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These easy chicken enchiladas are truly their namesake. They make the best Mexican meal! Three simple ingredients rolled together and baked in a saucy red enchilada sauce and topped with loads of cheese definitely make this a weeknight favorite!
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Easy Chicken Enchiladas Bring the Fiesta Home
I have noticed that I tend to crave Mexican food a lot more in the cooler months than I do in the warmer months. It’s probably the spice and the spicier something is, the warmer it makes you. Makes sense, right? Well, lately, I have been craving enchiladas and just want a big ole casserole dish full of the cheesy, saucy goodness. These chicken enchiladas got my vote but my beef enchiladas were a contender as well!
Buying a rotisserie chicken puts the ‘easy’ in these easy chicken enchiladas, and that rotisserie flavor too! You definitely can’t forget the easy blender enchilada sauce nor the homemade flour tortillas. But, I’ll let you in on a secret — store-bought for both is absolutely okay and I’m not above store-bought for any of these ingredients! It’s just that the homemade enchilada sauce has so much flavor from the tomatoes, jalapeños, and spices that it makes for a great base for these chicken enchiladas. And the homemade flour tortillas are just so tender and pillowy. I think you get the point!
How to Make Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C) and light grease a 9×13-inch oven-safe baking pan or casserole dish.
- Add about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish and evenly spread around and set aside.
- Optional: you can toast your flour tortillas over a gas stovetop if you have gas, but otherwise this step is optional. However, what is not optional is to pop your flour tortillas into the microwave for 20 seconds to warm them up slightly so they are a bit more pliable.
- Lay your flour tortilla on a flat, clean work surface. Use 1 tablespoon of enchilada sauce to spread around the inside of the tortilla then add about 1/8 cup of chicken and cheese. Carefully roll up the tortilla tightly and tuck ingredients in as you go.
- Place the tortilla seam side down into the casserole dish and continue rolling!
- When done, pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top, top with more shredded cheese, and bake, covered, for 25 minutes!
What to Serve with Chicken Enchiladas
- Serve with a side of Mexican rice, street corn, guacamole, and your favorite toppings (i.e. sour cream, pickled red onions, cilantro, lime, etc.)!
Homemade Chicken Enchiladas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 flour tortillas
- 2 cups (473 g) shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 ½ cups (198 g) freshly grated colby jack cheese
- 1 cup (237 ml) homemade enchilada sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 °F (191 °C) and light grease a 9×13-inch oven-safe baking pan or casserole dish.
- Add about ½ cup of enchilada sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish and evenly spread around and set aside.
- If you have a gas stove, toast your flour tortillas by placing them, one by one, onto the open gas flame and flipping them after 10-15 seconds. This gives great flavor but a totally optional step.
- If you aren't toasting your tortillas, place on a plate covered with a wet paper towel and microwave for 15-20 seconds to warm up the tortillas so they are more pliable to work with.
- Use about 1 tablespoon of enchilada sauce to spread around the inside of the tortilla then add about ⅛ cup of shredded chicken and cheese. Carefully roll up the tortilla tightly and tuck ingredients in as you go.
- Place tortilla seam side down onto prepared baking dish and repeat until all tortillas have been used.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce on top of the rolled enchiladas then sprinkle with additional or remaining cheese.
- Bake, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover for the last 10 minutes of baking.
- Serve and enjoy!!
Nutrition
FAQs
You certainly can! Make sure to warm them through just like the flour tortillas so they are more pliable and easier to work with.
Photographs by Meg McKeehan Photography
One of my go-to recipes! Thank you!
Corn tortillas makes it gluten free. Looks delicious ?
I started with this recipe and it is awesome by itself. I blanched a couple of fresh Roma tomatoes from the garden and also added about 2 tbsp of Chipotle paste. I ended up with a nice smokey sauce. I also brushed the sauce onto the tortillas and fried them just to set the sauce on the tortillas.
Sounds delicious!