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!
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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.
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Kathy M.
Very good and easy. I made the homemade enchilada sauce mentioned on your page! Very good. No need to ever buy canned enchilada sauce again! Thank you!!
Jill Butters
Brilliantly written!
I loved the added ingredient measurements with the instructions!
Also they turned out amazing. Thank you!
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.