Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

This chicken recipe, Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, leans on cooked, package cream cheese and chopped fresh cilantro. It makes 12 enchiladas and takes about 80 minutes.

• Yield 12 enchiladas
• Ready in 80 minutes
• Prep 45 minutes
• Cook 35 minutes

Ingredients

Filling

• 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
• 2 cans (4-ounces each) green chiles , lightly drained
• 8-ounce package cream cheese, light or regular , softened and cubed
• 1 can (15-ounces) white or black beans, rinsed and drained (you can really use any type of bean you prefer here or leave them out)
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ cup chopped onion , about 1/2 medium onion
• 2 tablespoons flour
• ⅓ cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup green chile enchilada sauce or salsa verde ( for homemade version)
• ½ cup sour cream , light or regular

Assembly

• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 10 soft taco size flour or corn tortillas
• Handful of chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and green chiles. Mix well. Add the chicken, beans, cilantro and lime juice. Mix to combine. Set aside.
3. For the sauce: in a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and starts to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir well. Cook for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and milk. As you whisk and the mixture cooks, the flour will get less lumpy around the onions and the mixture will become smooth.
5. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is bubbling and has thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the enchilada sauce and sour cream.
6. Spread 1/4 cup of the sauce in a thin layer on the bottom of the prepared dish.
7. Fill each tortilla with about 1/2 cup of the chicken/cream cheese filling. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, a couple tablespoonfuls for each enchilada. Save at least 1/2 cup cheese for the top of the enchiladas.
8. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Continue filling enchiladas until the dish is full (I get about 10-12 enchiladas for this recipe; the exact number will depend on the size of tortillas).
9. Pour the white sauce over the top of the enchiladas and spread evenly. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the enchiladas are bubbling, hot and lightly browned. Sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top and serve.

Give it a minute off the heat, then serve it while it is still hot.