Description
Easy chicken enchiladas are a flavorful and comforting dish combining tender shredded chicken, vibrant spices, and a creamy cheese blend wrapped in soft tortillas, baked to bubbly perfection. Ready in under 30 minutes, this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights, offering a mild, family-friendly meal that can be customized to suit various tastes and dietary needs.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein
- 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breast or thighs
Tortillas
- 8 flour or corn tortillas, soft and pliable
Sauce and Cheese
- 2 cups enchilada sauce (red)
- 1 ½ cups cheese blend (cheddar and Monterey Jack, shredded)
Aromatics and Spices
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Garnishes
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (for topping)
- Sour cream (optional)
- Sliced avocado (optional)
- Lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken Filling: Cook the chicken in a skillet until golden and fully cooked, then shred it using forks. In the same skillet, sauté diced onions and minced garlic with cumin, chili powder, and paprika until fragrant. Combine the seasoned sautéed aromatics with the shredded chicken to create a flavorful filling.
- Warm the Tortillas: Gently warm the tortillas on a dry skillet or microwave them wrapped in a damp paper towel. This softens them, making them pliable and preventing cracks when rolling the enchiladas.
- Assemble the Enchiladas: Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a baking dish. Spoon an even amount of the chicken filling onto each tortilla, sprinkle with some cheese, then roll up each tortilla and place it seam-side down in the dish.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas. Top generously with the remaining cheese blend to create a golden, melted crust when baked.
- Bake Until Bubbly: Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for approximately 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow the enchiladas to cool slightly before serving to let the flavors meld and avoid burning.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken as a time-saving shortcut without sacrificing flavor.
- Homemade enchilada sauce can elevate the dish, but store-bought sauce works well for convenience.
- Lightly brush tortillas with oil before warming to prevent sticking and improve pliability.
- Sprinkle some cheese inside the filling and on top for extra melty texture.
- Let the enchiladas rest for 5 minutes after baking to set the sauce and cool slightly before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 enchiladas
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
Keywords: chicken enchiladas, easy dinner, Mexican recipe, baked enchiladas, weeknight meal, cheesy enchiladas
