Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- PREP 30min
- COOK 25min
- TOTAL 55min
These red chicken enchiladas are easy to make with a simple filling of shredded chicken, cheese, and our favorite homemade enchilada sauce. We roll the chicken filling up in tortillas–corn tortillas are the most authentic, but if you prefer flour tortillas, use them!
We link to two enchilada sauce recipes in the recipe. We love the quick and easy sauce when we are short on time and use the more authentic sauce when we have dried whole chilies available.
You Will Need
2 cups enchilada sauce, try red chili enchilada sauce or quick enchilada sauce
3 ½ to 4 cups cooked shredded chicken, see how to make shredded chicken
2 cups shredded cheese, like Oaxaca cheese, white cheddar or Monterey Jack
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, see corn tortillas recipe
Cooking spray or oil
Optional toppings: diced avocado or guacamole, cilantro leaves, sour cream, pico de gallo
Directions
Arrange an oven rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 375°F (190°C).
Spread 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce down the center of a 13×9-inch baking dish, then set aside.
Add 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, and 1 ¼ cups of cheese to a bowl, and then toss until the chicken and cheese are well coated.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Place six tortillas on the baking sheet so they lie flat and barely touch each other. Lightly spray or rub both sides of the tortillas with oil. Bake the tortillas until they just start to crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the baked tortillas to a plate lined with a paper towel, and then repeat with the remaining six tortillas.
Add 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce to a low-sided, wide bowl, and then quickly dip each baked tortilla into the sauce to coat it lightly.
Divide the chicken and cheese mixture between the tortillas, adding about 1/3 cup of filling. Roll the tortillas up and place them seam-side-down into the baking dish with sauce. The enchiladas will be nestled pretty close to each other.
Spoon the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle the remaining cheese down the middle.
Cover the dish with aluminum foil or parchment paper by tucking the sides and corners around the enchiladas.
Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover, then bake another 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Make ahead tips: The sauce and shredded chicken can be made and frozen. We provide freezing instructions in their recipes (easy enchilada sauce or authentic enchilada sauce).
- Freezing: Baked enchiladas can be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat before serving. Assembled and unbaked enchiladas can also be frozen for up to 1 month. We recommend leaving the cheese off until you are ready to bake.
- Preparing the tortillas: Our method for prepping the tortillas is a little different to other recipes since we use the oven instead of frying the tortillas on the stove. If you prefer to prep the tortillas in the more traditional way, you can.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have assumed this enchilada sauce recipe for the calculations.