Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas are a delicious and easy enchilada recipe. Flour tortillas are filled with cream cheese, sour cream, and green chilies mixed with chicken. Red chili enchilada sauce coats the enchiladas and gooey cheese tops it all off! If you love watching cooking shows you can watch me make this in a 30 minute episode of Pinterest TV.
8ozblock 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
Enchilada Filling
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.
1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ cup chopped yellow or white onion, 3 fresh garlic cloves, chopped, ½ fresh jalapeno, chopped
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.
2 ½ cups cooked, shredded chicken, 8 oz cream cheese, 4 oz sour cream, 4 oz can chopped green chilies, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Prepare your 9x13 or 11x15 baking dish by very lightly spraying with baking spray or coating with a little oil and then pouring about 5 oz (a full half cup) of enchilada sauce across the bottom to coat.
Assembly
If you are using corn tortillas you will need to prep them first, see notes for ways to prepare them so they don't rip.
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.
Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes. TIP: Spray a large piece of foil with baking spray and it will prevent it from sticking to the cheese!
Let cool for about 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.
Video
Notes
HOW TO PREP CORN TORTILLAS:(my preferred method, and the easiest method) Stack about 5-6 tortillas together, wrap them in a very damp paper towels covering them completely. Microwave for about 30-45 seconds. Then use right away.(my second preferred method) place a cast iron skillet over medium heat and rub it with a little vegetable oil. Warm 1 tortilla at a time, about 30 seconds per side.(most labor intensive option) Add some vegetable oil to a skillet over medium heat. Fry each tortilla for about 15 seconds per side, keep on a plate covered with a towel while you fry remaining tortillas.(a method I learned from Rick Bayless) Put a little water in the bottom of a pot and add a steamer basket. Stack your tortillas and place them on a steamer basket. Place over low heat and cover the pot. Steam while you prepare the enchilada filling.