Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas are a classic Mexican recipe that I know you will love. Cheesy chicken enchiladas – baked to crispy, bubbly perfection – are a fabulous dinner with a bit of a kick!

Casserole dish of Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas with a cheese grater and avocados in the background

Cinco de Mayo is always one of my favorite holidays. Growing up Cinco De Mayo was a guaranteed good time with more drinks than one should have on a Tuesday. Keep in mind, I lived in Texas -which is like 50% Mexican & 25% cows- so it was almost impossible to avoid one of the 500 parties on that day. Even my friends who were Cuban or Puerto Rican would wear the Mexican flag’s colors and get down for Cinco De Mayo.

Then I moved to Florida…and some of the local “authentic Mexican” restaurants will have drink specials and maybe one person will be wearing one of those gaudy flashing shot glass necklaces. So instead, Jorge (the Puerto Rican) and Jessica (the white girl) pretend to be Mexican and have a big feast…and one too many Tequila drinks. :-)

I really hope you give these Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas a chance…they are seriously one of my favorites! The sauce has a divine slow heat from the serrano pepper and a creamy texture from the sour cream. I really do love that sauce, but the best part has to be the bites of warm avocado inside the enchiladas!  If you pick up a rotisserie chicken for the meat, these enchiladas come together extremely fast and will go perfectly with your celebratory margarita!

Landscape photo of white chicken enchiladas.
4.4 from 19 votes
Print Pin Recipe
Yield: 4 Servings

White Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado

This creamy white chicken enchiladas recipe with spicy salsa verde and bubbly cheese is the perfect 25-minute Mexican dinner.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes

Ingredients

Enchilada Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 Serrano pepper, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 cup salsa verde, homemade or store bought
  • ½ cup sour cream

Enchiladas

  • 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
  • 8 oz Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded & divided
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 avocados, peeled and chopped
  • 8-10 flour or corn tortillas

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray/grease a 9×13 baking dish, set aside.

Enchilada Sauce:

  • In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Saute serrano pepper and garlic, for 1 minute. Stir in flour, constantly stirring, and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Whisk in the chicken broth, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Once boiling, whisk in the sour cream, salsa verde and cilantro. Remove from heat.

Enchiladas:

  • Add 3/4 cup sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add chicken, Cabot Monterrey Jack Cheese, onion and avocado to the center of each tortilla and roll, placing seam-side down in the dish.
  • Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Top with leftover cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 1144kcal, Carbohydrates: 98g, Protein: 56g, Fat: 60g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 35g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 144mg, Sodium: 1800mg, Fiber: 16g, Sugar: 6g

Categories:

Disclosure: I received some delicious Cabot cheeses, but I was not compensated to write this post. 

Post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

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Recipe Rating




349 Responses
  1. Lauren Rachel

    One of our favorites and like many others we have been making it for several years and it is a top tier go to dish!! I don’t always need all of the chicken, but can find a use for it so, it’s fine. Going to try to make two and freeze one for later!

  2. Laura Poret

    I saved this recipe in 2012 and have made it several times since! It is well loved in our house. Every so often, we have a crowd with a spicer pallet and we just add 1 fresh jalapeño and it works perfectly.
    My husband doesn’t like cilantro and it’s still amazing leaving it out (though I prefer it included). Don’t let little dislikes discourage you from trying this one!

  3. Ranch Style Beans – Recipes For Your Granny

    […] of the meal, enjoy them with some simple Carne Asada Tacos. For saucier dishes, try them with my Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas, Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Adobo Chicken Enchiladas, and Buffalo Chicken […]

  4. Dawn

    Loved! Absolutely loved this dish. Such a nice change to the traditional red or green sauce enchiladas. We are a family of five so I doubled the recipe for school lunches tomorrow. Thank you!

  5. Emily

    This is one of my favorite recipes. I’ve literally been making it since 2012 it’s in the oven now & I had to leave a comment to say thank you! The sauce reminds of the white queso at our favorite Mexican restaurant.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      So happy to hear you enjoy it as much as we do Emily!! Wish we were neighbors and I could come steal a couple of enchiladas! ;-)

  6. Hillary Farley

    So I just thought I’d come on here and tell you I’ve been making this recipe since 2012! My husband loves it so much he has asked me to make it for the guys he works with, for parties, and every time I ask him what he wants to eat. Thanks for creating such a well loved recipe! We can’t get enough around here!

  7. Jill

    Is there a way to convert this to a slow cooker recipe? Maybe for everything except the avocado and tortillas? I’ve made this a couple of times and love it! I would make it so much more often if I could just throw everything into the slow cooker. 

    Thanks!

  8. April Driggers

    I’m SO THANKFUL for Pinterest because without it I wouldn’t have found this. I’ve added it to my weekly meal plan. :) Can’t wait!

  9. Rachel

    My husband and I just made these about an hour ago. They were absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing! Now to see if we have the willpower to save some for tomorrow…

  10. Addie

    My husband and I LOVE these – make them all the time!!! Just wondering though… do you think they could be frozen prior to baking, and saved for a later date? Or would the avocado not fair so well….

    Thanks!

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      I think it would be great in the freezer. I haven’t tried it myself, but I can’t imagine it not working. The color on the avocado might change, but it will be wrapped in tortillas so you wouldn’t see it anyways!

  11. Emily

    Authentic enchiladas are made with corn tortillas rather than flour tortillas. Personally, I’d never use flour ones to make this dish!! The recipe does look very good!

  12. lailaAlive

    I took these over to a friend’s and they were a hit. Seriously, the sauce is out of this world! I thought I needed to double the recipe and didnt realize how much it would make until the sauce was complete. But then I ended up using all the sauce. Is that weird? It was the perfect amount so…hmmm. Also, I marinated chicken with one of those packets, pan grilled them to perfection, cooled them slightly then shredded with my hands. The crispy fried edges from the chicken added a deeper flavor overall. I was worried that the onions wouldnt cook but I sliced them super thin and they were perfect. I’m making this my go-yto enchilada recipe. Thank you!!!

  13. Lynice

    I made these for my bf’s family and they were delicious, rave reviews! Now I am at home and there was no salsa verde at the store.. Any idea how they would turn out with regular salsa?

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      Glad to hear you were still able to make them, but yes it is a totally different flavor. If you can find Tomatillos, you can also make your own!

      Just FYI, I have been able to find Salsa Verde at Target and Walmart and I am pretty sure they carry the same stuff all over the US. :)

  14. Nikkie

    Made this recipe this weekend after having it on my pinterest for ages, wished I hadn’t waited so long it was amazing! I almost veered from the recipe and sauteed the onions but am so glad I didn’t. The recipe was absolutely perfect as is! BTW, I tried to repin it today and for some reason pinterest has blocked it because of spam?

  15. Katie

    I really liked these — that sauce is the bomb.com! I did end up with about twice as much filling as I needed, though, and I filled the tortillas fairly full. When I make these again, I will either make only half the filling or buy twice as many tortillas and make a pan to freeze. The only other complaint was from my husband, who would have preferred that the onions were sauteed before they were added to the filling (they were still a bit crunchy coming out of the oven).

  16. cara

    these enchiladas were amazing!!! Huge hit at my house!! I’m already looking forward to the next time i get to make them :)

  17. Jimaie

    Made these tonight and they were delicious! I think next time I may go with corn tortillas just b/c the flour tortillas got a little soggy for my liking but the sauce was DEEEELICIOUS!! Thanks for the great recipe!

  18. Dianne Agostini

    OMG!!!! These are incredible :) What a smash hit for a group of people I had over. I think someone licked the dish!! I made 3 dishes and they were gone in a blink. I did roast a chicken the day before, I just like the flavor better, but other than that followed recipe, including avocado, the rest is history. Definitely shared the your recipe with several people and told them about Pinterest! Thanks!

  19. Stephanie

    These were delish! I love spicy and I love avocados. This is the first time I’ve cooked avocados so I was nervous, but I will definitely be making them again. Thanks for posting.

  20. Kimberly

    Just tried these this evening, and they were amazing. Probably the best enchiladas I’ve had. Everyone loved them. I’m so glad I found this recipe.

  21. Diana

    I made these for dinner last night, and immediately got the “you have to make this more often” response after one bite. Thanks for our new favorite recipe!!

  22. Katie

    Made these tonight and my husband said they were the best enchiladas he had ever had!! We did sub shredded beef (what was in the freezer) but I can’t wait to make these again. Definitely a keeper in our house!!

  23. Pamela

    These are just about to go in the oven and I can already tell they will be AMAZING! Thanks for such a great recipe!

  24. lrker21

    I was a little skeptical about cooking avocados, I have never had one warm before. These were sooooo good! I will definately make them again. I may cut down the recipe a little next time though because I didn’t care for them as leftovers, something about reheated brown avocados the next day was a turn off.

  25. Sloane

    Made these for dinner. Used seasoned black beans in lieu of chicken since I’m off the meat ;) It was delicious!!! Made them with seasoned beef for my husband and he said it was one of the best dishes I ever made. Thank you for the recipe Jessica!

  26. Lisa Combs

    Do the flour tortillas get soggy? Have you ever made this with corn instead? Sounds really good–thanks for sharing.

  27. Kimm Geria

    I made these last night. I made one pan with the avacado and one without knowing how the avacado would go over. 3 out of the 4 ate the smaller pan with the avacado. These were delicious. Total Keeper in our house. Thanks for the recipe. Looking forward to try many more. I am new to your site.

  28. Gina

    I made this tonight and it was FABULOUS! Even my 7-mo old loved it (mostly the avacados)! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!

  29. Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie

    Just made these. But got to the end of the recipe and realized that I did not save any extra cheese for the topping! Unfortunately in the directions it does not mention how much to reserve for topping while stuffing it inside the tortillas. Just thought I’d let you know to fix so that others won’t be confused.

  30. Sloane

    Recipe sounds delicious! I wonder how they’d be with seasoned black beans in place of chicken? Any thoughts? Thank you for sharing this meal.

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      I think it would work! I am not positive, but I think it would be pretty delicious and a great vegetarian spin. If you try it, make sure and let me know the results! :)

  31. Colleen

    These were delicious, but we ended up with a bunch of leftover filling (maybe I wasn’t stuffing my enchiladas enough). Next time, I would only use 2 cups of chicken and 2 avocados.

  32. Kimiko

    Um…BOTH! Of course! I love cheese and any other foodie item, but come on, I can’t pass up a shot of tequila!

  33. Hezzi-D

    WHile I love tequila…I’d go with the cheese. We got to go to Cabot’s factory this summer when we went to Vermont and my husband was in heaven. We love their cheese!

  34. Margaret C.

    I have liked both Cabot and The Novice Chef Blog. I am not sure how to send you the link to my facebook post but you can see it on my page if needed. I would have the cheese AND do the shot…and repeat the cheese!

  35. Michelle Jaffee

    I would choose the Cabot cheese over tequila every day of the week! I’m already and *definitely* a fan of both of you on FB!! : )

  36. NanaBread (Jeanne)

    I will always pick cheese over tequila, and I love a good tequila. They don’t call me “The Cheasel” for nothing. I’m always snitching cheese.

  37. Kaitlin

    I’d absolutely choose the Cabot Private Stock Cheddar over tequila. If it was rum, there’d be a slightly more difficult decision :)

  38. Jenny G.

    I made this tonight (ugh, sooooo yummy)! I have a housewarming party to go to and was wondering if this could be semi-made ahead and froze for a later time? Or would it be totally gross? Any affect on cook time? Thoughts????

    1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
      Jessica

      I am so glad! We LOVED these!

      I am not sure about the freezing aspect. I wonder what it would do to texture and to the avocado?

      I have made these ahead of time, like 12 hours ahead, and popped them in the fridge until later that evening. …If you try freezing them though, you have to come back and let me know how it goes! :)

  39. Elizabeth in MN

    Easiest question I’ve ever been asked. Both. Definitely both. Nothing chases tequila shots quite like cheese!

  40. Laura C

    I just came home from Mexico and would love some smooth tequila right now, but I got Cabot Private Stock Cheddar for Christmas last year (yeah… our friends know we like cheese) and it was incredible. So… both?!

  41. Jen Fischer

    Liked both FB pages and will pin this recipe. Love it! (I’m also from Texas so I hear ya!!) I also liked the cabot page that was a link for question #1 and would definitely pick cheese over tequila (I’m breastfeeding!)

  42. Lauren

    Well, since tequila gives me the shivers and I don’t like the taste, this is a no brainer – Cabot all the way!

  43. Ellen

    Just the cheese for me… one too many tequila shots on my senior trip to Cancun…and that was 11 years ago. ;)

  44. Courtney C

    Tough choice!! Definitely the cheese over a shot but if the shot is in a margarita, I’ll take the marg! :)

  45. Andrea

    BOTH! I can’t think of anything better than tacos SMOTHERED in Cabot cheese with a ‘rita sitting next to the plate!

  46. Amanda

    If you would have said wine, I would have had to say wine AND cabot together. But I’ll just take the cabot over the tequila! CABOT is my fave! And I am a fan of both.

  47. Kerstin

    What a great giveaway (and yummy enchiladas!) – I’d pick the cheddar first any day, especially now that I’m pregnant, lol :)

  48. Meagan Freeman

    I would totally choose Cabot Cheddar! YUM! Also, I liked both you and Cabot on FB. Love the blog!! Those enchiladas look amazing!

  49. Javajess

    If only Cabot would make Tequila cheese!! But if forced to choose, I’d have to go with the Private Stock Cheddar. I like you and Cabot on Facebook too! So many likes!

  50. Marissa Kubinski

    For sure the Cabot Private Stock Cheddar! Cheese goes great with just about anything….tequila, not so much.

  51. Kita

    I have got to find a way to sneak these enchiladas in – maybe a drop or two of red food dye to get them on the table without complaint before the BF realizes the bait and switch.
    I am a sucker for cheese… I hate that I just admitted that, but I would totally take the cheese. I’d do the shot of tequila too, but the cheese would go first.

  52. Eva @ Eva Bakes

    I’d pick the Cabot. I’m not a fan of tequila (and no, it wasn’t due to a bad experience in college… ha ha!).

  53. katie

    oh man this is a tough question. I love me some tequila and I love Cabot Cheddar Cheese! Do I really have to chose just one?

  54. Tina (My Life as a Mrs)

    these enchiladas look AMAZING!!!!!!!!! Wish we could have celebrated together!!!! :) PS – I would TOTALLY choose both the cheese AND the tequila ;)

  55. Jess G

    This recipe looks amazing!! I can’t wait to try it.

    I would definitely choose the Cabot Private Stock Cheddar over tequila!!!!

  56. amy @ fearless homemaker

    mmm, it would be hard to choose between the tequila + the cheese. i’ve made some less-than-stellar decisions while tequila-ing, though, while i only seem to make excellent decisions when indulging in cheese. so the cheese gets my vote!

  57. Joanne

    I love finding new versions of enchiladas and any one with the word avocado IN THE TITLE sounds delicious to me! I’d choose the cheddar…but only because I can’t just have ONE shot of tequila. Go big or go home!

  58. Lindsay Cremona

    Cheese v. tequila. This is Sophie’s choice for a girl from Wisconsin. We love our cheese and our liquor. Gonna have to say both–some tequila and cheese sounds like a perfect evening to me!

  59. Cassie

    Without a doubt, both is a winner for me. Cabot cheddar is my favorite! And these enchiladas are beyond brilliant!

  60. Dee Ann

    If you had to choose between Cabot Private Stock Cheddar or a shot of Tequila, which would you pick? The Private Stock Cheddar sounds amazing!

  61. Rachel @ Baked by Rachel

    I’d have to pick both – cheese and booze… totally a perfect pair :) I can’t wait to get my cinco de mayo on tomorrow :)

  62. Kelly

    I would melt the cheese on some fried tortillas. Top it with Drunk Chicken and add a shot of tequila to my limeade. That’s how I roll.

  63. Hekawi

    Who needs alcohol when there’s cheese around? Give me the cheese, all of the cheese and ONLY the cheese!

    This look delicious — I’m staying in and cooking for Cinco this year!

  64. Tara @ Chip Chip Hooray

    YES I friggin’ love Cabot. I’d totally go for the cheese over the tequila. True story.

  65. Erin R.

    Oh, my gosh, I want to just start eating those enchiladas right out of the pan. Putting them on a plate would take too much time.

    As for the tequila vs. cheese? The cheese. Every time. I LOVE extra sharp cheddar.

  66. Annika

    Ask anyone and they know I would choose the cheese! I could live off cheese and crackers and there is always a block of Cabot cheese in my fridge waiting to be devoured!

  67. Eva

    Happy Cinco de Mayo to you too! We don’t actually celebrate this holiday in Canada, but it’s a fantastic excuse to have Mexican Food and Drinks! Your recipe sounds delightful and even healthy — an unexpected surprise for a Mexican dish.
    I have friends in Illinois who would gladly receive the prize should I win!!! I would take both, for crying out loud!
    Cheers!

  68. Andrea D.

    I think I’d pick the cheese because I grew up in the midwest and I do love my cheese. Thanks for the chance to enter.

  69. natalie@thesweetslife

    totally have to choose both in this case! that’s like asking if you want to keep your hands or your feet ;)

  70. Heather of Kitchen Concoctions

    As much as I love my ritas, nothin’ beats warm gooey cheese! Oh and these enchiladas sound absolutely amazing!

  71. Karen J

    I would pick both. I am a fan of both Cabot and The Novice Chef Blog. Looking forward to your Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas for Cinco de Mayo.

  72. Karen J

    Absolutely both!!! Going to make the Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas for Cinco de Mayo. I am also a fan of both Cabot & the Novice Chef Blog on facebook. I also Facebooked “Happy Cinco de Macyo from @CabotCoop & @TheNoviceChef! Enter to win a Cabot Cheese Giftbox! http://bit.ly/J1oM8j #Giveaway“. By giving you my facebook url does that take care of letting you know?

  73. Living The Sweet Life

    Mmmm…. these Spicy Avacado Chicken Enchiladas are TOTALLY calling my name … but so is your entire round up ;) lol … I better get my cinco de mayo on this year!!

  74. Leah | So, How's It Taste?

    I really feel like I could eat that entire dish of those enchiladas, looks incredible! I’m not a huge fan of shooting tequila, but if the chaser is Cabot cheese…sign me up! I’ll chose BOTH!

  75. Martina

    I would love both the private stock cheddar and the shot of tequila! Can’t have cinco de mayo without the tequila!

  76. Bee (Quarter Life Crisis Cuisine)

    These look a lot more authentic than the ones I just made ;) But anything with SPICY and AVOCADO in the title wins my vote for sure. These look beautiful and so so tasty!

  77. Wendy

    Love your post, thanks! I’ll be making this (spicy version) for dinner Sunday night! Thanks from the farm family owners of Cabot Cheese!

  78. Amy G. H.

    Mmmmm, I would take the Private Stock Cabot Cheddar and 2 shots of tequila! That;’s right, I got greedy!

  79. Ann

    What a fun giveaway! If the tequila came with a bunch of crushed ice, lime and some salt on the rim…the answer is BOTH!

  80. Averie @ Averie Cooks

    I would take a small nibble of cheese (the salt), slam the shot, and then chomp down the rest of the cheese (i.e. the “lime”)

  81. Maggie @ A Bitchin' Kitchen

    These look amazing!! I love love love avocado!

    I would choose cheese over tequila…I can’t do shots these days…I’m getting old :)

  82. Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious

    You always make such awesome enchiladas. I tried that buffalo chicken enchilada dish of yours and it was fabulous so I have no doubt that this would be just as amazing!

    Now for the giveaway question. I’ll have to choose both Cabot Private Stock Cheddar and the shot of tequila! :)

Welcome!

Jessica
I'm a trial & error, self taught, sugar addict who thankfully learned how to survive in the kitchen! I am also a wife, mama of 3.