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This Easy Chicken Enchilada Recipe makes 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 ever 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 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 chili 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, but cheddar, mozzarella, or pepperjack also work. If you’re looking to go super authentic and use traditional Mexican cheeses, I recommend Oaxaca (quesillo), Chihuahua, 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 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 them seam-side down in a large baking dish.
- 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.
Chicken Enchilada Recipe Variations
- Make it the traditional authentic way. If you want to make these enchiladas using the more traditional method, shallow fry the corn tortillas in a little oil for about 5-10 seconds per side to help them become pliable and prevent them from becoming too soggy. Drain off any excess oil, then dip each fried tortilla into the warm enchilada sauce. Place the smothered tortilla on a plate, add the filling, and roll it up. Top with any remaining enchilada sauce and a sprinkle of queso fresco or cotija cheese.
- Use a different sauce. Though red enchilada sauce is usually what people think of first, you could use my green enchilada sauce made from roasted green chiles and onions, salsa verde made from tomatillos and jalapeños, or even a cheesy white sauce made from flour, sour cream, and cheese.
- Use a different meat. I know this recipe is for chicken enchiladas, but you could truly fill them with whatever meat you have on hand! Shredded meats like carnitas, barbacoa, and even birria would go great in here, as would picadillo or your favorite taco meat.
- Add beans or veggies. Black beans, pinto beans, or sauteed zucchini and bell peppers are a great addition to the shredded chicken.
What to Serve with Chicken Enchiladas
I topped these enchiladas with some 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!
To make this a well-rounded meal, try serving them with some Mexican rice or arroz verde, a scoop of creamy refried beans, and a side of guacamole. Now I’m making myself hungry.
Storing and Freezing Enchiladas
To store enchiladas, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them 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 them.
Enchilada Recipes
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups easy enchilada sauce, divided
- 8 corn or flour tortillas (see note if using flour tortillas)
- 2 ½ cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
- salt and black 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, ¼ 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 ¾ cup enchilada sauce over the tortillas, top with the remaining 1 ½ cups shredded cheese, and bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve immediately and garnish with desired toppings.
Notes
- 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 of cooked shredded chicken for the filling.
- To make these using the more authentic and traditional Mexican method: Shallow fry the corn tortillas in a little oil for about 5-10 seconds per side to help them become pliable and prevent them from becoming too soggy. Drain off any excess oil, then dip each fried tortilla into the warm enchilada sauce. Place the smothered tortilla on a plate, add the filling, and roll it up. Top with any remaining enchilada sauce and a sprinkle of queso fresco or cotija cheese.
- Storing and Freezing: To store enchiladas, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To freeze, let them cool completely in the fridge, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze. You can also wrap the enchiladas completely in aluminum foil.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! I made these last night along with shredded chicken and the easy enchilada sauce and they were so tasty. It all came together really easily and will be a regular for our future meal planning.
these look great and EASY! Think the recipe is off on the amount of cheese in each enchilada. Should be 1/2 cup?.. will make them tonight and let you know how we like them.
I hope you love them, Debi! And for the cheese, you’ll use 2 1/2 cups total – 1 cup for the filling and 1 1/2 cups for the topping.
Very easy and makes a yummy quick meal! Also a tip for shredding the chicken! If you have a counter top mixer (like Kitchen Aid) mix it in the mixer with the flat paddle! Works great!
Hello,
I just made this recipe, it is delicious but had one problem. I followed your directions to wrap the corn tortillas in damp paper towels and microwaved them for one minute and turned them over half way. All the corn tortillas were broken into pieces when I removed them. What did I do wrong. I will be making another batch soon and do not want that to happen again.
Hello! That can happen if the tortillas were a little too wet, or sometimes it has to do with the brand of tortillas. Some brands have tortillas that are thicker and a little more pliable making them easier to use, others are more thin and prone to tearing and almost “dissolving” if that makes sense. I hope this helps!
This was excellent! Made the shredded chicken and the sauce just like you instructed–at first I was frustrated by multi-step recipe, but when I actually started cooking it was super simple and WOW was it good! Thank you!
Amazingly good, and the instructions were very clear and precise! This dish received rave reviews from my family. Thanks so much for sharing your delicious receipes!
I was looking for a quick to make meal using a bunch of shredded chicken I had left over from yesterday’s chicken salad.. and this was the perfect thing! And I am so grateful that you included the sauce recipe. I hate serving my family anything premade in a jar or can and avoid it as often as possible, so that was awesome! Thank you!
Oh my goodness, this was delicious!! Made for the first time tonight (including the easy enchilada sauce and shredded chicken). Used flour tortillas and the Mexican cheese blend from Whole Foods. Used the entire 4 tbsp of chili powder in the sauce and not too spicy. Yum! So grateful I found this website and I look forward to making other recipes!! Thank you!! Kathleen
I’m so happy you loved it! Thank you so much for making my recipes and supporting my site! 🙂
Hi Isabel,
Thank you for this blog! I love Mexican cuisine and now that I’m staying home all the time, I have ample opportunities to cook and learn as I go. I just finished the chicken enchiladas that I made with your corn tortilla recipe. This was my first attempt with my new tortilla press and I followed you directions and made the twelve balls as written. I finished them in a cast iron skillet and set them in the refrigerator to assemble later.
I made your mom’s easy enchilada sauce, which was delicious! I had to substitute catsup for the tomato paste and added a bit of powdered cocoa and the tiniest sprinkle of cinnamon and I am now forever in your debt!
My question is this: When I assembled the enchiladas after rewarming the tortillas, they cracked as I rolled them. I continued and once they were enrobed in sauce and cheese, no one would be the wiser. Except me! What should I have done differently?
Maybe nothing! With the addition of homemade pintos, rice, guacamole, and fresh garnish of cilantro and slivered green onions, it was the best Mexican meal ever! And, I’m 65 and have eaten plenty of mediocre Mexican meals and a very few really fine ones in Mexico, so to enjoy one in my own home is a special treat!
Thank you!
Carol Marino
Hi Carol! Thank you so much for the compliments! In regards to your question, you may try heating up the tortillas in a little bit of hot oil in a pan, not necessarily frying them, but that may help them be more pliable.
Very tasty especially with the homemade easy sauce. I added raw spinach, sautéed mushrooms and spread retried beans on whole wheat tortillas. I used about 1/4 cup cheese and I think the recipes erroneously indicates 1 cup for each tortilla. ( recipe calls for total 2-1/2 cups cheese). Thanks for an easy and delicious quick Mexican dinner.
I was confused too, but I think what she meant was 1 cup TOTAL inside the tortillas and remaining 1.5cups on top to bake.
My family and I loved this! Note to the other readers here: take the extra 10 minutes to make the Easy Enchilada Sauce Isabel shares above. It makes *ALL* the difference! This is the second time I’ve made enchiladas. The first time, the sauce was from a can and this was 1,000 times better. I followed the advice to start with half the chili powder (2 tbs) and it was perfect for our kids, who don’t like things spicy, but it still had a ton of flavor. This will be a new weekly staple for us. Thank you!