The BEST Chicken Enchilada Recipe (2024)

The Best Chicken Enchilada recipe is easy to make, filled with chicken, and topped with homemade enchilada sauce. Mexican food favorite that’s ready in 30 minutes!

Chicken Enchiladas are always a family favorite dinner choice! They are cheesy and loaded with chicken and can be customized with your favorite fillings. The homemade enchilada sauce is ready in minutes and is so delicious. I like to serve the enchiladas with Cilantro Lime Rice or tortilla chips and salsa or Pico de Gallo, guacamole and queso dip!

Chicken Enchilada Recipe

I’ve always been a huge fan of delicious, simple suppers – and my enchiladas like these chicken enchiladas and my beef enchiladas are most definitely that. I’ll even go so far as to say these are the BEST Chicken Enchiladas I’ve ever tasted! Not only are these the best, but because they are so quick and simple, I make them often. These classic chicken enchiladas make a great quick and easy weeknight dinner, yet are still a favorite choice for weekends as well.

Why I Love This Recipe

• Quick and Easy – These enchiladas are ready in under 30 minutes. They are simple to make and can be customized to suit your tastes.
• Great Meal Prep Recipe – I love that I can cook a lot of chicken and then use it to make the shredded chicken for these enchiladas. The homemade enchilada sauce is made within a few minutes in the blender, but can also be made ahead and kept in the fridge.
• Full of Flavor – My entire family enjoys this recipe and always has, even when my son was small. I can customize the toppings and the amount of spiciness to suit our tastes. It’s always a great recipe for serving friends, too.

How to Make Chicken Enchiladas

To make this recipe, there are just a few things you’ll need:

Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

• Tortillas – You can use your favorite corn or flour tortilla for this recipe. If you are using corn tortillas, I’ve found that warming them in the microwave on a damp paper towel for a few moments makes them more easily pliable to prevent any tearing as they are filled and rolled. If you are using flour tortillas, they are generally pliable enough to use without warming them.
• Cheese – the recipe includes cheese in the filling of the enchilada as well as more on top for baking. I typically like to shred my own cheese straight from the block to use in recipes, but you can also use pre-shredded store-bought cheese if you prefer. For the cheese, I like to use Monterey Jack cheese. If I use store-bought shredded cheese, I also like to use a Mexican cheese blend.
• Enchilada Sauce – I use my easy homemade enchilada sauce for this recipe. It is so quick and easy to make in your blender. If you prefer, you can also use your favorite store-bought.
• Chicken – For this recipe, you’ll use 2 cups of cooked, shredded chicken that can be made in the Instant Pot, a slow cooker, or on the stovetop (it’s great for meal prep!). It is a great recipe to use leftover chicken, like baked chicken or rotisserie chicken, and shred it.

Optional Fillings and Toppings

• Onion – a bit of diced onion adds additional flavor and texture to these enchiladas.
• Green chilis – the flavor of the green chilis reminds me so much of some delicious enchiladas at my favorite Mexican restaurant. A small can of drained green chilis is all you need.
• Black beans – we love to add a can of drained and rinsed black beans to this recipe from time to time. It stretches the recipe and allows you to reduce the amount of chicken needed for the recipe by half if you wish.
• Toppings – sour cream, diced green onions, shredded lettuce, and chopped tomatoes all make delicious options.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prep the dish and tortillas. After prepping the dish with nonstick cooking spray, spread enchilada sauce in the bottom of the baking dish as directed. If using corn tortillas, you may want to warm them as described in the recipe—no need to do this for flour tortillas.
2. Assemble chicken enchiladas. In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, enchilada sauce, and any additional fillings desired. Spoon the chicken mixture into the center of the tortilla and top with shredded cheese. Fold the tortilla and place seam-side down into the prepared baking dish, and repeat with the remaining tortillas.
3. Bake the enchiladas. Pour enchilada sauce over the assembled enchiladas and top with shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese has melted and is bubbly.
4. Top and serve. Top with your favorite toppings and serve.

Storage Tips

Store. Allow the enchiladas to cool. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze. Allow enchiladas to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight, freezer-safe container. If the baking dish used is freezer-safe, use an airtight lid if the dish has one, or wrap it well with a freezer-safe wrap to make the dish as airtight as possible. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheat. Place the enchiladas in the refrigerator and allow them to thaw overnight. Reheat in the oven at 350º F until warmed throughout and the cheese is bubbly (about 20 minutes).

Frequently Asked Questions

More Delicious Mexican and Tex-Mex Recipes

If you love enchiladas and Mexican and Tex-Mex food as my family does, then you may want to give some of my other recipes a try:

Steak Fajitas

Chicken Tortilla Soup

The Best Tacos

Barbacoa

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Here’s my Chicken Enchilada Recipe. I think you are going to LOVE them!

Enjoy!
Robyn xo

From the Add a Pinch recipe archives. Originally published 2012.