Our homemade Smoked Green Chicken Enchiladas are one of my favorite weekend dinners. The verde enchilada sauce is made from scratch, the chicken thighs stay juicy even after reheating, and everything finishes on the pellet grill for a subtle smoky depth. This version makes a generous pan, perfect for feeding a family or bringing to a gathering.
Smoked Green Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Enchiladas are an excellent choice when you want bold Mexican flavors. For this recipe, fresh produce, a hot pellet grill, and a blender make all the difference. The verde sauce, made from roasted tomatillos and peppers, doubles as a dipping sauce or a base for other dishes like chilaquiles or taquitos. Using chicken thighs ensures tender, moist meat that stands up well to smoking and reheating.
Explore more Traeger-style recipes and grilling ideas in my recipe collection.
Recipe Shopping List
Here’s what you’ll need. Quantities and details are in the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs
- Verde rub or a blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder
- Yellow onion
- Garlic
- Poblano peppers
- Anaheim peppers
- Jalapeño peppers
- Tomatillos
- Limes
- Cilantro
- Salt
- Corn tortillas
- Cheddar cheese (or a blend you prefer)
How To Make This Recipe (Overview)
This overview shows the general flow. Follow the detailed recipe card below while cooking.
- Roast the vegetables: Preheat your pellet grill to high heat (around 400°F) and roast the onions, garlic, tomatillos, and peppers until they are nicely charred.
- Blend the verde sauce: Peel and seed peppers if desired, then blend roasted vegetables with cilantro, lime juice, and salt to taste.
- Smoke the chicken: Reduce the grill temperature to 250°F, season the thighs with verde rub, and smoke until they pick up a smoky flavor, about 30–45 minutes before finishing in sauce.
- Simmer in sauce: Place chicken in a baking dish with half of the verde sauce and increase the heat to about 350°F. Simmer until very tender, about an hour.
- Assemble and bake: Shred the chicken, dip warmed tortillas in sauce, fill and roll, place seam-side down in a baking dish, top with cheese, and bake until bubbly and golden.
- Serve: Garnish with sliced avocado, sour cream, cilantro, chopped lettuce, or fresh salsa—whatever you enjoy.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. The chicken can be prepared up to two days ahead and refrigerated. Chicken thighs hold moisture well, so the meat stays tender when reheated.
Microwaving leftovers is quick and convenient, making these enchiladas excellent for lunch. Reheat covered in the oven at 350°F for 15–20 minutes for a crispier top and warmed-through center.
More Mexican-Style Recipes
- Blackstone Mexican-Style Street Corn — A crowd-pleasing side that pairs beautifully with enchiladas.
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail — A zesty, party-friendly starter with bold flavors.
- Grilled Mexican Street Corn — Classic flavors topped with cotija-style cheese, crema, and spices.
- Pressure Cooker Mexican Rice — Simple, hands-off side dish ready from the Instant Pot.
- Smoked Pulled Pork Enchiladas — A great way to use leftovers, wrapped and smothered in sauce.
- Tequila Lime Shredded Beef Puffy Tacos — An indulgent, time-intensive recipe worth the effort.
- Beef and Bean Burrito Skillet — A fast weeknight option that satisfies a crowd.
- Smoked Pulled Pork Tacos — Crunchy shells, tender smoked pork, and all the toppings.
- Smoked Chicken Tortilla Soup — Versatile and comforting any time of year.
- Smoked Shredded Beef Enchiladas — Rich, tender beef that elevates classic enchiladas.
Smoked Chicken Chile Verde Enchiladas
Tender, smoky chicken thighs finish simmering in a fresh verde sauce, then get rolled into saucy enchiladas and baked until bubbly. The homemade verde is bright, tangy, and great as a dip or sauce for other dishes.
15 minutes
2 hours
2 hours 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons Verde rub (or salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste)
Verde Salsa
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, quartered
- 3 poblano peppers, whole
- 3 Anaheim peppers, whole
- 4 jalapeño peppers, whole
- 12 tomatillos (remove papery husks, leave whole)
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 handful cilantro
- 2 teaspoons salt, divided
Enchiladas
- 12 large corn tortillas
- 6 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or your preferred melting cheese)
Instructions
- Preheat your pellet grill to 400°F. Place diced onion and quartered garlic on a small grill-safe baking sheet or a double layer of foil and set on the grill. Roast the peppers and tomatillos directly on the grates.
- Roast vegetables until charred: onions and garlic about 10–15 minutes, tomatillos until they show grill marks, and peppers until their skins are blistered. Remove peppers and place them in a covered tray or bowl to steam and loosen the skins.
- Lower grill temperature to 250°F for smoking the chicken.
- Season the chicken thighs with the verde rub. If you don’t have a commercial rub, use a generous mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Place the thighs on the smoker and let them smoke for 30–45 minutes to develop flavor.
- While the chicken smokes, peel the blistered pepper skins and remove stems. Keep seeds if you want more heat; remove them for milder sauce.
- Transfer the peeled peppers, roasted tomatillos, roasted onion, and garlic to a blender. Add cilantro and lime juice, pulse to combine, then add about half the salt, taste, and adjust with more salt if needed.
- Pour roughly half the verde sauce into a grill-safe baking dish sized to hold the chicken. Move the smoked chicken into the sauce and add more sauce as needed so the thighs simmer in it.
- Raise the grill to 350°F and let the chicken simmer in the sauce until it becomes very tender and pulls away from the bone, about 1 hour.
- Remove chicken from the sauce, discard skin and bones, and shred the meat. Pour a little verde sauce into a baking dish for the enchiladas.
- Warm the tortillas briefly to make them pliable. Dip each tortilla in the verde sauce, fill with shredded chicken, roll up, and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat until full, cover with shredded cheese.
- Bake on the grill or in a 350°F oven for 20–30 minutes, until cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Serve with garnishes such as avocado, sour cream, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, or hot sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving (estimate):
Calories: 893
Total Fat: 58g
Saturated Fat: 27g
Trans Fat: 1g
Unsaturated Fat: 26g
Cholesterol: 278mg
Sodium: 1695mg
Carbohydrates: 37g
Fiber: 7g
Sugar: 7g
Protein: 61g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate.