New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

This combination of ingredients is pretty classic, so it is worth the effort to track them down.

The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.

• Chicken thighs have a deeper flavor that balances out the other flavors; you can use skinless chicken breasts or shredded chicken if you prefer, but you be sacrificing some of the chicken flavor. Rotisserie chicken is also a good substitute and will give more flavor than using just chicken breasts.
• Tomatillos are more or less indispensable. If you can’t get them in your produce section, you can substitute them with a jar of tomatillo salsa.
• Hatch green chiles are in the recipe name for a reason; the closest substitutes would be Anaheim or poblano peppers.
• Homemade tortillas are the ‘X’ factor that brings the recipe to the next level; it would be worth it to track down a Mexican restaurant that sells their homemade tortillas to go if you don’t want to make them. You can use corn tortillas or a half-and-half tortilla (mix of corn masa and flour).
• Queso Oaxaca is the classic Mexican melty cheese, but you could substitute it with shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

How to Make Hatch Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Here are the quick step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions with the exact ingredients in the recipe card below.
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Pro-tip: These enchiladas are the perfect freezer-to-oven dish so make a double batch.

1. Prep the Chicken, Onion, Peppers, and Garlic: Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, then salt and pepper and add some chili powder if you like it spicy. Cut the onion into half at the equator and then half again. Leave the tomatillos and garlic in their papery wrappers and the hatch chile peppers whole.

2. Grill the Prepped Ingredients: Place the head of garlic off on the edge of the flame and grill while the other ingredients are grilling making sure to turn it regularly. Grill the hatch chile peppers until they have a nice char on their skin then move off to the side away from the flame. Grill the onions until they have dark grill marks on each side and move them over to the side with the peppers. Finally, grill the chicken thighs for 6-8 minutes per side allowing them to develop grill marks. Don’t worry too much about the internal temperature of the chicken since it will be cooked again in the enchiladas.

3. Sweat the Hatch Chile Peppers: Place the hot roasted hatch chile peppers in a paper or plastic bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let the peppers “sweat” (the steam will help loosen the skin) for 15 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients for the sauce.

4. Make the Tomatillo Green Chile Sauce: Rough chop two-thirds of the onion and add to a large pot or Dutch oven with a little oil, stirring occasionally until they turn translucent. Cut the root end of the garlic head off and gently squeeze the roasted cloves into the pot, turning it down to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Remove the papery skins off the tomatillos and remove the stem, then roughly chop them and add them to the pot. Gently peel off the skin of the hatch chile peppers, remove the stem, and rough chop. Add about a third of the hatch chile peppers to the pot. Give everything a thorough mix then turn it back up to medium-high. Once it’s bubbling, add the chicken broth and use an immersion blender to get the sauce to a smooth texture. You can also pour the contents into a regular blender or food processor if that’s what you have available. Finally, turn it down to medium-low to simmer for at least an hour, preferably two, until reduces by 20% or so, intensifying the flavor.

5. Assemble the Enchiladas: Cut the chicken into half-inch cubes and set aside. Roughly chop the remaining hatch chile peppers and onions and mix them with the chicken. Spread about a third of a cup of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 13-inch casserole or baking dish. Lay out a tortilla and place the chicken mixture in the middle. Roll the enchilada up and place them seam side down in the dish. You should have room for six well-stuffed enchiladas, and once they are all in cover them with the rest of the sauce. Sprinkle shreds of the Oaxaca cheese over the top, adding as much as you want depending on your preference.

5. Bake to the Enchiladas: Place the casserole in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the cheese and sauce have started to merge and are bubbling. Let the enchiladas cool for at least 5 minutes before plating. Top with sliced avocado, guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, and/or tomatillo green chile sauce.

Recipe Tips and Notes

• Grilling the chicken, onion, peppers, and garlic is an optional step, but it brings so much to the flavor profile of the final dish that we highly recommend putting in the effort. We use lump hardwood charcoal when grilling, and the smoke is truly transformative. Alternatively, you can use a gas grill or broil them in the oven for some of the smokey goodness, but it won’t quite be the same.
• Using the grilled ingredients and taking the time to reduce the sauce just intensifies the flavors. While it increases the time commitment, it pays off in the long run, so save this recipe for the weekend or make the sauce ahead of time for a quick and easy dinner.
• If you have store-bought tortillas you may want to steam them in the microwave first to make them more pliable. Wrapping them in a moist paper towel and cook on high for 30 seconds.
• You can grill the ingredients in advance and cook down the sauce and refrigerate everything for a few days. The assembly of the enchiladas and oven time is minimal, so a little planning can make you a weeknight hero!

Frequently Asked Questions