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When I say that these are the BEST Chicken Enchiladas, I’m not lying! Chicken is mixed with green chilis, onions, cayenne powder so much more to create a mouthwatering filling that always hits the spot. Once that filling is rolled in soft tortillas and baked with enchilada sauce and cheese, you’ll have enchiladas on your dinner table that are even better than your local restaurant’s!
I’ve been making these chicken enchiladas for years! You’d think my family would’ve grown tired of this meal that I make so often, but it’s quite the opposite – every time it’s enchilada night, I have kids running from every corner of the house to claim their spot at the table. I feel great about serving this to my family, too, since it’s a filling, homemade meal with great ingredients!
If you think about it, enchiladas are all protein, cheese, and veggies rolled up in a tortilla. There’s even some fiber in there from the black beans! Oh, and if you’re looking to avoid store-bought ingredients, consider making some Easy Enchilada Sauce.
Right before I serve them, I also like to top off my chicken enchiladas with some vibrant toppings like chopped jalapeños and cilantro for that extra fresh flavor. And they come together quickly with leftover chicken!
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas
- Sauté the onions and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the skillet and sauce until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the green chilis, chicken, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne. Stir to combine thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Make it saucy. Coat the bottom of a 13×9 inch baking dish with 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce. Spoon another 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in a shallow bowl. Dip a tortilla in the bowl to coat with enchilada sauce.
- Assemble the enchiladas. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the center of the tortilla. Top with 1 tablespoon black beans and sprinkle with Queso Oaxaca. Roll up the tortilla and place in the baking dish seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Top the enchiladas. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake. Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered.
- Enjoy! Serve immediately with cilantro, sour cream, avocado and jalapeños if desired.
How to Store Leftovers
Once your leftover chicken enchiladas have fully cooled to room temp, you can keep them fresh by placing them into an airtight food storage container and popping them in the fridge. Properly stored, your leftovers will stay fresh for about 3-4 days. They reheat well in the microwave, but even better back in the oven.
How to Make Enchiladas Ahead of Time
You can make these easy enchiladas in advance! This is a great idea if you’re planning a Cinco de Mayo party and don’t want to stress too much the day of.
Just cover the dish with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze ahead of time. Be sure to bake them for an extra 25 minutes from frozen so they cook all the way through, and voila! You’ll have party-ready enchiladas that no one will be able to tell were once frozen.
For best results, only keep your enchiladas frozen for about 2 months prior to baking.
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Chicken Enchilada Recipe
Equipment
- baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 8 ounce can diced green chilis
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce
- 12 fajita sized flour tortillas
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Queso Oaxaca cheese, or Colby Jack
- 1 cup shredded white cheddar
- chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion to the skillet and sauce until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add the green chilis, chicken, chili powder, garlic powder and cayenne. Stir to combine thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Coat the bottom of a 13×9 inch baking dish with 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce. Spoon another 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce in a shallow bowl.
- Dip a tortilla in the bowl to coat with enchilada sauce. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in the center of the tortilla. Top with 1 tablespoon black beans and sprinkle with Queso Oaxaca.
- Roll up the tortilla and place in the baking dish seam side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered until bubbling and golden. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.
- Serve immediately with sour cream, avocado and jalapeños if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can I use corn tortillas to keep it gluten free?,
You sure can! We do it all the time.
Kellie, these e4nchiladas are fantastic! My boyfriend loved them as well. Your easy enchilada sauced is just that – EASY. This will definitely be my go-to recipe for chicken enchiladas. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! They’re a favorite here. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
No doubt these are the best!
These enchiladas look soooo good! I actually wish I was eating them for breakfast right now with that poached egg you mentioned!