Name: Healthier Green Chicken Enchiladas
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded (Buy it already cooked at the grocery store!); 1 large red bell pepper, chopped into small pieces; 1 large sweet onion, chopped into small pieces; 2 tbsp avocado oil; 2 tsp taco seasoning (Or sub: 1/2 salt, 1/2 smoked paprika, and 1 tsp cumin); 3 cups salsa verde, divided; 1/2 cup Greek yogurt; 6-8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups shredded); 8-12 corn tortillas; 16 oz canned refried beans; 1/2 cup Mexican table cream, for topping

My take on green chicken enchiladas – packed with veggies so it’s a balanced meal in one dish – no additional sides necessary. Shredded chicken gets mixed with sautéed onions and bell peppers (plus butternut or hominy if desired), wrapped in corn tortillas, then topped with a creamy green sauce and melted cheese, all on top of a thin layer of refried beans. This starts with a cooked rotisserie chicken so it’s fairly quick to pull together.

I owe the inspiration for this dish to my best friend, who recently had a baby. I wanted to bring her a dish that was balanced and would be a quick one-stop-shop for dinner. Then, she and her husband could focus on the important things – like keeping a little person alive. I also wanted it to be simple to heat up on their end (I brought it already assembled). As I started crafting this in my head, I knew it was going to be so good that my husband and I would need to have one as well. So, two huge trays of enchiladas it is! (The recipe below is for a single tray – I just made a double batch.)

Endless Possibilities for these Healthier Green Chicken Enchiladas

I think my favorite part about this dish is that it’s endlessly versatile. Here are the main ingredients and some suggested substitutions:

Protein – I used a whole rotisserie chicken which I shredded, but I think pulled pork (cooked in the slow cooker – so simple!) would also be great.

Vegetables – I’d consider the classic version of this to just have onions and bell peppers, but you can really add in anything that sounds good. I saw frozen roasted butternut squash at Costco and added it at the last minute. Sautéed kabocha squash would also be a great addition. You could even go slightly off the traditional route and add roasted cauliflower, broccoli, carrot, frozen peas and/or corn for more veggies…

Tortillas – corn tortillas are my favorite but flour would work just fine here.

Enchilada sauce – Confession: I think most store-bought enchilada sauces are bland. The canned versions are convenient but I honestly don’t like the flavor. A few years ago I made a “creamy” enchilada sauce by combining salsa verde with greek yogurt (could easily sub sour cream or crema), and the rest is history. If you want to take this dish in a very different direction, you could even use mole!

Beans – I usually think of having beans and rice as a side to enchiladas, but to stay with my “one dish” mentality I just added a layer of refried beans to the bottom of the dish. It actually blends well with the cheese and sauce as the dish bakes.

Cheese – I used Monterrey Jack, but any Mexican cheese blend, pepper jack, or whatever you have on hand is probably great.

Toppings – Don’t skip the crema (Mexican table cream)! The crema really brings this from good to great. There’s also a sour cream version, but I strongly prefer the non-sour version. Other suggested toppings include green onions, cilantro, maybe some avocado slices.

Assembly:

Gather those ingredients

2. Prep the chicken mixture and spread beans on the bottom of the baking dish.

3. Assemble

My tortillas cracked a bit, but once they’re smothered in sauce and cheese you’ll never know!

4. Top with sauce and cheese, bake, and enjoy!

Healthier Green Chicken Enchiladas

My take on green chicken enchiladas – packed with veggies so it's a balanced meal in one dish. Shredded chicken gets mixed with sautéed onions and bell peppers (plus butternut or hominy if desired). Then, it's wrapped in corn tortillas, topped with a creamy green sauce and melted cheese, all on top of a thin layer of refried beans. This starts with a cooked rotisserie chicken so it's fairly quick to pull together.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Servings 8 people

Ingredients

Chicken Filling

1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded Buy it already cooked at the grocery store!
1 large red bell pepper, chopped into small pieces
1 large sweet onion, chopped into small pieces
2 tbsp avocado oil
2 tsp taco seasoning Or sub: 1/2 salt, 1/2 smoked paprika, and 1 tsp cumin

Other Ingredients

3 cups salsa verde, divided
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
6-8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded about 2 cups shredded
8-12 corn tortillas
16 oz canned refried beans
1/2 cup Mexican table cream, for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chicken Filling

Heat avocado oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, and sauce until soft (about 10-15 minutes) adding in the taco seasoning during the last few minutes.
In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, sautéd veggies, and one cup of the salsa verde.

Assembly

Spread beans evenly on the bottom of a 9"x13" dish. Then, assemble enchiladas wrapping a large scoop of the chicken filling into tortillas, placing them seam-side down on top of the beans. Repeat until the dish is completely full (I had 8 large enchiladas).
Whisk together the last two remaining cups of salsa verde with the yogurt, until completely combined. Pour evenly over the enchiladas, then top with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Once done, broil for 2-3 minutes until the cheese is turning golden and bubbly.
Serve with Mexican table cream generously drizzled on top!

Recipe Notes

I added 2 cups of roasted butternut squash and 1 cup of hominy into the chicken mixture – completely optional but it was delicious! The butternut I found frozen at Costco and the hominy was canned.