The Best Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas

In these Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas, corn tortillas are filled with tender, shredded chicken, black beans, and fresh spinach. Then they’re smothered in both roasted tomatillo salsa and a tangy sour cream sauce. These are the best spinach enchiladas out there in my opinion! 

Click HERE to save this recipe for Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas to Pinterest!

This post was republished with new photos on April 2018.

Making this Recipe for Spinach Enchiladas

My sister-in-law, Erin, texted me a while back: “We made your enchiladas!”

I could tell by the photo she sent that she meant this recipe for Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce. I realized that I haven’t made these for dinner in a few years. Crazy!

I decided to add it to our menu for the week. When I went to the recipe, I realized that the photos on the post were over 8 years old, and in my opinion, a little cringe-worthy.

Madeline just asked me “why do you not like the old pictures.” So, I showed her them and her reply was “wow…” I guess they were pretty bad!

I thought that since I was going to make them again, I might as well take some new photos. That way I could update this very, very old green enchiladas recipe and share it again.

I’ve never made this sour cream chicken enchiladas recipe for Kevin, Kendall, or Kayden, and I can’t even remember when the last time Logan and Madeline ate it, or if they ever did.

My Favorite Enchiladas

I was pretty excited to resurrect the recipe for one of my Mexican favorites, a classic Tex-Mex recipe from my childhood. My other favorite enchilada recipe is this one for Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Chili Gravy (definitely check those out if you prefer red sauce enchiladas).

I just hoped that everyone else would like it as much as I did. Both the girls, Kendall and Madeline, LOVED the spinach and black bean enchiladas.

They both decided that these Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce  was their favorite enchilada recipe, even ahead of the recipe for Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Chili Gravy.

The boys were another story. They didn’t hate or love this recipe. They prefer the other enchilada recipe, even though they ate a decent sized serving.

For sides, I like to serve tortilla chips and guacamole (5 Minute Basic Guacamole) and shredded or chopped lettuce topped with Pico de Gallo. They’re both easy things to make and the kids all love them, so no one ever complains.

Click HERE to save this recipe for Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas to Pinterest!

Spinach Enchiladas Ingredients

This is a spinach enchilada recipe is great to use frozen spinach in if you’ve used my tutorial for How to Freeze Spinach! Just make sure you thaw the spinach completely and squeeze out any excess moisture before adding to the chicken mixture for the Spinach Enchiladas.

For these green enchiladas, you’ll need:

• Cooked and Shredded Chicken breasts
• Black Beans
• Baby Spinach
• Grated Monterey Jack Cheese
• Corn Tortillas
• Sour Cream sauce
• Green Enchilada Sauce or Tomatillo Salsa

For the Sauce Cream Sauce

• Butter
• Garlic
• All-Purpose Flour
• Chicken Broth
• Sour Cream
• Salt
• Black Pepper

For the Green Enchilada Sauce

I prefer making my own roasted tomatillo salsa to use as a homemade enchilada sauce in this spinach enchilada recipe.

But, if you’re in a rush and you don’t want to make your own enchilada sauce you can use store-bought salsa verde instead. Look for one that says Roasted Salsa Verde as opposed to just salsa verde.

• Fresh Tomatillos
• Jalapeños
• Yellow Onion
• Fresh Cilantro
• Garlic
• Salt
• Pepper

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Make Enchiladas

Before starting in on the chicken and spinach enchiladas, you’ll first need to prep the tomatillo salsa and sour cream sauce. I’ve listed a few different methods for making tomatillo sauce in the recipe card below, so choose whichever method is easiest for you.

Then, combine the chicken and black bean enchilada filling ingredients in a large bowl. Distribute the enchilada filling among the corn tortillas, placing the spinach mixture in the center of each tortilla. Then, roll them up, placing them seam side down in the baking dish.

Next, pour enchilada sauce on top of enchiladas. I like to drizzle the two sauces overlapping each other. Then bake the spinach enchiladas! After baking, garnish with a little bit fresh cilantro on top of the enchiladas.

Click HERE to save this recipe for Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas to Pinterest!

How to Freeze Enchiladas

These Spinach Enchiladas are such a good recipe to freeze! I’m glad that I was confident enough that no one would outright hate the recipe, because I made a double batch and froze some for later — that will be so great on a busy day.

If you want to freeze these green enchiladas, it is best to assemble the rolled tortillas (unbaked) in parchment paper lined square baking pans (8×8 or 9×9) without any sauce on them.

1. First, place the pan in the freezer until the enchiladas are frozen solid, an hour or two.
2. Then, lift the enchiladas out of the pan and place them in a zip top freezer bag. Next, zip the bag up, removing as much air as possible. Label, and store in the freezer.
3. The roasted tomatillo sauce freezes well in a container or in a zip top freezer bag as well. The sour cream sauce is best made right before baking.
4. Then, when ready to bake, remove the enchiladas from the bag and place them in a baking pan. Thaw, covered with foil, for 12-24 hours in the refrigerator (thaw the tomatillo sauce as well).
5. Prepare the sour cream sauce. When thawed, remove the foil and drizzle the sauces on top. After that, proceed with the rest of the baking instructions.

For even more details about how to freeze enchiladas check this post with more specific instructions. This post will walk you through how to freeze enchiladas and the best methods for reheating them. 

Can I Make Enchiladas in Advance?

Though these Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas with Tomatillo Sauce not look like the most simple enchiladas to prepare, the great thing about them is that the individual elements can all be made ahead.

A lot of the elements are easily stored in the refrigerator or freezer until enchilada assembly time. The chicken can be made ahead and combined with the beans and spinach and refrigerated for up to 2 days until use.

For the chicken, my favorite recipe to use is this Crock Pot Mexican Chicken because it has a ton of flavor — it freezes well, too.

The tomatillo salsa can be made ahead as well and stored for up to 2 days, or even frozen for up to a month. And the sour cream sauce stores well in the fridge — not the freezer. It easily reheats in the microwave and returns to proper consistency with a few whisks with a fork.

There is absolutely no excuse why you wouldn’t have time to make these Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas!

Thank you, Erin, for reminding me about one of my favorite green enchilada recipes, because we’ll all be glad that these are back in rotation!

What to Serve with these Spinach Enchiladas

This healthy chicken enchilada recipe pairs well with pretty much all of your typical Mexican side dishes Here are some of my go-to Spinach Enchilada side dishes:

• For a delicious drink, try these Pineapple Coolers (add Tequila for a mixed drink!) or a Strawberry Pineapple Smoothie (great with some rum added for a blended cocktail!)
• Try some Restaurant Style Salsa for the full Mexican Restaurant experience.
• For a healthy veggie side dish to go with your Spinach Enchiladas, try this Mexican inspired Cilantro Lime Kale Slaw or this Broccoli Slaw.
• You can never go wrong with 5 Minute Basic Guacamole when serving enchiladas!
• For rice, try this recipe for Homemade Spanish Rice as a side.
• If you want a different from traditional type of side dish, you’ll love this recipe for Roasted Poblano Cilantro Quinoa.
• For dessert after chicken enchiladas for dinner, try these No Bake Mango Lime Cheesecake with Fruit Salsa.

What Readers are Saying About these Spinach Enchiladas

This is seriously one of the most delicious recipes I’ve ever made. I have this page bookmarked because I make these enchiladas so much!  -Amanda

THE best enchilada’s…have served this dish several times and always get raves and requests for the recipe. -Tone

We had these for dinner last night and they where ridiculously good! I will definitely be putting them into our regular dinner rotation. It was the first time I cooked with tomatillos. I am a fan now. Thanks for the recipe! -Betsy

These were fabulous! I worked at Pappasito’s here in Houston, and these easily could have been on the menu -Alli

Try these Spinach Enchiladas at Home!

Next time you’re looking for a new enchilada recipe, give this Spinach Enchiladas a try! Did you love the unique twist to enchiladas? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great drink recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this delicious spinach enchilada recipe!

More Mexican Recipes:

Looking some more of my favorite favorite Mexican recipes?

Check out some of these recipes, or browse the recipe index archives for even more great recipe ideas:

Shredded Beef, Black Bean and Quinoa Stuffed Poblanos are a healthier take on Chile Rellenos.

Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Chile Gravy Enchilada Sauce is a classic Tex-Mex dish from my childhood. Corn tortillas are stuffed with shredded chicken and smothered in a rich, chili gravy sauce before baked up to perfection with a gooey cheese topping.

Try a fun summer take on tacos with this recipe for Chicken Tacos with Grilled Corn Tomato Salsa. Chicken is flavored with a tasty Chipotle Lime Marinade and then grilled. Instead of traditional salsa, fresh, sweet summer corn is grilled until charred and combined with tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, and cilantro.

Kale, purple cabbage, carrot, and red bell pepper are tossed with a jalapeño lime vinaigrette for a healthy Mexican inspired Cilantro Lime Kale Slaw.

In this Mango Salsa with Grilled Corn and Blistered Red Pepper, juicy mango pairs well with grilled corn and blistered red bell peppers for a sweet and savory summertime salsa.

What’s your favorite enchilada filling?

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This recipe  for Chicken, Black Bean, and Spinach Enchiladas with Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce was originally published January 13, 2010. It has been updated with new photos and the instructions have been improved for clarity with a few notes on some of the methods that I like to use now.