Creamy Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas

• Filling
• 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  Swaps for cream cheese

  Instead of cream cheese

  • Neufchâtel: The same amount. Lower in fat and a little softer.
  • Mascarpone: The same amount. Richer, milder and softer, with less tang.
  • Ricotta or cottage cheese, blended: The same amount, blended smooth. Lighter and a little grainy; not firm enough for cheesecake or frosting.

  All 4 swaps for cream cheese

• 1 cup monterey jack, shredded ≈ 113 g
• 1 tsp ground cumin
  Swaps for ground cumin

  Instead of cumin

  • Ground coriander: The same amount. Brighter and citrusy, less earthy.
  • Chili powder: Twice as much. Contains cumin, plus chile heat and garlic.
  • Caraway seeds, ground: Half as much. A related flavor, a bit sharper.

  More for cumin

• ½ tsp garlic powder
  Swaps for garlic powder

  Instead of garlic

  • Fresh garlic: 1 clove for each ⅛ tsp powder, minced fine. Sharper and stronger.
  • Granulated garlic: About twice as much as the powder. The same flavor in coarser grains, which blend better into rubs.

  More for garlic

• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  Swaps for fresh cilantro

  Instead of cilantro

  • Dried cilantro: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp chopped fresh (a third as much). Dried cilantro has almost no flavor; skip it as a garnish and add more of the other seasonings.
  • Flat-leaf parsley + lime zest: The same amount of parsley, plus a little lime zest. Fresh and green, without the soapy taste some people get from cilantro.
  • Thai basil or mint: Half as much. Sweeter and more perfumed.

  More for cilantro

• Sauce
• 2 cups salsa verde, a 16-oz jar
• ½ cup sour cream ≈ 115 g
  Swaps for sour cream

  Instead of sour cream

  • Plain Greek yogurt: The same amount (full-fat for baking). Tangier and a little less rich.
  • Crème fraîche: The same amount. Richer and milder, and it doesn't curdle in hot sauces.
  • Cottage cheese, blended: The same amount, blended smooth with a squeeze of lemon. Milder and less rich, with more protein.

  All 4 swaps for sour cream

• ¼ cup chicken broth
  Swaps for chicken broth

  Instead of broth

  • Vegetable broth: The same amount. Lighter and slightly sweeter.
  • Bouillon cube, powder or paste + water: Follow the label for the amount of liquid. Close in flavor; a little saltier.
  • Water + extra seasoning: The same amount, with ½ tsp salt per cup and extra garlic, onion or herbs. Flatter and lighter, but fine where other ingredients bring plenty of flavor.

  More for broth

• Assembly
• 10 flour tortillas, 8-inch
• 1 ½ cups monterey jack, shredded, for the top ≈ 170 g
• green onions, sliced, for serving (optional)
  Swaps for green onions

  Instead of green onions

  • Chives: The same amount, for the green tops. Milder and more delicate, without crunch.
  • Shallot or red onion: Half as much, chopped fine, for the white parts. Stronger; best cooked or soaked in cold water first.
  • Leeks: The same amount, sliced thin. Milder and better cooked than raw.

  More for green onions

• avocados, sliced, for serving (optional)

Different pan? Written for 9x13-inch rectangle; rescale the amounts for an 8x8, 9x13, round, loaf or sheet pan.

Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.