Living in San Antonio means we’re surrounded by hundreds of restaurants specializing in regional variations on the enchilada. This Hatch chile chicken enchiladas recipe takes inspiration from our western neighbor, New Mexico, home of the Hatch green chile. Filled with roasted Hatch chiles, chicken thighs, and cheese, these enchiladas are the kind you’d expect from a good neighborhood spot.
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If you love Hatch chiles as much as we do, try our Hatch chile mac, green chile cheeseburger, and Hatch queso. Before you start cooking, check out our how-to Roast hatch chiles guide – it makes all the difference.
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 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, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.
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 away from the flame to the side. 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: Roughly 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 to medium-high. Once it’s bubbling, add the chicken broth and use an immersion blender to get the sauce to a smooth texture. If available, you can also pour the contents into a regular blender or food processor. Finally, turn it down to medium-low to simmer for at least an hour, preferably two, until it 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 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 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, grilled 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 grill using lump hardwood charcoal, 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 be the same.
- Using the grilled ingredients and taking the time to reduce the sauce 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 for a quick and easy dinner ahead of time.
- 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, 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
More Hatch Recipes To Try
Looking for more recipes made with Hatch green chiles? Try these other favorites:
- Green Chile Cornbread –This cornbread recipe perfectly fuses Southwest flavors. Combining traditional cornbread with the zing of green chiles creates a mouthwatering side dish that’s easy to make. Ideal as a side dish or standalone treat, this cornbread is a crowd-pleaser at any meal.
- Hatch Queso – This queso recipe is made with freshly roasted hatch green chiles, cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheese. It’s rich and creamy and makes the perfect snack, appetizer, or party food.
- Hatch Chile Mac and Cheese – Combines melted cheese’s rich, gooey goodness with Hatch chiles’ bold, earthy taste, creating a mouthwatering dish that will leave your taste buds dancing.
- Hatch Green Chile Chicken Quesadillas – These quesadillas bring the smoky, spicy flavors of the Southwest! Loaded with tender chicken, melty cheese, and a generous helping of roasted Hatch green chiles from New Mexico.
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New Mexico Hatch Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
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Equipment
- Wood or Gas Grill optional
- Large Saucepan or Dutch Oven
- Immersion Blender
- 9×13 Casserole Dish
Ingredients
- 1 white onion, large
- 1 head of garlic
- 2 pounds tomatillos, in their husks
- 1 pound hatch chile peppers, grilled or roasted
- 1-2 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless chicken thighs, baked or grilled
- 6 corn tortillas
- 1 cup Queso Oaxaca, shredded
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
Garnishes
- cilantro
- sour cream
- avocado slices or guacamole
Instructions
Prep the ingredients
- 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 in half at the equator and then half again as if you were making extra thick onion rings. Leave the tomatillos and garlic in their papery wrappers and the hatch chile peppers whole.
Grill the 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.
- 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.
Make the tomatillo sauce
- Rough chop two-thirds of the onion and add to the pot, 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 low heat 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 the add about a third of them to the pot.
- Give everything a thorough mix, then turn the heat back up to medium-high. Once it's bubbling, add the chicken broth ½ cup at a time and use an immersion blender to get the sauce to a smooth texture. You can pour the contents into a regular blender to blend as well.
- 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.
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.
Bake
- 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.
