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This green chile chicken recipe is a cheesy Mexican-inspired delight! It’s easy, and the tender and perfectly seasoned chicken is blanketed in tons of green chile enchilada sauce.
You may also like my Carnitas or Chicken Enchilada Skillet next.
Why you’ll love it
I loosely modeled this green chile chicken skillet on my reader favorite Skillet Salsa Chicken, which has a red sauce. Here we’re using green enchilada sauce, and it combines so well with melty Mexican blend cheese for all-out gooey deliciousness with bold flavors!
This family-friendly, easy green chile chicken isn’t spicy as written, but a lot of punchy flavor gets built up in layers using pantry ingredients and not a lot of prep! I wanted every bite to be both really saucy and really cheesy, and I hope you enjoy that aspect too.
What you’ll need
- Chicken breasts – we’re using boneless skinless
- Seasoning – to infuse the chicken with lots of flavor, it’s seasoned with garlic powder, dried oregano, chili powder (most are a mild blend, but test yours), smoked paprika, and salt & pepper
- Butter and olive oil – for pan searing
- Chicken broth – the base of the sauce
- Green chile enchilada sauce – I use Hatch mild, which has puréed green chilies and diced ones too and some tasty spices
- Cheese – we’re using shredded Mexican blend
Helpful tips
- If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you’re going to want to transfer everything to a casserole dish for the baking step.
- Or you can skip it altogether and continue cooking it on the stovetop until the cheese melts (lid on).
- A meat thermometer is a good idea for this dish especially. It’s linked in the tools section below! Chicken is safe at 165F.
How to make green chile chicken
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Preheat the oven and cut the chicken into four cutlets. Season with the spice blend. In a skillet, heat up the butter and oil. Sear the chicken until golden. Transfer it to a plate. Pour in the chicken broth, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the enchilada sauce, and return the chicken. Let it bubble, spoon a bit of the sauce on the chicken, then top with the cheese. Transfer the skillet to the oven, and continue cooking until the chicken reaches 165F and the cheese has melted. Serve as suggested below.
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Here is my oven-safe cast iron skillet. Don’t forget your silicone oven mitts!
- I definitely recommend a meat thermometer for this one.
- Here’s a butter dish you really need in your life.
Substitutions and variations
- You can adjust the spice level depending on what brands you use and whether you use hot, mild, or medium versions of, for example, the green enchilada sauce and chili powder.
- Swap the Mexican blend cheese for mozzarella or Pepper Jack or anything easy-melting cheese if you wish!
What to serve with green chile chicken
- Optional toppings include chopped fresh scallions and/or cilantro along with a dollop of sour cream for a nice cooling effect.
- Rice (plain or Coconut Lime Rice) would be my top choice, but you can totally use tortilla chips or tortillas or even fresh crusty bread to scoop up the zesty sauce.
- Start the meal with Guac and chips or Pico de Gallo or a bowl of my fresh Avocado Corn Salad.
Leftovers and storage
- I prefer it when first made, but leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat over a low heat in a saucepan until warmed through, or just microwave it in short intervals.
- I don’t recommend freezing this one due to the cheese.
Made this cheesy green chile chicken skillet? Then please leave a star rating and review in the comments below! I’d really appreciate it. Or tag me on Instagram!
Green Chile Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 (15 ounce) can green chile enchilada sauce
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
- For serving: chopped scallions, cilantro, sour cream optional, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and move the rack to the middle position.
- Cut the chicken in half lengthwise so you have 4 thinner cutlets. Sprinkle the chicken pieces with the garlic powder, oregano, chili powder, smoked paprika, and salt & pepper.
- Add the butter and oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes/side until lightly golden. Take the chicken out of the pan and set it aside.
- Add the chicken broth to the pan and scrape up any browned bits. Stir in the green enchilada sauce.
- Add the chicken back into the pan and let the sauce start to bubble. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle the cheese over top.
- Place the skillet in the oven and let it cook for 5-7 minutes (chicken will cook through completely and the cheese will melt). Optional: broil it for a couple minutes (watch it carefully).
- Serve with fresh chopped cilantro, scallions, and a dollop of sour cream if desired. Season with extra salt & pepper as needed.
Notes
- If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, for step 5 you can either transfer the skillet contents to a baking dish or simply keep cooking the chicken in the skillet on the stove (cover it with a lid so the cheese melts).
- If your chicken breasts are smaller, no need to cut them in half lengthwise, but you will need to increase cooking time. If you’re unsure about whether chicken is cooked, always use a meat thermometer to ensure it’s 165F in the thickest part.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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