Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet

This Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet is the lazy way to make enchiladas because it all comes together in one pan, with no tedious rolling necessary. It’s also filled with nourishing ingredients, sneaky vegetables and packed with Mexican-inspired flavors! Finish it off with melted cheese and chopped cilantro and you’ll have an easy and healthy dinner ready in under 30 minutes.

Here’s the story of how this Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet recipe came to my life. About a year ago, I first created my Ground Turkey Enchilada Skillet. I remember being in a season of life where I really just needed simple, one pan recipes. It was a hit on Instagram right away, with many recipe remakes and people who added it into their weekly meal rotation. Then, when I posted it again this year, it went viral and got more love and attention! Even my pilates instructor has made it several times lol.

With that said, I knew that I had to make a new variation that was equally as delicious. Thus, the Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet was born! It’s made with ground chicken for ease, white beans instead of black beans, salsa verde instead of traditional enchilada sauce, some optional fire-roasted green chilis, sneaky cauliflower rice, chopped corn tortillas and of course some melty cheese on top. It’s so delicious and easy and although it may not look very pretty, I know you’re going to be obsessed with how it tastes!

Why You’ll Love this Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet

• It’s a one pan meal that’s ready in under 30 minutes!
• This Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet is incredibly simple, healthy and satisfying.
• It’s way easier to make than traditional enchiladas!
• This recipe is filled with fiber from the cauliflower rice and beans, and protein from the ground chicken.
• Everyone LOVES my classic ground turkey enchilada skillet…so I know you’re going to love this new variation too.
• It makes a hefty amount so you’ll get to enjoy leftovers for lunch!
• This enchilada skillet is gluten free and can easily be made dairy free and grain free.

What You Need to Make this Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet

• Ground Chicken: For ease, we’re using ground chicken in this recipe instead of shredded chicken breast. You can also use ground turkey if you prefer!
• Cumin, Chili Powder, Cayenne, Salt & Pepper: Some Mexican-inspired flavors to season the chicken.
• Olive Oil
• Yellow Onion: 1/2 of a yellow onion, diced. Really any variety of onion is fine here!
• Frozen Cauliflower Rice: Let’s sneak in some veggies! 10-12 oz frozen cauliflower rice (just depending on how much comes in a bag).
• Garlic
• Great Northern Beans: Feel free to use great northern beans or cannellini beans, whatever you can find.
• Salsa Verde: Salsa Verde translates to “green salsa” and it’s made out of tomatillos and green chiles. I used two jars from Trader Joe’s which is relatively mild, but there are several other brands that carry it such as Stonewall Kitchen, Herdez, Cholula and Whole Foods. You can also use homemade if you’re feeling ambitious!
• Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chiles: This is an optional ingredient for a bit of additional smoky, spicy flavor. I happened to have some on hand so I added it but it’s really no big deal if you don’t have any! They are sold in small cans at Trader Joe’s and many other grocery stores.
• Corn Tortillas: Rather than rolling up the tortillas with filling, we’re just cutting them up and stirring them into the enchilada skillet. I like the flavor and sturdy texture of corn tortillas for this but if you’re grain free you can use almond flour tortillas like these ones from Maria & Ricardo’s.
• Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend: A layer of melted cheese on top is the perfect touch! Make this recipe dairy free by using your favorite vegan cheese or omitting it all together.
• Cilantro: Diced cilantro for topping.

How To Make this Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet

I think one of the reasons that my classic ground turkey enchilada skillet is so popular is because it’s incredibly easy to make! You just need one pan and less than 30 minutes of time. There aren’t any fancy techniques…you pretty much just dump it all in there and let it do it’s thing! The only prep work you need to do is chopping up some onion, mincing 3 garlic cloves, and cutting the corn tortillas into strips.

Cook the Ground Chicken:

First, bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add ground turkey and break apart with a spatula. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper & cayenne. Continue cooking and breaking apart until done through. Remove cooked chicken from the pan and set aside in a large bowl.

Sauté the Onion & Cauliflower Rice, Add in the Remaining Ingredients:

To the same pan, add a bit of olive oil. Then, add onion and cauliflower rice. Season with salt to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Then, add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add beans, salsa verde, diced green chiles and cooked ground chicken. Stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Let the Cheese Melt and Garnish with Cilantro:

Next, stir in the tortilla strips. Sprinkle a layer of cheese over the top. Cover the pan and cook until the cheese is melted, about 5-6 minutes. Finally, garnish with chopped cilantro & enjoy!

Can I Use Shredded Chicken or Rotisserie Chicken Instead of Ground Chicken?

Totally! I like using ground chicken for this recipe because it’s easy and cooks quickly, however if you’d rather go a more traditional route, simply substitute the ground chicken for an equal amount of shredded chicken breast or rotisserie chicken. For even more juiciness and tenderness, consider using shredded chicken thighs instead! If you are using pre-cooked and pre-shredded chicken in this recipe, skip the first step and add the chicken in at step 3. This should give it enough time to get warm.

Is this Spicy?

Nope, it’s pretty mild! Of course, it depends on the brand of salsa verde you use as they can range in spice levels, but most are fairly mild such as the one I used from Trader Joe’s. If you’re looking to increase the spiciness, you can add as much cayenne as you’d like or intentionally buy a spicier salsa verde.

Can I Make This Dairy Free?

Yes! The only change you need to make in order for this recipe to be dairy free is omitting or substituting the shredded cheese for a vegan kind. I recently noticed that Trader Joe’s sells a dairy free shredded spicy mexican style blend cheese which would work great for this! I haven’t tried it so I can’t vouch for how well it melts but that’s just the way it goes with vegan cheese sometimes haha.

Storing & Reheating Leftovers:

This Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet keeps pretty well so it’s great for meal prep! Once it’s fully cooled, transfer it to an airtight container, cover and store in the fridge. You may notice that as it sits the corn tortillas get a bit mushy but personally I don’t mind that! I mean…they are enchiladas after all.

Reheating is simple – just add your portion to a microwave-safe dish and microwave for about 1-1.5 minutes. Feel free to top with extra cheese and cilantro when serving!

Find the full recipe below. As always, please let me know if you tried it by commenting below or tagging me on Instagram, @munchinwithmaddie_.

Looking for more Mexican-Inspired Recipes?

• Ground Turkey Enchilada Skillet
• Mexican Street Corn Rice Salad
• Meal Prep Chipotle Egg Bake
• Taco Stuffed Peppers
• Creamy Coconut Cilantro Lime Chicken
• Chicken Enchilada Salad

Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet

This Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Skillet is the lazy way to make enchiladas because it all comes together in one pan, with no tedious rolling necessary. It's also filled with nourishing ingredients, sneaky vegetables and packed with Mexican-inspired flavors! Finish it off with melted cheese and chopped cilantro and you'll have an easy and healthy dinner ready in under 30 minutes.

Servings 6 people

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Equipment

• knife
• cutting board
• large pan + lid
• spatula
• large bowl

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground chicken or ground turkey
• 1 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp chili powder
• salt, pepper & cayenne to taste
• olive oil
• ½ yellow onion diced
• 10-12 oz frozen cauliflower rice
• 1 can great northern beans 15oz, drained & rinsed
• 24 oz salsa verde *
• 4 oz fire-roasted diced green chiles optional**
• 5-6 small corn tortillas cut into strips & then halved***
• 1 cup shredded mexican blend cheese
• chopped cilantro for topping

Instructions

• Bring a large pan to medium heat. Once hot, add ground turkey and break apart with spatula. Season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper & cayenne. Continue cooking and breaking apart until done through. Remove cooked chicken from the pan and set aside in a large bowl.
• Add a bit of olive oil to the pan and then add onion and cauliflower rice. Season with salt to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Then add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Add beans, salsa verde, diced green chiles and cooked ground chicken. Stir. Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 5 minutes.
• Then, stir in the tortilla strips. Sprinkle a layer of cheese over the top. Cover the pan and cook until the cheese is melted, about 5-6 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro & enjoy!

Notes

*NOTE: I used the salsa verde from Trader Joe’s – 24oz is equivalent to 2 of their jars. 

**NOTE: This is optional as it won’t drastically change the flavor but I had some on hand so I added it! You can find these in small cans at almost every grocery store, including Trader Joe’s.

***NOTE: For this recipe, I like the flavor and rigid texture of corn tortillas the most but if you’re grain free you can also try using an almond flour tortilla such as this one from Maria & Ricardo’s.

Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: 30 Minute Meal, Cauliflower Rice, Cheese, Corn Tortillas, Easy Dinner, Enchiladas, Gluten Free, Green Chiles, Ground Chicken, Healthy Dinner, Mexican, One Pan, Quick & Easy, Salsa Verde, White Beans

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @munchinwithmaddie_ on Instagram and/or hashtag it #munchinwithmaddie.