The Best Chicken Enchiladas are easy to make and customize with your favorite fillings! Topped with enchilada sauce and ready in 30 minutes!
Chicken Enchiladas are always a favorite dinner choice because they’re delicious and quick to make. I enjoy serving chips with salsa and guacamole.
I’ve always been a huge fan of delicious, simple suppers. I think most of us appreciate those, especially on busy nights. These enchiladas are most definitely one of those dishes! I’ll even go so far as to say these are the BEST Chicken Enchiladas I’ve ever tasted!
Chicken Enchiladas
Not only are these the best chicken enchiladas, but because they are so quick and simple to make, I find myself making them often. Simply put, tortillas are stuffed with shredded chicken, cheese, and your favorite fillings and then topped with a delicious homemade red enchilada sauce and cheese and baked for 20 minutes. These classic chicken enchiladas make a great quick and easy weeknight dinner, yet are still a favorite choice for weekends as well.
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas
To make this recipe, there are just a few things you’ll need:
Ingredients
- tortillas – You can use your favorite corn or flour tortilla for this recipe. If you are using corn tortillas, I’ve found that warming them in the microwave on a damp paper towel for a few moments makes them more easily pliable to prevent any tearing as they are filled and rolled. If you are using flour tortillas, they are generally pliable enough to use without warming them.
- cheese – the recipe includes cheese in the filling of the enchilada as well as more on top for baking. I typically like to shred my own cheese straight from the block to use in recipes, but you can also use pre-shredded store-bought cheese if you prefer. For the cheese, I like to use Monterey Jack cheese. If I use store-bought shredded cheese, I also like to use a Mexican cheese blend.
- enchilada Sauce – I use my easy homemade enchilada sauce for this recipe. It is so quick and easy to make in your blender. If you prefer, you can also use your favorite store-bought.
- chicken – For this recipe, you’ll use 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken. It is a great way to use leftover chicken, like baked chicken. You can also use my easy shredded chicken recipe (which is great for meal prep!). You can also use a store-bought rotisserie chicken and shred it.
Optional Fillings and Toppings
- onion – a bit of diced onion adds additional flavor and texture to these enchiladas.
- green chilis – the flavor of the green chilis reminds me so much of some delicious enchiladas at my favorite Mexican restaurant. A small can of drained green chilis is all you need.
- black beans – we love to add a can of drained and rinsed black beans to this recipe from time to time. It stretches the recipe and allows you to reduce the amount of chicken needed for the recipe by half if you wish.
- toppings – sour cream, diced green onions, shredded lettuce, and chopped tomatoes all make delicious options.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep the dish and tortillas. After prepping the dish with nonstick cooking spray, spread enchilada sauce in the bottom of the baking dish as directed. If using corn tortillas, you may want to warm them as described in the recipe. No need to do this for flour tortillas.
- Assemble chicken enchiladas. In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, enchilada sauce, and any additional fillings desired. Spoon the chicken mixture into the center of the tortilla and top with shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla and place seam-side down into the prepared baking dish, and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Bake the enchiladas. Pour enchilada sauce over the assembled enchiladas and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbly.
- Top and serve. Top with your favorite toppings and serve.
Cooking Tip – You’ll also notice in the recipe video that I love to sometimes toss the ingredient fillings (chicken, enchilada sauce, onions, green chilis) into a slow cooker and let it cook in the slow cooker for 6 hours on low if I do not have shredded chicken ready to go. Once cooked, I then shred my chicken in the slow cooker and fill my tortillas, top with cheese, and proceed with the recipe. The chicken, when cooked all day with the enchilada sauce, onions, and chilis, has an incredible flavor that I highly recommend you try!
What to Serve with Chicken Enchiladas
Here are a few of our favorite dishes to serve alongside this recipe.
Chips and Queso, as well as salsa and guacamole, are always favorites.
Storage and Freezer Instructions
To store. Allow the enchiladas to cool. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze. Allow enchiladas to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container. If the baking dish used is freezer-safe, use an airtight lid if the dish has one, or wrap it well with a freezer-safe wrap to make the dish as airtight as possible. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To serve. Place the enchiladas in the refrigerator and allow them to thaw overnight. Reheat in the oven at 350º F until warmed throughout, and the cheese is bubbly (about 20 minutes).
More Delicious Enchilada Recipes
If you love enchiladas as my family does, then you may want to give some of my other recipes a try:
Here’s my Chicken Enchilada Recipe. I think you are going to LOVE them!
Chicken Enchilada Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce
- 8 (10-inch) tortillas
- 2 1/2 cups grated monterey jack cheese, or Mexican-blend cheese
Optional Fillings and Toppings
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 (4-ounce) green chiles, drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 green onions, chopped
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350º F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. If using corn tortillas, warm tortillas in the microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel or tea towel until soft and easily pliable, about 30 seconds. If using flour tortillas, there is generally no need to warm them.
- Assemble chicken enchiladas. In a large bowl, stir together the cooked shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce, and preferred fillings. Spoon chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla. Top with about 1/4 cup grated cheese and fold two ends of tortilla over the filled center. Place the tortilla seam side down into the baking dish. Repeat until all tortillas have been filled.
- Bake enchiladas. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the assembled tortillas. Top with grated cheese. Place in oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until cheese has melted thoroughly and has become bubbly.
- Garnish and serve. Garnish with your favorite toppings and serve warm.
Notes
Storage and Freezer Instructions
To store. Allow the enchiladas to cool. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To freeze. Allow enchiladas to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container. If the baking dish used is freezer-safe, use an airtight lid if the dish has one, or wrap it well with a freezer-safe wrap to make the dish as airtight as possible. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To serve. Place the enchiladas in the refrigerator and allow them to thaw overnight. Reheat in the oven at 350º F until warmed throughout, and the cheese is bubbly (about 20 minutes).Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.
I’ve heard thighs are better than breat. Do you have a preference? And why
You can use chicken thighs if you prefer, Janet. I usually make these with chicken breasts but thighs should work fine.
Hit with the family. Split in 2 servings of Chicken and tofu (vegan cheese) for me. Will make again 😊
Have made this enchilada recipe many times and it’s always a winner. Use your enchilada sauce recipe, suits my taste. Rotisserie chicken from Sam’s works well here and I always have some. Never freeze any enchiladas–none make it that far! Panicked recently when I lost written copy and forgot the source.
Thanks, Bobby Ray. I’m glad you remembered where you found the recipe and that you like both the enchiladas and the enchilada sauce I make.