My Homemade Chicken Enchilada Recipe is full of tender chicken, garlic, red onions, cilantro and cheese. The outside is warm and flavorful with lots of red enchilada sauce, ooey gooey cheese, and fresh green onions.
Chicken Enchiladas for dinner is a favorite at our house. If I had to only eat one thing for the rest of my life Enchiladas would be a hard contender!
If you love them as much as me, also check out these recipes for veggie enchiladas, beef enchilada casserole, and enchilada zucchini boats.
How to Cook Chicken Breasts for Enchiladas
There are a few ways that I recommend cooking your chicken for enchiladas.
- Buying a rotisserie chicken is the easiest way, and probably my preferred method (You can make your own rotisserie chicken in the Instant Pot!). Shred both breasts, discarding the skin. You end up with super juicy and tender chicken.
- Poaching the chicken breasts is my second preferred method. This is great if you do not have time to grab a rotisserie chicken.
- If you have an instant pot, this is a really quick way to cook your chicken for shredding or chopping. You can find the recipe and instructions for Instant Pot All Purpose Shredded Chicken here.
Enchilada Sauce
If you want to make your own red chili sauce this is our go-to recipe that makes about 2 cups of sauce. It can be made ahead, doubled, tripled and even frozen for later use: Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe
How to Make My Chicken Enchilada Recipe
Start by preheating your oven to 350°.
In a large sauté pan cook the garlic and red or white onions in oil over medium heat until the onions become slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.
Then you will add your cooked, shredded or chopped chicken, cilantro, ⅓ cup enchilada sauce and all the spices/seasonings. Stir the mixture until the chicken is coated with all the seasonings and sauce.
Pour the remaining ⅔ can of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 glass baking dish.
Now it is time to assemble the Chicken Enchiladas. Lay everything out in an assembly line to make rolling the enchiladas go a little faster. You will have:
- Tortillas
- Chicken mixture
- 1 cup of shredded cheese
- Prepared 9×13 pan
Lay a couple spoonfuls of the chicken mixture down the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle the chicken with a pinch or two of cheese. Now roll the tortilla over the chicken mixture, like rolling a cigar.
Lay the filled tortilla seam side down in the prepared 9×13 glass baking dish. To fit all 10-12 enchiladas you may have to fit a couple in the side. See the picture below:
Once the pan is filled pour the remaining can of enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas. If you like your enchiladas super saucy, you can use an extra can of enchilada sauce poured over top.
Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese and finish with all the green onions.
Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
Let the Chicken Enchiladas cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Flour Tortilla vs. Corn Tortilla for Chicken Enchiladas
This really depends on your personal preference. It is more traditional to use corn tortillas in your enchiladas. But, I find that sometimes they can be hard to work with. They are very temperamental and crack and tear easily.
Flour tortillas (fajita size) are much easier to work with, but you will be missing the extra flavor of corn. However, I do love the texture of the flour tortillas after they have soaked and baked in the enchilada sauce. They become soft and almost buttery.
So it’s really a toss up. I say if you have the patience- use corn. If all you have is flour tortillas- use flour. Keep it simple and don’t stress about these little things! This recipe will turn out whether you use flour or corn… because this Chicken Enchilada recipe is THAT delicious.
Variations on Chicken Enchiladas
Here are a few ideas to change up this Chicken Enchilada recipe to make it your own:
- Add black beans to the chicken mixture for a little more protein.
- Try using ground beef instead of chicken.
- Use whatever cheese you have on hand. Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, Mexican Blend, Cheddar, or Pepper Jack would all work just fine.
- Corn Tortillas or Flour Tortillas, use whatever you have or whatever you prefer.
- If you want some heat add a few pinches of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the chicken mixture.
- Try using Green Enchilada Sauce for a Verde Chicken Enchilada.
What Goes Well with Chicken Enchiladas for Dinner
This is one of my favorite dinners. I keep the sides pretty simple! I like to serve my enchiladas with my Easy 15-Minute Refried Beans and Mexican Rice.
Don’t forget the drinks, a Margarita, Mexican Mule or Rosemary Paloma are the perfect pick, & Restaurant Style Salsa with chips is always good!
Did you make this recipe?!
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Our Favorite Chicken Enchilada Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded or finely chopped (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup red or white onion, cut in a small dice
- 3 plump garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- 20 oz red enchilada sauce, divided For a saucier enchilada use 30 oz. This Red Enchilada Sauce recipe is a great homemade choice.
- 10-12 tortillas – flour (fajita size) **see note if using corn tortillas
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 6 green onions, chopped- white and light green parts only
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- In a large non-stick skillet saute the ½ cup diced onions and 3 chopped garlic cloves in the oil over medium heat. About 5 minutes until the onions are slightly translucent.1 tablespoon oil, ½ cup red or white onion, cut in a small dice, 3 plump garlic cloves, minced
- Add the 3 cups cooked chicken, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, pinch red pepper flakes, ¼ cup chopped cilantro and ⅓ cup enchilada sauce. Stir to coat the chicken with all the seasonings and sauce.2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded or finely chopped, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- Prepare a 9×13 glass baking dish by pouring the remaining ⅔ of the opened can of enchilada sauce to the bottom of the pan.
- Now set up an assembly line for your enchiladas. Tortillas, chicken filling, 1 cup of shredded cheese, and the prepared pan.
- Place a few spoonfuls of chicken down the center of one tortilla and top with a few pinches of cheese. Roll the tortilla over the filling and lay it, seam side down, in the prepared pan. Continue this process until all the tortillas and filling are used. You will have 10-12 enchiladas.
- Top the rolled enchiladas with the remaining can of sauce, remaining cup of cheese and all the green onions.
- Cover the pan with foil and place in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
- Let the Chicken Enchiladas cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes:
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
Ann Schoonover
Really delicious. Prepared the chicken in the Instant Pot as suggested then used that broth for the Mexican rice recipe on this same site. Came out great. Lots of flavor in the enchiladas and the rice. Used corn tortillas for the enchiladas. Heated them in my tortilla keeper in the microwave for about 30 seconds and they rolled easily. Used canned enchilada sauce. Thanks for the recipe.
Patrice
Thoughts on freezing this dish for a gift?
Susie Weinrich
I have not baked from frozen, but it should work just fine! Cover enchiladas tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freeze up to 3 months. To bake, remove the foil and plastic wrap, then cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until completely cooked through.
DaRa
Made this recipe several times including homemade sauce. Keeps getting better.
Richard Dukes
Excellent recipe. I throughly enjoyed it.
Sophia
Looks delish! Can I use wheat tortillas instead of flour? Will the texture be different and affect the taste at all? Thank you!
Susie Weinrich
I think wheat will work just fine. They may be a little heartier than flour and add a “grain” flavor, but I think that will all work!
Linda Neely
I always use leftover rotisserie chicken and cut this recipe to about 1/3for just two of us. It’s a winner with flour tortillas and a can of enchilada sauce. I’ve made it at least four times now.
Kelly
If bringing these for a family- can they freeze them before they bake them?
Susie Weinrich
Generally enchiladas do freeze well… then bake straight from frozen. However I have not tested that with this recipe.
Scott
These are incredible the family loved them!!!
Ellen B
A consistent family favorite! No substitutions.
Stacey
My first time making enciladas, and now they are my favorite too! Opted for the home made sauce. They really were a super bowl Sunday hit! Delish!
JonElla Becnel
Just a little tip if using the corn tortillas. If you dip them some in some bubbling grease for just a few seconds, not to fry them but just to basically wet them. They then become more flexible to be able to work with and not crack or rip 🙂
Ejhay Arceo Thomas
I know it’s so delicious…..
Lauren
We had these for dinner tonight, and I can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow!
Mandie
If I was going to make this ahead of time would I just assemble the enchiladas, refrigerate, then pour on the sauce before I actually bake them?
Susie
Yes! Exactly.
Wendy
How do I keep flour tortillas getting soggy & gummy when baking?
Susie Weinrich
They will definitely soften up in the sauce. If that isn’t your favorite then I would suggest using corn tortillas.
Karin Sloan
I am dropping this off for a meal train. It’s already cooked and cooled. How do you recommend reheating this from being refrigerated?
Susie Weinrich
350 Degrees covered with foil for 15 minutes, remove foil and bake another 10 minutes. Or they can just portion some out and microwave.