Last Tuesday, Emily came home from soccer practice starving and asked the same question she always asks: "What's for dinner, Mom?" That night I made these Chicken Enchiladas Suizas with Green Sauce, and let me tell you, she ate THREE of them. Three! My kid who picks at her food on a normal night.
This dish has become our weeknight hero. It uses rotisserie chicken, a creamy avocado cilantro sauce, and gooey Mexican cheese baked until everything turns bubbly and golden. Honestly? It tastes like something you'd order at your neighborhood Tex-Mex spot, but you're making it in your own kitchen in about 45 minutes flat.
If you love the green sauce on these enchiladas, you'll also want to check out my homemade enchilada sauce for the red version when you're feeling a different vibe.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love These Creamy Green Chicken Enchiladas
- Ingredients You Need for Chicken Enchiladas Suizas with Green Sauce
- How to Make Chicken Enchiladas Suizas with Green Sauce Step-by-Step
- Storage and Reheating Tips for Green Chicken Enchiladas
- Variations and Smart Swaps for Chicken Enchiladas Suizas with Green Sauce
- FAQ About Chicken Enchiladas Suizas with Green Sauce
- Recipes You May Like
- Final Thoughts
- Green Chicken Enchiladas
Why You Will Love These Creamy Green Chicken Enchiladas
- Rotisserie chicken shortcut: Grab one from the store and you've already saved 30 minutes
- One blender sauce: The avocado cilantro cream comes together in literally 2 minutes
- Kid-approved flavors: Mild Hatch chiles give warmth without spicy heat
- Freezer-friendly: Make a double batch, stash one for later
- 45 minutes start to finish: Dinner on the table fast, even on chaotic nights
- Packed with protein: About 87 grams per serving to keep everyone full
Ingredients You Need for Chicken Enchiladas Suizas with Green Sauce
I picked every ingredient on this list because it earns its spot. No filler, no weird stuff, just real food that works together.
For the Enchiladas
- 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (skin removed)
- 2 cans (4 oz each) diced Fire Roasted Hatch Chiles
- ½ medium white onion, diced
- 2½ – 3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (Monterey Jack also works)
- 8 to 10 large flour tortillas (7 to 8 inches)
- ¼ cup chopped green onion, for garnish
For the Green Avocado Cilantro Sauce
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 ripe avocados
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (stems AND leaves, don't toss the stems!)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- Juice of one lime
A quick note on avocados: they need to be RIPE. I squeezed a rock-hard one once and tried to blend it anyway... big mistake. My sauce came out lumpy and sad.
Press gently near the stem. If it gives a little, you're good to go.
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas Suizas with Green Sauce Step-by-Step
Ready? Preheat your oven to 350°F and let's get rolling. Literally.
Blend the Avocado Cilantro Sauce
- Add the whipping cream, chicken broth, avocados, cilantro (with stems), cumin, garlic salt, lime juice, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt to a blender.
- Blend until smooth and pale green, about 30 seconds.
- Taste and add more salt if it needs a lift.
Mix the Chicken Filling
- In a large bowl, toss together the shredded chicken, diced Hatch chiles, and white onion.
- Pour in half of the avocado cream sauce and stir well.
- Taste the mixture. If your rotisserie chicken was already salty, skip extra salt. If it tastes flat, add another pinch.
Assemble the Enchiladas
- Spray a 9×12-inch baking dish with a little cooking spray.
- Spread ¼ cup of the avocado cream evenly across the bottom.
- Scoop about ⅓ cup of chicken filling along the bottom third of each tortilla.
- Top with about ¼ cup of shredded cheese.
- Roll the tortilla tightly and place it seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Keep going until the dish is full, lining them up snug like little sleeping kittens.
Bake Until Bubbly and Golden
- Pour the remaining avocado cream over the top of the rolled tortillas.
- Sprinkle about 1 cup of shredded cheese on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until the cheese is lightly browned and the edges are bubbly.
- Sprinkle with green onions, extra cilantro, crumbled cotija, and fresh salsa before serving.
The first time I pulled these out of the oven, Emily literally said "whoaaaa." That's the reaction you're going for.
Storage and Reheating Tips for Green Chicken Enchiladas
Leftovers? Lucky you. They taste even better the next day.
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days
- Oven reheat: 325°F for 15-20 minutes, covered with foil to keep them moist
- Microwave reheat: 1-2 minutes per portion on medium power
- Freezer: Assemble them WITHOUT the sauce on top, wrap tightly, freeze up to 2 months
When you freeze unbaked enchiladas, thaw them in the fridge overnight first. Then add the avocado cream and bake as usual.
Straight from frozen makes the centers cold while the edges burn. Learned that the hard way one Thursday when I was trying to shortcut dinner.
Variations and Smart Swaps for Chicken Enchiladas Suizas with Green Sauce
Want to switch things up? Here's what's worked for me over the years:
- Corn tortillas: Warm them first for 15 seconds in the microwave so they bend instead of cracking
- Make it spicier: Add a diced jalapeño to the chicken mixture or use hot Hatch chiles
- Lighter version: Swap whipping cream for half-and-half (still creamy, less rich)
- Shredded turkey: Holiday leftover hack, trust me on this one
- Extra veggies: Sneak in a cup of baby spinach or diced zucchini (Emily has no idea)
Have you ever tried swapping cilantro for parsley? Some folks have that soap-taste gene and cilantro drives them crazy. Parsley plus a tiny bit of basil gives a similar vibe without the issue.
FAQ About Chicken Enchiladas Suizas with Green Sauce
Yes! Assemble the enchiladas up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Add an extra 10 minutes to the baking time when cooking from cold.
Absolutely. Warm corn tortillas for about 15 seconds in the microwave or lightly fry them first to prevent cracking when rolling.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 325ºF oven for 15-20 minutes, or microwave individual portions for 1-2 minutes.
Yes, freeze them unbaked (without the sauce on top) for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, add the avocado cream sauce, and bake as directed.
Recipes You May Like
Looking for more Mexican-inspired dinners? These are on heavy rotation at our house too:
- Chipotle Chicken Taco Recipe – Smoky, juicy chicken tacos that come together in under 30 minutes
- Cheesy Ground Beef Quesadillas – The crispy-edged, cheese-pull quesadilla dreams are made of
- Chipotle Chicken Burrito Recipe – A better-than-takeout burrito loaded with everything you love
Final Thoughts
These Chicken Enchiladas Suizas with Green Sauce pull off something special. They feel fancy enough for company but come together fast enough for a Tuesday night.
The avocado cilantro cream is what sets them apart: no jarred sauce, no weird ingredients, just real food blended in 2 minutes.
If your kids are picky, start with milder Hatch chiles and skip the jalapeños. If your crew loves heat, go hot. Either way, you end up with bubbly, creamy, cheesy enchiladas that disappear off the pan fast.
Give these a try this week and let me know how they turned out! Did Emily-level demolishing happen at your house too? Drop a comment, share your tweaks, and don't forget to save this recipe to Pinterest for later!
Happy cooking!
Green Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- To prepare the sauce: Mix whipping cream, chicken broth, 2 avocados, cilantro leaves and stems, cumin, garlic salt, lime juice and ½ teaspoon kosher salt in a blender and mix well to combine. Season with more salt if needed.
- In a large bowl mix together chicken, chiles and onion. Add half of the avocado cream and stir to mix well. Add more salt if needed (this will depend on how salty your rotisserie chicken is).
- Prepare a 9x12-inch baking dish by giving it a light coat of cooking spray and ¼ cup of avocado cream spread evenly on bottom of baking dish.
- To assemble enchiladas: Place about ⅓ cup chicken mixture along the bottom third of tortilla and top with ¼ cup of shredded cheese. Carefully roll the tortilla and place it seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat placing tortillas side by side until you've run out of space. Pour avocado cream evenly over the tortillas and spread 1 cup cheese on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until enchiladas are cooked through and cheese is lightly browned.
- Garnish with chopped green onion, cotija cheese, additional avocado, cilantro leaves and salsa or fresh tomatoes.
