We love enchilada recipes at our house and have several favorites that frequently make our weekly dinner menu! Our classic Cheese Enchiladas are a go-to, but today’s white chicken enchiladas is a different twist on our classics: Chicken Enchiladas and Creamy Chicken Enchiladas. Different, but just as delicious.
These creamy white chicken enchiladas are a yummy variation. It uses Queso Blanco as the sauce and the flavor is out-of-this-world tasty. Any time we make them, people always ask for the recipe. It’s that’ good!
For a complete meal, add our Spanish Rice, Refried Beans and Homemade Salsa!
Why we think you’ll love it:
- The sauce! You will love this cheesy sauce, it’s practically drinkable.
- Perfect for sharing. If you love Mexican food as we do, you will LOVE this cheesy dinner dish. It makes a great Mexican weeknight dinner and freezes well – perfect for sharing!
- All around simple. The straightforward instructions and simple ingredients make this recipe easy to whip up.
White Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients
- Cooked shredded chicken (2 cups): Tender protein that soaks up the creamy sauce and makes these hearty.
- Shredded Colby Jack cheese (2 cups): Melts smooth inside the filling for creamy pull and mild, cheesy flavor. If desired, replace the Colby Jack cheese with mild cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, pepper jack cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend.
- Garlic salt with parsley flakes: Quick, even seasoning that boosts savory notes in the filling.
- Pepper: Adds gentle warmth that balances the rich sauce.
- Chopped fresh cilantro (2 tablespoons): Bright, fresh finish that wakes up the creamy flavors.
- Flour tortillas, soft taco size (10, 8-inch): Soft wraps that roll easily and bake tender under the sauce. We used Flour Tortillas, but you can use corn tortillas as well. Since corn tortillas are smaller you may need to use more of them.
- Unsalted butter (3 tablespoons): Starts the roux and adds richness to the queso sauce.
- All-purpose flour (2 tablespoons): Thickens the sauce so it clings to every tortilla.
- Chicken broth (1½ cups): Savory base that keeps the sauce silky, not heavy.
- Diced green chilies (1, 4-ounce can): Mild heat and tang that make the sauce craveable.
- Garlic salt (1 teaspoon): Seasons the sauce quickly and evenly.
- Chili powder (dash): Adds a hint of color and smoky depth.
- Ground cumin, optional (¼ teaspoon): Gentle earthiness that complements the chilies.
- Shredded white sharp cheddar cheese, divided (1 ½ cups): One cup melts into the sauce for body, the rest browns bubbly on top.
- Sour cream (8 ounces): Makes the queso ultra creamy with a light tang that keeps it balanced.
How to Make White Chicken Enchiladas
PREP. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
FILLING. In a medium bowl, combine the filling.
- Spoon ¼ – ⅓ cup of chicken mixture onto the center of each tortilla and roll up. Place, seam side down, in prepared baking dish.
SAUCE. Make the sauce by melting butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour until bubbly.
- Add broth and stir until well combined. Mix in green chilies, garlic salt, chili powder, and cumin.
- Add 1 cup cheese and sour cream and mix until smooth.
ASSEMBLE. Pour queso sauce over the tortillas in the baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheese.
BAKE for 20 minutes.
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Warm tortillas in a damp towel in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds so they roll without cracking.
- For best texture, whisk the roux smooth, then add broth slowly and cook until slightly thick before stirring in chilies and cheese.
- Bake until the edges bubble and the top cheese spots with golden brown for that restaurant style finish.
- Easy clean-up. To prevent enchiladas from sticking to the bottom of the baking dish, spray it lightly with cooking spray or line the pan with parchment paper.
- Avoid leaking. To keep the filling inside the tortillas avoid overstuffing. Also, placing the tortillas seam-side down will help keep them from unrolling.
- Topping Ideas: Our Favorites include: sour cream, avocado or Guacamole, Pico de Gallo or Tomatillo Salsa, jalapeños, cilantro, or green onions.
White Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups shredded Colby Jack cheese
- garlic salt with parsley flakes
- pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 10 (8-inch) flour tortillas, soft taco size
White Queso Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups chicken broth
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- dash chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin, optional
- 1 ½ cups shredded white sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 8 ounces sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, shredded cheese, garlic salt, pepper, chopped cilantro, and mix.
- Spoon ¼ – ⅓ cup of chicken mixture onto the center of each tortilla and roll up. Place in prepared baking dish.
- Make the sauce by melting butter in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour until bubbly.
- Add broth and stir until well combined. Add green chilies, garlic salt, chili powder, and cumin.
- Add 1 cup cheese and sour cream and mix until smooth.
- Pour queso sauce over the tortillas in the baking dish and top with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Keep the enchiladas covered in the refrigerator for 24 hours before baking them. To keep them from getting soggy, store the white enchilada sauce in a separate container and add it right before baking.
Cover and store leftover enchiladas in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Small servings can be reheated in the microwave or larger portions in the oven.
Prepare the enchiladas as directed, wrap the entire tray with plastic wrap and again with aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Note that after freezing, the texture of the white sauce may not be quite as creamy as when it is baked freshly made. It’s still quite yummy and a favorite freezer meal of ours.
>> Thaw them overnight in the fridge then remove the plastic and foil and bake for 25 minutes.
>> To cook from frozen, remove the plastic and place the foil back on. Bake for 30 minutes, remove the foil, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until they are cooked through.
Complete The Meal
Sides
Cilantro Lime Rice
30 mins
Canned Refried Beans
10 mins
Homemade Spanish Rice Recipe
45 mins
Mexican Corn Salad
25 mins
Enchiladas
Desserts
Carmelitas
45 mins
Churro Cheesecake Bars
35 mins
Cheesecake Chimichanga
30 mins
Easy Tres Leches Cake
4 hrs 32 mins
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This recipe was originally published August 2023.
The chicken filling didn’t have enough flavor for us. I would maybe add some taco seasoning if I try it again. Thanks!
This is such a great chicken enchiladas recipe! I was looking for a recipe that didn’t have cream of chicken soup and this is it. The sauce is amazing and we continue to these as everyone loves them!
I just made this for our family and shared some with an elderly neighbor-Yum! Everyone love it-thank yo for such an easy and delicious recipe
These were the yummiest weeknight meal! My family ate the whole thing. Can’t wait to make these again!
The sauce was EVERYTHING so creamy and perfectly spiced! I plan to make this often!
How much pepper and garlic salt in the chicken mixture?
We were pleasantly surprised by this twist traditional chicken enchiladas . So yummy! Thanks for the recipe.
In the ingredients, it lists sour cream for the queso sauce, but in the directions, it doesn’t say to put in anywhere. Is this just an optional topping? thank you
Thanks for catching that. We updated the recipe and added the sour cream, so the recipe card should be all up to date with the sour cream being added in step 6.