Easy Chicken Enchiladas made with the simplest of ingredients. With just a few minutes of assembly time, bake it for 20 minutes, and dinner is ready. Everyone is happy!
This Chicken Enchilada Recipe is basic and easy and intentionally made with very simple ingredients.
It’s the perfect recipe to use with leftover chicken and all you need is 2 cups worth. You can even fortify it with beans or corn, or whatever you happen to have on hand! A delicious easy dinner in no time flat!
Looking for more ways to cook chicken breast? Take a peek at our 35+Best Chicken Breast Recipes on the blog!
What I love about these chicken enchiladas
- It’s highly adaptable. You can make this with store-bought enchilada sauce, our 5-minute enchilada sauce or roasted enchilada sauce.
- It uses up leftover chicken. Leftover rotisserie chicken gets repurposed into a second meal here! Or try this baked chicken, grilled chicken, or this Shredded Chicken – all you need is 2 cups!
Easy CHICKEN ENCHILADA INGREDIENTS:
- Chicken: Use this Shredded chicken recipe or leftover rotisserie chicken or this simple baked chicken.
- Enchilada Sauce: Use store-bought, make the 5-Min Enchilada Sauce or the Roasted Enchilada Sauce!
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas are typically used in enchiladas, but I prefer to use a corn and flour blend because they are much easier to roll. Use what you like.
- Cheese: Use Cotijo, shredded Pepper Jack, or Mexican-blend shredded cheese work best, but any melty cheese can work here too. Even vegan cheese!
- Optional Additions: Canned green chilies, black beans, corn.
- Toppings: Cilantro or scallions, sour cream, lime wedges, avocado, hot sauce!
How to make Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Step One: Make the 5-minute Enchilada Sauce or use store-bought enchilada sauce. Again, no judgment! I always have a bottle on hand for emergencies. You’ll need about 2 cups.
Here I’m using our 5-minute Enchilada sauce.
Step 2: Mix 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce with 2 cups shredded chicken.
Mix and season with salt and pepper. At this point, you could add canned green chilies if you like.
Step 3: Spread a greased 9×13-inch baking dish with 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce.
Step 4: Then fill and roll the tortillas. It is helpful to warm them first so they are pliable.
Start with the cheese, spreading out about 2-3 tablespoons down the middle of each tortilla.
Top the cheese with 1/4 cup of shredded chicken filling or just divide the filling equally.
the BEST way to roll enchiladas:
- Warming the tortillas makes them pliable and bendy so they don’t crack or break. You can wrap in towel and microwave, or toast briefly on a gas burner or lay them out on the rack of a warm oven.
- Start with the cheese, which, when the roll is turned over in the baking pan will melt over the chicken instead of pooling in the bottom.
- Fill all the way to the ends.
- Place seam-side down.
Step 5: Place the enchiladas, seam-side down in the baking dish. Now the cheese will be on top, melting over the chicken. 😉
Step 6: Lather up with the remaining Enchilada Sauce. Add cheese.
If you like your edges crispy, leave the sauce off the edges and brush with olive oil and they will get crisp.
Step 7: Bake at 350, uncovered for 20 minutes until heated through and the cheese is melty and golden. Garnish with cilantro if you like.
What to serve with Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Keep them very simple with sour cream and cilantro, or serve them with a side salad like our Mexican Slaw. Here are a few more ideas that work great with these chicken enchiladas.
- sour cream
- cilantro
- Quick Pickled Red Onions
- lime wedges
- Pickled jalapenos
- Guacamole
- Hot sauce!
- Mexican Slaw
- Pinto Beans or Mole Black beans
- Cilantro Lime Rice
On the homefront: It feels especially quiet around here this morning. Brian is on an outdoor adventure he’s been planning for months, and so it’s just Bell (our cat) and I holding down the fort. So far, Bell has made it clear that, between Brian and me, I am not her first choice. She’s been moping around the house since the minute he left looking forlorn and heartbroken. I’m trying to not take it personally.
It has been an interesting week. So much anxiety in the air, it’s hard not to feel it. I try not to amplify it, turning inward to the peace inside myself. Trusting that even this is enough.
We celebrated an anniversary a few days ago, and then felt the weight of loss, on the birthday of my friend who left this world several months ago. I am continually amazed at how much our hearts can hold.
The sun is out this morning. The smoke has cleared, the rain came and washed it all away. A gentle breeze moves through the trees casting flickering shadows on the counter where I sit. And here, right now, all is well. I hold it as long as I can…
More Enchilada Recipes you may like:
- Farmers Market Veggie Enchiladas
- White Chicken Enchiladas (or Cauliflower!)
- Roasted Butternut Enchiladas with Mole Sauce
- Enchilada Casserole with Sweet Potato, Corn and Black beans
- Enchiladas Verde (Green Enchiladas)
Let us know how you like these Chicken Enchiladas and ways you adapt them to your needs!
Print The Easiest Chicken Enchiladas
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: baked
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
Easy Chicken Enchiladas made with the simplest of ingredients. With just a few minutes of assembly time, bake it for 20 minutes, and dinner is ready. Everyone is happy!
Ingredients
- 2 cups Shredded Chicken (10-12 ounces) Use leftover chicken ( rotisserie, baked, grilled, etc)
- 5-minute Enchilada Sauce or Roasted Enchilada Sauce (2 cups)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 x 6-inch tortillas (corn or flour or a corn & flour blend)
- 2 cups shredded cheese ( 8 ounces) – cotija, shredded Mexican blend, shredded jack, mozzarella etc.
- optional filling additions: canned green chilies, frozen corn, black beans,
- optional garnishes: sour cream, avocado, cilantro, scallions, pickled jalapeno, pickled onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Make the 5-Minute Enchilada Sauce
- Mix 1/4 cup enchilada sauce with the shredded chicken, taste and season with salt and pepper. At this point you could add a 4-ounce can of green chilies for extra flavor.
- Heat the tortillas until they are pliable to prevent cracking when rolling-especially if using corn tortillas. (In a microwave -wrap the stack in a wet paper towel for 30 seconds, repeat if needed) Or spread out on the rack in a 350 F oven, or lightly toast over a gas burner using tongs.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread 1/4 cup Enchilada sauce over the bottom, or just enough to coat.
- Roll the Enchiladas: Place 2 tablespoons cheese down the centers of the tortillas, divide the chicken filling. Roll and place seam-side down on top of the enchilada sauce. Repeat until the baking dish is full.
- Brush the remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cup of cheese.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until warmed through and cheese is melty.
- Top with garnishes before serving!
Notes
This can be assembled ahead, refrigerated, and baked right before serving ( be sure to let it come to room temp first).
This can be made, baked and frozen for later.
You can make the chicken and sauce in batches the day before and then assemble the day of.
Feel free to cut back on the chicken and add corn or sauteed peppers, onions, or black beans. You need a total of 2 cups of filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ Enchiladas
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3.8 g
- Sodium: 1023 mg
- Fat: 16.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30.9 g
- Fiber: 6.4 g
- Protein: 31.1 g
- Cholesterol: 84.6 mg
This was the first time I’ve ever made enchiladas. I made them for our small Superbowl gathering yesterday. The 5 minute enchilada sauce is delicious and I concur with another reviewer that I could drink the stuff. I used a little chipotle chili powder for smokey flavor. I roasted off bone in skin on organic chicken breasts and shredded the meat while they were still warm and added canned diced green chiles. My husband declared the enchiladas the best he’d ever had and I can’t wait for the leftovers tonight. Will definitely be adding this to my regular repertoire. I also made the Mexican Slaw recipe which was a great, fresh, crispy, tangy complement to the creamy enchiladas. Thanks for both these wonderful recipes, Sylvia.
Awesome to hear Elizabeth!
5-star fabulous! Such a versatile recipe. I made it with leftover turkey, sauteed onions, black beans & corn last night. The key is the 5min enchilada sauce – I could drink it!
Sounds amazing! So glad it worked out.
Excellent and easy recipe. Your 5-minute enchilada sauce was perfect as well. I keep a jar of your pickled onions in the fridge. I never would have thought of using them on enchiladas, but did so as per your suggestion in the notes. They were a tasty addition!
Yay! Thanks Mary!
Super easy to make recipe.
Have it ready for the oven later today ! Will come back to let you know the tasting
Love all recipes that I have made so fer. Thank You Sylvia !!
Thanks Lilian- yes please let us know!
If I plan on freezing this once it is baked how should I reheat it? Do you have any other make ahead and freeze dinners?
Hi Nina! Thaw overnight in the fridge, bring to room temp, one hour on the counter, and bake covered at 350F until heated through to about 145F, uncover for a few minutes if you like. 🙂
I loved how easy the sauce is to make! I also love finding new ways of using the huge batch of shredded chicken I usually make and then freeze to use later. It was delicious. Thanks!
Great to hear!
Made this last night using IP shredded chicken from this site, along with your 5 minute enchilada sauce–delicious and easy. Also followed suggested options and added green chilies to shredded chicken, and black beans and corn to filling. Garnished with avocado, scallions, and sour cream along with leftover enchilada sauce.
Sounds yummy Joyce!
This tasted great and was so easy to make. I can see myself making this recipe when I’m short on time. I will double the recipe next time so I can use the leftovers for lunch.
Thanks Mary Ann!
This is one of my go-to recipes! Easy, delicious and satisfying. The 5 minute enchilada sauce is so easy to make when I’m short on time and tastes amazing.
Thanks Claudia!
Made the Easy Chicken Enchiladas for dinner. Added black beans and corn, since I didn’t quite have enough chicken. Wonderful recipe — easy to make and delicious. Next time, I’ll try making the enchilada sauce. Can’t wait to try some of the other chicken recipes.
Glad you gave this a go Pat!
I’ve made this many times. It is my favorite enchilada recipe
Awesome Karen! Glad you like this one!
I am going to try this tonight! I love the easy-to-find ingredients. I have tried several recipes from this website and all of them have been keepers.
Thanks Gayle!
Looks and sounds great. Love the multiple tab. I frequently cook for a crowd.
Thanks Mary!
Hello. I made the zucchini curry recipe last night and it was delicious! Love your site!
Grea to hear Sue! Thanks so much and I pass it on to Suwanee. 😉
I put chicken breasts in a crock pot with Costco Green Salsa 505 to use as my filling.
Great!
Delicious! Made with the 5 minute enchilada sauce and it was a big hit
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed!
Can I use fresh jalapenos instead of the canned ones? Thank you.
Yes, but these are canned chilies, not jalapenos- so go light. 😉
I make some version of this with the 5-minute enchilada sauce once every two weeks. It’s delicious and we always have leftovers.
The chicken is delicious. I used corn tortillas since I don’t like flour tortillas. I may try to dip the tortillas in hot oil next time before rolling them. I saw the recipe for enchilada casserole which looks the same but layers the ingredients instead of rolling them. In the end, I forgot to add the cilantro and avocado and they were still delicious. This recipe will definitely be a repeat for us.
I forgot to mention that I used fresh Pasilla peppers instead of the canned green chilis since I prefer fresh ingredients to canned.
Great to hear!
Used leftover shredded chicken and made your roasted enchilada sauce. Both were Excellent.
Yum! This was super easy and very flavorful. I made the pantry ingredients sauce and added onion, poblano, and jalapeño to the chicken. I used the stove top method. Topped with some black olives and green onions. I used corn tortillas which did fall apart a bit, next time I will just layer like lasagna.
Simple and easy these were the best chicken enchiladas I’ve ever made and my family loved them. I made used Instant pot shredded chicken.