or crema on top of the chicken enchiladas to make green chile enchiladas with sour cream!
Refried beans and Mexican rice are perfect side dishes with this green chile chicken enchilada suiza recipe.
Tips: Always fry the tortillas to soften before filling. Frying them helps create a barrier between the sauce and the tortilla to help keep the tortilla from getting soggy.
Did you run out of fresh roasted chiles? Don’t be afraid to use a can of green chilies. Just make sure you use some of the fresh roasted, also.
Rolled vs, Stacked Enchiladas: Instead of rolling up the tortillas with the filling inside, you can also make flat enchiladas, which I tend to prefer.
Dip a small corn tortilla into the warm green chile. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. and top with some chicken mixture, cheese and onions. Place another dipped tortilla on top. Add more chicken, cheese and onions. Top with a dipped tortilla and sprinkle with cheese and onions. Bake for about 15 minutes and serve topped with additional green chile and a dollop of sour cream.
Covering the enchiladas while baking keeps the enchiladas from drying out and developing crisp edges. Uncover about 15 minutes before serving and your enchiladas will be perfect.
Manservant could eat Mexican food every night. I am not joking.
And after trying some of my Mexican recipes, you may begin to feel the same.
However I implore you to try green chile and and this green chile chicken enchilada sauce.
Whether you choose to make enchiladas suiza with chicken and green chile is up to you.
Or even if you make just authentic green chile enchiladas, I am totally fine with either!
And please ask Manservant over for dinner.
I promise he will ask for seconds!
What’s your favorite Mexican food? Inquiring minds want to know!
Want More Enchiladas?
Turkey and Sweet Potato Enchiladas
sh*take Stuffed Hatch Green Chile Enchiladas
Red Chile Breakfast Enchiladas
I’d love to hear if you make this recipe! Please share a review or rate the recipe,
and be sure to tag me on social!
Recipe Card
Chicken and Green Chile Enchiladas
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- Author: Abbe
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 30 Minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 – 8 Servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican/American
Description
I love greeen chile and I love enchiladas. There is nothing better than a green chile chicken enchilada. Treat yourself and buy some fresh roasted green chiles and make these creamy, cheesy chicken enchiladas.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
3 c shredded rotisserie chicken
4 green chiles, roasted, seeded, cut into strips and chopped or 1 4 oz can
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 c sour cream
3 c prepared green chile
1.5 c sour cream
10–12 corn tortillas
Canola oil for frying
1 white or yellow onion diced
2 1/2 c shredded/grated Monterey Jack cheese with or without jalapenos
1/2 c chopped cilantro
1/2 c chopped tomatoes
Instructions
Prepare green chile. Use 2 c of the chile sauce and stir in 1 1/2 c of sour cream if you are making these Suiza style. Set aside. You may have some leftover.
Shred chicken and mix with the 4 chopped green chiles, sour cream and cumin.
Preheat oven to 350.
In a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, spread one cup of sauce.
Heat 1 T oil in skillet over medium heat and cook each tortilla on each side for several minutes until soft and pliable.
As you remove each tortilla, place 1/4 c of the chicken chile mixture, about 1 t of chopped onions and 1 large tablespoon of cheese. Roll and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat until tortillas are filled.
Top with remaining green chile sour cream sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Be sure to cover the enchiladas carefully with sauce or you may end up with some crispy edges. However some like crispy edges! We usually serve the extra green chile without the sour cream at the table and dollop it on.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes covered with aluminum foil and then remove foil and continue baking for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.
Notes
Many don’t fry the tortillas in oil. I think this keeps the enchiladas from getting too soggy as it creates a barrier between the sauce and the tortilla.
Yes, flour tortillas can be used but corn adds flavor and is more traditional.
