Creamy Hatch Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (New Mexico Stacked Style)

These are the enchiladas people ask for again. Tender chicken, a rich cream cheese filling, and a silky homemade green chile sauce, stacked New Mexico-style between yellow corn tortillas and baked under a blanket of Monterey Jack and cheddar. They're mild enough for the whole family and taste like they came from your favorite restaurant.

The secret is real roasted Hatch chile. We use Young Guns Mild Flame Roasted Hatch Valley Green Chile for both the sauce and the filling. No canned enchilada sauce needed.

Serves: about 6  |  Total time: about 1 hour 45 minutes  |  Pan: 9x13

Grocery List

Meat

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

Dairy

• 8 oz block cream cheese
• 12 oz Monterey Jack, shredded (3 cups)
• 4 oz cheddar, shredded (1 cup)
• 8 oz sour cream, plus extra for serving
• 4 tbsp butter (3 for the sauce, 1 for the rice)

Produce

• 1 small yellow onion
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 lime

Aisle and Pantry

• Yellow corn tortillas, 6-inch (you'll use 15 to 18)
• Young Guns Mild Hatch Valley Green Chile, 24 oz jug (you'll use about 1 3/4 cups)
• Chicken broth, 32 oz carton
• About 1/4 cup vegetable, canola or avocado oil
• Ready-to-heat Spanish rice, 2 pouches
• Jarred minced garlic (1 tsp)
• All-purpose flour (3 tbsp)
• Ground cumin, garlic powder, salt

Equipment

• Large pot (4 to 6 quart) with a lid
• Medium saucepan and a whisk
• 10 to 12-inch skillet and tongs
• Strainer and a bowl to set it over
• 9x13 baking dish or foil pan (set a foil pan on a baking sheet)
• Instant-read thermometer (helpful, not required)

Step 1: Prep (10 minutes)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. If you're using a foil pan, set it on a baking sheet now. If you're using a baking dish, grease it lightly.
2. Set the 8 oz block of cream cheese on the counter to soften.
3. Dice the onion into small, pea-sized pieces. You need about 1/2 cup. Save a 2-inch chunk of the leftover onion for the chicken pot.
4. Measure the green chile. Scoop 1 cup straight from the jug, liquid and all, into a measuring cup. This is for the sauce. Don't drain it.
5. Set a strainer over a bowl and pour in about 3/4 cup more green chile to drain. You'll use 1/2 cup in the filling and 3 tbsp in the rice. Keep the drained liquid.
6. If your cheese isn't pre-shredded, shred it now. Split the 3 cups of Monterey Jack into 1 cup for the filling and 2 cups for the top. Keep the 1 cup of cheddar for the top.

Step 2: Cook the Chicken (about 30 minutes)

1. Put the 2 lbs of chicken thighs in the large pot. Cut any thigh bigger than your palm in half so everything cooks evenly.
2. Pour in about 4 cups of chicken broth, just enough to cover the chicken by about 1/2 inch. Add 1/2 tsp salt and the onion chunk.
3. Turn the heat to high and bring it to a full boil. This takes about 10 minutes.
4. As soon as it boils, turn the heat down to low so only a few small bubbles break the surface. Put the lid on.
5. Simmer for 18 to 20 minutes. Don't let it boil hard, or the chicken turns tough.
6. Check the thickest piece. It's done at 165 to 175°F on a thermometer, or when you cut it open and there's no pink and the juices run clear.
7. Turn off the heat and leave the chicken in the broth for 5 minutes so it stays juicy.
8. Use tongs to move the chicken to a large bowl. Shred it with two forks, pulling in opposite directions, into bite-size strands. You should have about 4 cups.
9. Save the broth. Spoon off the fat floating on top, then pour the broth through a strainer into a large measuring cup or bowl. Throw out the onion chunk. You need 2 cups for the sauce and 3 tbsp for the rice.

Step 3: Make the Green Chile Sauce (about 15 minutes)

This makes about 3 1/2 cups of sauce.

1. In the medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tbsp butter until it foams.
2. Add the 1/2 cup diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until the onion is soft and see-through. It should not brown. If it starts browning, turn the heat down.
3. Add 1 tsp jarred minced garlic and stir for 20 seconds only. Garlic burns fast.
4. Sprinkle 3 tbsp flour evenly over the onions. Stir constantly for 1 minute. It will look pasty. This cooks out the raw flour taste.
5. Pour in 1/2 cup of the saved broth and whisk until smooth. Keep adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, whisking after each pour, until all 2 cups are in. Adding it slowly keeps the sauce from getting lumpy.
6. Bring it to a gentle simmer and cook about 5 minutes, whisking often and scraping the bottom and corners, until it's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. When you draw a finger across the spoon, the line should hold.
7. Take the pan off the burner and let it cool for 1 minute. Sour cream added to bubbling sauce can curdle.
8. Whisk in 1 cup sour cream until smooth.
9. Stir in the 1 cup of undrained green chile and 1 tsp ground cumin.
10. Taste it. The broth is already seasoned, so add salt only if it needs it, 1/4 tsp at a time.

Getting it right: The sauce should be creamy and pourable, like a thick soup. Too thick? Whisk in 2 to 3 tbsp more broth. Too thin? Set it back on low for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, without letting it boil.

Step 4: Make the Filling (5 minutes)

1. If the cream cheese is still firm, unwrap it into a large mixing bowl and microwave for 15 to 20 seconds until soft and stirrable.
2. Add the 4 cups of shredded chicken and break up any clumps.
3. Stir and fold until the cream cheese coats the chicken evenly. A little streaky is fine.
4. Stir in the 1/2 cup of drained green chile and 1 cup Monterey Jack.
5. Stir in 1/2 cup of the sauce until creamy.
6. Taste. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt or 1/4 tsp cumin.

Getting it right: The filling should hold together on a spoon and be moist but not runny. If it seems dry, stir in 1 to 2 tbsp more sauce.

Step 5: Soften the Tortillas (10 minutes)

1. Line a plate or sheet pan with paper towels.
2. Heat 1/4 cup oil in the skillet over medium-high for about 2 minutes, until it shimmers. To test it, dip the edge of a tortilla in. It should sizzle right away.
3. Using tongs, lay one tortilla in the oil for 10 seconds, flip it, and give it 10 more seconds. It should be soft and bendable, not crispy or golden.
4. Lift it out, let the extra oil drip off, and lay it on the paper towels. Stack them with a paper towel between layers.
5. Repeat until you have 15 to 18 tortillas. If the pan gets dry, add 1 to 2 tbsp more oil. If the oil starts smoking, turn the heat down.

Why this matters: Dipping the tortillas in hot oil keeps them from cracking and stops them from turning mushy in the sauce.

Step 6: Layer the Enchiladas (10 minutes)

1. Bottom: Spread 1/2 cup sauce over the bottom of the 9x13 pan.
2. Layer 1: Lay 5 to 6 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping slightly. Tear pieces to fill gaps and corners. Spread half the filling (about 2 1/2 cups) evenly to the edges, then drizzle 3/4 cup sauce over it.
3. Layer 2: Lay down 5 to 6 more tortillas. Spread the rest of the filling over them, then drizzle another 3/4 cup sauce.
4. Top layer: Lay down the last 5 to 6 tortillas. Pour all the remaining sauce (about 1 cup) over the top and spread it to the edges so no tortilla edges are showing. Uncovered edges dry out and turn crunchy.
5. Cheese: Sprinkle 2 cups Monterey Jack evenly over the top, then 1 cup cheddar.

Step 7: Bake (25 minutes, plus 10 to rest)

1. Put the pan on the center rack. Bake uncovered at 375°F for 25 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the cheese is fully melted.
2. For golden, restaurant-style cheese, switch the oven to broil on high for about 2 minutes. Stay at the oven and watch the whole time, and pull it as soon as you see golden spots.
3. If the edges get too dark before it's done, lay a loose sheet of foil over the pan.
4. Let it rest 10 minutes before cutting. This sets the layers so the squares hold their shape.
5. Sprinkle with about 2 tbsp chopped cilantro. Cut into 6 squares with a sharp knife and serve with a wide spatula.

Step 8: Dress Up the Spanish Rice (5 minutes)

Make the rice while the enchiladas rest.

1. Melt 1 tbsp butter in the skillet over medium heat. Wipe out the tortilla oil first.
2. Add 2 pouches of ready-to-heat Spanish rice and break up any clumps with a spoon.
3. Sprinkle in 1/4 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp garlic powder.
4. Stir in 3 tbsp drained green chile and 3 tbsp of the saved broth.
5. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until the liquid soaks in and the rice is hot.
6. Take it off the heat. Squeeze in the juice of 1/2 lime and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Serving and Leftovers

• Serve each square with rice, a dollop of sour cream, and any extra sauce warmed for spooning over.
• Leftover enchiladas keep 3 to 4 days covered in the fridge. Reheat squares in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, or covered in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes.
• Extra sauce keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat it gently on low with a splash of broth or milk. Don't freeze it, because the sour cream separates.

→ Shop Young Guns Hatch Valley Green Chile (24 oz)