Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Made with leftover chicken, green chilies, a cream cheese filling, and a perfectly spiced enchilada sauce, Chicken Enchiladas are one of the easiest, most flavorful dinner recipes ever! 

Serve these Chicken Enchiladas with a side of Mexican Corn or Instant Pot Rice and Beans, and a Tropical Kale Smoothie, for a filling, easy family meal.

My Favorite Enchilada Recipe

From Vegetarian Enchiladas, Green Chicken Enchiladas, Pumpkin Enchiladas, even Breakfast Enchiladas, I haven't met many enchiladas I don't like. But these Chicken Enchiladas rank as one of my all-time favorite recipes for enchiladas.

But what makes this recipe my favorite? 

First of all, it is the version of enchiladas my mom made for our family when we were growing up and nothing beats mom's cooking and the memories associated with her recipes.

But more importantly, these chicken enchiladas are delicious! From the spicy enchilada sauce to the creamy, cheesy chicken filling, not only are these enchiladas flavorful, they are incredibly simple to make. I

Notes on Ingredients

• Shredded Chicken: You can use leftover Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, Oven Baked Chicken Breasts, or Rotisserie Chicken. If you don't have any precooked chicken, you can parboil chicken breasts.
• Cream Cheese: Use low-fat or full-fat cream cheese for the filling, but do not use fat-free. And be sure to let it soften to room temperature so it is much easier to mix into the chicken.
• Green Chiles: A can of diced green chiles add a mild kick and flavor to the enchilada filling--even the kids can handle the heat!
• Enchilada Sauce: I use my homemade enchilada sauce as it is free from MSG and preservatives and I like the taste better. However, feel free to use your favorite store-brand sauce.
• Tortillas: Use any tortillas you like--homemade flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or gluten-free tortillas.
• Cheese: Cheese is a must to finish off these enchiladas. Use shredded cheddar, Monterrey Jack, Colby, or a combination of cheeses.

Step-By-Step Instructions

• Mix together the cream cheese, green chiles, and spices together until combined.
• Add the chicken to the cream cheese mixture and mix until evenly mixed.

• Place about ⅓ cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in the preheated pan.

• Top with enchilada sauce and cheese.
• Bake until browned.

• These enchiladas are delicious served plain right out of the oven. However, I really enjoy topping with sour cream, diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and avocado.

How to Prevent Soggy Enchiladas

No one likes soggy tortillas that fall apart or mushy foods. With these tips, you can PREVENT your tortillas from breaking down and becoming soggy, yet are still smothered in sauce.

• Preheat your baking dish BEFORE adding your rolled enchiladas to the pan. That way when you place your prepared chicken enchiladas into the pan, they will begin to crisp up on the bottom, keeping the tortillas from getting soggy.
• Do NOT put enchilada sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Most recipes call for covering the bottom of the pan with enchilada sauce. However, this will cause the bottom of the enchiladas to steam in the sauce, causing the tortillas to soak up the sauce and get really soggy. Instead, just cover the top of the enchiladas with the sauce. You will have all the flavor--just no mushy tortillas.
• Do NOT cover enchiladas with foil when baking. Again, this will cause your enchiladas to steam in the sauce and can result in soggy enchiladas. There is no need to cover with foil. Unless you are baking from frozen, then you will need to keep covered for part of the baking time so that enchiladas will cook through before drying out.

And now be prepared to enjoy enchiladas that are a bit crispy, a bit soft, and absolutely PERFECT!

Preparing in Advance

You can opt to assemble these enchiladas up to 48 hours in advance before baking. Simply roll the enchiladas and place them into a greased pan. Cover with foil and place in the fridge for up to 48 hours. When ready to serve, remove from the fridge while preheating the oven. Remove the foil. Cover with enchilada sauce and cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until warmed through.

To freeze Chicken Enchiladas, prepare up to baking, using a pan that is both freezer and oven safe. Once the chicken enchiladas are assembled as the recipe states, cover with foil and freeze for up to 1 month. When ready to prepare, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake, covered with foil, for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are warmed through.

Recipe Notes

• No pre-cooked chicken? Parboil chicken on the stove by placing about 1 pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then turn to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove chicken and shred to use for chicken enchiladas.
• Gluten-Free Chicken Enchiladas: To make gluten-free enchiladas, opt to use gluten-free tortillas and be sure your enchilada sauce is gluten-free.

More Tex Mex Favorites

• Mexican Quinoa Salad
• Mexican Chicken Skillet
• Instant Pot Refried Beans
• Taco Salad

If you enjoyed these Chicken Enchiladas, I would love for you to leave a comment and a rating.