Simply by Maha
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DinnerChicken Enchiladas
Mexican · Dinner

Chicken Enchiladas

These chicken enchiladas are such an easy dinner and taste so good. They’re filled with seasoned chicken, onions, peppers, green chilis, and cheese, then baked with homemade enchilada sauce until hot and bubbly.

4.8 (5 reviews)
30m
Prep
30m
Cook
60m
Total
4
Serves
easy
Level
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Instructions

  1. Make the enchilada sauce
    In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add the oil or butter and flour. Whisk together to make a roux. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and salt, and let the spices toast for about 2 minutes.
  2. Add the broth
    Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking. Let the sauce simmer on low for about 15 minutes, until thickened.
  3. Season the chicken
    In a bowl, toss the chopped chicken breasts with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
  4. Cook the vegetables
    Heat a pan over medium heat with a bit of olive oil. Add the chopped onion and red bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, until softened.
  5. Cook the chicken filling
    Add the seasoned chicken and green chilis to the pan. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked through.
  6. Assemble the enchiladas
    Spread some enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Fill each tortilla with some of the chicken mixture and shredded cheese, then roll it up and place it in the dish.
  7. Top with sauce and cheese
    Pour more enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiladas, then top with more shredded cheese.
  8. Bake
    Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and everything is hot and bubbly.
  9. Finish and serve
    Top with red onions, cilantro, jalapeños, parsley, and cilantro lime sauce if desired.

About this recipe

Chicken enchiladas are what I make when I have leftover roast or rotisserie chicken sitting in the fridge and a hungry family asking what's for dinner. You shred the chicken, warm it with a little of the sauce, roll it up in soft corn tortillas, line them up in a dish, then drown the whole thing in enchilada sauce and a good handful of cheese before it goes in the oven.

The part people get wrong is the tortillas. Cold corn tortillas crack and split the second you try to roll them, so they have to be warmed and softened first. Once you sort that out, the rest is honestly easy. They come out of the oven bubbling at the edges with the cheese gone golden, and the sauce soaks into everything so even the corners taste good.

I make these on busy weeknights and for company, and both work. They reheat well, they feed a crowd without much fuss, and you can lean them as mild or as spicy as your table likes. A spoon of sour cream and some fresh coriander on top and you're done.

Per serving
  • 420Calories
  • 28gProtein
  • 22gFat
  • 30gCarbs
estimated

Good to know

Why you'll love it

  • A great way to use up leftover or rotisserie chicken so nothing goes to waste.
  • One baking dish does the whole job, so cleanup is quick.
  • You control the heat level completely, from mild for kids to proper spicy.
  • They feed a crowd cheaply and still feel like a real meal.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, often tasting even better the next day.
  • Easy to make ahead and bake when you're ready to eat.

Ingredient notes

Corn tortillas: traditional for enchiladas and worth using, but they must be warmed before rolling or they crack. Flour tortillas roll more easily if that's all you have, they just give a softer, less authentic result.

Chicken: shredded poached chicken breast or thigh both work, and rotisserie chicken is a brilliant shortcut. Thigh stays juicier if you tend to overcook things.

Enchilada sauce: a good jarred red sauce is fine and saves time, but homemade with dried chillies has more depth. Use enough to keep the tortillas from drying out.

Cheese: a melting cheese like Monterey Jack or a mild cheddar gives the best pull. Pre-grated works, though cheese you grate yourself melts smoother because it has no anti-caking coating.

Onion: a little finely diced onion mixed into the chicken adds savouriness. Cook it soft first if you don't like the bite of raw onion.

Tips & tricks

Warm the tortillas before rolling. Wrap a stack in a damp tea towel and microwave for about 30 seconds, or pass each one through a dry hot pan for a few seconds. Pliable tortillas roll without splitting.

Put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish before you lay the enchiladas in. It stops them sticking and keeps the bottoms from going dry.

Roll them seam side down. The weight holds the seam shut so they don't unroll while baking.

Don't overfill. A heaped tablespoon or two of chicken per tortilla is plenty. Overstuffed enchiladas burst and the sauce can't get in.

Bake covered with foil for the first 15 minutes, then uncover so the cheese on top can brown. Around 190C for 20 to 25 minutes total gets you bubbling edges and melted cheese.

Storage & make-ahead

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They hold together well once cooled.

Freeze baked enchiladas, well wrapped, for up to 3 months. You can also freeze them assembled but unbaked and bake from frozen, adding extra time.

Reheat in a 180C oven covered with foil for about 20 minutes until hot through, or microwave a single portion for 2 to 3 minutes. The oven keeps the texture better.

Variations

Make them green by using salsa verde or a tomatillo sauce instead of red. The chicken loves the tangy version.

Add a layer of black beans or sweetcorn to the filling to stretch them further and add texture.

Swap the chicken for shredded cheese and roasted vegetables to make them vegetarian.

Turn it into a stacked enchilada casserole by layering tortillas, chicken, sauce, and cheese like a lasagne if you don't fancy rolling.

Frequently asked questions

Cold corn tortillas are stiff and break easily. Warm them first, either wrapped in a damp towel in the microwave for 30 seconds or quickly in a hot dry pan, so they turn soft and flexible before you roll.
Corn is traditional and gives the proper flavour and texture, but it needs warming so it doesn't crack. Flour tortillas are easier to roll and softer, so use them if that's what you prefer or have on hand.
Yes. Assemble them fully in the dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours, then bake when you're ready. You may need to add 5 to 10 minutes since they go in cold.
Don't drown them too early and don't overfill. Sauce the bottom of the dish lightly, sauce the top, and bake straight away rather than letting them sit soaking for hours before cooking.
Shredded cooked chicken, whether poached breast, thigh, or rotisserie. Thigh stays the juiciest. Mix the shredded chicken with a little sauce so the filling isn't dry.
Yes. Freeze them baked or unbaked for up to 3 months. Wrap well to avoid freezer burn. Bake unbaked ones from frozen, adding extra time, or thaw baked ones overnight before reheating.
Mexican rice, refried or black beans, a simple green salad, or guacamole and chips all work. A spoon of sour cream and fresh coriander on top finishes them nicely.
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