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
Made these using your enchilada sauce recipe…sooo good!
I loved the recipe. I am gluten and dairy free. I used dairy free Mexican shredded cheese.
I love green chilies, so I make my own chili sauce with 2 small can Hatch mild green chiles, chicken broth, cumin, oregano, splash of olive oil and corn starch.
Please could I ask how much chicken this is in grams? Looks wonderful!
Hi Lisa! About 210 grams. Enjoy!
This is the best, way I did took to long, a hispanic friend taught me. This is my receipe from now on. I will make them more often now. Thank you
SO good!
First time making chicken enchiladas in years! Loved your recipe and the fact that you gave alternate “how to” recipes for all the ingredients like the chicken and enchilada sauce.
My picky daughter ate them up!
Look forward to trying more of your recipes!
These enchiladas are DELICIOUS! And easy on top if it! I made them for the first time a couple months ago with the quick enchilada sauce and my family devoured them.
Separately – Thanks, Isabel for sharing your family recipes! I love your blog, how-to and recipes!
Family loved it!!!!!!
Used the small contillas. The recipe was Amazing.
I am in tears laughing! I read the recipe wrong and was trying to shove a Cup of Cheese into each Enchilada. 🤪😂
These are so easy to make and ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!!!!!!! I freeze what I don’t use immediately and they are just as delicious when reheated. GREAT RECIPE!!!!!!?
This was a super delicious and easy dinner that the kids loved. The only thing I would change is the chili powder, I used the super hot indian variety and that was a bit overpowering, otherwise it was really good.
I made these using the linked easy enchilada sauce & shredded chicken recipes, and they were so delicious! Fun & easy to make and it makes the whole house smell delicious. They were just the right tenderness and the flavors were so full! I will be using this again and again!
I just made these tonight and they were so delicious! I did do a couple of tweaks though. I sautéed a small yellow onion and red bell pepper (it was what I had on hand). I also added about a cup of sour cream and some shredded cheddar to the chicken and sauce mixture.
So, so good! I’ll definitely be making these again! @isabeleats
Love the website..
First time enchiladas maker here 🙋♀️. This recipe is simple and so easy to following! I love cilantro so added that into the chicken mix. Used a pre-made enchilada sauce pack added 2c chicken broth and brown gravy mix to thicken instead of the tomato paste (just not a fan). Both enchiladas and sauce were AMAZING! Fam favorite!
My family loved the enchiladas. I made them years ago but I don’t think I did it correctly. Last night they were a hit. Thank you for the recipe
They were easy and simply to make and tasted fantastic
Followed the exact recipe even the easy enchilada sauce. My family loved it and my picky eater asked if I can make them every night! Thanks for sharing!
Easy and delicious! I even sautéed, seasoned, & chunk-chopped fresh chicken thighs instead of using pre-cooked chicken, added some seasoned onions & peppers. I layered this all with cheese, the Easy Enchilada Sauce, & cilantro into an oven pan, covered with parchment paper & baked for 45 mins. So yeah, I admit it, I cheated & didn’t traditional-roll up my (flour) tortillas, and instead layered them, though this made it easy and it was really delicious. Hint: use some smoked paprika and/or smoked chili powder for your sauce if you have it on hand, a real nice touch.
Made Isabel’s Easy Refried Beans with these Enchiladas. Used my multi-cooker to pressure cook a bag of pinto beans, and with the beans cooked, used the same multi-cooker to sauté onions, then fresh garlic, then the spices in that same pot, and finished the beans by adding the cooked beans & some bean water back into the pot, & used a stick blender to perfect mash-up of beanery. Kept it all hot using the slow cooker setting as these Enchiladas were oven cooking.
These Enchiladas w/Easy Enchilada Sauce, plus the Refrieds as noted, I added some simple sautéed greens & garlic, and it all was fantastic. With a fresh lime Margherita, altogether it was a perfect Cinco de Mayo dinner, my wife & I both loved all of it. Thanks for these great recipes!