This Mexican inspired Chicken Enchilada Recipe is absolutely the BEST! Enchiladas are easier than you think – flour tortillas filled with chicken in the most delicious homemade enchilada sauce, loaded with cheese.
This is a great make-ahead meal and is especially good topped with Pico De Gallo!
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Chicken Enchilada Recipe:
Chicken Enchiladas are a classic Mexican dish. Not only are the enchiladas easy to make, but they are so filling and loved by kids and adults alike. Enchiladas are essentially tortillas filled with chicken and smothered in a creamy homemade enchilada sauce and cheese.
Just like our Mexican Pulled Pork Carnitas, this enchilada recipe is sure to become a new favorite.
Hey, hey! Valentina with Valentina’s Corner sharing our EASY Chicken Enchiladas!
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas:
- Cook chicken – and shred chicken with two forks. Save time by using leftover cooked chicken (like our Instant Pot Whole Chicken) or even a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- Prepare enchilada sauce – In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, add sour cream, enchilada sauce, 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, green chilis, and beat until combined.
- Prepare the filling – Divide this enchilada sauce mixture into two bowls, about ⅔ of the sauce mixture in bowl one and ⅓ of the mixture into a second bowl. Add the cooked chicken into the first bowl with 2 cups of shredded cheese.
- To Assemble Enchiladas – Take the cheesy chicken filling from bowl 1 and place it into the center of each tortilla.
- Arrange Enchiladas – Tightly roll up the tortilla and place seam-side-down into a 9”x13” baking dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Pour the reserved ⅓ part enchilada sauce mixture over all of the tortillas and top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese (you can add more cheese if you like a lot of cheese).
- Bake – Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese bubbles and begins to turn a golden brown.
NOTE: Use your favorite cheese. Mexican, Four Cheese or Colby Jack will all work great in this recipe.
What to Serve with Chicken Enchiladas:
Though you can serve the enchiladas just as they come out of the oven, you can also add personalized toppings. Here are some of the most popular toppings to serve with enchiladas:
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Red onion
- Homemade Spicy Guacamole
- Lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Pico de Gallo
- Jalapenos, fresh or jarred
- Jalapeno Ranch
Can I Prepare Enchiladas in Advance?
Yes! These enchiladas are great to prepare in advance. Prepare the recipe per instructions (don’t bake), cover, and refrigerate until ready to use. NOTE: Since the ingredients will all be cold, add an additional 5 minutes baking time to the dish when covered with foil.
I hope these homemade enchiladas become a family favorite. We especially love that you can add the toppings buffet style and allow the family members to each add their favorite toppings.
More Crowd-Pleasing Dinner Ideas:
- Shrimp Tacos with the Best Shrimp Taco Sauce
- Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas – everyone loves these
- Shrimp Fajitas – so simple and delicious
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken– Ready in just 15 minutes
- Chicken Lo Mein– So much better than takeout
The BEST Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 flour tortillas, 10-inch burrito size
- 1 1/2 lb chicken breast or thighs
- 3 oz cream cheese, room temp
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 4.5 oz diced green chilis, with their juice
- 20 oz mild red enchilada sauce, (We used 2 - 10oz cans)
- 1 1/4 tsp salt, divided
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese, divided (Mexican, Four Cheese or Colby Jack)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9x13 casserole dish. Shred pre-cooked chicken or cook your own: Add chicken to a saucepan, completely cover with water and season with 1 tsp salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken with two forks and set aside.
- Make the Enchilada Sauce Mix: In a bowl, beat the cream cheese. Add the sour cream, green chilis, enchiladas sauce, 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika; beat until combined.
- Divide the enchilada sauce mixture into two bowls, add 2/3 of the sauce into a large bowl. Set aside the remaining 1/3 of the sauce for the top.
- Add the shredded chicken with 2 cups cheese to the first bowl with 2/3 of the sauce. Mix with a spatula to combine.
- Generously add chicken filling to the center of each tortilla and roll up tortillas tightly. Arrange the tortillas in a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Pour the reserved 1/3 of sauce over the tortillas and top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese (add more cheese if desired).
- Cover the dish with foil and bake at 400˚F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese melts.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Hi! I’m Natasha Kravchuk, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, food photographer, and writer. Here you’ll find delicious, reliable recipes made with simple ingredients, plus easy step-by-step photos and videos to help you cook confidently at home. 
Do they end up tasting pretty spicy? Just wondering if those sauces spice it up alot since few people in my family just dont like spicy food.
Hi Inna, they will stay pretty mild if you use mild sauce.
I don’t tweet so I can’t send a picture. I’m sure it is delicious. All of Natasha’s recipes are.
You’re so nice! Thank you!
Hi Natasha! I’m making this dish tonight. I’m switching it up a little by cooking chicken in canned enchilada sauce. After removing chicken I’m adding cream cheese to warm sauce. Also using black beans to chicken mixture. I’ve never had this dish with cream cheese and I’m looking forward to this addition. Thanks for all your fantastic recipes!!
That sounds delicious! I hope you love this recipe and thank you SO MUCH for sharing that with us
Made this tonight. Could have been better. Wasted too much time trying to fit a rolled 10” burrito into a 9” wide pan. After watching several tube videos I decided the best solution was to fold the corners in when the rolling starts. Also 1) does the pan need buttered before the enchiladas go in? My enchiladas did stick in several places. I used nonstick aluminum foil so no problem with the cheese sticking. 2) put in 3 oz cream cheese out of an 8 oz box? Seems odd. Was that a typo? Flavor was great though, will make this again with changes, the burrito rolling thing for sure.
Hi Sue thanks for sharing the tip about folding the edges. You could also use an 8″ if you prefer.
I usually prefer green enchilada sauce. Would that pair well opposed to red?
Hello Rachel, I honestly haven’t tried that yet to advise but I imagine that should work well too. Please share with us how you liked it if you give it a try!
how can i substitute enchilada sauce? don’t have that on hand
Hello Natasha! I haven’t tried other ingredients to substitute the enchilada sauce but here’s my recipe for it. Prepare enchilada sauce – In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, add sour cream, enchilada sauce, 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, garlic, paprika, green chilis, and beat until combined.
Could you use ground beef instead?
Hello Jodi, I haven’t tried this with ground beef to advise. You might want to check out our Ground Beef Tacos recipe instead.
This was delicious! Easy and warmed up well! Can’t wait to make it again for my friends.
I’m so glad you enjoyed that Brigitte!
Made this for Cinco de Mayo and it was so good! My husband loved it and up to now hasn’t liked too many Mexican dishes.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natasha
Just wondering what the white sauce is from the picture ? It looks like it’s topped with tomato, avocado and some kind of white sauce.
Thanks !
Hi Jordan, it is this Jalapeno Ranch sauce. We have it linked in the recipe also. I hope that helps.
Hi Natasha, I made this exactly as written, one batch with red sauce, and one batch with green sauce (I wanted to test both sauces and some leftovers), and the family loved them! Both kinds of sauce. They said best enchiladas, and chicken, they have ever had. Thank you for another great recipe.
I love their feedback, thanks for sharing that with us!
I made these for dinner tonight and they were delicious. My husband said they were the best I’ve made. Thank you for all of your great recipes! Can these be frozen after they are baked? Thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Roberta! I haven’t tried freezing this recipe to advise. If you experiment please let me know how you like it.
You can also make this like a lasagna and use the tortillas as your layers.
I’m lazy sometimes! 😉
Can’t wait to try it! 🤤
Hi Carolyne, I haven’t tried that because these are so easy to serve versus cutting the layers, but I have seen people make enchilada ‘lasagnas’ online.
We love enchiladas in this house and this recipe was such a hit with the creamy filling!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Cyd! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Absolutely perfect! Easy and delicious which is exactly how every recipe should be!
I’m so inspired reading your review. Thank you!
Mexican food is a family favorite. These enchiladas look so good. It’s been awhile since I’ve made them. I’m going to put it on the menu for next week.
The flavor is amazing! I hope you try this recipe soon!
I had put this in as a request and I can’t believe it’s up on your blog. Let me tell you, I’m Mexican and let me tell you, this is delicious! Perfect!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m all smiles!
Hiiii, I love your recipes, have tried a few and you never disappoint! I’m from the Caribbean and and I love experimenting! I just came to know about enchiladas and I love them! I never had it with the red sauce only the homemade enchiladas with tomatillos etc. But I’m going to try this and see how it turns out ‘ thank you for sharing and you stay cooking and stay beautiful ♥️
Hi Bella, I hope it becomes a new favorite for you. I’d love to hear more about your homemade tomatillo enchilada sauce. That sounds awesome!
Hello is there anything else you recommend putting inside the enchiladas other then just chicken. Maybe corn or black beans?
We love this recipe but I think beans or corn will work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Jessica, chicken will give you the most flavor but I think either of those will work or both together for a vegetarian option.
Sorry Natasha but once again this is not the right way to make enchiladas. Let’s start with the sauce. You don’t customize already premade sauce but make it from scratch and for that you’d have to make a special roux (oil and flour), then add chilly and cayenne pepper, then rest ingredients (usually bell peppers, opinion, garlic, few types of tomatoes, tomato juice and paste) you can also add some stock. The sauce also has heavy cumin And coriander spices, which are not mentioned in the recipe.
Then, if you want more flavorful chicken, you’d want to cook it inside sauce itself in final stages.
Those sound like good ideas for a true homemade sauce without using the shortcut method above. Thanks for sharing.
When someone creates a recipe it’s their version, their probably is 100 different ways to do things, that’s a personal choice, but I think an opinion on taste is more what the viewers are looking for not, a critique whether its your opinion of authentic or not…
oh my gosh..leave her alone .. you make your own enchiladas your way. if you don’t like it, don’t make it. Her recipes are the best of the best and she is amazing. Go to another cooking site
can you use green chili enchilada sauce instead of red
Hi Cathy, that would be a significantly different sauce. I wouldn’t swap it out straight across.
Hello,there.
Natasha that looks good. Going to try to make it. Thanks for sharing your recipes with us. I share your recipes to those people who don’t have a internet & they said they loved your recipes. May God bless you abundantly for working hard on blog to give us these wonderful easy recipes.
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I’m so inspired and all smiles!