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    Easy Chicken Enchiladas

    Easy Chicken Recipes Kid Friendly Main Courses April 24, 2023 | By Kristen Chidsey | 18 Comments | *This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe
    These Chicken Enchiladas are the best version of Chicken Enchiladas and they are also the easiest--especially if you prepare with leftover rotisserie chicken. This simple Mexican recipe is a perfect weeknight family family.

    This easy recipe for Chicken Enchiladas is made with shredded chicken, green chilies, a cream cheese filling, and a perfectly spiced enchilada sauce, for a fast and flavorful meal.

    Short on time? Check out my recipe for Chicken Enchilada Casserole which delivers the same flavors as these chicken enchiladas without the tedious rolling!

    Baked Chicken Enchiladas topped with avocado and sour cream.


    These Chicken Enchiladas rank as one of my all-time favorite recipes from my childhood.

    I have shared a lot of recipes from my childhood with you over the years. From my Papa's Baked Beans to my Mom's Pizza Meatloaf, I have a lot of cherished memories of food shared at the table. And these chicken enchiladas are another favorite.

    My mom would make these enchiladas almost weekly. And with good reason! This simple recipe doesn't require a lot of effort, but the flavor is spectacular. Plus it was one meal all four of her children loved! And parents, you know that can be hard to come by!

    Whether you are looking for a recipe for leftover rotisserie chicken, or a simple, yet flavorful family meal, these Chicken Enchiladas won't disappoint.

    Notes on Ingredients

    Ingredients for chicken enchiladas labeled on counter.
    • Shredded Chicken: You can use any leftover chicken you have on hand. I love using storebought or homemade Rotisserie Chicken or Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Breast.
    • Cream Cheese: Use low-fat or full-fat cream cheese for the filling, but do not use fat-free, as the flavor is not the same. 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 adds 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 pretty simple to make. However, feel free to use your favorite store-brand red enchilada sauce.
    • Tortillas: Use any tortillas you like. Homemade flour tortillas, corn tortillas, or gluten-free tortillas.
    • Cheese: Use shredded cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby, or a combination of cheeses.

    How to Make Chicken Enchiladas

    • 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.
    Cream cheese mixture for enchiladas in glass mixing bowl.
    • Place about ⅓ cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place the seam side down in a casserole pan.
    Chicken mixture on flour tortilla.
    • Top with enchilada sauce and cheese.
    Side by side pans with chicken enchiladas.
    • Bake until browned.
    Chicken Enchilada Being pulled out of baking dish

    Serving Suggestions

    These enchiladas are delicious when served plain. However, I love to serve them with sour cream, diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro, avocado slices, and/or guacamole on the side.

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

    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.

    • 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 it with foil. Unless you are baking from frozen, then you will need to keep them 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 them up to baking, using a pan that is both freezer and oven safe. Once the chicken enchiladas are assembled as the recipe states, cover them with foil and freeze them 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 covering it 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.
    • Speed it up! Instead of rolling individual enchiladas, use the same ingredients to make Chicken Enchilada Casserole.

    Step-By-Step Video

    If you learn better through video, be sure to watch me make these Chicken Enchiladas and walk you through the steps over on YouTube.

    Plated chicken enchiladas topped with sour cream and sliced avocado.

    More Tex-Mex Favorite Recipes

    • Mexican Chicken Skillet
    • Crockpot Salsa Chicken
    • Taco Pasta
    • Taco Salad
    • Shredded Chicken Tacos

    Need more inspiration for planning meals that your family will love? Sign up for my FREE Meal Plans and each week you will get a meal plan with a shopping list.

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

    Chicken Enchiladas on plate topped with avocado

    Chicken Enchiladas

    Made with a creamy, slightly spiced filling and shredded chicken, these Chicken enchiladas are not only EASY, they are absolutely delicious.
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican, Tex Mex
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 322kcal
    Author: Kristen Chidsey

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups shredded chicken
    • 8 ounces cream cheese softened
    • 4 ounces canned diced green chiles undrained
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon cumin
    • 8 flour tortillas 8 inch size
    • 1 cup enchilada Sauce
    • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
    Prevents your screen from going dark while preparing the recipe.

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
    • In a large mixing bowl, mix cream cheese with cumin, salt, and diced green chiles, until well combined. Add in shredded chicken and mix well.
    • Place about ⅓ cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place them seam-side down in the prepared pan.
    • Pour enchilada sauce evenly over the tortillas and then sprinkle with cheese.
    • Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes until cheese is bubbly and melted.
    • Serve enchiladas with minced cilantro, sour cream, avocados, etc.

    Equipment Needed

    • 9x13 pan

    Notes

    Cream Cheese: Be sure your cream cheese is at room temperature to mix easily into the filling. I do not recommend fat-free cream cheese. 
    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 covering it 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.
    Tortillas: Feel free to use gluten-free tortillas in place of flour tortillas if needed. 
    Leftovers can be refrigerated for 3 days.
    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: Once the chicken enchiladas are assembled as the recipe states, cover them with foil and freeze them 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.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 322kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 724mg | Potassium: 227mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 618IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 288mg | Iron: 2mg
    Liked this Recipe? Tag me Today!Snap a picture and tag #amindfullmom on Instagram - I would love to see!
    « Homemade Peanut Butter Cups
    Homemade Chicken Soup »

    About Kristen Chidsey

    Hi, I am Kristen, creator of A Mind "Full" Mom. I believe that making a wholesome family meal does not need to be hard or expensive! I love nothing more than to share with you delicious solutions for your hungry family.

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    1. Terri

      February 26, 2021 at 5:47 am

      5 stars
      I have found the perfect chicken enchilada recipe! I used rotisserie chicken and made the homemade sauce which was easy and SO worth not just using canned sauce! I also love the taste of corn tortillas, quickly heated yellow (holds up much better than white) tortillas in a small amount of oil and placed on paper towels prior to assembling! Making them again this weekend when company coming over! Again—perfection!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 26, 2021 at 6:37 am

        YAY!!! I am so so happy to hear that you enjoyed so much! Thank you so much for sharing!

        Reply
    2. Barb McCullough

      December 15, 2020 at 4:02 pm

      Can you make this dish and freeze it? Will it get soggy after thawing or is it best to postpone the enchilada sauce and cheese until after it is thawed and ready to go in the oven?

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        December 15, 2020 at 6:36 pm

        Hi Barb! Yes! I do make these and freeze for future use and you want to bake from frozen, do not thaw first, to prevent soggy enchiladas. To freeze Chicken enchiladas, prepare up to baking, using a pan that is both freezer and oven safe. 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. Enjoy!

        Reply
    3. Tara

      November 03, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      5 stars
      These were perfect and easy! The whole family loved it! Thank you!!!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        November 04, 2020 at 6:41 am

        So glad your family enjoyed Tara!

        Reply
    4. Kristen

      June 01, 2020 at 10:30 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy! 2 thumbs way up from my whole family, even the pickest 6 year old eater, who hates everything. I used your recipe to cook frozen chicken breasts in the instant pot. Also used your recipe to make the enchilada sauce (yum!) I gave my picky eater 1/2 of one and she surprisingly ate quickly and asked “can I have more of that yummy stuff?” She also commented “I hope there’s some for lunch tomorrow” and “I love enchiladas!” Thank you for a new family favorite recipe.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        June 02, 2020 at 8:04 am

        Ah, that is so sweet! I love hearing how much your picky eater (and your whole family) enjoyed these enchiladas! Thank you for taking the time to share.

        Reply
    5. Melinda

      April 19, 2020 at 10:53 am

      This has become our favorite Chicken Enchilada recipe. Your homemade Enchilada Sauce is so tasty and makes this recipe pop with flavor. I use 2 cups of the sauce instead of one...PERFECT! Your recipes have pulled me back into the kitchen with delicious, easy meals. Your Instant Pot recipes are GREAT, too! Bless you and your precious family during this challenging time in our world. You make it fun to cook again!!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        April 19, 2020 at 12:59 pm

        You just made my day Melinda! I am so happy to hear how much your family enjoys my recipes 🙂 Blessings to your family as well!

        Reply
    6. Elizabeth Perez

      March 17, 2020 at 7:18 pm

      5 stars
      taste absolutely fantastic, making tomorrow for friends, Easy, quick and so delicious. thanks so much.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        March 18, 2020 at 7:56 am

        I am so glad you enjoy this so much and I hope your friends love it as well.

        Reply
    7. Jen

      February 12, 2020 at 11:12 am

      5 stars
      I love when I find a meal that my whole family enjoys and this one was a winner! So easy to put together using leftover chicken.

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 12, 2020 at 11:14 am

        I am so glad your family enjoyed Jen!

        Reply
    8. Rachael Yerkes

      February 12, 2020 at 11:11 am

      5 stars
      Love these enchiladas, easy and yummy!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 12, 2020 at 11:14 am

        Yay for easy and yummy! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review.

        Reply
    9. Courtney O'Dell

      February 12, 2020 at 11:06 am

      5 stars
      So much flavor, we couldn't get enough!

      Reply
      • Kristen Chidsey

        February 12, 2020 at 11:14 am

        I LOVE hearing you enjoyed so much Courtney!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    These Chicken Enchiladas are the best version of Chicken Enchiladas and they are also the easiest--especially if you prepare with leftover rotisserie chicken. This simple Mexican recipe is a perfect weeknight family family.

    Meet a Mind "Full" Mom

    A Picture of A Mind"Full"Mom

    Hi! I'm Kristen. I want to welcome you into my kitchen and my REAL, imperfect life. Let me share with you tips and tricks to help you make healthy eating a reality for your family in the chaos of life and on the constraints of a budget. Read more

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    These Chicken Enchiladas are the best version of Chicken Enchiladas and they are also the easiest--especially if you prepare with leftover rotisserie chicken. This simple Mexican recipe is a perfect weeknight family family.

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