Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas are the perfect enchilada recipe when you are craving Mexican food for dinner! They are easy-to-make enchiladas that are filled with shredded chicken mixed with cream cheese, sour cream, and green chilies, then they are topped with red chili sauce and cheese.
If you are looking for another kind of enchilada, check out all the enchilada recipes on Mom’s Dinner, especially this Classic Chicken Enchilada Recipe!
Tortillas
I know that traditionally enchiladas are made with corn tortillas, which are delicious!! However, they are tempermental little suckers. If you don’t treat them just right they crack and make a complete mess. Not to mention they are kind of small.
So for this enchilada recipe we use flour tortillas. You will want to grab the soft taco size.
Chicken
Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas are perfect to make when you have leftover chicken! However if you aren’t lucky enough to have chicken already cooked and sitting in your fridge one of these options is great:
- Hellooooo Costco rotisserie chicken!!!
- Poached Chicken
- Instant Pot All Purpose Chicken
- Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken
Tip to shred your chicken: Try shredding your WARM cooked boneless chicken breast in your stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand held mixer (don’t try it with cold chicken, it won’t work as well!). Run the mixer on low-medium for about 30 seconds. It works like a CHARM!!! There may be 2-3 larger pieces left to shred with your hand, but better than the whole chicken. Warning- Don’t over mix the chicken or it will turn to crumbles.
How to Make Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas, step by step
Start by preheating the oven to 350. Prep a 9×13 or 11×15 casserole pan by very lightly spraying with cooking spray and pouring about 5 oz of enchilada sauce across the bottom of the dish.
In a skillet saute the onions, garlic and jalapenos (if using) in the olive oil until they are softened.
In a bowl mix together the chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, green chilies and the onion mixture.
Fill each tortilla with about 3 tablespoon of chicken mixture. Sprinkle a little cheese on top. Roll up and place in the prepared casserole pan. Repeat until you have used all the filling.
Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled enchiladas, cover with the remaining cheese.
TIP: spray the underside of your foil and it will not stick to the cheese while the enchiladas bake!
Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes.
Make Ahead
You can absolutely make these ahead! Prepare them until the point you would pour enchilada sauce over top. Do not top with the sauce! Instead cover the dish with foil and pop in the fridge for 1-2 days.
When it is time to bake pour the sauce over the rolled tortillas, sprinkle with cheese and cover with foil, bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes.
Serving
When it is time to have dinner serve each person 2 enchiladas (one for kids). They go great with some shredded lettuce topped with pico de gallo and a side of Instant Pot Mexican Rice or 15 minute refried beans.
If it’s the weekend or you just need a cocktail after a long day any tequila cocktail pairs great with this recipe!
Cream Cheese Chicken Enchilada Recipe
Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup chopped yellow or white onion
- 3 fresh garlic cloves, chopped
- ½ fresh jalapeno, chopped optional**
- 2 ½ cups cooked, shredded chicken rotisserie or poached chicken work well!
- 8 oz cream cheese softened at room temp
- 4 oz sour cream
- 4 oz can chopped green chilies do not drain
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 10-12 flour tortillas soft taco size
- 2 (10 oz) cans red enchilada sauce
- 8 oz block cheese, shredded, any flavor- monterey jack, colby jack, pepper jack, cheddar. Divided, (if using pre-shredded it is about 3 cups total)
Serving
- toppings – avocado, cilantro, and/or green onions
- serve with shredded lettuce topped with pico de gallo and refried beans (recipe linked below).
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°
- In a skillet over medium heat, saute the onions, garlic and jalapenos (if using) in the olive oil for about 5 minutes to soften.
- In a large bowl combine the sauteed onion mixture, shredded chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, green chilies, and salt.Mix really well so that all the cream cheese and sour cream are distributed.
- Prepare your 9×13 or 11×15 baking dish by very lightly spraying with baking spray or coating with a little oil and then pouring about 5 oz (half of one can) of enchilada sauce across the bottom to coat.
- Assemble the enchiladas :put about 3 tablespoon chicken mixture down the center of a tortilla, sprinkle with a little cheese, roll the tortilla over the filling and place in the baking dish seam side down.Repeat until all the filling is used up or your baking dish is full.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. TIP: Spray a large piece of foil with baking spray and it will prevent it from sticking to the cheese!
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Serving
- Garnish the cream cheese enchiladas with green onions, avocado, and/or cilantro. Serve with some shredded lettuce topped pico de gallo and Instant Pot Mexican Rice and/or 15 minute refried beans
Making Ahead
- To make ahead pour a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan, assemble the enchiladas as above, however do not pour the additional sauce over top or add the cheese. Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for 1-2 days . When you are ready to cook pour the additional sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350, covered with foil, for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
PK
I made this but added a pkg of taco seasoning. I also used Serrano pepper instead of jalapeño as I like that flavor better. Turned out AMAZING!!
We will make again, that’s for sure!!! Thank you
Leanne
Amazing! I did add corn and black beans and will be using this recipe moving forward! Thanks!!
Debbi
Super delicious!
Kristen
Can I freeze any left over filling?
Susie Weinrich
I think this filling has too much cheese/dairy content for the freezer.
April
Hi, can you use corn tortillas? My daughter has Celiacs and cant have the flour tortilla’s.
Susie Weinrich
Definitely! You will just want to warm them and possibly dip them in warm enchilada sauce before rolling. The corn tortillas are DELICIOUS, they can just be so delicate!
Andrea
Yes I used corn and it was delicious!!
Pam Kimball
Love these enchilada! Very easy and delicious!! My new favorite enchilada recipe!
Keiko Edgar
These enchiladas were delicious! The recipe was easy to follow and I was able to only make one trip to the grocery store. THANK YOU!!!!