The best Chicken Enchiladas – delicious and easy to put together! These can be made with my favorite homemade enchilada sauce and homemade corn tortillas if you choose.
Serve these delicious enchiladas with a flavorful Mexican salad, the best slow cooker beans and a frozen peach margarita. It will be the perfect fiesta any night of the week.
Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Chicken enchiladas made from scratch are so flavorful. There are a few components to make them successful, but they are sure to be worth the effort.
I like my enchiladas stuffed to the brim with chicken, and I want the filling to be full of bold flavors and not dry and crumbly.
If you also like prefer your enchiladas saucy and cheesy like me, this recipe is for you.
What’s In Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas?
One of the best ways to get the most flavor out of homemade enchiladas is to skip the store-bought sauce and tortillas and make your own!
Homemade corn tortillas are so simple to make and you’ll never buy them again once you make them yourself. That’s the same for homemade enchilada sauce, it has a completely different flavor than the canned variety.
The texture of the tortillas, a thick and rich sauce, shredded chicken and a favorite cheese are all you need for this delicious dinner.
How to Make the Cheesiest Enchiladas?
Give yourself some extra time to make the sauce and get the tortillas made. Of course if you’re short on time you can always use store-bought. However, your efforts will be rewarded by making these from scratch.
The tortillas and the sauce can be made earlier in the day if you’re short on time.
I prefer to pour the thick sauce on top of my tortillas once they are filled with chicken rather than dipping each tortilla into it. This method works best for a thick, homemade sauce and makes for a nice, plump enchilada.
Feel free to use any strength of cheddar cheese you prefer or a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
Storing Enchiladas
You can absolutely store these enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days and reheat portions in the microwave.
However, these enchiladas are best served fresh out of the oven. Leftover enchiladas do not have the same texture since the tortillas will absorb a lot of the liquid from the enchilada sauce. They will still taste good, but will be mushy.
Freezing Enchiladas
There are some enchiladas that don’t freeze well due to a cream-based sauce, but these enchiladas freeze great. Feel free to double the recipe to enjoy one pan now and one later.
I often freeze my enchiladas in a disposable pan for easier cleanup, but a glass 9×13 pan will also work.
Assemble your pan of enchiladas up to the point of adding the cheese on top. While it’s okay to add the cheese, it will have a better texture if you added when you’re ready to bake.
Make sure to wrap the pan tightly in plastic wrap a couple times and then then cover the top with foil. Freeze for up to three months.
I prefer to let my enchiladas thaw in the fridge overnight before baking them after they have been frozen.
Do I Have to Use Chicken?
There are so many varieties of enchiladas.
You can easily substitute beef for the chicken or even skip the meat all together and and go for a super cheesy enchilada.
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Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 2 cups homemade enchilada sauce, divided
- 8 homemade tortillas
- 2-1/2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, divided
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine chicken, 1/4 cup enchilada sauce, 1 cup of cheese, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix to combine.
- Fill each tortilla with shredded chicken mixture. (If you are not using homemade tortillas, wrap them in a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds, flip and heat for another 30 seconds to make them pliable.)
- Roll the tortillas tightly closed and place them in a row in a 9 x 13 baking dish, making sure to put the seam of the tortilla on the bottom of the baking dish so the tortillas do not unfold.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas and top off with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake the enchiladas for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly.
- Serve immediately with your favorite toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
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