Instant Pot Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

It’s no secret I will find just about any excuse to use my Instant Pot. It’s also a known fact that my mom’s Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas are my all-time favorite dinner. So I deiced it was time to try and use my Instant Pot to make my favorite meal even easier.

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These enchiladas are not completely made in the Instant Pot like my other version of the Crock-Pot Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole but cooking the enchilada filling ingredients in the Instant Pot makes the chicken very moist, even after baking them in the oven. I won’t ever go back to preparing the enchilada filling on the stovetop.

Instant Pot or Stovetop 

Regardless of how you prepare the filling for the Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas, they are a labor of love. However, using the Instant Pot frees up space on your stovetop and you can move on to warming up your corn tortillas while the chicken is cooking.

How to make Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Instant Pot Instructions:

Start by turning your Instant Pot sauté function on. When the display reads HOT add in 1 Tbs. of extra virgin olive oil, diced onion, green chilies, and garlic. Sauté until the onion is translucent.  Add water, and 1 cup of green chili enchilada sauce. Layer your chicken breasts so most of them are submerged in the liquid. Sprinkle with black pepper and salt. Hit cancel/keep warm and lock the lid in place with the vent knob to the sealing. Using the manual/pressure cook setting set the cooking time for 10 minutes for thawed chicken and 15 minutes for frozen chicken breasts.

Once the cooking time is complete and your Instant Pot beeps let the pressure natural release (NPR) for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn the vent knob to allow the remaining steam to vent. This still may take a few minutes. Once the lid can be safely removed shred up the chicken with two forks.

If there is excess liquid in the pot (the amount will vary depending on the chicken being thawed or frozen). Turn the sauté function back on and simmer until the chicken mixture is thick and most of the water has evaporated. This may take up to 10 minutes. Stir every so often while it’s reducing.

Stovetop Instructions:

In a large skillet heat 1-2 Tbsp. of EVOO on medium-high heat.  When the skillet is hot add diced onion, green chilies, and garlic and sauté until the onion is translucent.  Add to the skillet diced chicken breasts season with salt and pepper. Cook chicken fully and ¾ cup of the green chili enchilada sauce. Warm chicken mixture through before spooning into warmed corn tortilla shells. Pour  Wrap corn shells and place seam side down in the pan. Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas and top with cheese.

Prepare Corn Tortillas

Traditional method:

To keep the corn tortillas from breaking when you roll up the enchiladas you’ll need to prepare them while the chicken is cooking. I recommend working in batches of 2 or 3 tortillas at a time. Using a nonstick skillet heat 1 teaspoon of EVOO at a time and warm both sides of the corn tortilla until soft. Place warmed tortillas on a paper towel-lined plate. You will need 18-20 prepared tortillas depending on the size of the baking pan you are using.

Quick and easy method:

Spray a large cookie sheet with EVOO, and lay one layer of corn tortilla shells on the cookie sheet. Lightly spray them and then move them into a row overlapping. Repeat until you have 18-20 prepared tortilla shells. Place the cookie sheet in the oven for 3-4 minutes or until tortillas bend without breaking.

Assemble Enchiladas

Once your tortillas are prepared set them aside and coat the bottom of your pan with green enchilada sauce, about ⅓ cup. Begin spooning the chicken filling mixture on the corn tortillas and rolling uptight. Place them seam side down in the prepared pan and continue until your pan is full. Pour the remaining Green Chile enchilada sauce evenly over the top. Top with 3 cups of Colby jack cheese.

Bake Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes. Let them cool 10 minutes before serving. Top with fresh cilantro, avocado, tomatoes, sour cream, and homemade salsa.

Serve with Instant Pot Spanish Rice, or Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice and black beans.

How To Freeze Enchiladas

Refrigerate leftovers for 2-3 days in a covered dish. If you have enchiladas you’d like to freeze for later, cut cold enchiladas into portions. Two to three enchiladas make a good size freezer meal. Place the blocks of enchiladas in a labeled and dated gallon size freezer bag and store them for up to 3 months.

To reheat place frozen enchiladas in a glass baking dish and bake in the oven covered with foil at 350° for 25-30 minutes or internal temperature reaches 150°