Gluten Free Chicken Enchiladas Verde

Gluten Free Chicken Enchiladas Verde Recipe

Many of us are looking for recipes that are not just gluten free but grain free too. If you are one of those people and are, like me, addicted to Mexican food, and thought that enchiladas were off the menu, think again!

The first step to these verde (means “green” in Spanish) enchiladas is the sauce. It is so simple to make, you may never buy prepared salsa verde again! Simply roast up some tomatillos (a relative of the gooseberry that looks like a green tomato), peppers, onions and garlic, then toss it all into the blender with a handful of cilantro leaves and voila! Fresh, vibrant, homemade salsa verde.

To save time in making this recipe, I employed one of my favorite cooking “cheats,” a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. It costs about the same in most cases to buy a rotisserie chicken as it does to buy a raw chicken and roast it and it saves so much time! I shredded up the chicken, tossed it with some of my salsa verde and some Queso Fresco  – a white, Mexican crumbling cheese readily available in most supermarkets. If you can’t get Queso Fresco, Monterey Jack is fine too. If you are dairy-free, just substitute your favorite dairy free cheese or leave it out altogether.

But the real genius of these enchiladas is the “corn tortillas” made without a speck of corn meal or other grains. How is that possible? With the help of the incredibly versatile egg!

The tortillas for this recipe are made basically the same way I make one of my gluten free kitchen staples, egg crepes. The difference is the addition of pureed corn and a hint of ground cumin. Using organic, cage free eggs with their richer yolks (I use Nature’s Yoke) will even give your tortillas a nice yellow hue.

No-way-Jose does being gluten free and grain free mean giving up enchiladas!

Gluten Free Grain Free Chicken Enchiladas Verde

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Gluten Free Chicken Enchiladas Verde
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Gluten Free Chicken Enchiladas Verde Recipe

Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Total Time55 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 579kcal
Author: Gluten Free & More

Ingredients

  • pounds tomatillos
  • 1 large white or yellow onion
  • 2 large poblano chilies
  • 1 jalapeno pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Kosher salt & Pepper
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 12 ounce Queso Fresco or Monterey Jack Cheese or dairy free
  • 4 cups cooked chicken shredded
  • 2 ears corn shucked or 1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
  • 4 large organic cage free eggs
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • Gluten free non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Remove the papery husks from the tomatillos and cut into quarters. Cut the onion into wedges. Cut the poblano and jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and veins. Peel the garlic cloves but leave whole. Place the vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables well and bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and starting to brown. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
  • Place the vegetables into a blender along with any juices that have accumulated in the pan. Add the cilantro and blend until smooth.
  • Crumble or shred the cheese, reserving about ½ cup for garnishing the top, and toss with the cooked chicken and cups of the salsa verde.
  • Cut the kernels from the corn cobs and puree in a blender until smooth. Add the eggs, 2 tablespoons water, ground cumin and ½ teaspoon salt, and blend. Pour the egg mixture into a bowl and stir until the foam dissipates.
  • Heat a small (6 inch) non-stick skillet or crepe pan over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles immediately. Spray the pan with some cooking spray and ladle in 2 tablespoons of the egg batter, immediately tilting and rotating the pan so that the batter covers the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 minute or until the mixture is set and the bottom is golden brown. Gently flip the tortilla over and cook for 1 more minute. Continue with the rest of the batter; you should have 12 tortillas.
  • Place some of the chicken mixture on a tortilla and roll. Place the enchiladas in a 9 inch by 12 inch baking dish, seam side down, and heat in the oven for 15 minutes or until warmed through. Heat the remaining salsa verde in a small sauce pan. To serve, place some warmed sauce over the enchiladas and top with the reserved cheese.

Notes

*if you don’t eat corn, leave it out and add 2 more tablespoons of water to the egg mixture and proceed from there.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Gluten Free Chicken Enchiladas Verde Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 579 Calories from Fat 342
% Daily Value*
Fat 38g58%
Saturated Fat 16g80%
Cholesterol 230mg77%
Sodium 471mg20%
Potassium 701mg20%
Carbohydrates 16g5%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 42g84%
Vitamin A 905IU18%
Vitamin C 21.7mg26%
Calcium 465mg47%
Iron 3.1mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely the blog owner’s. This blog accepts free manufacturers’ samples and forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation. Affiliate links may be included in this post.

Disclaimer: All nutrition facts on Gluten Free & More are meant only as a guide and may differ depending on product brands used or ingredient substitutions. Some errors may occur, so you are encouraged to confirm the recipe’s ingredient and nutrition suitability for your own diet.
Have you tried this recipe? Give it a star rating and let us know your thoughts in the Ratings & Reviews section below.
Tags: Chicken Dinner Enchiladas Gluten-Free Gluten-Free Recipes Mexican Nature's Yoke Recipe Salsa
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  1. Oh, how I wish you were my neighbor. Or, better yet, my private chef. I’m a huge enchilada fan and I’ve just not been able to recreate a GF version of the awesome enchiladas I used to eat while living in Taos, New Mexico. These look to be the answer to my gluten-free prayers. Can’t wait to give them a try. Do they go with red wine? I’m thinking red wine and green enchiladas. =) Perfect, don’t you think?
    Melissa

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 9, 2012

      I can not think of anything more perfect!!! I wish we were neighbors too!
      xo, c

  2. July 9, 2012

    These look awesome, Carol! I don’t know that they’d be considered grain free with the inclusion of corn in any form though. I agree with Melissa on wishing I lived next door! I’d take your leftovers or be your guinea pig any time. ;-)

    xo,
    Shirley

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 9, 2012

      Technically fresh corn is a vegetable and dried corn a grain. In any case, if someone can’t tolerate the corn, they can just leave it out and add a bit more water, still works great as a tortilla sub.

      1. July 9, 2012

        Carol, that’s terrific that this recipe will still work without the corn. :-)

        Shirley

        1. Gluten Free & More
          July 9, 2012

          Thanks for pointing it out to me – I had meant to put that in the recipe originally and forgot!
          xo,
          c

  3. Laurie
    July 9, 2012

    I agree with Shirley on corn being a grain in any form, not to mention that many people who are intolerant or allergic to wheat gluten also cannot eat anything corn, like myself. Unfortunately that means this recipe won’t work for me. :-(

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 9, 2012

      Laurie, if you can’t tolerate the corn, just leave it out and add a bit more water – still tastes great and works really well for a tortilla substitute!

  4. Pingback: Gluten Free Grain Free Chicken Enchiladas Verde | Gluten Free … – Fine Food Recipes

  5. Laureen
    July 9, 2012

    What a great sounding recipe – love those tortillas! And the salsa verde :)

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 9, 2012

      Thank you Laureen!

  6. July 10, 2012

    Love your tortillas – what a great idea, and a healthy one too! Your salsa verde sounds wonderful too!

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 11, 2012

      Thank you so muc!

  7. July 10, 2012

    Wow Carol, the roasted tomatillo sauce in this recipe is over the top and sounds amazing!

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 11, 2012

      Thanks Alisa – I love it!

  8. July 10, 2012

    You are cute Carol! I can’t wait to try your salsa verde recipe. I’m all for easy enchiladas!

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 11, 2012

      Thanks Maggie! Enjoy.

  9. Rach
    July 10, 2012

    Careful the pre-cooked chicken from the store is NOT always gluten free. Actually, every time I have looked at them the contain wheat ingredients. Why they find that necessary, I do not know. lol.

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 11, 2012

      Thanks for pointing that out. My store carries only gluten free potiserrie chickens so I have gotten used to that but yes, you should always check. And I am with you – why oh why do they have to take something naturally gluten free and add gluten? Grrr. Makes me crazy!!!

      1. October 13, 2012

        Sometimes I feel like someone walks around with a bag of flour, throwing some into things randomly just so it will NOT be gluten-free. I understand gluten in some things, but I honestly do not understand what purpose the “wheat starch” serves in other things. (Like chocolate. Why on earth would you need to add flour to chocolate?)

        This looks fantastic!

        1. Gluten Free & More
          October 14, 2012

          You are preaching to the choir sister! My biggest beef is when things that are naturally gluten free get glutenized. Anyway, thank you!

  10. July 11, 2012

    Hi Carol,

    I’m with you – I could eat Mexican every night. No problem. I LOVE your egg crepe recipe. How clever and they make excellent tortillas!

    Beautiful recipe. And congratulations on your new book. :-)

    Be Well,
    –Amber

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 12, 2012

      Thank you so much Amber. I too, could eat Mexican EVERY night!

  11. Oh my. This sounds amazing! My dear husband would think I hung the moon if I made these for him. He loves chicken enchiladas Verde!! And I love the idea of the wraps/tortillas here!! Brilliant!! :D

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 12, 2012

      Aww, thanks Kim! Your hubby and I seem to have very similar tastes!

  12. I’m dancing with excitement! I LOVE enchiladas and will be making a vegetarian version of these!! Love the egg crepes and can’t wait to try them! xoxo

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 12, 2012

      Now that I would love to see! Thanks Heather, enjoy!

  13. July 12, 2012

    This is so great! I can’t wait to try out some of your recipes and share them with others who are cutting out gluten!

    1. Gluten Free & More
      July 12, 2012

      Thank you Ashley, enjoy!

  14. Pingback: Gluten Free Grain Free Chicken Enchiladas Verde Recipe | pinpal.info

  15. Jennifer
    August 4, 2012

    Loved these! I used goat cheese and left out the corn, and they were delicious. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Gluten Free & More
      August 5, 2012

      You are welcome – goat cheese sounds amazing in this! Thank YOU for the suggestion!

  16. Kristina T
    January 30, 2013

    The egg crepes for tortillas are a great idea- do they get soggy?

    1. Gluten Free & More
      February 1, 2013

      No, they don’t get soggy. Enjoy!

  17. Pingback: Gluten-free Egg Crepes | Gluten Free Recipes | Gluten Free Diet | Blog

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