These Easy Chicken Enchiladas make the best Mexican dinner ever! They’re stuffed with shredded chicken and cheese, topped with an easy red enchilada sauce and baked for 20 minutes. This homemade classic is an all-time family favorite that’s great for easy weeknight meals.
If I had to pick one Mexican recipe to represent me and the food that I grew up eating, it would have to be enchiladas!
I know it’s a bold statement, but it’s true. My parents would make them about once a week, and nobody every complained because they’re just so good!
These easy chicken enchiladas feature corn tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken and cheese, topped with the best enchilada sauce, and even more cheese! They’re baked until the cheese is deliciously melted and bubbly.
Because they’re so easy to make, I make these enchiladas about once a week. They also make a great celebratory dish for Cinco de Mayo!
Chicken Enchilada Ingredients
To make this enchilada recipe, here’s what you need:
- Tortillas: I typically use store-bought corn tortillas, but you could also use flour tortillas if you prefer. If you want to make your own, here’s a recipe for homemade corn tortillas and easy flour tortillas.
- Enchilada Sauce: I highly recommend making your own enchilada sauce if you can! If you’re looking for a quick tex-mex version, here’s an easy enchilada sauce made from chile powder, tomato paste and broth. And here’s my family’s authentic enchilada sauce made from whole dried chiles and Mexican chocolate. Both are easy to make and freezer friendly, which is perfect if you want to make a big batch.
- Shredded Chicken: You can use any leftover shredded chicken you have in the fridge. If you don’t have any, here’s an easy recipe for shredded chicken that you can make right at home. If you don’t have time to make your own, I recommend buying a cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shredding it at home.
- Shredded Cheese: I typically use the pre-shredded “Mexican-style” cheese that is easily found in most grocery stores. If you’re looking to go super authentic and use real Mexican cheeses, I recommend a mixture of Oaxaca or Asadero.
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked shredded chicken with 1/4 cup enchilada sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Warm the tortillas in a microwave for 1 minute, flipping the them halfway through until they’re warm and pliable.
- Assemble the enchiladas by filling each tortilla evenly with the shredded chicken mixture and a generous pinch of shredded cheese. Roll them tightly to close and place in a large baking dish seam side down.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the tortillas and then top them with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve.
What to serve with Chicken Enchiladas
To make this a well-rounded meal, here are some sides that would be great served with these chicken enchiladas:
- Authentic Mexican Rice
- Arroz Verde (Green Rice)
- Easy Refried Beans
- Easy Guacamole
- Avocado Salad
- Classic Margarita Recipe
I topped these enchiladas with chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream, but you could also garnish them with diced tomatoes, avocado slices, diced onions and some shredded lettuce for a little crunch!
Storing and Freezing Enchiladas
To store enchiladas, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To freeze enchiladas, let them cool completely in the fridge. Transfer the enchiladas to a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze. You can also wrap the enchiladas completely in aluminum foil and freeze.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups easy enchilada sauce, divided
- 8 corn or flour tortillas (see note if using flour tortillas)
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
- salt and pepper, to taste
- optional toppings: diced onions, chopped cilantro, sour cream, shredded lettuce, cotija cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, 1/4 cup enchilada sauce and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together and taste. Season with more salt and pepper as needed.
- If using corn tortillas: Wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and heat them in the microwave for 1 minute, flipping the them halfway through until all of them are warm and pliable.If using flour tortillas: Microwave the tortillas on a plate for 1 minute, flipping them halfway through until all of them are warm and pliable.
- Assemble the enchiladas by filling each tortilla evenly with the shredded chicken mixture and 1 cup of shredded cheese. Roll the tortillas tightly to close and place in large baking dish seam side down.
- Pour the remaining 1 3/4 cup enchilada sauce over the tortillas, top with the remaining 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve immediately and garnish with desired toppings.
Isabel’s Tips:
- For the chicken: You can use any leftover chicken you have in the fridge, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, or you can make your own shredded chicken at home.
- For the enchilada sauce: I highly recommend making your own using this easy enchilada sauce recipe or this authentic enchilada sauce recipe. If you’re short on time, you can use your favorite store-bought sauce.
- If using flour tortillas: Since flour tortillas are often larger than corn tortillas, you will need an additional 1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken for the filling.
- To store enchiladas, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
- To freeze enchiladas, let them cool completely in the fridge. Transfer the enchiladas to a freezer safe container or freezer bag and freeze. You can also wrap the enchiladas completely in aluminum foil and freeze.
Nutrition Information
Awesome recipe! Easy and delicious. I added green chilies to the chicken and cheese filling and used a roasted salsa verde as the sauce.
I am so frustrated trying to use corn tortillas. This is the second time I have tried and they split apart like old wood.. I have covered them in sauce but something is different in the way they are made. They are overly thick and no flexibility.
Hi Carol! I understand that can definitely be frustrating. Warming up the tortillas can help make them more pliable and less prone to breaking.
these were a great hit with my husband ( who doesn’t like mexican food) i have made them a couple of times and tonight i am using pulled pork-love this recipe
Just out of the oven!
Your sauce looks thicker than the way mine came out.
It thickened while baking.
Served with chopped cilantro and sour cream.
Yummy!!!
I will leave more seeds in next time 🙂.
Thank you for this excellent recipe
***I used hatch Chile dark chocolate since I couldn’t find the Abuelita brand in my store.
A keeper!❤️
Awesome!!!
Thank you so much!!
Can I put together in the morning, store in frig and cook before dinner?
Hi Barbara! Yes, you can! I recommend making it ahead of time and assembling the enchiladas but without the sauce. You can store the assembled enchiladas in the fridge, and then pour the sauce on top right before you bake so that they don’t get soggy.
Delicious, I made these as something new, and now they are added to my recipes! I used your sauce recipe and the chicken also. Halved the amount of chilli in the sauce, and it was perfect for me. I also added a tin of kidney beans and sweet corn to the filling.
Hi Iluka! Thank you so much for sharing your tips, we’re glad you enjoyed this recipe!
AMAZING, we used this on a Boy Scout campout and they LOVED it! Thank you so much for making this recipe, Isabel! Muy bien y tu ser tan talentosa!
Gracias Eduardo!
Easy to follow and came out amazing thanks
These were great,but i had to increase the chicken to 2.25 cups to make enough filling for 8 tortillas (using some of the sauce and cheese reserved for topping too). And let’s be real, only 10 minutes to mix ingredients, and then warm, fill, roll, and top the tortillas? Maybe if you make these every week. It took me 20, and another 20 to make sauce and prep chicken making this and hour start to finish. Still they were very good, just give yourself more time.
WAY TOO MUCH CHILI POWDER!! 4 tablespoons??? Is that a typo?
Hi Pam. We liked to use 4 tbsp to help build up flavor with the other spices, but if it’s too much you can definitely cut down the chili powder to your liking.
excellent recipe, now i am going to try your cabbage enchilades