The Great Enchilada Contest
16 Recipes That Are Criminally Delicious
When Lori Vallow Daybell cross-examined her own brother Adam Cox during her murder trial, things were already tense. But what seemed to bother her most? Adam couldn’t remember the green chile chicken enchiladas she used to bring to family dinners.
So, we turned to you. And you delivered.
We asked for your best — and hopefully more memorable — green chile chicken enchilada recipes. What we got back? Sixteen original entries, each one guilty of being clever, cheesy, or both. From courtroom puns to zombie sass, this lineup brings the flavor.
There are THREE polls here, and you can vote for your favorite in all three polls. Our three winners will be tested by a special guest taster — none other than Adam Cox himself. May the best most memorable enchiladas win.
1. Julia’s Taco ‘Bout Justice Enchilada Casserole
5 whole chicken breasts
12 corn tortillas
1 can mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 soup can of fresh milk
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 lb. Grated cheddar cheese
.5 lb Jack cheese
2 (7 oz.) Cans green chili salsa
Prepare the night before. Boil chicken until tender. Save 3 tablespoons broth. Remove meat from bones. Cut into pieces. Tear tortillas in 1 inch strips. Set aside. Mix soups, milk, onion and salsa. Grease large casserole (or shallow 9 x 11 inch Pyrex) and put 3 tablespoons chicken broth in bottom. Make 3 layers, starting with all the tortilla chips, then all of the chicken pieces, and then all the sauce. Top with grated cheese. Refrigerate 24 hours. Cover with foil and bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours before serving.
2. Kristi’s Habeas Tortillas
1 (10 ounce) can Old El Paso Red Enchilada Sauce or 1 (10 ounce) can Old El Paso Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
3 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken
1½ cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 (1 ounce) package fajita seasoning mix or 2 Tbsp. taco seasoning mix
12 (6 inch) Old El Paso flour tortillas for soft tacos & fajitas
Preheat oven to 375 °F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Before cutting the cream cheese, open the package and pop it into the freezer to chill for about 10 minutes. That makes it easier to cut into small cubes.
Mix chicken, 1 cup of shredded cheese, cream cheese and seasoning mix in a medium bowl; spoon slightly less than 1/2 cup of filling onto each tortilla. Roll up each tortilla tightly; place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Drizzle with remaining enchilada sauce. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese on top; cover with foil.
Bake for 15 minutes; uncover and bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly and lightly browned. Makes 6 servings.
3. Bev’s Not-That-Bev Enchiladas Con Pollo
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1 cup sour cream
1 can (4.5 oz.) chopped green chilies
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
12 flour tortillas (8-inch)
4 cups cooked, diced chicken breast
4 cups (16 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish. Melt butter, add flour, stir until smooth and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring until thickened. Stir in sour cream, green chilies, salt and pepper. Pour half the sauce in bottom of prepared pan. Soften tortillas in microwave for 10 seconds. Combine chicken, 2 cups cheese and 1/2 cup onions. Place 1/2 cup of chicken mixture on each tortilla. Roll up and place in baking dish seam side down. Pour remaining sauce over top. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and onions. Bake for 5 minutes.
4. Nancy’s Voir Dire Verde
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
1 small can chopped green chiles (undrained) or 1/3 cup green chili salsa (salsa verde)
½ c (1 cube) butter
1 chopped medium onion
½ c flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 10-oz can green enchilada sauce
1 cup cream (or 1 c sour cream)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 c shredded cheese (cheddar jack or medium cheddar)
12 to 15 corn tortillas
Make filling:
Combine cream cheese, chicken, and green chiles (or salsa verde); set aside
Make enchilada sauce:
In large skillet, melt butter. Sauté onion until translucent. Stir in flour and cook (stirring) for a minute or until well combined. Stir in chicken broth and cook until thick. Add enchilada sauce and cream (or sour cream). Season as needed with salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
Soften tortillas:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lightly brush vegetable oil on both sides of each corn tortilla. Place them on a large baking sheet (overlapping if necessary). Place in the oven and warm until pliable. Remove from oven and turn up the temperature to 350 degrees.
Assembly:
Grease a 9x13 baking dish and put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom. Dip a softened tortilla in the enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Place ¼ c of the cream cheese chicken filling in the tortilla and add a heaping tablespoon of cheese. Roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat until filling is used up. Top with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 to 15 minutes until bubbly. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Can be frozen before baking.
Options:
To make vegetarian, replace chicken with 2 cans black beans (rinsed) and chicken broth with vegetable broth. To shortcut, layer tortillas, filling, sauce and cheese instead of rolling.
5. Elaina’s Contempt of Queso Enchiladas
Ingredients
1 stick butter
Drizzle olive oil
1 onion, diced (bag of frozen works)
1/2 cup flour
2 Tbsp onion powder
1 cup wine
2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
1 box chicken stock
2 cups milk (2%)
2 cups sour cream or Greek yogurt
1 jar green chile (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Corn tortillas
Cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Melt butter and oil in pot. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add onion powder and flour. Cook for a minute or two.
Add wine, stir. Add milk, chicken, green chile and keep stirring. Add as much stock as needed to thin out sauce. Add sour cream. Adjust seasoning.
This is enough sauce for 2 pans. I use the half sheet aluminum pans. Put a little sauce on the bottom of pan to prevent sticking. Layer tortillas, sauce and cheese. Repeat until it's as thick as you want.
Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
6. Tanya’s Pluck-It-First Enchiladas
Boil a chicken slow. The whole thing. Plucked. I use some salt pepper, hot pepper flakes, and a bay leaf in the stock pot.
I let it simmer all day.
Pull it out. Let it cool. Shred 3 or 4 cups of chicken mixing white and dark meat. Use the remains chicken for something else or freeze.
Dice an onion. A big sweet one. Grate up a pound or two of cheese. I like sharp cheddar. Open a large can of hatch chili sauce. Maybe 2.
Flour tortillas
Put some meat, onion and some cheese on the tortilla, roll it up. Oh, put a thin layer of green sauce on the bottom of the baking pan. Line up the enchiladas in the pan.
Pour the chili sauce over the enchiladas. Top with diced onion and cheese. Bake for 30 min at 350.
7. Stephanie’s Verdict is In-Chiladas
8–12 flour tortillas 1/2 c. sour cream 1 can diced green chilis 1 c. chicken broth 2 (10 oz) cans cream of chicken soup 3 chicken breasts (boiled and shredded) 3 cups fiesta blend cheese
Preheat oven to 350 F.
In a large mixing bowl mix together sour cream, diced green chilis, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, shredded chicken, and 2 cups of the cheese.
Place a moderate amount of filling in each tortilla, roll up and place on lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.
If there is any excess filling, spread it across the top of the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
Bake at 350 until bubbly. (Approximately 35 min).
8. Jan’s Tortilla the Hun Enchiladas
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil 1 cup white onion 1 Tablespoon garlic 4 cups shredded chicken 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 can cream of chicken soup 2 jars green chile sauce 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 12 corn tortillas 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese 4 Roma tomatoes 3 green onions 1 Tablespoon oregano
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside. Next, combine the onion mixture, shredded chicken cream soups, green chile sauce, and seasonings in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Layer corn tortillas, covered by chicken mixture, cheese, tomatoes, and green onions. Repeat the layers, layering the top with just tomatoes and green onions. Mix the remaining cheese and oregano. Set aside. Cover the casserole with foil and cook for thirty minutes. Take the foil over and cover with cheese to cook for another fifteen minutes. Finally, let the enchiladas stand for ten minutes before serving with desired toppings.
9. Rene’s Ex Parte Pepper Jack Enchiladas
2 chicken breasts (roasted or cooked) or the breast meat of 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded 1 - 8 oz pkg of cream cheese 1 can chopped green chilies 6–8 flour tortillas 2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese 2 cups of heavy cream
Heat to melt cream cheese in large sauté skillet. Add green chilies juices included and chicken.
Roll about 2–3 tbsp of chicken mixture up in tortillas to make approximately 6–8 enchiladas.
Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and line up the enchiladas to fill up the dish. Cover with shredded cheese and pour heavy cream evenly over all of the enchiladas.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30–45 minutes until cheese is bubbly and slightly golden. Let set up for at least 30 minutes. Even better the next day.
10. Jim’s and Carol’s They-Actually-Have-a-Cooking-Blog Enchiladas
Cooking blog: https://greasylittlebirds.com/stacked-green-chile-chicken-enchiladas/
This recipe will take about an hour and will make 4 servings.
Green Chile Tomatillo Sauce 4 cups chicken broth 2 cups chopped roasted green chiles 5 tomatillos, halved 2 tsp. finely chopped onions 1 tsp. oregano (preferably Mexican) 1 clove garlic, finely chopped ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbs. of water
The Enchiladas 3 Tbs. vegetable oil 12 corn tortillas Green Chile Tomatillo Sauce 2 cups Stewed Chicken Breast 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
Start by making the green chile tomatillo sauce. Put in a large saucepan all of the sauce ingredients except for the cornstarch. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the tomatillos are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cornstarch and cook another 5–10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Puree the sauce in a blender or food processor. Check for seasoning.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
While the tomatillo sauce is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When fully hot, cook each of the tortillas in the hot oil a minute or two on each side until lightly browned. Since the tortillas will be used flat, it does not matter if they get stiff during the cooking. Drain the tortillas on paper towels.
Set out 4 small baking dishes big enough to hold the enchiladas. Spoon some of the chile sauce in each dish. In each dish put sequentially a tortilla, half of the chicken, a third of the cheese, more sauce, a second tortilla, the remaining half of the chicken, a third of the cheese, more sauce, the third tortilla, the last of the chile sauce, and the last of the cheese.
Bake for 10 minutes until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts. Serve immediately.
11. Trudi’s Truth or I Dare You Enchiladas
2 spanish onions, chopped
2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chiles
1–2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1½ cups chicken broth
salt
½–1 tsp cumin
1 cup jack cheese, shredded
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 scallions (green part), chopped
oil for frying
12 large corn tortillas
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast
1 cup heavy cream or half and half
½ pt cherry tomatoes, halved
Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until they sweat. Stir in flour and cook briefly. Add broth, chiles, garlic, salt and cumin and simmer 15 minutes.
Heat oven to 350°F. Heat oil to medium or medium-high heat and fry tortillas briefly, about 15 seconds each, just to soften. Drain on paper towels.
After cool, dip each into the sauce, then place in 9x13 baking dish. Add chicken and cheeses. Roll up, ending seam side down. Continue with remainder of tortillas and pour sauce over top. Add cream or half and half. Sprinkle remaining cheese and scallions.
Bake until bubbly, approx. 20 minutes. Garnish with tomatoes.
12. Marilee’s No Objections Here Enchiladas
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
2½ cups water
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon
8 oz sour cream
3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 cups grated cheese
1 (4 oz) can chopped chiles
1/2 tsp chili powder
10 flour tortillas
In medium saucepan, sauté onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour until brown. Add water and bouillon and cook until thick. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream. Set aside.
In large bowl, mix 1 cup sour cream sauce, chicken, 1 cup cheese, chili powder, and chiles. Fill tortillas with mixture. Top with remaining sauce and cheese.
Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
13. Victoria’s Possession is Nine-Tenths of the Sauce
Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Servings: 4–6
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Ingredients 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles or ½ cup roasted Hatch chiles
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream cheese (optional)
1 tsp cumin
Salt + pepper to taste
8 corn tortillas or flour tortillas
1 Tbsp oil
2 cups green enchilada sauce
Chopped cilantro + sliced green onions (optional garnish)
Instructions Preheat oven to 375°F.
Make the filling: In a bowl, mix chicken, 1 cup cheese, green chiles, sour cream, cream cheese (if using), cumin, salt & pepper.
Soften tortillas: Heat oil in skillet and warm tortillas for ~10 seconds each.
Assemble enchiladas: Spoon filling into tortillas, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in greased 9x13 baking dish.
Top with sauce and remaining cheese.
Bake for 25–30 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Garnish as desired.
Quick Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce (optional) 1 Tbsp oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp flour
1½ cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped roasted green chiles
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt to taste
Sauté onion and garlic, stir in flour, whisk in broth and chiles. Simmer until thickened.
14. AJ’s Lori’s “Zombies are Everywhere” Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients List:
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup roasted Hatch green chiles, chopped
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheese
8 flour tortillas
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin (to taste)
Directions:
Step One: Preheat oven to 375°F — hotter than Chad’s fake spiritual vibes.
Step Two: Mix chicken, chiles, sour cream, soup, and spices until smooth.
Step Three: Spoon mixture into tortillas and roll them up tighter than Lori’s grip on reality.
Step Four: Place seam-side down in baking dish. Pour remaining mixture over top.
Step Five: Sprinkle with cheese.
Step Six: Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Step Seven: Garnish with cilantro. Serve with beans, rice, and a healthy dose of common sense.
These enchiladas are a hit — and if not, Lori will cross-examine every guest until someone admits they’re possessed by bad taste.
15. Patty’s Tort-illa Supreme Enchiladas
Filling:
2–3 cups shredded chicken (canned or baked)
1 small onion, diced
1 can diced jalapenos
Salt & pepper to taste
1 can tomato sauce
Sauté filling and let cool — not too soupy.
Sauce:
2 cups cream + 2 chicken bouillon cubes, heated until dissolved (don’t overheat)
Assembly:
2 cups shredded jack cheese for topping
Lightly fry corn tortillas in hot oil (5 seconds per side). Let drip, dip into cream mixture, fill with chicken, roll, and place seam-side down in baking dish.
Pour remaining cream sauce over top, sprinkle cheese evenly. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, covered. For crispier, uncover and bake hotter at end.
16. Imelda’s Not-For-the-Faint-of-Heart Recipe for … um …
Note from the contest sponsors: For the sake of our guest taste tester’s health, this entry is not included in our contest. Also, it wasn’t entirely clear it was a recipe for enchiladas. However, it clearly deserves honorable mention for its creativity and unusual ingredients. Caution: Some ingredients may be difficult to source.
This is an old family recipe, originally made by my great great great (great?) uncle Willy Shakespeare. This is how he wrote it:
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the caldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.
Double, double toil and trouble;
Fire burn and caldron bubble.
Cool it with a baboon's blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.
Imelda believes Lori may have used this recipe. White rice on the side.
The names are hilarious! Well done chefs! 👨🏽🍳👩🏼🍳🧑🏾🍳
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