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    Home » Recipes » Chicken Recipes

    Easy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

    Published: Apr 22, 2018 · Modified: May 29, 2024 by Sherri · This post may contain affiliate links · 16 Comments

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    These easy Chicken Enchiladas are packed with tender shredded chicken mixed in a creamy cheesy sauce and topped with simple enchilada sauce . 

    Looking for other Mexican inspired recipes? Be sure to try this easy mexican chicken casserole and this crockpot mexican casserole too!

    A close up of two Chicken Enchiladas on a white plate

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    Easy Chicken Enchilada Recipe

    Family favorite alert!! I have been making these creamy chicken enchiladas for years and years and they never get old. I originally got the recipe from an old cookbook I had and have changed it around a little bit.

    They can also use corn tortillas, which I think is the original “true” enchiladas way of doing things. But flour tortillas are the preference here.

    closeup of Chicken Enchilada cut in half

    How to Cook Shredded Chicken for Enchiladas

    I love to use my stash of freezer crock pot cooked chicken for this recipe. But if I have no more in the freezer, I will just boil 3 breasts of boneless chicken in a pot of water for about 15 minutes (or until no longer pink). You can also bake them in the oven covered for 30-40 minutes (or until no longer pink). Or even use a store-bought rotisserie chicken if you aren’t feeling up to cook chicken. 

    Then my quick shredded secret. I cut the breasts in half and shred the chicken in my food processor for a few seconds. Super easy to make!

    What to Serve with Chicken Enchiladas

    I love to top mine with this homemade guacamole salsa verde with a side of refried beans with shredded cheese. But you can top with so much more after they are cooked too.  Pico de gallo, sour cream, olives, lettuce, tomatoes and, of course, more cheese.

    Serve your chicken enchiladas along with this delicious Cilantro Lime Brown Rice, Southwest Quinoa Salad or this Mexican salad. Oh, and if you need an appetizer as well, these Deviled Avocado Eggs and this Cowboy Caviar is ah-amazing!!

     Chicken Enchilada Ingredients

    Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this great recipe. Scroll all the way down for the full recipe card with amounts.

    A close up of a bowl of shredded chicken, two cans of Enchilada sauce and a package of shredded cheese
    • Flour tortillas (6 8-inch or 10 6-7-inch)
    • Chicken breasts – cooked and shredded. Use up any leftover chicken you may have.
    • Enchilada sauce – Use mild or hot enchilada sauce. I like red sauce but you can use green enchilada sauce too.
    • Sour cream – Use full fat or light sour cream.
    • Monterey Jack cheese – Shredded. A Mexican cheese blend is also great.
    • Green chiles – drained (optional)
    • Green onions -sliced (optional)
    • Salt and pepper – to taste

    Variations 

    1. Swap chicken with shredded beef or pork for a different protein.
    2. Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas for a gluten-free option.
    3. Add pinto beans, black beans or corn to the chicken mixture for extra texture.
    4. Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream.
    5. Use another kind of cheese. Pepper Jack cheese, Colby Jack or sharp cheddar cheese are all great.

    How to Make This Enchilada Recipe

    Step 1: Preheat oven to 350° F.

    Step 2: Pour one can of enchilada sauce into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.

    Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, sour cream, and 1 cup of shredded cheese. (Also add green chiles and onions, if using)

    spreading chicken enchiladas mixture onto flour tortillas

    Step 4: Spoon about ⅓ – ½ cup of the chicken filling down the center of each of the tortillas.

    uncooked chicken enchiladas lined up in a casserole dish

    Step 5: Roll up the tortillas and place them in the baking dish, seam side down, as you roll them.

    Step 6: Finally, pour the remaining enchilada sauce even over the top of the enchiladas.

    Step 7: Sprinkle with the remaining cup of cheese.

    Step 8: Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

    Tips:

    • Make sure the tortillas are warmed slightly before rolling to prevent cracking. I do his by placing them on a microwave safe plate and cover them with a damp paper towel and heat for 20-30 seconds.
    • Use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to save time.
    • Garnish with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime for added flavor.

    How to Store Leftovers:

    Refrigerating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

    Freezing: Wrap individual enchiladas in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

    Reheating: Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through or microwave individual portions for 1 minute on a microwave safe plate. 

    closeup of Chicken Enchiladas bite on a fork

    If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate it in the recipe card. We would love for you to join us and over 350,000 followers on Facebook and Pinterest. For more behind the scenes and everyday life, follow me on Instagram and TikTok too!

    A close up of two Chicken Enchiladas on a white plate

    Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

    These easy Chicken Enchiladas are packed with tender shredded chicken mixed in a creamy cheesy sauce and topped with simple enchilada sauce . 
    5 from 3 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin Share Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 400kcal
    Author: Sherri Hagymas

    Ingredients

    • 6 8-inch flour tortillas or 10 (6-7-inch)
    • 2 cups cooked chicken breasts
    • 20 ounces mild enchilada sauce, divided (2) 10 oz cans
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese or a Mexican cheese blend (Feel free to use light cheese!)
    • 1 can green chilies (optional)
    • ¼ cup green onions chopped (optional)

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 F
    • Pour 1 can of enchilada sauce in a 13 x 9 inch baking dish
      20 ounces mild enchilada sauce, divided
    • In a large bowl, combine the chicken, sour cream, and 1 cup of cheese. (also add green chilies and onions if using)
      2 cups cooked chicken breasts, ½ cup sour cream, 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
    • Spoon about ⅓ – ½ cup of the chicken mixture down the center of the totillas.
      6 8-inch flour tortillas
    • Roll up the tortillas and place in the baking dish, seam side down.
    • After rolling all the chicken-filled tortillas, pour the remaining can of enchilada sauce over the top.
    • Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of cheese.
      2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
    • Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

    Notes

    1. Swap chicken with shredded beef or pork for a different protein.
    2. Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas for a gluten-free option.
    3. Add pinto beans, black beans or corn to the chicken mixture for extra texture.
    4. Substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream.
    5. Use another kind of cheese. Pepper Jack cheese, Colby Jack or sharp cheddar cheese are all great.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1enchiladas | Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 1474mg | Potassium: 223mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1091IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 354mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional Disclosure

    Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

    Tried this recipe?We love seeing your pictures! Mention @ToSimplyInspire or tag #ToSimplyInspire!
    two chicken enchiladas on a white plate with text overlay

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kyla @HouseofHipsters

      January 15, 2015 at 2:45 pm

      These sound so yummy! Thanks for sharing on Found & Foraged!

      Reply
    2. Sharon - Her Organized Chaos

      January 13, 2015 at 9:10 pm

      These look so delicious! I have never made enchiladas before and now that I think of it, I don’t even think I’ve ever had homemade enchiladas. So un-American! I will have to try this. Hopefully it’s something my entire family will eat. It’s hard trying to find a meal that 5 people can devour!

      Thank for linking up to Totally Terrific Tuesdays last week. I just sign on as co-host and would love to see you stop by this week for other great ideas!

      Sharon
      herorganizedchaos.com

      Reply
    3. Lou Lou Girls

      January 12, 2015 at 3:57 pm

      Oh my! This looks so amazing. Pinned and tweeted. Thank you so much for being a part of our party. We really appreciate you! I hope to see you on tonight at 7 pm. Happy Monday! Lou Lou Girls

      Reply
    4. swathi

      January 11, 2015 at 9:06 pm

      Creamy chicken Enchiladas looks perfect thanks for sharing with Hearth and soul blog hop. pinning.

      Reply
    5. Sarah R.

      January 11, 2015 at 7:56 pm

      These look so much better than the salad I had for dinner! And I just pinned a recipe for bone broth…I could totally use the chicken meat from that for this recipe! Thank you so much for linking up at Snickerdoodle Sunday- hope to see you again later this week!

      Sarah (Sadie Seasongoods)

      Reply
    6. nibbles by nic

      January 11, 2015 at 2:57 pm

      These look insane! We are featuring your yummy enchiladas at Munching Mondays this week! Thanks so much for sharing and can’t wait to see you this week! xo Nic

      Reply
      • Sherri

        January 11, 2015 at 4:41 pm

        Thank you so much!!

        Reply
    7. Sarah @ GlamGranolaGeek

      January 10, 2015 at 7:51 pm

      5 stars
      oh boy these look crazy delicious! I’m starving now!

      Reply
    8. Andrea Fogleman

      January 10, 2015 at 7:19 pm

      5 stars
      Another fantastic recipe. I would add the green onions for sure. Sounds yummy! Thanks for linking up to Scraptastic Saturdays.

      Reply
    9. Miz Helen

      January 10, 2015 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      Your Creamy Chicken Enchiladas look delicious! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great weekend.
      Come Back Soon!
      Miz Helen

      Reply
    10. Stephanie

      January 10, 2015 at 10:18 am

      Yum!! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!

      Reply
    11. Jann Olson

      January 09, 2015 at 11:43 pm

      I have a similar recipe and I love it with the green chili’s as well. Pinning yours to give it a try. Looks yummy! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
      hugs,
      Jann

      Reply
    12. Nici

      January 07, 2015 at 7:18 pm

      Yummy! These sound amazing! I could go for a pan of them right now! Hope you’ll be sharing them at the Creative Ways Link Party tonight! Have a great week!
      Blessings,
      Nici

      Reply
    13. Julie

      January 07, 2015 at 1:15 am

      These look delicious #flustermuster

      Reply
    14. Christie

      January 06, 2015 at 9:04 pm

      Mmmm…I want to give these a try. I use a similar recipe now, but with cream cheese. Of course I love sour cream, too, so I’m gonna try this one! I’m stopping by from the Totally Terrific Tuesday Link Party since I’m co-hosting this week with Jessica. Thanks so much for sharing and linking up this week!

      Reply
    15. Farrah

      January 04, 2015 at 11:20 pm

      These look so good! 😀 I think they might be easier for me than rolling up burritos. 😡 Will definitely have to try these out (and hooray for guacamole to top it off! <3 )

      Reply
    5 from 3 votes

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