I have a major weak spot for Mexican food. I’ll shove pretty much anything into a tortilla and call it a taco; rice and beans kept me alive during rent week in my early twenties living in New York City; and margaritas are my desert island drink.
This love affair likely stems from my family’s frequent trips to the extremely inauthentic “La Carreta” restaurant that was just a couple blocks away from my childhood home. Refried beans smothered in melty cheese are in my blood.
Luckily, my husband George shares my admiration for the cuisine. We make something Mexican-ish for dinner at least one night a week, and have made several margarita and taco pilgrimages to Tulum, Sayulita, Cabo, and other Mexican towns. We base our itineraries around where to find the best tacos, street corn, and our very favorite: enchiladas.
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Five-Ingredient, One-Skillet Green Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 (1/2 pound) boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 (12 to 16 ounce) jar tomatillo salsa (also called salsa verde), divided
- 2 packed cups fresh spinach, optional
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) Pepper Jack cheese, shredded, divided
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 4 to 6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, cotija cheese, hot sauce, lime wedges
Substitutions
- Chicken breasts—> 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work, but simmer the chicken thighs in the salsa verde for a few minutes (3 to 4) over low heat until they are easily shreddable. Ground chicken or turkey are also good options, but remember they let off a LOT of water when being cooked, so cook the ground meat until ALL water evaporates, then stir in the salsa verde.
- Garlic powder—> this just gives the chicken some flavor. You can also use onion powder, or a bit of chili powder, a tiny pinch of cayenne, etc. You get it. Just season the chicken with something else tasty other than salt.
- Tomatillo salsa (salsa verde)—> jarred red salsa will also work here! Pico de gallo will not. Pretty much any liquidy, delicious salsa will work.
- Fresh spinach—> 1 cup frozen spinach. 1 1/2 cups finely chopped kale would be delish. Or, just add in 1 cup of any easy veggie. Leftover grilled vegetables from last night, canned artichokes, jarred roasted red peppers, 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels…. just make sure to chop it up very finely before stirring it in.
- Pepper Jack cheese—> I use Pepper Jack cheese here to add as much flavor as possible with as few ingredients as possible. By using pepper jack, I didn’t have to add any hot sauce or red pepper flakes into the enchilada filling. So, if you use Cheddar or another cheese, and you like heat, be sure to add 1 tablespoon hot sauce or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the filling.
- Sour cream—> cream cheese, Greek yogurt, plain yogurt, mascarpone (random, but maybe you have some in your fridge…?), etc.
- Corn tortillas—> I also like flour or a Siete grain-free tortilla here, but they do get a little soggy. I don’t mind it, but some of my recipe testers hugely preferred corn.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Cut the chicken breast into 1-inch cubes.
- Warm the olive oil in a 10-inch oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in an even layer and sprinkle with salt and garlic powder. Allow to cook for several minutes, then use a fork to flip the pieces over. Yes, use a fork, not a spatula. Just trust me.
- Turn the heat down to low after you flip the chicken. Cook for 2 more minutes or until you don’t see any pink in the chicken. Pour in 1/4 cup of tomatillo salsa (don’t wash the 1/4 cup—you’ll need it again!) and, using two forks (this is why I made you use a fork! No need to dirty a spatula, too) tear the chicken into small pieces. If you want to add the spinach, stir it in now and cook until wilted, a couple minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and all of the sour cream.
- Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave in 10 second intervals, until pliable. Don’t skip this step: they’ll rip!
- Holding a tortilla in one hand, scoop 1/4 cup of the mixture into each tortilla, roll it up, and place it seam-side down onto a plate while you roll the others.
- Pour a couple tablespoons of the salsa verde into the skillet (it’s fine if the skillet still has chicken or sour cream or cheese in it!) and spread it around the bottom to prevent the enchiladas from sticking. Place the tortillas seam-side down into the skillet.
- Pour the remaining salsa all over the tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Garnish with avocado, cilantro, hot sauce, cotija cheese, etc. if desired. Serve immediately.
- 1 (1/2 pound) boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 (12 to 16 ounce) jar tomatillo salsa (also called salsa verde), divided
- 2 packed cups fresh spinach, optional
- 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) Pepper Jack cheese, shredded, divided
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 4 to 6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
- Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, cotija cheese, hot sauce, lime wedges
Substitutions
- Chicken breasts—> 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs will also work, but simmer the chicken thighs in the salsa verde for a few minutes (3 to 4) over low heat until they are easily shreddable. Ground chicken or turkey are also good options, but remember they let off a LOT of water when being cooked, so cook the ground meat until ALL water evaporates, then stir in the salsa verde.
- Garlic powder—> this just gives the chicken some flavor. You can also use onion powder, or a bit of chili powder, a tiny pinch of cayenne, etc. You get it. Just season the chicken with something else tasty other than salt.
- Tomatillo salsa (salsa verde)—> jarred red salsa will also work here! Pico de gallo will not. Pretty much any liquidy, delicious salsa will work.
- Fresh spinach—> 1 cup frozen spinach. 1 1/2 cups finely chopped kale would be delish. Or, just add in 1 cup of any easy veggie. Leftover grilled vegetables from last night, canned artichokes, jarred roasted red peppers, 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels…. just make sure to chop it up very finely before stirring it in.
- Pepper Jack cheese—> I use Pepper Jack cheese here to add as much flavor as possible with as few ingredients as possible. By using pepper jack, I didn’t have to add any hot sauce or red pepper flakes into the enchilada filling. So, if you use Cheddar or another cheese, and you like heat, be sure to add 1 tablespoon hot sauce or 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes to the filling.
- Sour cream—> cream cheese, Greek yogurt, plain yogurt, mascarpone (random, but maybe you have some in your fridge…?), etc.
- Corn tortillas—> I also like flour or a Siete grain-free tortilla here, but they do get a little soggy. I don’t mind it, but some of my recipe testers hugely preferred corn.
Notes
- If you can’t handle a bit of heat, use Cheddar or a Mexican cheese rather than the Pepper Jack. If you can handle it, be sure to use it—it adds a nice kick without using any extra ingredients.
- Want to use less dairy? Omit the sour cream. Most typical enchiladas do not include sour cream, but it makes them deliciously creamy!
- I often use flour tortillas for enchiladas, but be forewarned that they do get a bit soggy.
- A few of my testers wished they’d had even more sauce. I personally didn’t need it, but if you love things saucy, be sure to purchase two jars, especially if your jars only have 12 ounces of salsa.
Caroline,
Just made these enchiladas and Yummy is all I can say! Used Herdez mild green salsa, doubled recipe and made 10 enchiladas. Included the spinach and garnished with avo and extra dollop of sour cream. Took maybe 30 minutes vs my go-to recipe that takes me about 1-1/2 hours. Your recipes are the best!
Sue Wallace
Sue! That makes my day to hear! Sometimes, simple is best!!!!!
Made these tonight and topped with pickled red onions (from your recipe as well). SO good and SO easy!
I’m so glad you made the pickled red onions – they make this recipe so much more special!!!