Grilled Chicken Poblano Enchiladas

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Simple Ingredients: You can find everything you need for this recipe at your local grocery store. No trips to specialty stores are needed!
• Easy to Make: This recipe has several steps, but they’re all easy and take very little time.
• Tons of Mexican Flavor: Every bite of these enchiladas is loaded with classic Mexican flavors and bold spices.
• Versatile: These are the perfect family dinner or snack at any kind of party.

Ingredients

Grilled Chicken

• Chicken Breasts – Sliced Lengthwise: Grilling the chicken gives the breasts a nice flavor, while keeping them tender and juicy.
• Seasonings: A blend of Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika adds a smokey, aromatic, savory flavor.

Poblano Cream Sauce

• Roasted Poblanos and Jalapenos: Roasted poblanos and jalapenos add a vegetal flavor with the perfect amount of heat.
• Onions: Grilled onions add deeper flavor with a mix of a little sweetness and bite.
• Green Enchilada Sauce: Green enchilada sauce adds the spicy, sweet flavor we all love.
• Heavy Cream and Chicken Broth: A mix of heavy cream and chicken broth combines with the enchilada sauce to create a rich, creamy sauce that’s the perfect thickness.

Filling

• Black Olives: Black olives add a briny flavor that’s perfect with the sweet, savory, spicy flavors in the enchiladas
• Cheese: Monterey Jack and sharp cheddar add bold, cheesy flavor.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact measurements.

Flavor Variations

• Meat: You can make these enchiladas with pulled beef or pork. Ground beef, pork, a blend of the two or chorizo would also work.
• Mild: Cut the Cajun seasoning by half and omit the jalapenos and red pepper flakes for a milder version.
• Tortillas: Both flour and corn tortillas will work well.
• Red Enchilada Sauce: Red enchilada sauce has a bit more sweetness and a slightly milder flavor that works well in this recipe.

Instructions

Chicken

1. Cut the chicken in half lengthwise, pat dry with paper towels, and rub both sides with olive oil. Then, sprinkle the chicken seasonings on each side.
2. Grill the chicken on each side at 350 degrees until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees. Set aside.

Roasting the Peppers

1. Rub the peppers and onions with olive oil and grill until the poblanos are blistered and charred. Remove them and continue grilling the onions and jalapenos until softened.
2. Steam the poblanos in a large resealable baggie or a bowl tightly covered with plastic wrap.
3. Peel the poblanos and peel off the skin.
4. Remove the stems and seeds from the poblanos and jalapenos.

Poblano Cream Sauce

1. Combine the peppers, onions, and remaining sauce ingredients in a large Vitamix or blender and blend until creamy.

Making the Enchiladas

1. Shred the grilled chicken, preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Pour a cup of the sauce into a shallow dish and coat both sides of the tortillas in the sauce. Then, pour half the sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.
3. Add a thin layer of cheese to the center of a tortilla, followed by the shredded chicken, more cheese and a few black olives. Then, roll it up tightly and place them in the baking dish.
4. Repeat until all tortillas have been filled. Then, top them with the rest of the sauce, shredded cheese, and black olives.
5. Cover with foil and bake for about 25 minutes. Then, remove the foil and continue baking until the cheese is bubbly. Enjoy!

Hint

We find it helpful to separate the chicken and cheese into portions to ensure we don’t run out or overfill the tortillas. Just a general eyeballing will do.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Because the sauce is made with heavy cream, freezing isn’t recommended.

To reheat, microwave individual portions at 1-minute intervals until warm. You can also bake the entire dish covered at 350 until heated through.

Pairing Suggestions

We love serving this alongside other Mexican-themed favorites as part of a big meal when we have guests. Dishes like habanero salsa, sausage queso, or guacamole with tortilla chips, 7-layer bean dip, and churros for dessert are all great options.

Tips

• Wash your hands thoroughly after handling hot peppers and NEVER touch your face.
• Your poblanos are done when the skin is black and blistered. Don’t worry, you won’t burn them.
• Rub your grill grates with oil before heating it up to ensure nothing sticks.
• If you use corn tortillas, warm them up so they’re pliable and won’t break as you roll them up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Try These Grilled Chicken Poblano Enchiladas for Yourself

These grilled chicken poblano enchiladas are as stuffed with flavor as their flour tortillas! It’s easy to grill the chicken, roast the peppers, and put the entire thing together, and you get a metric ton of taste in every bite. Try this just once, and you’ll be hooked.