Enchiladas with roasted poblano and tomatillo sauce are for anyone who likes a little heat with dinner. Tender shredded chicken gets rolled in tortillas, blanketed in a smoky green sauce, and baked until the cheese bubbles.
Why these roasted poblano enchiladas hit the spot
- A smoky green sauce built from charred poblanos and tomatillos
- Cozy shredded chicken and melty cheddar inside every roll
- A bright, spicy bake that wakes up your dinner routine
- Easy enough for a weeknight, good enough for guests
The green sauce is the heart of this dish, and it tastes like real effort even though the blender does the heavy lifting. Once you have it down, you will want to put it on everything.
Char the poblanos well; those blackened spots are where the smoky flavor comes from.
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Why You’ll Love These Enchiladas
- These enchiladas with roasted poblano peppers deliver a warm, smoky heat without scorching your tongue.
- The tomatillo sauce stays bright and tangy, which keeps the rich cheese in check.
- Shredded chicken and cheddar make each bite hearty and satisfying.
Ingredient Notes
Here are the notes that matter most for these poblano enchiladas; the exact measurements in the recipe card have the rest. A couple of these ingredients carry the whole green sauce.
- Poblano peppers, broiled until charred, give the sauce its smoky backbone.
- Tomatillos add the tangy, slightly tart green flavor.
- Cooked shredded chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, fills the rolls.
- Cheddar cheese goes both inside and on top for that bubbly finish.
- Light cream and fresh cilantro round out the blended sauce.
For equipment, keep a baking sheet for broiling the peppers, a blender for the sauce, and a 9×13 baker or cookie sheet for the enchiladas.
How to Make Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano
Making enchiladas with roasted poblano starts with the peppers, then moves to a quick assembly and bake. None of the steps are hard; they just happen in a certain order.
- Heat the oven to 375 degrees and broil the poblanos for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway to char evenly.
- Steam the charred peppers in a paper bag for 10 minutes, then peel off the skins and remove the seeds.
- Roll the chicken, cheese, and red peppers in the tortillas and line them up in the baker.
- Blend the poblanos, tomatillos, cream, garlic, cilantro, and salt until smooth, then pour over the rolls.
- Top with the remaining cheese and bake about 8 to 10 minutes until hot and bubbly.
This batch makes 8 to 10 enchiladas, enough for about 4 servings. You can roast the peppers and blend the sauce up to 2 days ahead, then assemble and bake when you are ready.
Storage Options
These green chile enchiladas store and reheat beautifully, which makes them great for leftovers. Keep the sauce on them so they do not dry out.
- Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days.
- Freeze, sauced and cooled, for up to 2 months.
- Reheat in a 350 degree oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until warmed through.
Variations & Substitutions
This recipe is flexible, so adjust the filling and heat to suit your crowd. Here are a few easy swaps.
- Swap the chicken for shredded pork or black beans.
- Use corn tortillas instead of flour for a more traditional feel.
- Add a jalapeno to the blender if you want extra heat.
- Stir a little Monterey Jack into the cheddar for a meltier top.
What to Serve with Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano
Enchiladas with roasted poblano sauce pair well with cool, simple sides that balance the heat. Round out the plate with a couple of these.
- Mexican rice and a scoop of refried beans.
- Sliced avocado or a quick guacamole.
- A frosty margarita to cool the spice.
- For more crowd-pleasers, try my honey Dijon bacon-wrapped chicken thighs or these buffalo chicken meatballs with blue cheese.
Before you fire up the broiler, here are answers to the questions that come up most.
Frequently Asked Questions
How spicy are enchiladas with roasted poblano sauce?
Poblanos are mild to medium, so the heat is gentle and smoky rather than fiery. Add a hotter pepper if you want more.
Can I make the sauce ahead?
Yes, blend it up to 2 days in advance and store it covered in the fridge until you assemble.
Do I have to peel the poblanos?
Peeling removes the tough charred skin and gives the sauce a smoother texture, so it is worth the few minutes.
Can I use store-bought green sauce?
You can in a pinch, but the homemade roasted version has a fresher, smokier flavor.
Give these a try the next time you want something with a little fire. Between the smoky sauce and the gooey cheese, they have a way of disappearing fast.
Enchiladas with Roasted Poblano and Tomatillo Sauce
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Ingredients
- 8-10 small flour tortillas
- 2 cups chicken cooked and shredded (season with salt and pepper to taste)
- 2 red bell peppers roasted and sliced (optional)
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded and divided
- 8 oz poblano peppers
- 8 oz tomatillos
- ½ cup light cream
- 4 garlic cloves
- 3 Tbsp fresh cilantro
- 1½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375º.
- Spread an equal amount of chicken, cheese and red peppers in each tortilla and roll up. Place rolled up tortillas in a 9×13 baker or on a cookie sheet.
- Place poblano peppers on a baking sheet. Broil for 8-10 minutes, flipping them over halfway through cooking to evenly char. Place in a paper bag and allow to sit for ten minutes. This will cause the skin to pull away from the flesh. Peel skin off peppers and remove seeds.
- Place poblano peppers, light cream, tomatillos, garlic cloves, cilantro and salt into a blender. Process until smooth.
- Pour sauce over rolled up tortillas. Top with remaining one cup of cheese. Place in preheated 375º oven until cheese is hot and bubbly. About 8-10 minutes. Serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I think the photo is beautiful! LOTS of beautiful bites. 😀
I’m all in Melanie! This sounds like a delicious recipe and I agree with your sons that the Roasted Poblano and Tomatillo Sauce could certainly be enjoyed in multiple ways. I think your final pic is just fine and I wouldn’t have noticed anything if you had not mentioned you weren’t satisfied. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Melanie, this sounds delicious. This is the first year that I haven’t grown tomatillos for my salsa verde. You should try growing them. If you do, don’t plant more than a couple of plants; they yield a LOT of tomatillos per plant. You could just grow them in big pots if you don’t have a garden area.
I started growing tomatillos when I saw the price they charge for them in the store.
If you wish to cook with them, you can freeze them. They will not be firm like they are when fresh, but are still delicious. For salsa, with the correct recipe, they will hold their crunchiness. I grow them in Middleboro. I just didn’t have the time this year to do a big garden and the heat was too unbearable.
Thanks for this recipe; I will definitely try it. My friend has her veggie stand open again, and she sells various hot peppers. I’ll have to see if she has poblanos.
Looks delicious. I can’t see anything in the pics that would deter me from making this dish. (So enough of the self deprecation, Melanie!) I agree with the boys on the extra sauce. I’m thinking about trying it on baked salmon for a spicy change.
What a fun write up! I enjoyed reading your introduction to this recipe. I’ll bet I like the recipe, too. Thanks
Wow, did anybody actually MAKE this recipe? Well, I DID….and it was fabulous! It’s so annoying when people post, looks delicious, sounds delicious etc. it says, RATE this recipe. How can you rate something you haven’t made? Sheesh!