Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole
Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole has the flavors you love in green chile chicken enchiladas, minus quite a few of the carbs! And in this mock enchiladas recipe, whole roasted green chiles replace the tortillas to make a recipe with about 11 net carbs per serving!
PIN the Mock Enchilada Casserole to make it later!
Mexican food is usually not low in carbs, but this creative recipe for Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole is a tasty lower-carb dish with all the flavors people love in enchilada casseroles. And in my extended family this has been a favorite for years, so I thought I’d update this post and remind you about it for my Friday Favorites pick this week.
When Jake and I came up with this idea of using roasted green chiles to replace the tortillas in a green chile and chicken mock enchilada casserole, I could tell from the beginning that the recipe was going to be a winner. I replaced the tortillas with layers of mild roasted green chiles from a can, and also used Hatch Gluten Free Green Chile Enchilada sauce, a new product I found at my store.
When I first tested the recipe with Jake, we loved the flavors, and I shared some with my sister Pam and everyone in her family loved it too. Hope you’ll try it if you like Mexican flavors like this.
What ingredients do you need?
(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- green chile enchilada sauce, I prefer Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (affiliate link)
- Whole Roasted Green Chiles (affiliate link)
- cream cheese
- sour cream
- grated mozzarella (or white Mexican cheese)
Where Can You Buy the Roasted Green Chiles?
If you don’t live in the west, the hardest thing about this recipe might be finding the big cans of roasted green chiles. If you have a Mexican market near you, that’s the best place to get a good price on the big 27 oz. cans of whole green chiles that I love to use in recipes. But if that’s not an option you can get whole green chiles in a can at Amazon.com (affiliate link).
Is Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole low in carbs?
This casserole has about 11 net carbs in a serving with the enchilada sauce I used, so if you’re looking for extremely low-carb or Keto recipes, you’ll have to decide if that will work for you. But if you stick to the recommended serving size, for many people this can be a nice carb-conscious dinner to enjoy when you’re craving Mexican food!
Want a slightly easier version of chicken with green chiles?
If you’d like a simpler version of this recipe that’s also lower in carbs, this Chicken with Green Chiles and Cheese has a lot of the same flavors!
How to make Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole:
(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)
- Trim chicken breasts and cut each one in half lengthwise. Put the chicken breasts in a pan, cover with water, and simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through. As soon as the chicken is done, drain it in a colander and remove to a cutting board to cool.
- When it’s cool enough to handle, shred the chicken apart into bite-sized pieces.
- Simmer the green chile enchilada sauce until it’s thickened and reduced to 2 cups. (Look for the lowest sugar green chile enchilada sauce you can find. I used Gluten Free Hatch Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (affiliate link).
- When the enchilada sauce has reduced to 2 cups, turn off the heat and then whisk in the cream cheese and sour cream.
- Put the colander back into the sink and drain the 27 oz. can of whole roasted green chiles (affiliate link). Then use your fingers to split each green chile and remove the seeds, making them into two equal piles so you can make two layers of chiles in the casserole.
- Spray a crockery or glass baking dish with non-stick spray and make a layer of green chiles.
- Make a layer of shredded chicken over the green chiles.
- Spread half the sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle half the cheese over the sauce.
- Make another layer each of whole roasted green chiles, chicken, sauce, and cheese.
- Bake uncovered at 375F/190C until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese on top is getting browned.
- Let cool about 5 minutes, then cut and eat while it’s hot.
- This will keep in the fridge for several days and can be reheated in the microwave, and it also freezes well.
More Tasty Dishes with Green Chiles:
- Zucchini Breakfast Casserole with Green Chiles
- Bobbi’s Egg Casserole with Green Chiles and Cheese
- Green Chile Shredded Beef Cabbage Bowl
Weekend Food Prep:
This recipe has been added to a new category called Weekend Food Prep to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!
Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole
This Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole has all the flavors you love in green chile chicken enchiladas, minus quite a few of the carbs!
Ingredients
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise into two pieces
- 2 15 oz. cans mild or medium green chile enchilada sauce (see notes)
- 1 27 oz. can whole roasted green chiles, (see notes)
- 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 cups grated mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F/190 C. Spray a 9-inch x 13-inch casserole dish with non-stick spray. (I recommend using a glass or crockery casserole dish; any size that is close to that will work.)
- Trim visible fat and other undesirable parts from chicken breasts and cut each one in half lengthwise. Put chicken into a small shallow pan, cover with water, and simmer over low heat until the chicken is done, about 15 minutes.
- Drain chicken into a colander in the sink (you can rinse if there's a lot of scum.) Remove to cutting board to cool.
- Put the enchilada sauce into a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until the sauce has thickened and reduced to 2 cups, about 20 minutes. (I'm not that good at eyeballing it, so I put it in a measuring cup to measure when I think it's getting close.)
- Turn off the heat and stir in the cream cheese and sour cream
- After you remove the chicken, drain the can of whole green chiles into the colander and let them drain for a few minutes. Then one at a time, use your fingers to split the chiles open and remove the seeds, piling them into two piles so you can make two equal layers in the casserole. (If chiles still seem wet, you can blot them with a paper towel, but I didn't need to do that.)
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred apart into bite-sized pieces.
- Layer half the green chiles into the bottom of the casserole dish, arranging them so the whole surface is covered as much as you can.
- Over that make a layer of half the chicken, 1 1/2 cups of the sauce, and 1 cup of the grated cheese.
- Make another layer each of green chiles, chicken, sauce, and cheese.
- Bake uncovered until the casserole is bubbling and cheese is melted and browning on top, about 40 minutes.
- Let sit about 5 minutes before cutting. Serve hot.
- This will keep in the fridge for several days and can be reheated in the microwave, and also freezes well.
Notes
If you need gluten-free enchilada sauce, look for Hatch Gluten Free or La Victoria brand. I found Green Chile Enchilada Sauce (affiliate link)at Amazon.com if you have a hard time finding it. I also found the 27 oz. can of whole roasted green chiles (affiliate link) at Amazon.com, but they are more expensive that way.
If you look for Green Chile Enchilada Sauce that's low in carbs this can be more low-carb than what's shown in the nutritional information.
This recipe created by Kalyn and Jake.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 309Total Fat 17gSaturated Fat 8.7gUnsaturated Fat 5.8gCholesterol 96mgSodium 344mgCarbohydrates 13gFiber 1.8gSugar 7.7gProtein 28g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Eliminating the tortillas and adding low-glycemic roasted green chiles makes this Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole a perfect dish for most low-carb eating plans or any phase of the original South Beach Diet. Most brands of green chile enchilada sauce do have a small amount of cornstarch as a thickener, so this isn’t suitable for people who are strictly following Keto or South Beach Diet Phase One, but the amount of carbs is still much lower than traditional enchiladas.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Casserole Recipes to find more recipes like this one! Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan.
You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole was first posted in 2014 and right away it became a hit in my extended family and on the blog. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.
179 Comments on “Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole”
My family loved this dish!! Trader Joe’s has a spicy cauliflower rice in the frozen section. I used it and eliminated the need for the peppers. It was fantastic! This will become a regular in my dinner rotation. Thanks for another great recipe 💙
So glad you enjoyed it! And I love the idea of using the spicy cauliflower rice, I need to look for that.
When you say 4 chicken breasts, what is the estimated weight? Not all chicken breasts are created equal. 🙂 I was also thinking about trying this with pork loin so curious on estimated weight. Thanks!
When I am making a chicken recipe I usually use those chicken breasts that come in two packs from Costco, and they can vary widely in weight! But if I had to estimate I would say most of the chicken breasts I use are about 6-8 ounces. I never weigh them though, so I couldn’t tell you much closer than that.
This meal was delicious. I only wish I had not waited so long to try it. As with all of your rexipes, this was amazing. Thank you!
Thanks Stacy; so glad you enjoyed it!
Kalyn ~
I have diabetic friend who I invite to dinner weekly. I will try this out next week and let you know. (I know I will love it; Mexican food is my greatest food dilemma.) Please add me to your emails for recipes.
Cristina
Hi Cristina. Hope you enjoy the recipe. There are also other Mexican-flavored options on the site that are lower in carbs than this one, like Salsa Verde Chicken Bake. You might want to check with your friend about what their target range is for carbs, and then look use the nutritional information in the recipes to choose recipes in that range. I can’t add people to get e-mails, but I’ll forward your request to the company that manages it.
This is really good. I posted on Facebook with your hast tag. I did use the wrong enchilada sauce, red instead of green. So I will have to make this again soon to see the difference 🙂 Thank you for this recipe.
So glad you enjoyed, and I think both types of enchilada sauce will be good!
Love your recipes, particularly this Green Chile and Chicken Mock Enchilada Casserole, I do use a shortcut that is most helpful in a time crunch. I use a Rotisserie chicken, my preference is Costco. Used this to make several dishes that were frozen for later meals for my son and daughter-in-law during a recent illness, Turned out Great.
Bette, I am a huge fan of those chickens too. I even buy the pre-cut up rotisserie chicken in a pack, which would be perfect for this recipe. Glad you are enjoying the recipes!
I want to try this as soon as I can find the can of whole green chilis! I’m in Indiana and so far I’ve not found them. But, we do have a couple of small Mexican grocery stores, so hopefully that will be where I find them.
I keep precooked chicken in my freezer, usually saved in bags of 2 cups. How much would I need to equal the chicken in your recipes?
I honestly haven’t ever measured how much diced chicken you get from one breast, but Google says that one breast = 1.5 cups. I’m guessing that’s a largish chicken breast. I think 8-9 cups would be more than enough for this recipe. Hope you enjoy!
I made this for our Cinco de Mayo dinner and it was absolutely delicious! Our entire family loved it. The sauce was so flavorful and rich and using the chiles instead of tortillas was something I never thought of! Will definitely be making again.
Thanks Brandie, so glad you liked it!
Made this for dinner last night. It was delicious and everyone loved it! Thank you Kalyn!
So glad you liked it!
I just made this according to the receipe and it was the bomb. Will definitely make this again.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This was so yummy. I added some precooked cauliflower green rice that was in the fridge and some green tomatillo salsa for half of the green enchilada sauce. I used leftover turkey instead of chicken. Thanks! It’s on our keep list now!
I love how you switched it up a bit, sounds good to me! So glad you enjoyed!
Love this recipe and so does my family!!! Thank you!
Thanks Lindsay; so glad you have enjoyed it!
This looks so so good. My husband will love this dish.
Hope you enjoy Maggie!
How many servings would you say this makes? I don’t see it or size of serving anywhere. I would want to eat the whole pan!! Help! Lol
In the recipe it says Yield: 8 servings.
This was TO DIE FOR. So. Freaking. Good. My husband said this was a no-brainer add to our low-carb meal rotation. It tasted like my favorite chicken enchiladas! It’s just the two of us, so this made enough to eat on all week – a few times, we used it as filling in some low-carb tortillas and had tacos. Other nights, we ate it with a side of broccoli or cauliflower. Just awesome! Thank you for sharing!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it!
OMG!! This was amazing! The hubby and kid loved it! Easy enough to make and so much flavor! Thank you for sharing, I will definitely be making this again 😁
So glad to hear it was a hit with the family!
Could you use shredded chicken instead? If so, how many cups do you think I’d need that would be enough, but not to much? Thank you!! Love your recipes
Yes, you can definitely use shredded chicken. I think a regular chicken breast is usually about 1 cup of shredded chicken, so about 4 cups of shredded chicken will work. But I don’t think the measurement has to be really exact for this, especially if you have a bit more than that. So glad you’re enjoying the recipes!
Thank you so much for your timely response. I am going to make this tonight!
I made this and EVERYONE loved it, except me. My problem is texture. The flavor was great, but I wanted some crunch (even though my normal enchilada’s don’t have crunch). I was thinking the next time I make this, I’m doing to do something more with the chili’s like roast them before I use them, I know they will again get soft, but I just need something more, so I’m going to see if that does the trick I need.
Oh yeah – and I used my favorite cheeses that I like with chicken – pepperjack and cheddar mixture. Next time I plan on using some jarred salsa verde, the first time I used the “green enchilada” mix as required. When I make it next, I’ll report back.
Glad you liked it! I am stumped to think about how to provide more crunch though!
I made this delicious casserole and it tasted fantastic, but mine was soupy. The top layer of cheese browned off nicely but the insides were super gooey. Oh, it tasted fantastic but the insides seemed like they did not set properly. I went by the recipe except for one thing, I used half green sauce and half red sauce.Should it have cooked longer? What can I do to make it set up better?
Did you cook the sauce down as instructed? Maybe different brands of sauce have more water. Not cooking down the sauce long enough is the only thing I can think of that would make this too liquidy. The enchilada sauce should be quite thick when you add the other ingredients; maybe reduce it a bit more next time. Hope that helps! Glad you enjoyed the flavors.
Wow this had great flavor, will def make this again and again. I made it into two small foil pans and froze one for another dinner. I did add a little chedder to the mozzarella for this cause I felt like a Mexican dish needed some cheddar cheese. So very very good. Thank you for sharing.
Glad you liked it. And more cheese is always fine with me!
I made the mock chicken enchiladas, which I have made and loved before. Of course this week, I was low on some of the required ingredients. So I made some substitutions that turned out very fabulous. The recipe calls for a 15 ounce bottle of chili verde, (which last time my GF husband struggled with something in this recipe, which happens sometimes when I use some pre-prepared food ), so I substituted 2 7oz cans of chopped green chili’s, and didn’t have to cook down. For the chicken, I chopped up 4 cups of rotisserie chicken, for the cans of whole chili’s, I used 2 fresh green peppers and one Anaheim, chopped it up into 1/2 inch cubes, and used as called for in the layers. For the sour cream I used coconut milk. I used the cream cheeze as written, but used a few more ounces. Then I layered into my greased crock pot, and turned on low, and had dinner after work, so yummy. I know it sounds like I changed the whole thing, but that’s part of cooking, using what you have. I love your blog, it has given me so many options as we have tried paleo, gluten free, and Keto recipes. Ps. I am a faithful friend of Pam. 🤠
Hi Nancy! I love it when people adapt a recipe to their own needs or what they have on hand! That’s exactly what I do myself when I use recipe, lol! And it sounds like you’re a good cook to know how to make it work. So glad you are enjoying the recipes. Any friend of Pam’s has to be someone I’d love to meet!
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I’ve made this many times, and it’s always a hit!
So glad you have enjoyed it!
Made this and froze it to make for dinner at a later time. I baked it tonight. The flavor is great, but it’s really watery/soupy. Your photos looked like it had some structure. I’m not a novice at cooking, so not sure why mine was more like a soup. I drained and dried the peppers before adding them, enchilada sauce took a long time (more than 20 minutes) to reduce and thicken. There is really nothing in the recipe that would give it more structure. I wondered about adding corn chips next time? I’d like to know what you do to get it where it looks like a slice of casserole and not a soup. Thanks.
I don’t think freezing and thawing will benefit this dish. The peppers and maybe the sour cream mixture will likely get watery when they’re thawed. I made it exactly as the recipe says and mine was thick and held together. This is meant to be a low-carb recipe so adding something like corn chips won’t work for me; you might try a layer of tortillas if you don’t care about it being low in carbs.
I made this for dinner last night and WOW! So good! I loved the flavors and it reminded me exactly of green chili enchiladas. I added fresh mushrooms, cilantro and green onions (because that’s what I usually put in my regular enchiladas) and the flavor was incredible. The whole green chili’s were in the Mexican section at my Walmart. I’m in Idaho, so I don’t know if they just carry them west coast? Anyways, this recipe is a keeper. Thank you!
SO glad you enjoyed it!
The recipe says 4 chicken breasts. Approximately how much total weight in chicken?
I’d guess most chicken breasts are about 6 oz. but it won’t matter if they’re a little smaller or larger for this recipe.
”This is a fantastic dish!! It gets better on days 2&3. I will be making this even when we are not on South Beach. Thank you !!
So glad you have enjoyed it!
Crazy delicious!!!
So glad you enjoyed it!
just curious if you can use Monterrey jack cheese instead of the mozzarella has anyone tried that?
Yes, I’m sure that would be delicious!
This is a good recipe but I don’t understand how it’s low carb when using “light” ingredients like, low fat cream cheese, sour cream, milk and cheese. Low fat foods actually have a lot more carbs than whole fat versions. Many low fat or light foods have a lot of added sugar which is definitely not part of a low carb diet. To make this a truly low carb recipe you would use regular cream cheese, cream not low fat milk, full fat sour cream and cheese. Not only will it be even more delicious but very satisfying and appropriate for anyone on a Keto or low carb diet .
I developed the recipe when I was transitioning from South Beach which recommends low-fat dairy. Obviously you can use whatever dairy products you prefer, so I will change the recipe to reflect that. Thanks for catching it.
BTW. I did mention that and clarified that other low-carb diets would prefer full-fat dairy in the diet -type info after the recipe.
This was a great recipe. I only had red enchilada sauce on hand so that is what I used. Turned out great. Thank you!
So glad you liked it!
This is one of my favorite recipes and when we're taking a break from low carb we still use it by layering in a can of black beans and corn. So good!
That does sound good. So glad you have enjoyed it!
This is seriously yummy Kalyn! I used fresh roasted chilies from the Farmer's Market and a Mexican cheese blend, otherwise exactly as directed. My wife loved it too!
So glad to hear you both enjoyed it! Using the freshly-roasted chiles can only make it better.
Next trip to the market I will get more roasted chilies and make your "beefy-cheesy" bake. Bet we'll like it too!
I just made this, and can't believe how scruptious it is AND it didn't kick me off Phase 1!! Hubby gives a second YES! vote too. WOW!! I had trouble finding the canned whole chilies in the store. Do you think I could use fresh poblano peppers, blacken them, and use them in the recipe?
So glad you enjoyed it! Yes, I think fresh roasted Poblano chiles would be amazing in this!
In southwestern Ontario, on Lake Erie, there is a largish population of 'Mexican Menonites', so there is a well stocked store which carries one brand of canned green chilies–$8.50 cdn–I thought was costly but I see that I am very fortunate. I realize about the carbs, but I'd love to add a layer or 2 of tortillas (we even have locally made)–read a couple of mexican layered casserole recipes to try to figure out where they could go–any suggestions??–no, I cannot add beans. Plan to make a smallish casserole for myself, & freeze the chilis in portions for future 1-2 serving casseroles. (No friends that like spicy foods)
I am not an expert on how to add more carbs, lol, but if you want to add some tortillas I would make them the bottom layer (under the chiles) in each layer. Hope that works for you!
This one is a big hit! SO delicious. I followed the recipe to the letter except for using pepper-jack cheese. We like our food fairly spicy so it was perfect. Thank you!!
Thanks Jean, so glad you enjoyed it!
YUM. Fantastic. So easy and delicious. My beau and I had it 2 nights in a row and convinced ourselves to freeze the other half for 2 more dinners. He is not doing low carb and he mentioned that this recipe is a keeper. Thank you so much.
So glad you liked it!
Hi Kalyn. This is one of my favorite recipes! I am planning on making this and freezing in small portions for a friend. Can you tell me how long it will take to reheat in the oven and what temperature you use? Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe!
So glad you have enjoyed the recipe! I've only used the microwave to reheat this, but if it's thawed completely but still cold from the fridge I'd reheat covered with foil in a 350 oven for about 15 minutes, then check to see if it's as hot as you'd like it. I'm only guessing, so it might take a bit longer.
I know this is an older recipe, but I thought I'd drop you a line and tell you it's one of my favorites, I've made it again and again! Tonight I was making 2 smaller casseroles and ran out of green chilis. I thinly sliced up a yellow zucchini/squash for one layer. It was delicious!! (Since I'm not good at following directions I also added black beans and a little bit of corn, but I know that increases the carbs!). Thanks for all your recipes.
So glad you have been enjoying the recipe! And I love the idea of layering this mixture with yellow squash or zucchini; I think you might have inspired a new recipe with that idea!
I used roasted Anaheim chilies instead of canned and used Monterey Jack Cheese instead of Mozzarella. Its came out SOOOO GOOOOD. My husband said he could eat it every day! I plan on using whole N.M. hatch chili's when the deliveries to California come next month. Thank you for this recipe. High recommended whether eating low carb or not.
So glad you enjoyed it! I love that you made it with fresh roasted chiles; that has to be better.
I made this and its fantastic. We are definitely putting it on the rotation! Thanks! ~ Crissy
Crissy, so glad you enjoyed it!
I am a HUGE fan of green chiles. I make something similar, and will be trying YOUR recipe next!
Dorothy I love them so much too; hope you enjoy the recipe!
I made this today and it was amazing! Thanks for the great recipe! I look forward to trying some of the other ones!
Thanks Ron; so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this tonight! It was amazing! I found the Hatch green chili sauce (which was already a favorite) at a local grocery store but no luck with the chilies so I picked up some raw chilies and roasted them myself! It was easy! Thanks for the great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it Ashlen!
Thank you for sharing your delicious recipes! This was FANTASTIC and one of my new favorites! Sharing it with my friends and family!
Carly, so glad you liked it! Thanks for taking time to tell me.
Thank you so much!
The number of servings is always given at the start of the recipe (8). I don't count carbs, but there is a link for Calorie Count immediately after the recipe; you can enter the ingredients and they will calculate it for you.
My boyfriend wrote down the ingridents for me and forgot to mention WHOLE green chilis! I used chopped…its cooking right now, I imagine it will be pretty soupy but still very tasty I hope?!
Jessie, I think the flavor will still be good. Let me know what you think!
Found this recipe sitting in the grocery store parking lot googling "low carb casserole" :)…..My husband and I loved this, thanks for the recipe!
Shana, so glad you liked it, and fun to hear how you found it!
This is sooo yummy! The only thing i changed from the basic recipe was i used a shredded mexican cheese blend because i already had it on hand. Also after i pulled it out of the oven while it cooled i sprinkled green onions and cilantro over the top. So so good The first time i ate it plain as is and when i heated up left overs later i tried a few different things to top it, olives, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, black beans, sour cream. I'm recovering from surgery so i wanted something i could just heat up as i got hungry and with the different toppings i don't feel like i'm eating the exact same thing every time. So so good. Been low carbing for quite a while and mexican foods is one of those things i feel like i so rarely get to have anymore. This had those flavors but also added a level of comfort food without all the carbs. Thanks so much for this recipe. It will be made many more times
So glad you enjoyed it! This is a big hit with everyone in my extended family.
Love this recipe! It always turns out a little "goopy" for me, but my solution is to cook up a big pan of roasted veggies as a side dish and we dunk them in the enchilada goop for an extra tasty treat!
Making this tonight! Using red enchilada sauce as I didn't spend much time looking for green, but the canned whole chiles were easy to find at Walmart 🙂
Glad that was easy to find for you. I'm sure the red enchilada sauce will also be good, my store has both kinds and I like them both.
Well, I ended up getting the green sauce after all. I expected this to be good, but it was better than I had even hoped. My man had gone up for thirds before I finished my first serving 🙂 Great recipe!
Oh I love hearing that! Thanks for taking time to let me know.
My family loved this. Thanks for the yummy dinner!
Jody, so glad it was a hit!
I'm sorry this was such a frustrating experience for you. The large cans of green chiles are readily available in stores here in Utah, and I did have a link in the post for where to order them from Amazon.com.
I have a friend that doesn't like chicken. Can this be made using beef or pork?
Thanks. Donna
I'm sure it could, although I haven't tried it so I can't give specific instructions. I'd use cooked beef of pork roast cut into pieces.
Shannon, so glad you enjoyed it! In my huge extended family even the non low-carb eaters will ask me to make this one!
My gosh… This is so delicious! Besides the Poblanos, which are amazing, the only things I did different is: didn't quite reduce the sauce by half bc I was impatient AND my chicken was on the dry side after shredding, and I used 4 cheese Mexican blend. I will totally make this again. Seems like a splurge but it's not!
Shannon I'd love to hear how that works. I love Poblanos and I bet they're delicious in this.
I live in a decent-sized area and checked two grocery stores' Hispanic sections, but couldn't find the canned peppers. Since I really wanted to try this recipe, I bought about 10 Poblano peppers and roasted/peeled them. The casserole is in the oven baking now and looks delicious! Can't wait to try and will report back…
Thanks, so nice of you!
I made this a couple nights ago and it was so good. The leftovers are great too. Great idea to cook down the green sauce to thicken!!
Everything I have made from your site has been wonderful. I can always count on this place for good eats!!
Ezra, thanks; good to know!
I switched out the sour cream for greek yogurt and it worked great! (Sometimes yogurt curdles, but not with this recipe)
Nanci, I don't see why not.
Cannot wait to try this!! Could you use pepper jack instead of the mozzrella ?
The anaheim chiles used in this are just moderately spicy, but definitely a little bit of heat. I'm not sure how it would work with fresh chiles. I think you'd want to roast them and peel off the skins, unless you know a type of chile that has a really soft skin. Love to hear how it turns out if you try it. Someone above (in the comments) made it with parboiled green bell peppers and reported it was good that way.
Hello!
I was wondering if I had to use canned chiles, or if I could use fresh? My husband can't tolerate much spice and I was thinking of using something more like a banana pepper to try and keep it sweeter. I don't think I've ever used canned peppers of any sort so I really don't know how spicy they are.
Hi Ashley,
My parents actually lived in New Mexico at one time, so I know about the Hatch chiles, and yes they are amazing. Hope you enjoy!
So I live in New Mexico and I have been on the lookout for a "lighter" version of chicken enchiladas. Hatch, New Mexico is actually where this sauce comes from- aka the Chili capitol of the world. Nothing beats the spicy, roasted flavor of a green chili. Alot of people don't really know what it is (and no, eating the stuff from cans doesn't count!) anyways, I hate oiling tortillas not to mention how heavy this dish usually is. I can't wait to try it!!!
Tara, so glad you enjoyed!
Thank you, Kalyn! This was YUMMY! Mine was a little soupier than I wanted but I'm sure it was because I didn't simmer the green sauce long enough 🙂 It's a keeper!
Great idea; thanks for sharing!
I have looked around town for two weeks and could not find whole green chiles, except for the very small 4 oz. cans. SO, I decided to use the closest thing I could find-green bell peppers. I split them in half, cut the crowns, removed the seeds and par boiled them. They worked great, and tasted oh so yum! I'm sure the chiles would have been even better, but just wanted to put this out there in case someone else has the same trouble finding chiles! Thanks so much for the great Recipe!
I am in Orlando. I get the chicken breasts from the Fresh Market.
You are correct. 4 1/2 breasts equal about 2 pounds. It was just the wording that confused me. Thanks for all your help. Can't wait to try this tonight.
Debbie I don't know where you are, but in the U.S. what is called a "chicken breast" is really only 1/2 the breast. So I use 4 half breasts for this recipe. Sounds like two of yours would be enough.
Thanks so much! The ones that I have here are huge..almost 1 1/4 pounds each breast. I am thinking that may be too much.
Debbie, I didn't weigh them but most chicken breasts here (actually half a breast) are somewhere around 8 ounces. A little more or less won't matter for this recipe.
Hi, I am planning on trying this tonight. Can you tell me about how much chicken you added? I know it says 4 skinless breasts, but not sure on the weight. Thanks
Maggie, thanks for that nice feedback, and I love seeing how you adapted the recipe!
Love love love your blog.
I added cooked salad shrimp to the chicken. I also simmered the chicken in a mexican tortilla flavored chicken broth for extra flavor. I also used cheese in my frig- low fat mozzarella amd low fat mexican blend. Your recipes are so versatile and adaptable to whatever I have on hand.
Mel, so glad everyone enjoyed it!
Yum! This recipe is fantastic. I highly recommend it to anyone trying to eat low carb. My husband and mom, who don't eat low carb, enjoyed it too. It reminds me of my mom's chile rellano casserole recipe. Thanks for sharing !!! Definitely making it again!!
I don't know how that will work; I've never tried it that way. If you try, let us know how it turns out.
Can I swap out the sour cream for greek yogurt? I have had issues with some recipes with the yogurt curdling…
Ann, as long as you liked red sauce with chicken I can't think of any reason it wouldn't work.
This looks so good … I was thinking about tortilla-free enchildas, and here it is.
Is there any reason red sauce can't be substituted (just because that's what I have in the pantry)?
This recipe is fantastic. I loved it.
Mary, thanks for telling me that, will add the Amazon links for people who need them.
If anyone is having difficulty finding the ingredients locally, they are available on Amazon. Perhaps linking there will help fund this site, too.
Meri NYC and A Carson, if you can't find the green chiles in a grocery store a Mexican or Latin American market might have them. I'm doubtful that pepperoncini I would be good in this.
Hi Kalyn,
I'm in the northeast and having trouble finding the whole chili peppers here. Do you think I could use whole pepperoncini's or do you think that would be way too spicy?
Kalyn, I was very excited to try this recipe but I can't find the whole roasted green chiles anywhere. I live in NYC and have tried 5 different markets. Actually the green enchilada sauce is also scarce but figured I could substitute something else for that. Any suggestions regarding teh green chiles?
I live on Long Island and found them at Fairway Market. Hope that helps!
I ordered them from Amazon…The green enchilada sauce (Hatch) from there also..
Glad you liked it; it did take a while for mine to reduce to 2 cups. I measure it to be sure it has reduced enough.
Man, this was delicious!!!!! Mine was kind of soupy, should I have reduced it a bit longer? I didn't start it until 9pm (that's how we roll 'round here) and I reduced for 20 minutes then for another 10; it was kinda slow cuz if I turned up the gas, it started sticking. I have a bushel of roasted peppers in the freezer from last fall and this is an amazing way to use a bunch up at once!
Louise, we were writing comments at the same time! You can cut it in half and make a smaller version, but if you have freezer space I'd make the whole thing and freeze a couple of smaller casseroles or individual servings for another meal.
Ed, no worries!
TR, I haven't tried freezing this before cooking but I have frozen leftovers and they reheated beautifully.
Hi Kayln,
I am making this recipe tonight. It's only my husband and I. Can this recipe be cut completely in half or would you make other adjustments?
Cheers
Louise
Do you freeze it before or after cooking?
Of course. Should have seen that. Thanks for the remedial math lesson.
Both are correct. You reduce the sauce (from a can) to 2 cups, but then stir in 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup cream cheese for 3 cups total sauce. So when you're layering you put 1 1/2 cups (half the finished sauce) over the first layer and 1 1/2 cups (the other half of the finished sauce) over the second layer.
Recipe question: In the printed directions you say to reduce the sauce to 2 cups then put 1 1/2 cups of the sauce over the first layer and the rest (just 1/2 cup?)on the top layer. With the pictures you say put half the sauce over the first layer and the other half on the top (1 cup each). Which is it? Would love to make this for my wife and I tonight. Thanks.
Glad you like the idea, and this was really delicious.
Oh my word, I just made chicken enchiladas last night, but it wasn't carb friendly. It was so delicious, but this will be so much better for watching my weight. Thanks!
This looks amazing! Great job
So I am not the only one who has far too many cookbooks? So glad you're enjoying the recipes!
THIS LOOKS GOOD! AND IT'S ONLY 9AM. Oops, caps. Thanks K! this is yet another stellar recipe. I have a stack of printed recipes in my kitchen and I think 75% of them are Kalyn's.
We make them again and again.
We just had your black bean red chili again Sun, Mon, and Tues and we had your sumac sweet pot's Sat night. I could throw away all 400 of my cookbooks at this rate!
Glad the recipes are helpful for you!
So glad my timing worked out for you! And good for your husband; I am gearing up to do it again myself!
This is perfect for tonight. (My husband decided to go back on Phase One, and I'm trying to be supportive.) I have some leftover chicken breasts and I was trying to find a new recipe to use them. Yea, Kalyn comes through again.
Jeanette, definitely some of the same flavors as chile rellenos!
My Family loves recipes with a hint to the Mexican kitchen. (Layered Mexican Casserole – was a hit!) We sure will try this and since I have to go shopping today, I'll look, if they have everything. Will let you know, how they like it.
As always your ideas help me to cook low carb meals for my husband – Thanks
Love the idea of using roasted peppers instead of tortillas for a low carb version. I just made chicken enchiladas for my kids last week and they devoured them. Made the enchilada sauce from scratch but it was a red one. This reminds me a little of chile rellenos
Lydia, don't know if you have any Mexican markets, but that would be a good place to find it.
I'm off to the market to look for that enchilada sauce (the selection here in the Northeast is very limited) and some nice whole green chiles, too. I know this dish would be popular in my house.
Thanks Sally, glad you like it!
Kalyn, this sounds delicious, what a great idea to use the chiles in place of tortillas, that alone makes the dish so much lighter! I love enchiladas but always feel too full after having some, no matter how much of a portion control approach I take.
Great recipe!
Mary, so glad you like it. I love the whole green chiles; so useful and tasty. And what a great idea to make this into a dip. But very tempting!
Be still my heart, my enchilada loving family is going to flip over this one. I've never thought about using the chiles whole like this. It would also make an awesome hot dip with the chiles chopped up! (Yes, I know, dips are pathways to carb flled tortilla chips… but I've been known to dip my vegetables too!) Thanks!
Oh well. Guess I'm losing my mind 🙂 It looks really yummy, and I'm definitely saving this recipe!!
Carol, it couldn't have been, because I just created this recipe about a week ago. I do have a recipe that uses green chile enchilada sauce with chicken and pinto beans; maybe you're thinking of that Layered Mexican Casserole? They are similar, but this is much lower in carbs.
Hi Kalyn,
I'm pretty sure this was the recipe I was thinking of when I wrote you a couple of weeks ago about using whole chiles vs diced in a chicken or beef casserole. Thanks for posting! I'll be sure to save this in my recipe database so I can make it again!