If I had to eat just one thing for the rest of my life it would probably be enchiladas! Specifically this recipe for Homemade Chicken Enchilada, it’s my favorite. It has layers and layers of flavor from the seasoned and spiced chicken, tender yellow corn tortillas, red enchilada sauce and plenty of melty cheese over top.
You will be declared the enchilada pro when you make this recipe. Wear your crown proudly!
Chicken enchiladas are AMAZING served with lime rice and refried beans. Add some chips and salsa, maybe a margarita if you are feeling spicy, and you have an excellent dinner that EVERYONE will want to eat.
I made this recipe last night and my 16 year old daughter came in the kitchen with her plate and said:
“Those chicken enchiladas were SO good. Thank you for making them!”
-Susie
How to Cook Chicken Breasts for Enchiladas
ROTISSERIE CHICKEN: The very easiest route to getting tender cooked chicken is to buy a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store (or Costco), and use the two breasts.
POACHED CHICKEN: Poaching chicken breasts is another great way to have tender cooked chicken breasts. This method results in super moist chicken!
Pro Tip For Shredding Warm Chicken
Place warm or hot cooked chicken breasts in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on to low speed and let it run for 20-30 seconds, or until the chicken is shredded to your desired consistency. So easy!!
INSTANT POT: If you are an Instant Pot lover, you can make all purpose instant pot shredded chicken in a flash, right in your electric pressure cooker.
BAKED CHICKEN: Last but not least you can bake the chicken breasts in the oven. Coat them with a little cooking oil and kosher salt. Bake at 350°F for about 25 minutes until they reach 165°F internal temperature.
Amazing Homemade Enchilada Sauce
If you want to make your own red chili sauce this is our go-to recipe that makes about 3 cups of sauce. It can be made ahead, doubled, tripled and even frozen for later use: Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce Recipe
Red Enchilada Sauce
Super easy recipe for red enchilada sauce that only requires oil, flour, spices and tomato sauce.
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas
- PREHEAT OVEN: Start by preheating your oven to 350°.
- SAUTE VEGGIES: In a large sauté pan over medium heat, sauté white onions and garlic about 5 minutes.
- ADD CHICKEN AND SPICES: add your cooked, shredded or chopped chicken, ⅓ cup enchilada sauce and all the spices/seasonings. You can optionally add some chopped cilantro to the mixture as well. Stir everything until the chicken is coated with all the seasonings and sauce.
- PREP BAKING PAN: grab a deep 9×13 casserole or baking dish. Pour a generous cup of enchilada sauce across the bottom and spread it so it coats the entire bottom.
- PREP CORN TORITLLAS: you will need to soften the corn tortillas before you roll them. I like to wrap them in really wet paper towels and microwave them for 30 seconds, flip them over and microwave another 30 seconds.
- ENCHILADA ASSEMBLY: 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
- Shredded cheese
- Prepared 9×13 pan
Lay a spoonful 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.
Once the pan is filled pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top, and optionally finish with chopped 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, and that is what we prefer.
If you choose corn tortillas: opt for 6 inch yellow corn tortillas, they will have more flavor than white corn tortillas. They will also give you that traditional enchilada flavor. If you can find refrigerated corn tortillas they will generally be superior to shelf stable tortillas.
I buy the yellow corn 6 inch Yoli Tortillas at Whole Foods:
BEST Yellow Corn Tortillas EVER
If you find these Yoli Tortillas in your grocery store BUY THEM!!! They are the best tortillas I have ever had. The brand even has a James Beard award!
If you choose flour tortillas: flour tortillas are much easier to work with than corn, but you will be missing the extra flavor that corn tortillas have. Buy a fajita size for your enchiladas.
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.
Side Dishes
Like I said at the top, enchiladas are my favorite dinner! When we make enchiladas I keep the sides pretty simple! Just lime rice and refried beans does the trick. Restaurant Style Salsa with chips is always a good addition too!
More Enchilada Recipes To Check Out
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Did you make this recipe?
I would love to hear your review, especially if you have tips and tricks to add! Pop down to the comment section and connect with me
Our Favorite Chicken Enchilada Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cooked chicken breasts - shredded or chopped – (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup white onion - cut in a small dice
- 3 plump garlic cloves - minced
- ¼ cup cilantro - optional – chopped
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 10-12 yellow corn tortillas
- 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese - divided
- 3 cups red enchilada sauce - divided
- 6 green onions - optional – chopped
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Prepare a 9×13 glass baking dish by pouring a generous cup of sauce on the bottom, spread it so that it coats the entire bottom of the pan.
Chicken Filling
- In a large skillet over medium heat add the oil and sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes.1 tablespoon oil, ½ cup white onion, 3 plump garlic cloves
- Add the chicken and spices/seasonings. Then stir in ⅓ cup of the red enchilada sauce and optional cilantro. Stir to coat the chicken with all the seasonings and sauce. remove from the heat and set aside2 cooked chicken breasts, ¼ cup cilantro, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, pinch red pepper flakes
Corn Tortillas
- Prep the corn tortillas by using on of the following methods: – wrap the tortillas in a wet paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds, flip them and microwave another 30 seconds. – add a little oil to a skillet and pan fry each tortilla about 15 seconds per side. – place the tortillas in a steamer basket over a little simmering water and cover the pot. Steam for a couple minutes.10-12 yellow corn tortillas
Enchilada Assembly and Baking
- Now set up an assembly line for your enchiladas including: prepped tortillas, prepared chicken filling, shredded cheese, and the prepared pan.
- Place a spoonful 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 enchilada sauce, and the remaining cheese and optional 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.
Beth says
I thought these had a lot of flavor. I didn’t use cilantro due to husbands dislike.
Next time I’ll use cooked chicken breasts. It was difficult to get a full 3 cups from the rotisserie chicken and made me include some dark meat.
After it was in the oven I wondered if I was suppose to have added salt. If so, I didn’t and it didn’t need it.
Larry Samuels says
Looks yummy! Going to make tonight
Jean Lindsey says
Made this to take to a family in need. I also made some for home. Best chicken enchiladas ever!!
Susie says
AAAHHHHH!! Thank you so much!! Love this comment.
Maurabeth Chilson says
Can this be made ahead – upto putting the sauce on – or would it get too soggy
Susie says
You could definitely make these ahead. Leave the sauce and cheese off the top until right before it is time to bake.
Jessica says
Is this a good option to freeze and bake later? What about the sauce and cheese on top? Would bake time be longer? Thank you!
Susie says
I think you could absolutely assemble and then bake later. Cheese actually freezes well, so I think you can add everything, except the green onions on top). If you are cooking from frozen I would add about 10 minutes to the “cooking while covered with foil” time and then you might need to increase the “cooking time without foil” to 15 minutes.
Lauren Grant says
My favorite weeknight meal!! So so tasty, everyone loves this in our house!
Anna Kate Goshko says
I am super picky about my enchilada sauce, too! I always add extra vinegar! This recipe is a staple here!!
Courtney says
Hey! Just wondering if this has to be in a glass casserole? I plan on making it for a meal train! Thanks!
Susie says
You can definitely make it in a disposable foil pan!
Emily Bruno says
Enchiladas are one of my all-time favorites! These look DIVINE!
Lauren says
One of my go-to weeknight meals! Love it!
Caroline Knupp says
These seem absolutely divine. Next time I go shopping enchilada sauce is definitely on the list. (I already have everything else).
Susie says
Hi Caroline!!!!!! I hope you are well : ) Thank you for reading my post. Definitely make these enchiladas. You will love them!
Leslie says
You’re making me want to go get Mexican food for dinner tonight! Honestly, I’ve never made enchiladas from scratch, though I do have an enchilada-inspired casserole recipe that I love. Definitely going to have to give this a try next time.
Susie says
Truly my recipe is so easy… I think traditional enchiladas can be pretty time consuming and messy, with pan frying corn tortillas and dipping them in sauce before rolling them. I keep my recipe super simple. Definitely give it a try!
georgie says
i love all mexican food but I have a soft spot for enchildas!! especially chicken! theses look great!
Susie says
Thank you! Me too… I think I could eat them every day and be perfectly happy.
Allison says
We were having chicken burrito bowls for dinner tonight, but I might switch it up and make these instead. They look great!
Elaine @ Dishes Delish says
I love enchiladas, especially chicken enchies!! I’m a flour tortilla gal all the way! Your enchiladas look so scrumptious and I can’t wait to try your recipe, especially with the sauce!
Lisa Huff says
Oh these are perfect looking! Haven’t seen that enchilada sauce. Need to make a trip to Target now!
Ben Myhre says
I do love some good enchiladas and your recipe looks great. It really is only breakfast time where I am right now, but it’s ok to be drooling over some dinner food, right?
Susie says
I do the same thing!!! I’ll be like “oooh that hamburger looks good, oh wait it’s only 9am”. I guess that is the life of a food blogger, right!?
debra says
what? dinner for breakfast is just like breakfast for dinner. go for it! these look fabulous at 6am, haha.
Susie says
Yes…great rational. I will use that next time I eat cold pizza for breakfast : )