Green Chile Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Cheesy enchiladas filled with chicken and black beans in a green chile sauce is a hearty dinner that always gets two thumbs up from my crowd.

There are a great many enchilada recipes in my cookbooks and binders, easily dozens. I’ve lost count of how many I’ve made over the years.

These enchiladas were my family’s favorite when I first published this recipe – it was one of the first recipes I published here, over 13 years ago. And this is still a recipe that I make often. And if that isn’t reason enough for you to try it, they’re easy enough to assemble that my kids have been making them on their own for many years.

I usually assemble them early in the day and then cover the pan with foil and tuck it in the fridge. Bake for about an hour before you plan to serve dinner, removing the foil for the last 20 minutes.

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

• chicken
• black beans
• green chile enchilada sauce 
• garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin
• salt and pepper
• flour tortillas
• shredded cheese

These days, I almost always make enchiladas using rotisserie chicken. It’s an inexpensive, easy meal prep option. However, for many years, I prepared the chicken in the slow cooker and then shredded it when I was ready to assemble the enchiladas.

To cook chicken in a crockpot, place 3 pounds of boneless skinless chicken (thighs or breasts) in the crockpot. If desired, sprinkle the chicken with the seasonings of your choice. For this type of recipe, a few tablespoons of taco seasoning will work nicely.

Add a cup of chicken broth and cook on medium until it is cooked through and easily shredded. Depending on the crockpot, this will take from 3-5 hours. Once the chicken is cooked, pull it apart into bite-size pieces with a pair of tongs or a couple of forks.

Black Bean Enchiladas

Place the cooked chicken in a large mixing bowl along with the black beans, green chile sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

Taste the mixture and adjust the salt and pepper, if desired. Add more enchilada sauce if necessary to make sure everything is fairly well soaked with the green chile sauce.

Pour enough green chile sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 pan to cover it. With a tortilla in one hand and the tongs in the other, fill the tortilla with about ⅔ of a cup of the chicken and bean mixture, roll the tortilla up and place at the end of the pan.

Repeat this with the rest of the tortillas, lining them up in the pan. When the pan is full, smother the tortillas with the remaining green chile sauce and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.

Black Bean and Chicken Enchiladas

To make the enchiladas ahead of time, the prepared pan of enchiladas can now be covered tightly with foil and either refrigerated or frozen. Refrigerated enchiladas will by fine when prepared up to 24 hours before cooking. Frozen enchiladas will keep well for at least 3 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator before cooking.

Bake uncovered at 350°F until the cheese has melted, approx 24-26 minutes. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. Top each serving with sour cream, lettuce, tomato, olives, and cilantro before serving.

Enchilada Toppings

There are plenty of ways you might want to top your finished enchiladas when they’re ready to serve. These are a few of our favorite enchilada toppings:

• sour cream
• chopped lettuce or shredded cabbage
• diced tomatoes
• sliced olives
• chopped fresh cilantro

We usually serve enchiladas with tortilla chips on the side for dipping. However, they’re also great with a side of Spanish Rice or Street Corn Coleslaw.

If you’re looking for a crowd-friendly Mexican dinner, this recipe will multiply nicely. You’ll also want to try a Mexican Lasagna for another dinner you’re sure to love.

For the perfect dessert, Arroz con Leche is a Mexican rice pudding made with sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, whole milk, and plenty of cinnamon. It is a crowd-pleaser every time we make it.

{originally published 5/20/11 – recipe notes and photos updated 5/27/24}