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Chicken Enchiladas are one of my all-time favorite meals to make for my family. Between the shredded chicken, melted cheese, and the dreamy homemade enchilada sauce (with a touch of yummy semi-sweet chocolate), this is an unforgettable classic Mexican food recipe, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
These Easy Chicken Enchiladas are smothered in the tastiest red sauce ever, with yellow corn tortillas and plenty of cheese. It’s one of my favorite ways to use leftover cooked chicken. They come out of the oven hot, bubbling, and ready to devour in about 60 minutes. So tasty and the ideal one dish meal, they are always a crowd fave with my family! If you’re a big meal prepper, enchiladas are a perfect dish to make ahead of time and pop in the oven when you’re ready to serve.
Feel free to add your own spin and swap the chicken for beans or veggies, omit the Monterey Jack cheese, make it spicier by adding a few more chiles, or even use green or white enchilada sauce—the possibilities are endless!
Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Equipment
- Cast Iron Skillet
- High Powered Blender
- 9×13 Baking Pan
Ingredients
For the Enchilada Sauce
- 4 dried guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
- 2 dried ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
- 1 arbol chile stems and seeds removed (optional, for heat)
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth hot (180-200°F)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
For the Enchiladas
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken or use turkey, beef, or shredded pork
- 8 large yellow corn tortillas try 12 taco-sized, flour, cassava flour or gluten free tortillas
- 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
For Garnish
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 2 radishes sliced
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 1 avocado sliced
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chiles to the dry skillet. Toast, stirring often until fragrant and lightly charred, but not burnt. Place the chiles in a large heat-proof bowl.4 dried guajillo chiles, 2 dried ancho chiles, 1 arbol chile
- Pour the hot chicken broth over the chiles. Cover and let them soak for 20 minutes to soften.4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Once softened, add the chiles, along with the 1½ cups of the soaking liquid, garlic, chocolate, salt, and oregano to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.1 clove garlic, 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a 9×13-inch baking pan, add enough enchilada sauce to coat the bottom. Spread it out into an even layer.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cooked shredded chicken and enough enchilada sauce to lightly moisten the chicken.2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- Warm the corn tortillas in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, until pliable.8 large yellow corn tortillas
- Grab a tortilla, add some of the chicken filling down the center and top with cotija. Roll and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
- Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle on the Monterey Jack cheese.1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
- Garnish with the lettuce, radish, onion, avocado and cotija before serving.1 cup shredded lettuce, 2 radishes, 2 tablespoons diced red onion, 1 avocado, ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese
Becky’s Tips
- For crispier tortillas, fry them in hot oil (about 10 seconds per side) before filling and rolling them. This will create a barrier so that the tortillas don’t soak up too much of the sauce once added to the baking pan.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas Step by Step
Toast the chiles: Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the 4 dried guajillo chiles, 2 dried ancho chiles and 1 arbo chili to the dry skillet. Toast, stirring often until fragrant and lightly charred, but not burnt. Place the chiles in a large heat-proof bowl.
Soak the chiles: Pour 4 cups of hot low sodium chicken broth over the chiles. Cover and let them soak for 20 minutes to soften.
Blend the chiles: Once softened, add the chiles, along with the 1½ cups of the soaking liquid, 1 clove garlic,1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips,1 teaspoon kosher salt and ½ teaspoon dried oregano to a blender. Blend until completely smooth.
Get the oven going: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Coat the baking pan: In a 9×13-inch baking pan, add enough enchilada sauce to coat the bottom. Spread it out into an even layer.
Moisten the chicken: In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups cooked shredded chicken and enough enchilada sauce to lightly moisten the chicken.
Warm the tortillas: Place the 9 large corn tortillas in the microwave for 30-60 seconds, until you can easily fold them.
Fill the tortilla: Grab a tortilla, add some of the chicken filling down the center and top with cotija. Roll and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.
Top the tortillas: Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and sprinkle on 1 cup of shredded Monterey jack cheese.
Bake the enchiladas: Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
Garnish and serve: Garnish with 1 cup of lettuce, 2 radishes, 2 tablespoons diced onion, 1 avocado and 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese before serving.
How to Store
Store leftover chicken enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, until heated through. Freeze chicken enchiladas in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
You can fully assemble the enchiladas, then tightly wrap the pan in aluminum foil and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frozen, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Serving Suggestions
Serve up a plate of these chicken enchiladas like they do at your favorite Mexican restaurant! Add hearty refried beans, fluffy Mexican rice, and plenty of crunchy tortilla chips and salsa (I love tomatillo salsa).
You can also load up each plate with sour cream, guacamole, shredded lettuce, or more shredded cheese.
