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These chicken enchiladas are quick, simple, delicious and make a great freezer meal!
A family go-to!
Because of my heritage, I’ve learned how to make so many Mexican recipes – and this chicken enchilada recipe is the FIRST Mexican dinner I learned to make.
Since then, it’s been made countless times and we’ve established enchiladas as a family favorite dinner!
WHY WE LOVE Chicken ENCHILADAS
- Any and every night. A 20-minute prep time makes these perfect for a quick dinner and entertaining.
- Restaurant quality at home!
- Feeds the masses. Great for making for company because it’s easy to double (or even triple!)
- Freezer Friendly.
- PREP TIME: 20 MINS
- COOK TIME: 20 MINS
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken – Use canned chicken, Baked Chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even Shredded Chicken
- 2 cups shredded Colby jack cheese – or try a Mexican blend, grated marble Colby jack, or a cheddar cheese and pepper jack blend
- 1 (19-ounce) can of Las Palmas green chile enchilada sauce – or homemade Green Enchilada Sauce
- 1 cup sour cream – or plain yogurt
- 6-8 corn tortillas – We prefer corn tortillas since they are more traditional and add more flavor to the recipe, but you can swap the corn tortillas with similarly sized Flour Tortillas. (No need to dip flour tortillas in the sauce before rolling.)
- 1 (4½ ounce) can of chopped green chiles – For mild flavor use diced green bell peppers. For extra heat use diced jalapenos
- salt and black pepper – start with a little and add until the chicken is perfectly seasoned
- TOPPINGS – Add olives, tomatoes, diced red onions, sliced jalapenos, fresh cilantro, salsa, chili peppers, black beans, or corn.
HoW to Make Chicken ENchiladas
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- FILLING. In a small bowl, combine 2 cups shredded chicken, 1 cup of cheese, 1 (19-ounce) green chiles, salt, and pepper.
- SAUCE. In a small skillet, bring 1 (4½-ounce) can enchilada sauce to a boil. Remove from heat.
- FILL. Dip each tortilla into the heated sauce for a few seconds to soften.
- Spoon ⅓ cup of chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons sour cream down the center for each tortilla (I usually put the sour cream in a sandwich bag and cut the bottom tip which makes it easier to squirt right down the center).
- Roll the tortilla and place seam-side down in 8×8 (or 9×9) inch baking dish.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour the remaining heated enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- BAKE. Bake green chili chicken enchiladas for 20 minutes.
PRO TIP: How to Keep Tortillas from Cracking!
Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-60 seconds to help keep them from cracking while rolling.
What to Serve with Chicken Enchiladas?
The Mexican side dish options are endless for this chicken enchilada recipe.
- Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice
- Homemade Salsa, Pico de Gallo, Guacamole
- Refried Beans
- Homemade Tortilla Chips
- Esquites, Mexican Corn on the Cob
- Chicken Tacos
Or change it up and make these enchiladas: Red Cheese Enchiladas, Cream Cheese Enchiladas, Creamy Chicken Enchiladas, Beef Enchiladas.
For more collections, check out: Mexican Dinner Ideas and Chicken Dinner Ideas.
Chicken Enchilada Recipe
This chicken enchilada recipe is quick, easy, and perfectly spiced. They are a top-requested family favorite!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 2 cups Colby jack cheese, shredded
- 1 (19-ounce) can Las Palmas green chile enchilada sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 6-8 corn tortillas
- 1 (4½-ounce) can can chopped green chiles
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl, combine 2 cups shredded chicken, 1 cup of cheese, 1 (19-ounce) green chiles, salt, and pepper.
- In a small skillet, bring 1 (4½-ounce) can enchilada sauce to a boil. Remove from heat.
- Dip each tortilla into the heated sauce for a few seconds to soften.
- Spoon ⅓ cup of chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons sour cream down the center for each tortilla (I usually put the sour cream in a sandwich bag and cut the bottom tip which makes it easier to squirt right down the center).
- Roll the tortilla and place seam-side down in 8×8 (or 9×9) inch baking dish.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour the remaining heated enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes.
Video
Notes
FOR A 9×13 PAN… INGREDIENTS:
- 3 – 4 CUPS CHICKEN
- 3 CUPS MONTEREY JACK CHEESE
- 1 – 28 OZ. CAN LAS PALMAS GREEN CHILE ENCHILADA SAUCE
- 12-15 CORN TORTILLAS
- 1 – 2 CANS 4.5 OZ. CHOPPED GREEN CHILES
- 1 1/2 – 2 CUPS SOUR CREAM
- SALT & PEPPER
Nutrition
Calories: 588kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 30g, Fat: 38g, Saturated Fat: 20g, Cholesterol: 122mg, Sodium: 1700mg, Potassium: 342mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 1810IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 534mg, Iron: 2.7mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Recipe FAQ
How to Keep enchiladas from being soggy?
- Bake uncovered and let them cool a bit to allow steam to evaporate.
- Soften the corn tortilla so that it rolls easily, but don’t saturate it.
- Adding too much sour cream or enchilada sauce can cause it to be soggy. You can always add more sauce after they have baked.
How to Make Ahead Enchiladas Ahead of Time?
- Make as instructed, cover them with foil or plastic wrap, and place them in the fridge for up to 24 hours in advance. Take the excess sauce and place it in an air-tight container. Pour on the sauce and add the cheese before cooking.
How to Store Chicken Enchiladas?
- If stored properly, chicken enchiladas can last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on low in the oven.
How to Freeze?
- We LOVE to freeze these for up to several months!
- We suggest making them in a disposable pan. Cover tightly with foil and place in a freezer-safe bag.
- To cook, let the enchiladas thaw in the fridge overnight and cook for about 25 minutes.
I have tried many of your recipes and have loved all of them!!!
Awe, that is so nice of you! Thank you!
Everyone in my family loves this recipe. i stir sour cream into chicken mix to save a step:)
That works 🙂 Glad they all do! Thank you!
Just made thEse for my familY. We absolutely loved them. Ive oNly made them with flour tortillas and will be using cOrn from now on. Look forward to making more of your delicious recipes!
Awe, thank you so much for saying that! I look forward to you trying more 🙂
Can I make this ahead of time and pull it out of fridge to pop in the oven the following day?
Yes, you can. Just make the enchiladas as instructed and cover with foil or saran wrap and place in the fridge for up to 24 hours in advance. If you want these to be even better, we suggest taking the excess sauce and placing in an air-tight container and pouring this on and along with the cheese before storing.
I madebthis and added Tyne sour cream to the chicken mixture with 4 oz.. cream cheese. Then added the other 4 oz cream cheese to the enchilada sauce to tone it down for the children. Topped with a little extra cheese. It was great! We loved it!
Sounds great! Thank you for sharing that 🙂
I have made these for many years, nice to see I’m not the only one. i have tried other ench sauces, none of them measure up to las palmas. some are too acidic, one tasted metallic, always use las palmas. i dump some of the warm sauce into my baking dish, swish the tortilla around in there, then fill it and roll it up. serve with refried beans and/or rice, killer meal. thanks.
You are so welcome! Glad you agree! Thank you!
I can’t find Colby jack cheese. should i use colby & monterey jack or just monterey jack or just colby cheese? thanks!
Either of those will work just fine 🙂 Enjoy!!
Being a full-blooded Mexican American from South Texas, I too, grew up eating and learning the cooking ways of my mother and other family members. I have to say that your recipes are exactly like the ones I make, too and can attest that they are simply delicious!
Awe, thank you so much for sharing that!! Glad you agree 🙂
The dish looks so delicious! All the necessary ingredients are stored in my kitchen so why not to try this evening? I have a query- my oven has stopped working. Is it possible to make the recipe by frying on pan? I think if I fry them in a lighter heat, they can be stored for next morning too! What do you think? Can you please let me know?
Thank you! It is 🙂 Love when I have everything on hand! Honestly, I have never tried, so I am not sure how they would turn out.
After a week or two of hearing, “Auntie, you know what I want?! Chicken enchiladas!”, You either find a recipe for chicken enchiladas or figure out how you can disappear ?… So chicken enchiladas it is! FounD your recipe on Pinterest, got the few ingredients I didn’t have on hand at the store, and away we went. I cooked the chicken in a little of the sauce, and the girls were complimenting the smells already. I had small thin corn tortillas, so toasted them a little to prevent them from falling apart while rolling. Had a bit of the chicken mixture left (doubled the recipe) so of course I had three taste testers ready to sample and critic ??. They watched the timer as it cooked… Needless to say, I think this will be a newbie for the rotation ??. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Awe, that makes me so happy! I love that they were craving them & that you tried them! Thank you so much!