Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (Colorado-Style)
September in Colorado is the start to one of my favorite seasons. Green chile season. All around the city you’ll see tents pop up filled with spinning roasters. And the best scent fills the air, drifting on smokey clouds in the Mexican neighborhoods and local farmer’s markets. The first dish I make is Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas which is not only easy, but is a pure celebration of green chiles. An easy sauce with just chilies, garlic, and stock.
The hardest part is choosing what flavor of green chiles you’re going to use. My favorite is the Pueblo. It’s spicy, hot but not too hot, with a hint of sweet. A lot of people prefer the Hatch chilies, coming in mild, hot, a REALLY hot. Then there’s the mild Anaheim and Poblano chiles. If you’re not into heat at all, bring by a bushel of red bell peppers, and they’ll happily roast those too. The roasters are big drum roasters that roast over a burner, charring up a while bushel of chiles at a time. It takes about 5 minutes and then they dump the lot into a trash bag. Tying the bag closed to let the chilies sweat so you can easily remove the skins.
Every year, the hubby would somehow manage to get some of the hot stuff from the chilies in his eyes. It always made me giggle. I made up for it with a pan of these goodies. I admit I do miss this time of year living in Portugal now. But hey, we can still get canned Hatch chilies here. Perfect for making a big pan of Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas.
Hatch vs. Pueblo Chile (Yes, There’s a Rivalry)
So, Colorado and New Mexico have a rivalry over who has the best chilies and green chile. It’s one that’s been going since the 1800s. The Hatch chiles were bred through New Mexico’s State University. The Pueblo in the 1990s by the Colorado State University agriculture professor Michael Bartolo. It’s a hot chile, running 5,000 to 20,000 Scoville heat units. But blends a nice sweet chile pepper taste with the heat. Whereas the Hatch chiles are generally 500 to 3,000 Scoville units and are more singular flavored.
The rivalry runs deeps with New Mexico putting up a billboard near Pueblo Colorado saying ‘137 miles to real chile.’ And then Colorado’s governor firing back in public. As with any country or company having a similar product the rivalries are funny and picking a flavor feels like taking a stand.
I’m a Pueblo girl cause I like the better balanced flavor it brings to dishes. But no hard feeling towards any of them.
Btw, I actually got ‘chile’ and ‘chili’ wrong when I moved to Colorado. Chile is the stew made from the roasted green chiles. It’s poured over enchiladas, breakfast burritos, eggs, fries – pretty much anything. Chili refers to the ground beef and bean dish associated with Texas and the Midwest. Today, I cook both types.
The Easiest Green Chile Sauce You’ll Ever Make
Compared to red enchilada sauce, this is one of the easiest green chile sauces you can make. It’s literally tossing some garlic, chopped green chiles, chicken stock, and seasoning with salt and pepper in a pan. No roux, no cream, no simmering in a pot for an hour.
Many of the red and green sauces require charred tomatillos, hydrating dried chilies, toasted seeds, proper roux. And I’ve made plenty of them. But this one you can whip up on a weeknight after a busy day without feeling overworked.
Leave a Little Char
Btw, I always leave some of the charred bits of skin no the chilies when peeling them because it adds an extra layer of smokey flavor you lose from a perfectly peeled chile. It’s a big difference in flavor to your sauces and dishes.
We buy them by the bushel, clean, and freeze them in freezer bags to use until the next season.
Making This Work From Portugal
So, the hardest part of moving to Portugal was losing access to all the green chiles in Colorado. Even if you can find someone who grew them here, the different soil type makes them mild with no heat. But over the years I’ve found my own workarounds.
I can find canned green Hatch chiles – the mild ones – at most Mexican stores here in Portugal and Spain. Where most of my stock comes from though is when the hubby flies back to see his dad in the States. He always brings home a couple of cases tucked into his luggage. I simply add heat by using local chilies, piri piri, malagueta, or habanero from the markets here.
Cheese also requires a workaround since Mexican cheeses and Monterey Jack aren’t readily available here. Instead, I use a 400 gram bag of a melty white cheese blend that includes mozzarella. I genuinely love this mix in this recipe for Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, but it does lack a bit of the sharpness you get from the ones you have access to in the States.
Colorado-Mex, Not Tex-Mex
Just to be clear, Colorado Mexican food is not the same as Tex-Mex. Colorado has one of the largest Mexican populations in the country. And none of the community is from the same region in Mexico. Each bringing their own techniques and ingredient habits with them. Layer that in with the Native American influence and generations of Coloradans adapting the cuisines where they are from in with the Mexican flavors, and you have a distinct food that is all Colorado.
Green chile shows up everywhere in Colorado, including breakfast burritos (one of my favorites). Wrapped in either flour or corn, you can’t go wrong making these enchildadas. If you’ve made a batch of homemade corn tortillas, use the extra to make these Fish Stick Tacos.
Cooking Up the Chicken for Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
I like to buy a kilo, about 2 and a 1/4 pounds, of sliced raw chicken breast from the butcher and grill it ahead. It’s the same bifana cut I use for my Southern-Style Pork Bifanas (you can use chicken instead). I learned tricks like these as a chef doing the prep mise en place all at once.
We season the whole batch simply with salt, pepper, and herbs. Then sear or grill until just cooked through. No marinade or sauces at this stage because the rest of the flavor comes from whatever dishes you add the chicken to throughout the week.
Personally, I prefer chicken breast in this recipe over chicken thighs because I’m not a fan of the gamey taste the thighs bring to the enchiladas. The breast let the green chiles shine. Plus it’s higher in protein and lower in fat which is important now that I’ve hit my 50s.
We put a half a kilo (little over a pound) in these enchiladas, shredded after it’s cooked. Then the other half in the fridge for salads, pasta, tacos, or a fast sandwich.
If you’re short on time, grab a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred just for this recipe.
The hubby and I love these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas with avocado crema, red salsa, and a scattering of fresh cilantro (coentros as it’s called here in Portugal). This is the one herb I can find anywhere in the world in any cuisine. If we don’t have the avocado crema with use sour cream or Greek yogurt instead. Pair with Cilantro Lime Rice with Black Beans.
So, what’s your favorite green chile and how hot do you go? Let me know in the comments, as well as any questions you have.
Recommended Ingredients & Tools for Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
Hatch Green Chiles, Diced, Canned — These are my go-to chiles when I can’t get the Pueblo. You can easily add heat using other chilies. If you’re in the Colorado or the western US, go to your local roasters or look for them in the freezer section of your grocery store.
Monterey Jack Cheese, Block — I prefer grating my own cheese rather than using pre-shredded since it doesn’t have the anti-caking starch on them. It’s worth taking the time to grate your own. BUT that said, if you’re short on time, use a bag.
Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base —If you’ve got your own chicken stock, use it. But again, when short on time, bouillon works well. I usually keep a combo of homemade stock, boxes, and bouillon in the kitchen. It’s all about keeping healthy meals on the table.
Tools
Cast Iron Skillet — This is one of my favorite skillets. I use it for everything because it holds heat evenly.
13×9-Inch Baking Dish — Everyone needs a good 13×9 baking dish. It’s perfect for this recipe and so many others. It’s your choice where you use glass or ceramic – I prefer ceramic, but have a mix of both.
Kitchen Tongs — For dipping tortillas into hot stock without burning your fingers. I use mine for half of what I cook.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Can I make these ahead or freeze them? Yes to both. Assemble the enchiladas and pop them in the pan, withholding the cheese and sauce. Go ahead and make the sauce. Store it separately in the fridge. Cover the enchiladas and fridge. For freezing, bake the dish first, cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Should I use corn or flour tortillas? Both work. It’s your choice. It’s honestly a matter of preference. I use corn if I have them, but here in Portugal, it’s easier to get flour ones in the store.
How spicy is this recipe? The heat levels depends on which type of chiles you use – mild or hot. Again it’s up to you. As written the recipe is mild and you set your heat level based on the extra heat you add.
Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of cooking my own? Absolutely, and I do this often when I’m short on time. Just season it a bit more before adding it to the enchiladas, since rotisserie chicken can taste a little flat once it’s shredded and mixed with the other ingredients.
What’s the best way to prep the chicken for this ahead of time? Our go-to is buying a larger batch of thin-sliced chicken breast, seasoning it simply with salt, pepper, and one herb, then searing or grilling the whole batch at once. Use half for these enchiladas and save the rest for salads, pasta, tacos, or sandwiches later in the week — it keeps well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Chicken breast is recommended over thighs, which run a bit gamier here and don’t balance as well against the cheese — though this is also a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken, even a mix of dark and white meat, if that’s what you’ve got on hand.
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (Colorado-Style)
Ingredients
- 2 4 oz cans roasted Hatch Chilies or use fresh roasted Pueblo, Hatch, Anaheim, or Poblano chilies – about 1 1/4 lbs., skins and seeds removed from all the chilies
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 6 large garlic cloves minced
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups chicken stock divided
- 8 to 10 corn or flour tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Monterey or Colby Jack cheese divided
- 2 ½ cups cooked chicken, shredded seasoned with your favorite herbs and spices or use store bought rotisserie chicken
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt or Avocado Crema
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F (200°C).
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
- Stir in the chiles, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add 1 cup of the chicken stock to the pan. Mix well and simmer until the stock reduces by about a third.
- Add the last cup of chicken stock to the pan and heat until warm. Set the sauce aside.
- Meanwhile, lightly grease a 13" x 9" baking dish or cover in foil to help with clean up later.
- While the sauce is simmering, shred the chicken into a bowl. Add 1 cup of the cheese and mix together.
- Dip the tortillas into the warmed chicken stock until pliable, working 2 to 3 at a time so they don't stick together, then lay them on your work surface.
- Add about 1/2 cup of the chicken and cheese mix down the center of each tortilla. Roll up around the filling and place seam side down in the baking dish.
- Pour the chile sauce over the enchiladas. Top with the reserved 1 cup of cheese. Don't worry about full coverage, exposed tortilla edges crisp up in the oven.
- Bake in the oven until the cheese is bubbling and brown, about 25 minutes, If you'd like extra browning, turn the oven to broil – watch carefully as not to burn.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Then serve with sour cream, Greek yogurt, or Avocado Crema.
- Makes 8 to 10 servings.
Notes
- Assemble through step 10 and refrigerate, covered, up to 24 hours before baking — add 5 minutes to the bake time if going in cold.
- Freezes well after baking; cool completely, cover tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in a 350°F oven until warmed through.
- No fresh chiles on hand? Canned diced green chiles work — see FAQ for quantity.
- Leftovers keep in the fridge 3 to 4 days.
- Heidi’s method — season thin-sliced chicken breast with salt, pepper, and one herb, then sear or grill until cooked through. Chop or shred for this recipe.
- Prep double the amount at once and use the extra through the week in salads, pasta, tacos, or sandwiches.
- Rotisserie or poached chicken both work fine as substitutes.
- Chicken breast is recommended over thighs — thighs run gamier and don’t balance as well against the cheese — but this is also a good way to use up leftover cooked chicken, even a mix of dark and white meat, if that’s what’s on hand.
- Monterey or Colby Jack is the US-available option below.
- Heidi’s actual version uses a 400g bag of a melty white cheese blend (including mozzarella) common in Portugal, since Monterey Jack and most Mexican cheese blends aren’t available there.
- Any good melting white cheese blend works as a substitute.