Lots of cheese, zesty enchilada sauce, and a protein-packed chicken and black bean filling make these green chicken enchiladas satisfying and so delicious!

I love my vegan black bean enchiladas (and these jackfruit enchiladas too), but now that I’m flexitarian, I wanted to add some chicken to the mix to up the protein—and I also wanted to swap the red sauce for green. These green chicken enchiladas were the result! They’re cheesy, the green enchilada sauce adds some irresistible tanginess, and all that protein makes them hearty and satisfying.

Reasons to Add These Green Chicken Enchiladas to Your Menu ASAP

Here’s why I’ve been loving this recipe lately—and why you will too!

Everyone will devour them. These enchiladas aren’t spicy and they’re plenty cheesy, which means they’ll be a hit with even the picky eaters in the house.
Easy to customize. Of course, if you DO want them spicy, you can add some diced jalapeños to the filling. You can also pile on an endless variety of toppings so everyone can customize their plate of enchiladas to their liking!
Perfect for meal prep. Make a big batch of these enchiladas ahead of time and keep them in the fridge for a few days or freeze them and have an easy weeknight dinner ready to go.

Overhead view of green chicken enchiladas with labels

What You’ll Need

Using store-bought green enchilada sauce makes the ingredient list short and sweet. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

For the Chicken:

Chicken breasts – Boneless, skinless chicken breasts make prep a breeze. You can also use chicken thighs if you prefer them.
Chicken broth – I use my Instant Pot Chicken Bone Broth.
Seasonings – Garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt.

For the Enchiladas:

Green enchilada sauce – I use store-bought, but you can also use homemade green enchilada sauce.
Black beans – Pinto beans would also work.
Flour tortillas – Or corn tortillas if you prefer them or want a gluten-free option. These Gluten-Free Flour Tortillas would be great too!
Shredded cheese – I use either a Mexican-blend or sharp cheddar.

How to Make Green Chicken Enchiladas

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full steps for making these enchiladas.

Chicken and black bean enchilada filling in bowl — Mix the filling.

Green enchilada sauce in pan — Mix the filling.

Cook the chicken. Combine the chicken, broth, and spices in a pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 13 minutes. Allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing.
Shred the chicken. Remove the chicken and place it in a bowl. Shred it with two forks.
Make the filling. Add the black beans and 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce to the chicken and stir to combine. Pour 1/2 cup of sauce into a baking dish. Divide the filling into the tortillas, roll them up, and then place them seam-side-down in the pan.

Enchiladas in pan with sauce before adding cheese — Roll and arrange in baking dish.

Cheese added to pan of enchiladas before baking — Roll and arrange in baking dish.

Finish assembling. Pour the rest of the sauce over the enchiladas, then add the cheese.
Bake. Place the baking dish in a 375ºF oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the cheese is browned and the sauce is bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve.

Overhead view of green chicken enchiladas in pan

Tips and Variations

Follow these pointers and your green chicken enchiladas will turn out perfect.

Heat the tortillas before rolling. This makes them more pliable and less likely to tear.
Swap in rotisserie chicken. You can use shredded rotisserie chicken (or leftover chicken) instead of cooking the chicken in the pressure cooker.
Make them creamy. Mix a few tablespoons of sour cream into the filling or into the green enchilada sauce for creamy chicken enchiladas.

Serving Suggestions

You can add so many toppings to these green chicken enchiladas! A dollop of sour cream, Pickled Onions, chopped cilantro, Spicy Mango Guacamole, and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa would all be excellent.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Refrigerator: Store leftover green chicken enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezer: To freeze for meal prep, skip baking the enchiladas and wrap the pan with foil before placing in the freezer. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as instructed. You can also freeze enchiladas that were already baked; either way, they will last up to 3 months.
To reheat: Warm up the enchiladas in a 375ºF oven or in the microwave.

More Tex-Mex Favorites

Prep: 10

Cook: 35

Total: 45

Ingredients

For the chicken:*

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
¼ cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Generous pinch of salt

For the enchiladas:

30 ounces store-bought green enchilada sauce (or 3 cups homemade)
Shredded chicken
1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
10 – 12 taco-sized flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese (I like either a Mexican-blend or sharp cheddar)

Instructions

Add the chicken, broth and spices to your pressure cooker. Set the pressure to high for 13 minutes. Cook until timer has ended and allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing the rest.
While the chicken is cooking, preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Remove the chicken from the pot and add to a bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken into small pieces.
To the bowl, add the drained and rinsed black beans along with 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce. Stir to combine.
Pour another 1/2 cup of sauce into a 9″ x 13″ pan and set aside.
Gently heat the tortillas in the microwave so they're easier to roll.
Add about 1/4 cup of filling to each tortilla and roll it up. Place the tortilla seam side down in the pan and repeat until you've used all the filling and/or fill your pan. Depending on the size of your tortillas, it should take about 10 -12.
Once the pan is full, pour the remaining sauce over the entire pan, trying to be as even as possible.
Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 25 minutes until the cheese is brown and the sauce is bubbling.
Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

NOTE: You can also use 3 cups of shredded or rotisserie chicken in place of making the chicken from scratch.

Nutrition

cuisine: Mexican

course: Dinner, Main Course