This chicken enchiladas recipe is flavorful and easy to make. Made of seasoned chicken, homemade enchilada sauce, and cheese, wrapped in tortillas then covered with more enchilada sauce or salsa, and melted cheese.
Enchilada is a Mexican dish typically made of rolled corn tortilla filled with meat, beans, and vegetables then covered with various sauces; such as chili-based sauce and salsa verde. Topped with cheese, sour cream and vegetables then served with Spanish rice or corn.
Chicken Enchiladas 4 Main Ingredients
Tortillas– corn or flour tortillas
Chicken– I used chicken breast for this recipe. Sometimes, I use leftover air fryer rotisserie chicken. You can also use store-bought roasted chicken.
Enchilada Sauce or salsa– although you can use store-bought, nothing beats homemade enchilada sauce and you can customize it to your liking. This homemade enchilada sauce recipe is easy to make. Made of simple ingredients but loaded with flavor.
Cheese– tex-mex cheese blend (Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos, mild cheddar, and mozzarella cheese) or mix with your favorite cheese.
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas
Step 1. Cook the chicken.
Over stovetop on medium-high heat in a cast-iron pan, heat canola oil. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Sear the chicken on each side for 3 minutes. Place the cast iron with the chicken in the preheated oven and cook thoroughly for 10 to 12 minutes. Slice and dice the chicken. Skip this if using leftover or store-bought rotisserie chicken
Step 2. Make the enchilada sauce (yield 2 cups)
In a saucepot heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Saute onion until soft and garlic until fragrant. Add roasted pepper and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and stir frequently. Reduce to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender to liquefy the sauce or use a heatproof blender.
Step 3. Assemble the enchilada
Grease the baking dish with oil or butter. Heat the tortillas in a microwave for 20 seconds or on a pan to lightly toast over the stovetop to make them more pliable and also helps to prevent it from being soggy and soaking up too much sauce. Covered with a kitchen towel to keep it warm and soft.
Step 4. Filling the tortillas.
Spoon and pour 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce over the tortilla and spread evenly. Add about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese and 1/3 cup of diced chicken. Roll up the tortilla and place the tortilla seam side down in the baking dish.
Repeat with the rest of the tortillas and pour the remaining sauce over the top. I like my enchiladas with less sauce. Add more or less sauce to your liking then add the rest of the cheese.
Step 5. Baking the Chicken Enchiladas
Bake in a preheated oven to 350°F for about 20 minutes or until the cheese melted. Garnish with chopped green onion or parsley then serve hot.
How to serve Chicken Enchiladas
In a medium-sized bowl add all the vegetables, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss and mix. Serve on top or side of the enchilada with sour cream. Optional side (rice, corn, or beans).
How to store
Refrigerate for up to 3 days in a sealed container. Reheat in a microwave or oven. It freezes well and can freeze for up to 2 months (best quality) in a sealed container. From frozen, it can be reheated in a microwave. To reheat in the oven at 350°F cover with aluminum foil to avoid drying out.
If making ahead, it’s best to store without the sauce. Store the sauce in a separate container to avoid the sauce soaking up too much and become soggy.
You may also like
Chicken Enchiladas
Watch How to Make It
Equipment
- 9" x 9" baking dish
- immersion blender
- cast iron pan
- Saucepan or pot
Ingredients
- 500 g chicken breast 3 pcs
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 5 flour tortilla 8" or corn tortilla
- 1 ½ cups cheese blend or Tex Mex cheese blend shredded
For Garnish
- 2 tbsp green onion or parsley chopped or parsley chopped
Enchilada sauce
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup onion chopped
- 65 g roasted pepper chopped
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 398 ml tomato sauce a can
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp kosher salt or to taste
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper or chilli powder
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Serve on top or side
- Rice and beans optional
- ½ cup Sour cream
Vegetables or salad served on top or side
- 3 cups iceberg lettuce chopped
- ½ cup Roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
- ⅓ cup green bell pepper chopped
- 2 tbsp red onion chopped
- 2 tsp lemon juice or lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Season and cook the chicken
- Over stovetop on medium-high heat in a cast-iron pan, heat canola oil. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Sear the chicken on each side for 3 minutes. Place the cast iron with the chicken in the preheated oven and cook thoroughly for 10 to 12 minutes. Slice and dice the chicken.
For enchilada sauce (yield 2 cups)
- In a saucepot heat canola oil over medium-high heat. Saute onion until soft and garlic until fragrant. Add roasted pepper and the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a boil and stir frequently. Reduce to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender to liquefy the sauce or use a heatproof blender.
Assemble the enchilada
- Grease the baking dish with oil or butter.
- Heat the tortillas in a microwave for 20 seconds or on a pan over the stovetop to make it more pliable. Cover with a kitchen towel to keep it warm and soft.
- Spoon and pour 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce over the tortilla and spread evenly. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese. Add about 1/3 cup of diced chicken. Roll up the tortilla and place the tortilla seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas and pour the remaining sauce over the top. Add the rest of the cheese.
- Bake in a preheated oven to 350°F for about 20 minutes or until the cheese melted. Sprinkle chopped green onion or parsley.
For topping or serve it on the side
- In a medium-sized bowl add all the vegetables, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss and mix. Serve on top or side of the enchilada with sour cream. Optional side (rice or beans).
