If red sauce enchiladas have never really been your thing, these white chicken enchiladas might be the version that changes your mind. Corn tortillas are lightly fried, filled with shredded chicken and Monterey Jack cheese. Then covered in a creamy salsa verde white sauce and baked until hot, bubbly, and melty.
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ABOUT THE WHITE SAUCE
This white sauce is one of my favorite parts of the recipe. Instead of a traditional red enchilada sauce, this one is made with cream of chicken soup, salsa verde, butter, and sour cream for a creamy, tangy finish.
It comes together with just a few simple ingredients, but still gives these enchiladas that cheesy baked feel. The salsa verde adds flavor and a little brightness, while the sour cream smooths everything out.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
Here’s some info on how these ingredients make this dish special. The full ingredient list and instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts make up the filling and give these enchiladas a hearty base. Once cooked and shredded, they soak up the seasoning and pair well with the creamy sauce.
- Ground cumin adds a little warmth and gives the chicken a boost of flavor without overpowering the rest of the dish.
- Corn tortillas are great for rolling the enchiladas and give the dish that classic texture.
- Monterey Jack cheese melts really well, and gives these enchiladas an extra creamy, cheesy finish both inside and on top.
COOKING GUIDANCE
- Start by cooking the chicken until it is fully cooked and tender, then shred it and mix it with the cumin. If you want a quick shortcut, you can shred your chicken in the blender for a few seconds once it has cooled a bit.
- For the sauce, combine the cream of chicken soup, salsa verde, and butter in a saucepan and warm everything together. After that comes off the heat, stir in the sour cream so the sauce stays smooth and creamy.
- The corn tortillas get lightly fried before filling giving you a slight crunch with some bites. Fill each tortilla with the shredded chicken and cheese, roll them up, and place them seam side down in the baking dish.
- Pour the sauce over the enchiladas, top with the remaining Monterey Jack, and bake until the cheese is melted and the pan is hot and bubbly around the edges.
TIPS FOR THE BEST ENCHILADAS
A Few Quick Notes Before You Start:
- Time Saver & Meal Prep: Use a precooked roasted or rotisserie chicken if you want to cut down on prep time for those busy days. You can also make the sauce and chicken ahead of time if you are meal prepping, which makes dinner come together much faster later!
- Don’t Skip the Fry: Lightly frying the tortillas really does help here. It gives them a better texture and helps them hold together much better after baking so they don’t get mushy.
- Saucy Filling: If you don’t like the inside of your enchiladas completely without sauce, mix a few tablespoons of the white sauce directly into your shredded chicken before filling the tortillas. I have done this before for guests, and it tastes amazing that way too!
- Don’t Skimp on Cheese: If your house likes extra cheese, this recipe can definitely handle it. Sometimes we get a little overzealous and use plenty of cheese in this dish, stuffing a couple of tablespoons inside each enchilada and generously sprinkle the rest over the top to get that perfect cheesy finish.
WHAT TO SERVE THEM WITH
No Mexican inspired feast is complete without the perfect side dishes! Serve these with our classic fluffy Mexican Rice and a bowl of Easy Slow Cooker Charro Beans.
If you really want to bring the full restaurant experience home, add some Elotes (Mexican Street Corn) to the meal. They have a sweet, savory, and tangy crunch.
HOW THESE ENCHILADAS WON ME OVER
I was never big on enchiladas for two reasons. I always thought the tortillas were too mushy, and the red sauce piled high on everyone’s plate at restaurants just was not a mountain I wanted to tackle.
But then I met enchiladas with white sauce, and we fell in love.
I created this recipe to fit my own taste buds after picking up tips, bits, and pieces from friends who had recipes of their own. I wanted something creamy, flavorful, and a little more my style. This version gave me the texture and flavor I was looking for, and it has been a favorite ever since.
Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas with White Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
Sauce Ingredients
- 1 can of cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup of green salsa Verde
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup of sour cream
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cheese & Tortilla Ingredients
- 16 to 17 small corn tortillas
- 5 cups freshly shredded Monterey jack cheese (separate one to two cups of the shredded cheese to garnish the enchilada casserole)
Instructions
- Boil chicken breasts in chicken broth or salted water until chicken breasts are fully cooked. Allow the chicken breasts to cool, and then shred the chicken breast.
- After shredding the chicken breast, mix the ground cumin and shredded chicken together, then set aside.
- In a medium saucepan combine cream of chicken soup, salsa Verde, and butter.
- Cook this sauce mixture for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Remove the sauce mixture from heat, and mix in the sour cream. Salt and pepper the sauce mixture to taste.
- Lightly fry the corn tortillas in a large frying pan, using baking spray or a small amount of cooking oil.
- Drain grease from the fried corn tortillas if cooking oil was used to fry the tortillas.
- Remember to reserve 1 to 2 cups of the shredded cheese and set aside (this will be used to top the enchilada casserole). Then, evenly fill each corn tortilla with the shredded chicken and the remaining 3 cups of shredded cheese (I like to put more cheese than chicken in each tortilla- just my preference).
- After filling each tortilla with chicken and cheese, roll up each tortilla and place the rolled tortillas seam side down in a baking dish.
- Pour the sauce mixture over the stuffed corn tortillas.
- Then garnish the dish with the remaining shredded cheese.
- Cover the baking pan, and bake the enchiladas at 400 degrees for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cheeses have melted through.
Nutrition
Please note that I am not a nutritionist, and the nutritional information is an estimate only. It varies based on the products and brands used.
Thanks for stopping by! Welcome to the Savory Spicerack! In my kitchen, there is no such thing as a bland meal. Each of my creations are just the way food should be – packed with flavor and created with love.
One of the best recipes to make for a small party!
this i will make!
I hope you enjoy!