Chicken Enchiladas Verde with Hatch Chile Sauce

Which do you prefer: SPICY or MILD?

I’m a spicy girl through and through! And if it doesn’t make your nose run, it’s not spicy enough. And this recipe is a spicy one, however there are ways to tweak it and make it more mild. I have a Beef Enchilada recipe that is also on the blog and can easily be subbed for chicken, however it’s got a red enchilada sauce. So this recipe varies in that it’s a different sauce and a different meat.

For the current season of life I’m in, I have to find recipes that I can easily reheat. Because I work 12-hour shifts, I don’t want to have to cook a full meal when I get home at the end of the day. Also, to ensure that my husband and I are eating healthy and not eating out a lot, I try to make meals we can each eat fast but separately (because our schedules typically don’t allow too many shared meals together). So bake-ahead and eat-throughout-the-week meals are my jam! And when it comes to Mexican food, you really are limited in your choices. Tacos and nachos require you to eat them right then and there. Fajitas aren’t bad, but they feel like too much work to heat up the tortilla and the filling and add your salsa, cheese, sour cream, and guac. Do I sound lazy yet? LOL… But enchiladas are that happy medium.

This recipe does involve an Instant Pot, so if you don’t have one, have no fear. You can also just bake the chicken in the oven, but I use my Instant Pot, because it trims down on my prep time. Also, whoever came up with the idea of pressure cooking is a straight up wizard, because it seriously is pure magic to be able to cook chicken breasts in 10-12 minutes without losing their moisture. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, this would be a fabulous purchase for you to invest in if you’re a simple chef who doesn’t like a lot of fuss. But let’s get back to the Enchiladas…

Chicken Enchiladas Verde with Hatch Chile Sauce

1.5 lb raw chicken breasts
taco seasoning (see below)
1 diced yellow onion
2 diced bell peppers
1 medium jalapeño, diced
1 cup salsa verde
8 100% whole wheat burrito tortilla shells
1 15oz can Hatch Green Chile enchilada sauce
shredded mexican cheese, as needed

Taco Seasoning

1 Tbsp chili powder
1 & 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cracked black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp dried onion
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp oregano

1. Start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees. Grab a 9×11 glass baking dish and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Heat a medium-large frying pan with olive oil at medium high heat.
3. Prep your taco seasoning, see above.
4. Carefully dice your onion and bell peppers and add to your frying pan with 1/4 of the diced jalapeño. Add 1/2 of your prepped taco seasoning. Sauté for a couple minutes until onion is translucent
5. Cook chicken breasts in your Instant Pot by placing salsa verde and 3/4 of the diced jalapeño into the bottom of the pot. Then add chicken breasts and top with 1/2 of your prepped taco seasoning. Place lid on Instant Pot and cook for 10-12 minutes on high pressure. Be sure the the steam nozzle is closed.
6. Once chicken is cooked, place in a mixing bowl and shred using two forks OR grab your handheld mixer or stand mixer and shred with ease.
7. Add shredded chicken to the cooked veggie mixture and portion out the chicken-veggie mixture into 8 tortillas with generous amounts of cheese. Wrap them tight so you can fit them all in your glass baking dish.
8. Cover wrapped enchiladas with entire can of hatch green chile enchilada sauce, then top with extra shredded cheese.
9. Place in oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese begins to bubble. Enjoy.

NOTE: if you want to make this recipe less spicy, omit the jalapeño and the paprika.

Buena suerte!