Chicken enchiladas are a beloved Mexican comfort food dish enjoyed all over the world. But what exactly are chicken enchiladas made of?
A Brief History of Chicken Enchiladas
Enchiladas originated in Mexico, where they have been eaten since Mayan times. The word “enchilada” comes from the Spanish word “enchilar” which means “to add chili pepper”
Early enchiladas were simply corn tortillas dipped in chili sauce Over time, fillings like meat, cheese, beans, and vegetables were added. Enchiladas became popular in the United States after the Mexican-American War in the mid-1800s
The Classic Ingredients of Chicken Enchiladas
The classic ingredients of chicken enchiladas are:
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Tortillas – Traditionally corn, but flour tortillas are commonly used too. Soft tortillas roll up easily around the filling.
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Shredded chicken – Leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken works great. Can also use shredded pork or beef.
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Onions – Diced or sliced onions add flavor and crunch.
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Enchilada sauce – Made with chiles, tomatoes, spices like cumin and garlic. Provides moisture and Mexican flavor.
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Cheese – Usually a Mexican blend, cheddar, Monterey Jack, queso fresco. Gives a delicious melted topping when baked.
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Beans – Pinto or black beans add protein.
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Chiles – Green chiles provide mild spice and flavor.
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Vegetables – (Optional) Corn, zucchini, peppers, etc.
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Herbs – Cilantro adds freshness.
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas
Making chicken enchiladas is easy:
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Cook the chicken – Rotisserie, roast, or poach chicken breast or thighs. Shred or dice the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces.
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Make the filling – Sauté aromatics like onion and garlic. Add beans, corn, chiles, etc. Mix in shredded chicken.
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Soften the tortillas – Heat tortillas to make them pliable for rolling.
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Fill and roll – Place filling in center of tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in baking dish.
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Top with sauce and cheese – Ladle sauce over rolled tortillas and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
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Bake – Bake at 350°F until heated through and cheese is melted.
That’s it! With just a few simple steps you can have a delicious tray of chicken enchiladas ready for dinner.
Variations on Chicken Enchiladas
One of the great things about chicken enchiladas is how versatile they are:
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Use different proteins – Beef, pork, turkey, veggie crumbles
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Try different beans – Black, pinto, refried, etc.
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Switch up the veggies – Peppers, spinach, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.
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Change the cheese – Cheddar, pepper jack, queso fresco, etc.
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Swap the sauce – Green or white sauce instead of red
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Bake or fry the tortillas – For extra crispy edges
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Make it vegetarian – Use veggies, beans, cheese, and sauce only
With endless possibilities, you can customize chicken enchiladas to suit your tastes!
Serving Suggestions
Chicken enchiladas pair deliciously with:
- Spanish rice or cilantro lime rice
- Refried or black beans
- Guacamole or avocado slices
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Sour cream
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Lime wedges
- Tortilla chips
A crisp green salad also balances out the richness of the enchiladas nicely.
Storing and Freezing Chicken Enchiladas
Leftover chicken enchiladas will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To freeze, allow to cool completely, then wrap tightly in foil or plastic wrap. They can be frozen for 2-3 months.
Thaw frozen enchiladas overnight in the fridge before reheating. Reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven or microwave until heated through.
With flavorful fillings wrapped in warm tortillas and smothered in sauce and melted cheese, chicken enchiladas are the ultimate comfort food. This Mexican favorite can be endlessly customized to satisfy any craving. Whip up a batch for your next fiesta night or anytime you need a hearty, satisfying meal.
More Mexican Chicken Recipes
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs pat dry
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons pepper
- 6 medium green onions white and green parts roughly chopped
- 3 small jalapenos finely chopped (optional)
- 3 cups Mexican blend cheese divided
- 12 corn tortillas
- 28 oz red or green enchilada sauce store-bought or make it from scratch (see recipe below)
- 15 oz Mexican crema
- 1 medium lime zest
- 2 medium limes freshly squeezed juice
- 1 bunch cilantro (large stems – removed, small – left in)
- 1 clove garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
- cilantro roughly chopped
- green onion roughly chopped
- avocado slices
- extra enchilada sauce
- Place a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
- Combine the dried oregano, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Heat a large skillet or nonstick pan with the neutral oil to medium high while you season your chicken thighs all over with the spice mix.
- Fully cook your chicken on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side, or until they’ve reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove and place in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap to keep warm, steam slightly, and allow the proteins to relax and reabsorb any juices.
- Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken with two forks and set aside, covering loosely again with the plastic wrap.
- Wrap your tortillas in a damp paper towel or kitchen towel and microwave for 30 seconds. Check the flexibility of the tortillas. If you can’t roll them without them breaking, return them to the microwave for another 10-15 seconds.
- Place 1 cup of your enchilada sauce onto the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish and spread evenly to cover.
- Working with one tortilla at a time, making sure to keep the unused tortillas covered with the towel to keep them warm, evenly fill each with the chicken, green onion, jalapenos if using, and 1 ½ cups of Mexican blend cheese. Repeat this process until you’ve filled the casserole dish.
- Ladle 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, evenly coating them. Pour the remaining sauce into a small sauce pot, cover, and keep on low heat on the stove.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups of Mexican blend cheese on top, wrap with aluminum foil, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted.
- While the enchiladas are baking, combine the Mexican crema, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper to taste in a blender or to a large cup that can fit an immersion blender inside. Blend until smooth and adjust with salt and pepper. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or measuring cup with a spout.
- Once the enchiladas are finished cooking, remove the foil. Top with cilantro, green onions, avocado slices, extra enchilada sauce if desired. Serve and drizzle with the crema, extra toppings, and extra sauce if you like. Serve alongside calabacitas, rice, beans, or any side you love to eat with enchiladas!
- Layered vs. rolled enchiladas: If you prefer to layer your tortillas and filling instead of rolling the fillings inside, don’t forget to lightly coat each tortilla you use in your layers with enchilada sauce. This helps keep your enchilada moist.
- Combining all filling ingredients together: To expedite the filling process, you can combine the green onion, jalapeno if using, and 1 ½ cups of Mexican blend cheese with the shredded chicken prior to rolling your tortillas.
- If you don’t want to make the crema, you can just use sour cream to top your enchiladas.
- This recipe works well with either red or green enchilada sauce! You can’t go wrong!
- You can heat the tortillas in a warm pan sprayed with oil instead of microwaving. It will take a bit more time, but the tortillas tend to hold up a little better when rolling. It does add a little bit more fat to this recipe, but if that is not a concern, feel free to use this method.
- Homemade or store-bought red enchilada sauce — both work great here. I wanted to keep this recipe as simple as possible, so I’ve tested it with both canned enchilada sauce and my homemade version (you’ll find the recipe just below the recipe card). Honestly, they both work really well, so go with whichever option is easiest for you.
- Chicken: You can use shredded rotisserie chicken (at least 3 cups) instead of cooking skinless, boneless chicken thighs.
- Ground Meat: You an also sub the chicken with ground beef, turkey, chicken, pork, or plant-based meat like Impossible brand.
- Cheese: Don’t have Mexican blend? Use shredded low-moisture mozzarella.
- Toppings: I top mine with avocado slices, chopped cilantro, and green onions. You can also use Cotija cheese, sour cream, guacamole, or a drizzle of hot sauce as toppings.
- Crema Substitute: Mix 1 cup sour cream or yogurt with 1 cup mayo.
- Tortillas: I used corn tortillas, but you can also use thin flour tortillas of similar size instead. I also love to use Cassava or almond flour tortillas (like Siete brand) for chicken enchiladas.
- knife
- cutting board
- heavy skillet or nonstick pan
- 9 x 13 casserole dish
- large bowl
- blender or immersion blender
- paper towels or kitchen towel
- zester
- citrus juicer
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
What Makes These Chicken Enchiladas Stand out from the Crowd?
These chicken enchiladas are my husband’s absolute favorite dinner and go-to comfort food—honestly, we might as well call them “marry-me enchiladas”! They’re perfect for meal prep, making ahead, or freezing, which makes them ideal for busy weeknights or when I need to feed a crowd of friends and family. You can bet these enchiladas will have everyone coming back for seconds especially if you serve them with my Mexican street corn dip, fan-favorite cilantro-lime black bean rice, and homemade chicken tacos! You are in for a treat – here are the recipe highlights:
- Cilantro-Lime Crema: Even though I top my enchiladas with the classics—avocado, green onions, and fresh cilantro—I also drizzle on a creamy, Mexican-inspired (and homemade!) cilantro lime crema for a tangy, refreshing twist.
- Red Enchilada Sauce Options: You can definitely use great store-bought enchilada sauce for this recipe, but I’ve also included my homemade red enchilada sauce below if you want to go the extra mile!
- Easy to Customize: Use different proteins like pan-seared chicken thighs, shredded rotisserie chicken, ground turkey, ground chicken or beef, or plant-based meat.
- Naturally gluten-free when made with corn tortillas: Most chicken enchilada recipes online use flour tortillas, but traditional Mexican enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. My recipe sticks to tradition, using regular corn tortillas (like Mission brand). Corn tortillas hold up better in the sauce and offer a more authentic flavor. Serve this with Mexican street corn sheet pan loaded nachos made with homemade tortilla chips!
Easy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
FAQ
What does a chicken enchilada consist of?
These easy chicken enchiladas feature corn tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken and cheese, topped with the best enchilada sauce, and even more cheese! They’re baked until the cheese is deliciously melted and bubbly. Because they’re so easy to make, I make these enchiladas about once a week.
What are traditional enchiladas made of?
Traditional enchiladas are made with corn tortillas filled with ingredients like shredded chicken, beef, cheese, or beans, and covered in a savory sauce, often a chili-based one like salsa roja or salsa verde.
What’s the difference between a chicken burrito and a chicken enchilada?
The main difference is that a burrito is made using corn tortillas, while enchiladas are made with flour tortillas. Also, burritos are often eaten with the hands and enchiladas are often covered in sauce, so eaten with a knife and fork.
What are the ingredients in real good chicken enchiladas?
Chicken Tortilla (Chicken, Parmesan Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Water, Salt, Sunflower Oil, Natural Flavors), Tomatillo, Chicken Breast with Rib Meat, Water, Monterey Jack Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes), Jalapeno, Onion, Salt, Cilantro, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, …