A creamy tomatillo sauce and mounds of cheese make these chicken enchiladas Suizas verdes the perfect easy and mouthwatering Mexican dinner. It's a classic, authentic Mexican recipe that is lesser known, but incredibly delicious.
Suizas translates to “Swiss,” but it doesn’t mean covered in swiss cheese. Instead, it’s all about heavy amounts of cream and cheese, two perfect additions to enchiladas. I adore my Chicken Mole Enchiladas, but when you need a little more rich and creamy, enchilada Suizas are it.
These chicken enchiladas are loaded with Mexican crema and cheese and smothered in a spicy and creamy tomatillo sauce. If you ever find yourself with leftover chicken or turkey, you’ll want to have this enchilada recipe saved and ready!
Why this recipe works
- So satisfying. Extra creamy from Mexican crema and cheese for an ultra-satisfying comfort meal.
- Control the heat! If you like things spicy, add jalapeno or serrano peppers. If not, just stick to the poblano peppers.
- Great for leftovers. Use leftover shredded chicken or turkey.
- Garden fresh. When your garden is overflowing with tomatillos or peppers, this verde enchilada sauce is the perfect way to use them up!
Ingredient Notes
- Chili peppers - Poblano. If you like a little heat, add 1-2 jalapeno or serrano peppers.
- Tomatillos - green tomatoes that come in their own little husky wrapper! These little tomatoes have a fresh earthy, tangy flavor, perfect for the green (verde) enchilada sauce.
- Mexican crema - Mexican crema is a mixture of heavy cream and buttermilk. It has a tangy flavor similar to sour cream, which is a good substitute if you don’t have or can’t find it.
- Cooked chicken - Use leftover chicken, turkey, or even rotisserie chicken to save on time.
- Corn tortillas- Corn tortillas are traditional and add an authentic flavor. You could use flour tortillas if that’s what you prefer, but they will have a different texture.
- Cheese - shredded queso Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese.
Helpful Equipment
- Blender - You will need a blender to make the salsa verde. You can get by with a bullet style blender, an immersion blender or even a food processor.
Step by step instructions
- Roast the poblano chilis by rubbing them with oil, then broiling them on a sheet pan. Watch and turn until all sides are fully blackened and charred. Place the chiles in a bowl and cover for 15 minutes, then peel, seed, and chop.
- Rinse the tomatillos of their sticky outer coating, then place them in a medium saucepan with the serrano chiles and half of the onion. Cook until softened, then transfer to a blender along with the poblanos, cilantro, crema, garlic, cumin, salt, and 1 cup of water. Blend on high until the sauce is completely smooth.
- Heat vegetable oil in saute pan over medium heat, and fry the tortillas one at a time until pliable. Finely mince the other half of the onion and place it in a bowl along with the shredded chicken or turkey, and one cup of the sauce, stirring to combine.
- Cover the bottom of the baking dish in the sauce. Divide the meat mixture among the tortillas, then roll each up like a cigar, placing them seam-side down in the pan. Pour the remaining sauce on top, then cover with cheese.
- Bake the enchiladas until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling. Serve warm.
Tips for success
- Keep a close eye on the poblano peppers when they’re broiling. You want them to be blackened and charred on all sides to add a nice smoky flavor to the sauce.
- If you have leftover cooked chicken or turkey, freeze it in an airtight freezer bag for up to 4 months to use in this recipe. It’s a great way to prevent food waste and save money!
- Adjust the spiciness to your preferences. Depending on the peppers you use, this recipe can be as spicy or mild as you’d like.
- Don’t step away from the tortillas! Only let them fry for a couple of minutes so that they’re pliable and not hard and crispy.
What to Serve With Enchiladas
If you like things spicy, drizzle a little homemade jalapeno hot sauce or guajillo chili hot sauce on top.
Serve cheesy corn and poblano rice casserole on the side, along with corn chips, salsa, and chipotle guacamole.
Meal Prepping, Storage, and Reheating
You can easily make a double or triple batch of the tomatillo sauce without the crema and freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight container or freezer bag. When you want to use it, just let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight, add the cream, and blend! This is a great way to preserve garden-fresh peppers and tomatillos for later!
Make the sauce as directed and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before using.
Cook and shred your chicken up to 3 days before making these enchiladas and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Cover and keep leftover chicken enchiladas suizas in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in a pan covered with foil and bake at 350 degrees F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Faq About Enchiladas Suizas
Yes! Prepare your enchiladas, but instead of baking, let them cool. Place the pan in the freezer, uncovered, for 2-3 hours so that the cheese hardens (this keeps it from sticking to the cover). Cover the pan tightly in plastic wrap, then foil (or lid if your pan has one). Store in the freezer for up to 4 months 3-4 months. To use, let thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake as directed.
Corn tortillas break more easily when they’re dry or cold. Fry your corn tortillas before rolling them to help make them more durable and keep them from cracking.
Related Recipes
Did you LOVE this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️ rating and comment to let other readers know! I absolutely love hearing from you and do my best to answer all questions and comments. I love seeing your creations so please tag me on Instagram @ColeyCooks!
PrintChicken Enchiladas Suizas Verdes
This classic Mexican recipe for Enchiladas Suizas is made with pulled chicken, rolled in corn tortillas, and smothered in a creamy tomatillo sauce. Adapted from Saveur.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: chicken dinner
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 2 poblano chiles
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, plus more for frying
- 1 ½ lbs tomatillos, husks removed
- 2 serrano or jalapeno chiles, seeds removed for less heat (optional)
- 1 small white onion, halved and peeled
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- pinch cumin
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 3 cups cooked chicken or turkey, shredded
- 2 cups cups shredded queso Oaxaca or mozzarella
- 8 6-inch corn tortillas
Instructions
- Roast the poblano chilis by rubbing them with oil, then broiling them on a sheet pan. Watch and turn until all sides are fully blackened and charred. Place the chiles in a bowl and cover for 15 minutes, then peel, seed, and chop.
- Rinse the tomatillos of their sticky outer coating, then place them in a medium saucepan with the serrano chiles, half of the onion and one cup of water. Cook until softened, then transfer to a blender along with the poblanos, cilantro, crema, garlic, cumin, and salt. Blend on high until the sauce is completely smooth.
- Heat vegetable oil in saute pan over medium heat, and fry the tortillas one at a time until pliable. Finely mince the other half of the onion and place it in a bowl along with the shredded chicken or turkey, and one cup of the sauce, stirring to combine.
- Cover the bottom of the baking dish in the sauce. Divide the meat mixture among the tortillas, then roll each up like a cigar, placing them seam-side down in the pan. Pour the remaining sauce on top, then cover with cheese.
- Bake the enchiladas until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling. Serve warm.
Notes
- Keep a close eye on the poblano peppers when they’re broiling. You want them to be blackened and charred on all sides to add a nice smoky flavor to the sauce.
- If you have leftover cooked chicken or turkey, freeze it in an airtight freezer bag for up to 4 months to use in this recipe. It’s a great way to prevent food waste and save money!
- Adjust the spiciness to your preferences. Depending on the peppers you use, this recipe can be as spicy or mild as you’d like.
- Don’t step away from the tortillas! Only let them fry for a couple of minutes so that they’re pliable and not hard and crispy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 583
- Sugar: 5.8 g
- Sodium: 1492.8 mg
- Fat: 28.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.3 g
- Protein: 45.7 g
- Cholesterol: 138.3 mg
Keywords: enchiladas, verde, suizas, tomatillos, chicken, turkey, Thanksgiving leftovers, leftover turkey, Mexican, cheese
Valentin
I know you can heat corn tortillas on the steootvp or in the oven; but I have never tried to use water with these methods. I am thinking you could try to lightly spray them with water before placing in a warm oven (maybe 200ish) and it would have a similar steaming effect.
Carlos Villatoro-Jett
You can wet a cloth and wrap the cold tortillas then aced them in the microwave for few minutes.
Coley
also a great idea to cut back on the calories a bit!
Kristen
I love this recipe! I've made them twice for my mom (enchiladas suizas are her favorite) and she says they're better than any she's had in a restaurant. Only changes I make are: I use one jalapeno instead of two (we can't take a lot of spicy-ness but I find that one pepper adds a manageable and necessary heat), and I dry-fry the corn tortillas to make them pliable. Thanks so much for sharing!
Coley
Thanks Kristen! I'm so glad this has become one of your and your mom's favorite recipes!
Britt Fleming
Do the Tomatillos go in a dry sauce pan to soften?
Coley
yes!
Valerie
These were excellent! I always order enchiladas at my favorite Mexican restaurant and these tasted almost identical. Great recipe!
★★★★★
Coley
So happy to hear that!
Jane
Our family loved these, even the kids!!
Coley
Love that, thanks Jane!
Betsy Baird
When you say to put Serrano peppers along with tomatillos do you add liquid?
Coley
Hey Betsy- thanks for your question! There was an error in the recipe - the 1 cup of water should be added to the saucepan with the Serrano peppers and tomatillos, not the blender. I have adjusted the recipe and appreciate you pointing it out. I'm sorry for the confusion and any inconvenience it may have caused!