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My favorite chicken enchilada recipe is easy to make, customizable with your favorite fillings, and made with my favorite homemade enchilada sauce. It’s always a crowd fave, and perfect for meal prep and freezing too!
Say hello to my all-time favorite chicken enchiladas. ♡
This chicken enchilada recipe was actually one of the first-ever posts that I shared here on Gimme Some Oven back in 2009. And now, more than a decade later, it still continues to be one of the recipes I make most often for dinner here in our house — and one of the recipes that our readers make most often too! I’m so happy you all continue to enjoy it!
For those of you who are new to this recipe, these Tex-Mex style chicken enchiladas are easy to make with a basic filling of sautéed chicken, green chiles, onions, beans and shredded cheese. Then they are rolled up in your choice of either flour or corn tortillas, baked until hot and melty, and sprinkled with lots of fresh toppings. But I have to say that the real magic of this recipe lies in the homemade red enchilada sauce that brings it all together. This red enchilada sauce only requires a few extra minutes of prep time, but the flavor that it adds to these enchiladas is major. Sooo much better than the canned stuff!
I’m also a big fan of these homemade chicken enchiladas because they are easy to make ahead (perfect for meal prep), the leftovers freeze beautifully (which is why I usually go ahead and make a double batch while I’m at it), and they are also a wonderful meal to pack up and bring to friends who may be in need of some cozy comfort food (another good reason to make and freeze a second batch ♡). This recipe can also easily be adapted to be gluten-free or customized with your choice of protein, beans or cheese. And if you’d really like to make the prep quick and easy, I’ve included a few additional time-saving shortcuts below too.
Bottom line, these chicken enchiladas have been one of my go-to recipes for years and years, and they are always a hit when we serve them to friends and family. So if you have yet to give this recipe a try, I say that it’s time we make some enchiladas together!
Chicken Enchilada Recipe | 1-Minute Video
The History of Enchiladas
We have the rich food traditions of Mexico to thank for bringing enchiladas to the world. ♡ Historians believe that the origins of enchiladas actually date back to Aztec times, when the tradition of rolling or folding food into corn tortillas is believed to have begun. (The word enchilada is derived from the Spanish verb enchilar, which means “to season with chili.”)
In the centuries and decades since, dozens of different varieties of enchiladas have become traditional in different regions around Mexico, as well as in various nearby countries in Latin America (such as Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala). And of course, they have also become wildly popular in the United States as well, especially in New Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine.
This particular chicken enchilada recipe probably most closely aligns with Tex-Mex and New Mexican styles of enchiladas, especially being made with flour tortillas (although you are welcome to use corn tortillas), filled with green chiles and soft shredded cheese, and made with a tomato-free red chile sauce. But if you are looking to try authentic Mexican-style chicken enchiladas, I would encourage you to consider this traditional recipe. So many delicious enchilada recipes to try!
Chicken Enchilada Ingredients
Before we get to the full recipe below for how to make chicken enchiladas, here are a few notes about the ingredients you will need to make this easy chicken enchilada recipe…
Chicken: I typically sauté diced boneless skinless chicken breasts for the enchilada filling. But feel free to use pre-cooked chicken (such as a shredded rotisserie or any leftover diced/shredded baked chicken) if you would like to save some prep time.
Onion and diced green chiles: White, yellow or red onion will work for the enchilada filling sauté. Then I always like to add in a can of diced green chiles too for extra flavor.
Beans: I typically add a can of black beans or pinto beans to the filling for extra protein. But white beans, lentils or chickpeas would also work well here.
Tortillas: Corn tortillas are traditionally used in Mexican-style enchiladas, but I typically use flour tortillas (which are more commonly used in Tex-Mex and American-style enchiladas) since they are much easier to roll. That said, just about any style of tortillas will work in this recipe.
Cheese: I most often use either Asadero, Pepper Jack, or a Mexican-blend of shredded cheese for these enchiladas. But feel free to use any type of shredded cheese that you love best.
Toppings: When it comes to enchiladas, I vote the more toppings the merrier! Any combination of chopped fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, diced red onion (or quick pickled red onions), sliced radishes, fresh or pickled jalapeños, sour cream or Mexican crema, and/or extra cheese would be delicious!
Enchilada sauce: Finally, you can use any type of enchilada sauce that you prefer for this recipe, but I highly recommend using my favorite homemade enchilada sauce! It only takes a few extra minutes to prep and can simmer on the stovetop while you prepare the rest of the enchiladas. It’s made with simple ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry (oil, flour, a handful of spices, and chicken stock). But most importantly, it’s incredibly delicious and tastes a million times better than the store-bought canned stuff. Thousands of our readers have made and loved it over the years, so I highly recommend giving it a try!
Chicken Enchilada Recipe Variations
As I mentioned above, this chicken enchilada recipe is incredibly flexible, so please feel free to customize it however you would like! For example, feel free to…
Use corn tortillas: To make Mexican-style enchiladas, use corn tortillas (homemade or store-bought) in place of flour tortillas. Since corn tortillas are typically smaller, you will likely need to use nearly double the quantity of tortillas. (Just arrange them in the pan however you’d like.) Then to bring out that toasty corn flavor and prevent the corn tortillas from tearing, I recommend either flash-frying the tortillas for about 10 seconds per side in a skillet that has been lightly drizzled with oil. Or alternately, you can just dip the tortillas briefly in the warm enchilada sauce before rolling them up.
Use green enchilada sauce: Instead of red enchilada sauce, try making green chicken enchiladas with my homemade green enchilada sauce recipe. It’s also very simple to make and brings the most delicious savory green chile flavor to this dish.
Use a different protein: I most often make these enchiladas with chicken, but they would also be delicious with ground or shredded beef, shredded pork (especially carnitas), shrimp, or any other protein that you prefer.
Use different beans: As I mentioned above, white beans, lentils or chickpeas would also work well here in place of pinto or black beans.
Make vegetarian enchiladas: To make these vegetarian enchiladas, simply omit the chicken and replace it with veggies (such as roasted cauliflower, zucchini, bell peppers, etc), extra beans, or any other vegetarian fillings you prefer. To make vegan enchiladas, use a vegetarian filling as well as vegan cheese.
Make gluten-free enchiladas: To make gluten-free enchiladas, use gluten-free corn or flour tortillas. And also be sure to use a 1-for-1 gluten-free flour blend (in place of all-purpose flour) in the homemade enchilada sauce recipe.
What To Serve With Chicken Enchiladas
Looking for some recommendations for side dishes to round out your meal? Feel free to check out our Mexican recipe archives for inspiration, or consider some of these favorite recipes…
Prep oven and enchilada sauce. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare your enchilada sauce.
Sauté the filling mixture. In large sauté pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add diced chicken and green chiles, and season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté the mixture for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add in the beans and stir until evenly combined. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
Assemble the enchiladas. To assemble the enchiladas, set up an assembly line including: tortillas, enchilada sauce, chicken mixture, and cheese. Lay out a tortilla, and spread two tablespoons of sauce over the surface of the tortilla. Add a generous spoonful of the chicken mixture in a line down the center of the tortilla, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese. Roll up tortilla and place in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Assemble the remaining enchiladas. Then spread any remaining sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas, followed by any extra cheese.
Bake. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the enchiladas are cooked through and the tortillas are slightly crispy on the outside. Transfer the baking dish to a wire baking rack.
Serve. Serve the enchiladas immediately while they’re nice and hot and melty, garnished with lots of fresh toppings. Enjoy!
Storage instructions: Leftover (cooked) enchiladas can be transferred to a sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Make ahead instructions. If you would like to make a pan of enchiladas in advance, follow the recipe instructions through step 3 (assembling the enchiladas). Wrap the pan tightly with foil. Then you can either refrigerate the enchiladas for up to 3 days, then bake as directed. Or you can freeze the enchiladas for up to 3 months, then let them thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then bake as directed.
Have just made your Red Enchilada Sauce and it looks nothing like yours. What makes it red pls???
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Marion! Some chili powder blends are redder than others, and also the lighting when these images were shot made it appear redder than it actually is.
I love this recipe and your website! If I make these in advance and put in the refrigerator for a few hours, how long would you suggest I bake? Thank you!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you, Jessica — we’re happy to hear that! :) If you assemble these a few hours in advance, and refrigerate, we think your baking time would still be about the same (if it’s just a few hours). You might find you need to bake them 5-10 minutes more (at the most, just check them). We hope you enjoy!
Hi Jodi! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!
This is an excellent recipe!! I used ground chicken, as that is what I had in the freezer and turned out awesome. Definitely a keeper. Thank you so much!
Having lived in New Mexico and cooked New Mexico Mex (yes there is a difference) for over 30 years I felt compelled to say something about this recipe. While I am certain this is a delicious enough dish, no self respecting New Mexican cook would EVER use flour tortillas to make enchiladas. It’s got to be CORN tortillas all the way and, if you are lucky enough, homemade BLUE CORN tortillas. Using flour tortillas may give them a bit more body and make them easier to serve they arent’ really authentic enchiladas. More like smothered mini burros. But to each their own.
However homemade red OR green sauce is ESSENTIAL and covering with half red and half green makes them “Christmas” style. The single most asked question when ordering Mexican food in New Mexico is “Red or Green”? Both is best. And don’t forget the Sopapillas and honey with the meal. The sweet cuts the heat and in New Mexico the hotter the better.
Mucho gusto!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We appreciate your comment, Tijeras! We do know authentic enchiladas are made with corn tortillas, as opposed to flour ones, we just prefer the flour. The blue corn tortillas sound amazing! :)
I make a couple changes to make this perfect for our tastes. I find canned green chilies add nothing at all to any recipe. Fresh peppers are best. I saute them with the onion and chicken. I also add corn along with the green beans. Instead of spooning enchilada sauce inside the tortilla, I dip each tortilla in the sauce to coat it thoroughly. This distributes the flavour better and doesn’t leave you with dry baked tortillas where the sauce hasn’t covered them. So good! Great recipe though! The adjustments are just for our preferences.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, we’re glad you enjoy these with the adaptations you’ve made! :)
I made a double recipe of these enchiladas for a party and they were a big hit! I didn’t want to cut up the raw chicken, though, so instead I sauteed the onions in the pressure cooker, then added the chiles, chicken, salt and pepper and a cup of chicken broth and cooked the whole thing for 8 minutes, then let it cool down naturally and drained off the extra liquid. It was easier to dice the chicken when cooked and it was very moist and flavorful. Love my pressure cooker!
I have made these a few times and everyone raves. I would like to know if they can be made ahead and frozen? Should I cook first, then thaw and reheat, or not cook, freeze and thaw and cook? I think I’m inclined to do the latter. Has anyone else frozen them?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Joanne! For freezing, they can either be baked and then frozen once cooled, or assembled, (unbaked), then frozen and baked later. If you’re freezing them after assembling, just leave off the sauce and cheese that go on top. If you bake these and then freeze them (again, just make sure they’ve cooled completely before popping them into the freezer), top with the sauce and cheese, and bake (covered) for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes (or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown). We hope this is helpful!
Whipped this bad boy for my family tonight. It was just delish and so easy to make, surprisingly!! I did have to add one tablespoon of flour/water mixture to the homemade sauce to thicken it, and an additional tablespoon of chili powder for added heat, but man was it tasty afterwards. My family loved it, and even asked for seconds. This recipe will definitely be added to my go-to dishes! Thanks for sharing :)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you for sharing, Antoinette — we’re so happy you and your family enjoyed these! :)
The green chiles that you have used …. are they same as jalapeños?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
No, they are two different ingredients. We buy the green chiles in a can (you can find them in the Hispanic section of the International aisle of most grocery stores). We hope you enjoy!
I have been making this recipe for the last 2 years! It IS the best chicken enchilada recipe out there. I add corn and black beans. The enchilada sauce is so simple and so good! Make it, you won’t be disappointed!
Can I make these ahead? If so do they take longer to reheat?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Caroline! We think you could assemble these ahead of time, for most of the day, but any longer and they might get soggy or dried out. They might take a little longer to bake after being in the fridge (unless you take them out and get them to room temp first). We hope this helps, and that you enjoy them!
Thank you for the fantastic recipes. I was craving chicken enchiladas and these were delicious!!! I didn’t have whole black beans so I stirred a can of refried black beans into the chicken/ chile/ onion mixture. The result wasn’t as pretty as yours but tasted yummy. Thank you!! The homemade sauce was everything I hoped for because the canned kind never manages to give the same flavor as my favorite restaurant enchilada sauce. I doubled your recipe and had enough to make 16 enchiladas. I was very impressed with your quantities because so often recipes don’t yield what they say they will. I added too much sauce to the inside of each enchilada but still had just enough to cover the top. Next time I’ll put less inside so the top can be absolutely dripping with sauce!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
You’re welcome, Marguerite, and thanks for your sweet comment! We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the enchiladas and the sauce! :)
I just made these a few hours ago. I’m a college student who makes all my dinners for the week ahead on saturday. I thought these looked yummy so I made them and they were so easy to do! My sauce cane our a dark brown and not red, though. I’ve never really been one to love enchiladas but these are amazing!! I told my whole family they have to use this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it and tell your cook friend that she knows what she’s doing! :)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Nicole, we’re glad you enjoyed these! :D And the sauce color can differ based on what brand of chili powder you use.
Yummmmmm! I made your Enchilada recipe tonight, and my husband and I agree—it was SO much better than the enchiladas I’ve been making for 20 years…
The sauce! The sauce really makes that dish sing. I’d opened a can of the store-bought stuff before I found your blog, but Lissa’s recipe for enchilada sauce was so straightforward, I had to try it. So glad I did! The canned enchilada sauce tasted sour and tinny, and it promptly went to compost.
Thanks so much for sharing these recipes, sure to become a staple in this house.
I didn’t have the green chiles so I decided not to add the onion to the mixture. I also didn’t have enough cheese! I only had about 1 cup but this recipe was still SOOO delicious. Thank you so much!! I didn’t regret making the sauce.
Yum! Though I admit to changing up the sauce to more my preference. I used 3 TBS of freshly ground ancho chili {dried} and TBS of Chipotle. Love the smokiness and deep flavor. I also used Mexican Oregano and upped the cumin and garlic powder to 1/2 TBS. I too believe in using corn tortillas. I also used a fresh Anaheim chili chopped fine and a serrano chili to the chicken mixture. This has definitely more heat which I prefer.
I’ve been using this recipe for the last year..omg the best ever and the sauce is out of this world and sooo easy…i make it in batches it’s so easy ..i will never use can again and it’s cheaper cause you usually have all those ingredients….thanks so much for sharing!!!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you, Cathy, we’re so happy you love the sauce! :)
Absolutely love this recipe! I agree that if you’re using corn tortillas it tends to break apart when baking. I never tried on flour, but that’s because I’m not a big fan of flour tortillas. Going to try to make these with half corn half whole wheat tortillas tonight. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe and secret sauce ;-)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you, Jessica, we’re so glad you enjoy both the sauce and the enchiladas!
Crystal —
Try warming the corn tortillas on the stove in a pan with the sauce, one at a time. It’s messy and time consuming but keeps the tortillas from breaking but also puts a lot more flavor into the dish.
Just wanted to know the nutrition info for these delicious enchiladas! I’m on weight watchers so- I just wanted to calculate the points per enchilada.
thank you
Amanda :)
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Amanda! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!
This is my go to enchilada recipe. My partner loves them. The homemade red enchilada sauce is so good too! I always make it when making the enchiladas. Thank you!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
We’re so glad to hear that, Nadia, that’s awesome! :D
Can I make this a day ahead? Leave for a day before cooking?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Sarah! We think you could assemble these ahead of time, for most of the day, but any longer and they might get soggy or dried out. They might take a little longer to bake after being in the fridge (unless you take them out and get them to room temp first). We hope this helps, and that you enjoy them!
This was really yummy. I made it casserole style with corn tortillas. I made the homemade sauce and it was a hit. Super easy and very good. I will make it again.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Jennifer — we’re so glad you enjoyed them!
I made these last night and they were delicious! I made the homemade enchilada sauce, wouldn’t use bottle after making it from scratch. My husband loved them (ate two) and I paired mine with a side of Greek salad.
As summer is just around the corner and I’m trying to drop a few pounds, just wondering if you have an estimate of the calories and nutrition breakdown in one serving?
Thanks ;))
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Pauline, we’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed the sauce and the enchiladas! :D Unfortunately though we do not have the calorie or nutrition breakdown for these. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!
Tonight marks the fourth time making these and the tenth time making your sauce. I refuse to buy canned enchilada sauce ever again. Thank you for these recipes!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you for sharing, Jason, we’re so thrilled you love the sauce and the enchiladas! :)
I make this recipe all the time. I love it!! It is even better the next day! I make big batches of the sauce and freeze it.
I am trying to cut my carbs at dinner so tonight I made it without the beans and tortillas- just put the mixture in a casserole dish with a little cheese on top and baked it. Delish!!!
Thank you Give Me Some Oven for the recipe ❤️
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you so much for sharing, Heidi! We’re thrilled that you enjoy the recipe, and that’s great that you were able to make a lower-carb version!
I made this last Saturday and it was absolutely delicious. I made the sauce also and the kind you buy in the store can’t even come close to this sauce!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Dee, we’re so happy you enjoyed both the sauce and the enchiladas! :)
This recipe looks delicious!! Will other type of cheese work? (monterey jack or havarti) I just have these in my fridge already and it would be great if I could just use them!!
I’ve made these before and they’re delicious! is this an easily make ahead and freeze meal? if so, what would be the cooking instructions from the freezer? thank you!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Kirsten, we’re so glad you enjoy them! They can either be baked and then frozen once cooled, or assembled,(unbaked), then frozen and baked later. If you’re freezing them after assembling, just leave off the sauce and cheese that go on top. If you bake these and then freeze them (again, just make sure they’ve cooled completely before popping them into the freezer), top with the sauce and cheese, and bake (covered) for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes (or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown). We hope this is helpful!
This was absolutely delicious. I usually used rotisserie chicken and canned sauce, never again. The homemade sauce was phenomenal and using diced chicken breast gave it better taste and texture. Topped mine with sour cream, avocado and cilantro. Amazing!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you, Michelle, we’re so happy you enjoyed these!
I would really like to make this but I don’t have black beans. Any suggestions for substitute. Such as retried beans or chick peas which I do have on hand. Thanks
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Beth! You could use refried beans or pinto beans, but we wouldn’t really recommend chickpeas for this. We hope you enjoy these!
I made these the other night and they were delicious. Substituted the black beans with retried beans as that is all I had in the house. Yum. Question now is that I made so many and would like to freeze the leftovers for another time. Before doing that I was wondering how long you would recommend safely keeping them in The fridge for before freezing them. My son is coming home from Nunavut for the summer and I am sure he would love these. Thanks
Hi! I’ve made these enchiladas a few times now and love them! Would this freeze well?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Hi Kate! Yes, they can either be baked and then frozen once cooled, or assembled,(unbaked), then frozen and baked later. If you’re freezing them after assembling, just leave off the sauce and cheese that go on top. If you bake these and then freeze them (again, just make sure they’ve cooled completely before popping them into the freezer), top with the sauce and cheese, and bake (covered) for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes (or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown). We hope this is helpful!
The best enchiladas ever!!! This week will be the fifth time making them. Everyone in my house LOVES these, from my teenage daughters to my 6yr old son, to my 87 year old mother in law to my picky husband. The homemade sauce is the only way to go. Never will I buy store-bought sauce again! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I made this recipe with canned enchilada sauce and it was still incredible! I’ve been looking for the perfect enchilada recipe for ages and just found it. We loved that the enchiladas weren’t soggy and swimming in sauce.
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thank you, Caitlin, we’re so glad you loved them! :)
I served this at a neighborhood dinner tonight. It became the ⭐️ of the potluck. Only one piece left from the corner to take home for lunch tomorrow. Everyone raved. It’s my new go-to potluck takealong. I served it with fresh cilantro and chopped green onions on top with sour cream. Thank you!!!! ?
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Mary, we’re so glad they were a hit! :)
I made the red enchilada sauce last night and it was amazingly delicious and easy to prepare!
I am passing your recipe to family and friends. Thank you so much! Alice in Phoenix, Az
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Alice, we’re so happy you enjoyed the sauce and we hope your family and friends do as well! :)
This is excellent. I made it last year for the first time, and I am having a group over on Sunday and they requested this dish again. I am doubling the recipe as I need more servings but one caveat – – I am NOT making the home-made enchilada sauce this time; I purchased a large can at the store. Last time it took forever to make the sauce in order to get it to thicken up, and I just do not have that much time to spend on it. I actually ended up buying a can of the sauce at the store so I could finish the dish; obviously it was fine as the dish was bit hit!
Hayley @ Gimme Some Oven —
Thanks for sharing, Nancy! We’re so glad you enjoyed them!
One of our favorites ate them last night for dinner!
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe!
Have just made your Red Enchilada Sauce and it looks nothing like yours. What makes it red pls???
Hi Marion! Some chili powder blends are redder than others, and also the lighting when these images were shot made it appear redder than it actually is.
I love this recipe and your website! If I make these in advance and put in the refrigerator for a few hours, how long would you suggest I bake? Thank you!
Thank you, Jessica — we’re happy to hear that! :) If you assemble these a few hours in advance, and refrigerate, we think your baking time would still be about the same (if it’s just a few hours). You might find you need to bake them 5-10 minutes more (at the most, just check them). We hope you enjoy!
These enchiladas, along with your homemade sauce, were fabulous. Easy to make too. We will be having them a lot.
Thanks for sharing, Danabee — we’re so happy you enjoyed both the recipes!
Your recipe is aptly named: these were the best chicken enchiladas ever! The homemade sauce was absolutely the best. We will make again.
Thank you so much, Nona — we’re thrilled that you enjoyed both he sauce and the enchiladas! :)
What is the nutritional info? Fat, Cals etc?
Hi Jodi! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!
This is an excellent recipe!! I used ground chicken, as that is what I had in the freezer and turned out awesome. Definitely a keeper. Thank you so much!
Thanks, Leala — we’re so happy you loved these!
Having lived in New Mexico and cooked New Mexico Mex (yes there is a difference) for over 30 years I felt compelled to say something about this recipe. While I am certain this is a delicious enough dish, no self respecting New Mexican cook would EVER use flour tortillas to make enchiladas. It’s got to be CORN tortillas all the way and, if you are lucky enough, homemade BLUE CORN tortillas. Using flour tortillas may give them a bit more body and make them easier to serve they arent’ really authentic enchiladas. More like smothered mini burros. But to each their own.
However homemade red OR green sauce is ESSENTIAL and covering with half red and half green makes them “Christmas” style. The single most asked question when ordering Mexican food in New Mexico is “Red or Green”? Both is best. And don’t forget the Sopapillas and honey with the meal. The sweet cuts the heat and in New Mexico the hotter the better.
Mucho gusto!
We appreciate your comment, Tijeras! We do know authentic enchiladas are made with corn tortillas, as opposed to flour ones, we just prefer the flour. The blue corn tortillas sound amazing! :)
What an amazing recipe! Made this a few times now and it’s one of my favorite weekend dishes. Thank you so much!!
We’re so glad to hear that, Michel! :)
I make a couple changes to make this perfect for our tastes. I find canned green chilies add nothing at all to any recipe. Fresh peppers are best. I saute them with the onion and chicken. I also add corn along with the green beans. Instead of spooning enchilada sauce inside the tortilla, I dip each tortilla in the sauce to coat it thoroughly. This distributes the flavour better and doesn’t leave you with dry baked tortillas where the sauce hasn’t covered them. So good! Great recipe though! The adjustments are just for our preferences.
Thanks for sharing, we’re glad you enjoy these with the adaptations you’ve made! :)
I made a double recipe of these enchiladas for a party and they were a big hit! I didn’t want to cut up the raw chicken, though, so instead I sauteed the onions in the pressure cooker, then added the chiles, chicken, salt and pepper and a cup of chicken broth and cooked the whole thing for 8 minutes, then let it cool down naturally and drained off the extra liquid. It was easier to dice the chicken when cooked and it was very moist and flavorful. Love my pressure cooker!
Great tip! Pressure cookers FTW! :)
I have made these a few times and everyone raves. I would like to know if they can be made ahead and frozen? Should I cook first, then thaw and reheat, or not cook, freeze and thaw and cook? I think I’m inclined to do the latter. Has anyone else frozen them?
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Joanne! For freezing, they can either be baked and then frozen once cooled, or assembled, (unbaked), then frozen and baked later. If you’re freezing them after assembling, just leave off the sauce and cheese that go on top. If you bake these and then freeze them (again, just make sure they’ve cooled completely before popping them into the freezer), top with the sauce and cheese, and bake (covered) for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes (or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown). We hope this is helpful!
Whipped this bad boy for my family tonight. It was just delish and so easy to make, surprisingly!! I did have to add one tablespoon of flour/water mixture to the homemade sauce to thicken it, and an additional tablespoon of chili powder for added heat, but man was it tasty afterwards. My family loved it, and even asked for seconds. This recipe will definitely be added to my go-to dishes! Thanks for sharing :)
Thank you for sharing, Antoinette — we’re so happy you and your family enjoyed these! :)
The green chiles that you have used …. are they same as jalapeños?
No, they are two different ingredients. We buy the green chiles in a can (you can find them in the Hispanic section of the International aisle of most grocery stores). We hope you enjoy!
many people make this same mistake..USE CORN TORTILLAS …NOT FLOUR . the corn tortilla should be fried briefly in hot oils and drained.
I’ve made this recipe with both kinds of tortillas and love them. The flour tortillas do tend to hold up better while baking.
I have been making this recipe for the last 2 years! It IS the best chicken enchilada recipe out there. I add corn and black beans. The enchilada sauce is so simple and so good! Make it, you won’t be disappointed!
Awesome! So glad you have enjoyed it! :)
Can I make these ahead? If so do they take longer to reheat?
Hi Caroline! We think you could assemble these ahead of time, for most of the day, but any longer and they might get soggy or dried out. They might take a little longer to bake after being in the fridge (unless you take them out and get them to room temp first). We hope this helps, and that you enjoy them!
Thank you for the fantastic recipes. I was craving chicken enchiladas and these were delicious!!! I didn’t have whole black beans so I stirred a can of refried black beans into the chicken/ chile/ onion mixture. The result wasn’t as pretty as yours but tasted yummy. Thank you!! The homemade sauce was everything I hoped for because the canned kind never manages to give the same flavor as my favorite restaurant enchilada sauce. I doubled your recipe and had enough to make 16 enchiladas. I was very impressed with your quantities because so often recipes don’t yield what they say they will. I added too much sauce to the inside of each enchilada but still had just enough to cover the top. Next time I’ll put less inside so the top can be absolutely dripping with sauce!
You’re welcome, Marguerite, and thanks for your sweet comment! We’re so glad to hear you enjoyed the enchiladas and the sauce! :)
I just made these a few hours ago. I’m a college student who makes all my dinners for the week ahead on saturday. I thought these looked yummy so I made them and they were so easy to do! My sauce cane our a dark brown and not red, though. I’ve never really been one to love enchiladas but these are amazing!! I told my whole family they have to use this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it and tell your cook friend that she knows what she’s doing! :)
Thanks for sharing, Nicole, we’re glad you enjoyed these! :D And the sauce color can differ based on what brand of chili powder you use.
Yummmmmm! I made your Enchilada recipe tonight, and my husband and I agree—it was SO much better than the enchiladas I’ve been making for 20 years…
The sauce! The sauce really makes that dish sing. I’d opened a can of the store-bought stuff before I found your blog, but Lissa’s recipe for enchilada sauce was so straightforward, I had to try it. So glad I did! The canned enchilada sauce tasted sour and tinny, and it promptly went to compost.
Thanks so much for sharing these recipes, sure to become a staple in this house.
Awesome!! So happy to hear it!
I didn’t have the green chiles so I decided not to add the onion to the mixture. I also didn’t have enough cheese! I only had about 1 cup but this recipe was still SOOO delicious. Thank you so much!! I didn’t regret making the sauce.
Yum! Though I admit to changing up the sauce to more my preference. I used 3 TBS of freshly ground ancho chili {dried} and TBS of Chipotle. Love the smokiness and deep flavor. I also used Mexican Oregano and upped the cumin and garlic powder to 1/2 TBS. I too believe in using corn tortillas. I also used a fresh Anaheim chili chopped fine and a serrano chili to the chicken mixture. This has definitely more heat which I prefer.
Thank you
Sounds delicious!!
I’ve been using this recipe for the last year..omg the best ever and the sauce is out of this world and sooo easy…i make it in batches it’s so easy ..i will never use can again and it’s cheaper cause you usually have all those ingredients….thanks so much for sharing!!!
Thank you, Cathy, we’re so happy you love the sauce! :)
Absolutely love this recipe! I agree that if you’re using corn tortillas it tends to break apart when baking. I never tried on flour, but that’s because I’m not a big fan of flour tortillas. Going to try to make these with half corn half whole wheat tortillas tonight. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe and secret sauce ;-)
Thank you, Jessica, we’re so glad you enjoy both the sauce and the enchiladas!
Try warming the corn tortillas on the stove in a pan with the sauce, one at a time. It’s messy and time consuming but keeps the tortillas from breaking but also puts a lot more flavor into the dish.
Hi There,
Just wanted to know the nutrition info for these delicious enchiladas! I’m on weight watchers so- I just wanted to calculate the points per enchilada.
thank you
Amanda :)
Hi Amanda! We’re sorry but we are unsure of the nutrition facts/amount of calories in this recipe. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!
Can you make this aday ahead for about 20 people. Just cook in the morning?
Hi Tamala, yes, certainly! We hope you and your guests enjoy!
This is my go to enchilada recipe. My partner loves them. The homemade red enchilada sauce is so good too! I always make it when making the enchiladas. Thank you!
We’re so glad to hear that, Nadia, that’s awesome! :D
Seriously the best enchiladas ever!! I think I make this once a month. My family loves it!!
That’s so sweet of you, Jenny! And we’re so happy you and your family love them! :)
Can I make this a day ahead? Leave for a day before cooking?
Hi Sarah! We think you could assemble these ahead of time, for most of the day, but any longer and they might get soggy or dried out. They might take a little longer to bake after being in the fridge (unless you take them out and get them to room temp first). We hope this helps, and that you enjoy them!
This was pretty good, followed the recipe as presented. Will make again.
This was really yummy. I made it casserole style with corn tortillas. I made the homemade sauce and it was a hit. Super easy and very good. I will make it again.
Thanks for sharing, Jennifer — we’re so glad you enjoyed them!
I made these last night and they were delicious! I made the homemade enchilada sauce, wouldn’t use bottle after making it from scratch. My husband loved them (ate two) and I paired mine with a side of Greek salad.
As summer is just around the corner and I’m trying to drop a few pounds, just wondering if you have an estimate of the calories and nutrition breakdown in one serving?
Thanks ;))
Thanks for sharing, Pauline, we’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed the sauce and the enchiladas! :D Unfortunately though we do not have the calorie or nutrition breakdown for these. We currently are not publishing nutrition facts on the site, as the nutrition calculators available are not 100% accurate, and we never want to publish anything that might be misleading. However, a lot of our readers love the My Fitness Pal nutrition calculator, so feel free to try that for an estimate. We hope that helps!
Yuck, lots of work and all I taste is chili powder?
We’re sorry you didn’t care for this one, Lori!
Tonight marks the fourth time making these and the tenth time making your sauce. I refuse to buy canned enchilada sauce ever again. Thank you for these recipes!
Thank you for sharing, Jason, we’re so thrilled you love the sauce and the enchiladas! :)
I make this recipe all the time. I love it!! It is even better the next day! I make big batches of the sauce and freeze it.
I am trying to cut my carbs at dinner so tonight I made it without the beans and tortillas- just put the mixture in a casserole dish with a little cheese on top and baked it. Delish!!!
Thank you Give Me Some Oven for the recipe ❤️
Thank you so much for sharing, Heidi! We’re thrilled that you enjoy the recipe, and that’s great that you were able to make a lower-carb version!
I made this last Saturday and it was absolutely delicious. I made the sauce also and the kind you buy in the store can’t even come close to this sauce!
Thanks for sharing, Dee, we’re so happy you enjoyed both the sauce and the enchiladas! :)
This recipe looks delicious!! Will other type of cheese work? (monterey jack or havarti) I just have these in my fridge already and it would be great if I could just use them!!
Thank you!
Sure thing! :) Enjoy!
I’ve made these before and they’re delicious! is this an easily make ahead and freeze meal? if so, what would be the cooking instructions from the freezer? thank you!
Thanks for sharing, Kirsten, we’re so glad you enjoy them! They can either be baked and then frozen once cooled, or assembled,(unbaked), then frozen and baked later. If you’re freezing them after assembling, just leave off the sauce and cheese that go on top. If you bake these and then freeze them (again, just make sure they’ve cooled completely before popping them into the freezer), top with the sauce and cheese, and bake (covered) for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes (or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown). We hope this is helpful!
This was absolutely delicious. I usually used rotisserie chicken and canned sauce, never again. The homemade sauce was phenomenal and using diced chicken breast gave it better taste and texture. Topped mine with sour cream, avocado and cilantro. Amazing!
Thank you, Michelle, we’re so happy you enjoyed these!
I would really like to make this but I don’t have black beans. Any suggestions for substitute. Such as retried beans or chick peas which I do have on hand. Thanks
Hi Beth! You could use refried beans or pinto beans, but we wouldn’t really recommend chickpeas for this. We hope you enjoy these!
I made these the other night and they were delicious. Substituted the black beans with retried beans as that is all I had in the house. Yum. Question now is that I made so many and would like to freeze the leftovers for another time. Before doing that I was wondering how long you would recommend safely keeping them in The fridge for before freezing them. My son is coming home from Nunavut for the summer and I am sure he would love these. Thanks
Hi! I’ve made these enchiladas a few times now and love them! Would this freeze well?
Hi Kate! Yes, they can either be baked and then frozen once cooled, or assembled,(unbaked), then frozen and baked later. If you’re freezing them after assembling, just leave off the sauce and cheese that go on top. If you bake these and then freeze them (again, just make sure they’ve cooled completely before popping them into the freezer), top with the sauce and cheese, and bake (covered) for about 30 minutes, then uncover and bake for 15 minutes (or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown). We hope this is helpful!
This is even better with roasted poblano peppers and and a chipotle pepper or two!
Oooh yes, we think those are great additions!
The best enchiladas ever!!! This week will be the fifth time making them. Everyone in my house LOVES these, from my teenage daughters to my 6yr old son, to my 87 year old mother in law to my picky husband. The homemade sauce is the only way to go. Never will I buy store-bought sauce again! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
I made this recipe with canned enchilada sauce and it was still incredible! I’ve been looking for the perfect enchilada recipe for ages and just found it. We loved that the enchiladas weren’t soggy and swimming in sauce.
Thank you, Caitlin, we’re so glad you loved them! :)
I made these last night and they were SOOO delicious! I’m excited to eat the leftovers for breakfast this morning! :)
Thanks, Mikki, we’re so happy you enjoyed them!
I served this at a neighborhood dinner tonight. It became the ⭐️ of the potluck. Only one piece left from the corner to take home for lunch tomorrow. Everyone raved. It’s my new go-to potluck takealong. I served it with fresh cilantro and chopped green onions on top with sour cream. Thank you!!!! ?
Thanks for sharing, Mary, we’re so glad they were a hit! :)
I made the red enchilada sauce last night and it was amazingly delicious and easy to prepare!
I am passing your recipe to family and friends. Thank you so much! Alice in Phoenix, Az
Thanks for sharing, Alice, we’re so happy you enjoyed the sauce and we hope your family and friends do as well! :)
This is excellent. I made it last year for the first time, and I am having a group over on Sunday and they requested this dish again. I am doubling the recipe as I need more servings but one caveat – – I am NOT making the home-made enchilada sauce this time; I purchased a large can at the store. Last time it took forever to make the sauce in order to get it to thicken up, and I just do not have that much time to spend on it. I actually ended up buying a can of the sauce at the store so I could finish the dish; obviously it was fine as the dish was bit hit!
Thanks for sharing, Nancy! We’re so glad you enjoyed them!
This was a delicious and easy recipe to make. My family loved it! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Kathy, we’re so glad to hear that!