Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas
Tender shredded chicken is rolled in corn tortillas and smothered with a bright, tangy tomatillo-based salsa verde, then baked until bubbly with creamy sour cream and crumbled cotija.
- Author: sarra
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Gluten Free
- 1 ⅓ lb skinless chicken thighs (or 1 ¾ lb bone-in)
- 4 cloves garlic, divided (2 halved for poaching, 2 whole for salsa)
- ¼ medium onion (for poaching)
- 2 tsp sea salt, divided
- 1 ½ lb tomatillos, husked and rinsed
- 2 serrano chiles, stems removed
- ½ cup chopped white or yellow onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro (stems included), plus extra for garnish
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 Tbsp oil (olive, corn, or peanut)
- 12 sturdy yellow corn tortillas
- ¼ cup sour cream (plus 1 Tbsp water to thin for drizzle)
- ½ cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco
- ⅓ cup chopped red onion (garnish)
- Poach & shred chicken: Place chicken, 2 halved garlic cloves, ¼ onion, and 1 tsp salt in a saucepan; cover with water. Simmer gently 10-15 min until just cooked. Cool slightly, then shred chicken.
- Make salsa verde: Simmer tomatillos and serranos in water 5 min until color changes. Transfer to a blender with 2 raw garlic cloves, chopped onion, ½ cup cilantro, lime juice, 1 tsp salt, and ¼ cup cooking liquid. Purée until smooth (≈3 cups).
- Toss filling: Combine shredded chicken with ½ cup salsa verde; taste and add salt if needed.
- Soften tortillas: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Quickly fry each tortilla 10-15 s per side, stacking on paper towels to drain.
- Assemble: Spoon chicken mixture onto each tortilla, roll tightly, and arrange seam-side down in a 9×13-in dish.
- Heat & bake: Cover dish with foil and warm in a 250 °F (120 °C) oven 10 min while you heat remaining salsa to a simmer.
- Smother & finish: Pour hot salsa over enchiladas, letting some run between rolls. Drizzle thinned sour cream, sprinkle with cotija, red onion, and extra cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Shortcut: Swap in 3 cups high-quality bottled salsa verde and/or rotisserie chicken.
- Use thick corn tortillas; thin ones may break after frying.
- Adjust chile quantity for spice level; add extra serrano for more heat.
- Enchiladas are best fresh—tortillas soften if made too far ahead.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 467 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 1619 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 33 g
- Cholesterol: 138 mg
Keywords: salsa verde, chicken enchiladas, tomatillo, Mexican dinner