Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
These delectable, comforting Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas made 4 college boys very happy!
They’re perfect to share with hungry kids who were no longer eating dorm food on campus, with new moms or families in need, or just for your own family; these Easy Chicken Enchiladas will be a hit!
Why You Must Make
- They’re filled with sauced-up chicken and cheese; these were perfect for ravenous teens.
- Enchiladas also make a delicious family meal.
- You can prep and give an unbaked pan of these Sour Cream Enchiladas to new moms, college kids living in a dorm with a kitchen, or an apartment.
We were well into September and finally made plans to take Nick and his college roomies out for dinner. When Nick ordered a $44 steak, I started to wonder if this dinner bill would break the bank! Only my son had the nerve to order the most expensive item on the menu…whew. Those boys can eat! Besides dinner out, I brought two batches of cookies and dinner for another night.
I knew some prime rib had been dropped off along with a couple of lasagnas (I think the moms are spoiling these guys!). I decided to make a batch of Enchiladas de Polio y Queso, or Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas. After all, Nick is a Spanish minor. The unbaked enchiladas topped with a thick layer of shredded cheese convinced me to make a second batch for us at home.
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Onion, Butter (salted is OK), Flour, Salt
- Bell Pepper – Red or green, chopped, with ribs and seeds removed (I used red for a pop of color).
- Cooked Chicken – I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Shred or cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Chopped Green Chilies – Small 4-ounce can, drained. They add some subtle heat.
- Chili Powder
- Ground Coriander
- Ground Cumin
- Chicken Broth – I use the Pacific brand. It’s not overloaded with sodium.
- Monterey Jack Cheese – Shredded
- Sour Cream – I use full-fat.
- Flour Tortillas – 12 six-inch tortillas. May use whole wheat or corn (gluten-free option)
Recipe Tips
This Chicken Enchiladas Casserole isn’t much more difficult than those recipes using canned soup, but a heck of a lot better! Here are some tips to help you make perfect Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas.
- The shredded chicken can come from a rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken, or freshly poached or roasted chicken from your kitchen.
- If you want spicy enchiladas, add a minced jalapeno when you saute the onions and bell pepper.
- I usually buy whole wheat tortillas for myself and flour tortillas for my husband. Feel free to use your favorite kind and brand that are 6 inches in diameter.
- Add your favorite cheeses to this recipe. I love Monterey Jack, but Cheddar or a Mexican cheese mixture works well, too. PRO-Tip: I like to Grate (affiliate link) my own cheese, as it always melts better than the packaged shredded cheeses.
- If you’re nervous about making the white sauce, don’t be! Just make sure to whisk constantly (I prefer a Flat Whisk (affiliate link) for this job) so it doesn’t develop lumps.
- Spray your baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray like Pam. This helps prevent the enchiladas from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Place your enchiladas seam-side down in the baking dish. This minimizes the filling from spilling out.
- PRO-Tip: I also love using Wondra Flour (affiliate link) made by Gold Medal. It’s a granular flour that’s perfect for cream sauces and gravy, as it doesn’t get lumpy like regular flour.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can shred cooked chicken breasts by hand or with 2 forks into a bowl, or use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. It’s easiest to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
Use gluten-free flour to thicken the juices and make with gluten-free tortillas.
Have sides of salsa, guacamole, chopped cilantro, and sour cream on the table for your guests to add to their plates.
You May Also Like These Tex-Mex Recipes:
- This Spicy Mexican Corn Salad would be the perfect side with these enchiladas.
- And on a cold winter’s night or game day, this Black Bean Chili can’t be beat!
- Or for lighter fare, this Mexican Chopped Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette is a wonderful meatless meal. Add chicken or shrimp for a heartier version.
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
A cheesy, delectable Tex-Mex casserole that will have you coming back for seconds!
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped bell pepper (red or green, I used red)
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken
- 1 can (4 ounces) green chilies, drained
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 ½ cups chicken broth
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 c. sour cream
- 12 6-inch flour tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Grease 9 x 13 pan and set aside.
- Cook onions and bell pepper in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Combine with chicken and green chilies. Set aside.
- In the same pan, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter, blend in flour, seasonings, and salt. Whisk in broth, cook, and whisk until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat.
- Stir in sour cream, ½ cup cheese and ¼ cup sauce into the chicken mixture.
- Spoon some of the sauce into bottom of prepared pan. Spoon chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla and roll. Place in pan.
- Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Pour over the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 25 minutes.
Notes
Recipe source unknown.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
2 enchiladasAmount Per Serving: Calories: 766Total Fat: 41gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 1416mgCarbohydrates: 67gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 32g
63 Comments on “Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas”
I would make these enchiladas, I’ve had a taste for them lately. In my wellness class we’ve been talking about GMO’s and I will share this with my students. Mighty tasty giveaway!!
Bless you, bless you, Liz for advocating for nonGMO! Yay!
Thank you, too, for the enchilada recipe. My goodness, I’d definitely be making a second batch, too.
🙂
these enchiladas look wonderful Lizzy!!
I shudder every time we take Archie and his mates out for dinner. As you say, they sure can eat and they have no concept of trying to keep it a moderately priced event, instead, doing things like ordering a $44.00 steak. I do hope they cooked it to his liking! I’d definitely be cooking these enchiladas instead of taking them out! xx
Not sure what I would bake. The hubs has a habit on snacking everything up before I can use it!
My kids and I love chicken enchiladas! You are such a great mom delivering food to your son. The kids always appreciate the taste from home and will love to go home for mom’s meal. After living away from home for many years, I still miss mom’s home cook and enjoy it once a year when we visit. This is a wonderful home cook recipe to keep!
Looks delicious! Pinning these for later! (Ps. I think I would’ve had to take them all to Taco Bell instead!!)
Liz, these cheesy chicken enchiladas looks o wonderful – the perfect family meal. I am sure that my kids would adore eating these for dinner. A fabulous recipe, dear Liz!
You’re giving me more reasons to be glad that I have a daughter! Of course, she’s so active she’s eating us out of house and home too. The enchiladas look amazing, Liz.
We ran into the same problem taking Tommy and his roommates out! This will definitely make it into the rotation of meals sent over!
These look so good and cheesy!
My mouth is watering – that looks soooo good!
I love chicken enchiladas and you’ve just reminded me it’s time to make them again soon!
Yum, we love making enchiladas twice a month and these cheesy enchiladas look absolutely incredible and mouthwatering! Love how much cheesy goodness is in here and the sauce sounds fantastic!:)
Yum! We usually have to go out to a mediocre Mexican restaurant to get our fix on things like enchiladas. I’ll have to try to make my own!
looks lovely .. will have to try….
Wish the cheese was sold in NJ or even closer than NYC …. 🙁
looks lovely .. will have to try….
Ooo! Loooove enchiladas! I’m a cheese addict and these are the perfect carrying device for the cheesy goodness.
I love enchiladas not only because they’re perfect for a weeknight meal but it’s such a fun word to say 🙂 So cool that your son is majoring in Spanish! My husband speaks it and I’m so jealous of him, especially since we both work in the restaurant industry- it’s invaluable there.
I’m excited to check out this cheese! Cheese is my one true love, and I love finding new brands and types. Fingers crossed on this giveaway.
I love enchiladas and their ooey, gooey, cheese-y goodness! I wuz an English major:@) The cheese sounds great but isn’t available in my area, good luck to everyone else!