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…
- Salad: Everyday Mexican Salad or Mexican Caesar Salad
- Chips and Dip: Tortillas Chips and Favorite (Red) Salsa, Salsa Verde, Guacamole or Elote Dip
- Drinks: Margaritas or Watermelon-Lime Mocktails
- Dessert: Sopapillas
More Favorite Enchilada Recipes
Looking for more awesome enchilada recipes to try? Here are a few of my faves…
- Mole Enchiladas
- Beef Enchiladas
- Roasted Cauliflower Enchiladas
- Breakfast Enchiladas
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
Chicken Enchiladas
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
My all-time favorite chicken enchilada recipe! See notes above for possible ingredient variations.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
- 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced into small 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 3 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
- 1 batch red enchilada sauce
- optional toppings: fresh cilantro, chopped red onions, diced avocado, sour cream, and/or crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
- 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!
Notes
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.
This recipe is delish…can you prepare/assemble them the night before??
Sure thing. Then just refrigerate them, and bake the next day when you’re ready.
I have never cooked anything Mexican (which I love) from scratch before…You , kind sir, are absolutely right…these are the “Best Enchiladas Ever”… My husband LOVED them…so did I… I will be making them again in the near future..We have leftovers for tonight.. So “THANK YOU” for making me a “GREAT COOK” last night…I will be trying MORE of YOUR RECIPES… Bon Appetite…
I have been making Beef enchiladas for years from a recipe of an old mexican woman who owned a business. She taught me to make this sauce 30 years ago and it is one of our favorite recipes for enchiladas. I made them last night again after a few months and he LOVES them. You can use this sauce for just about any mexican recipe. True, here in Texas we use corn instead of flour tortillas, but like the other lady said, it’s just a matter of taste. Like most of you, I agree the sauce is the Key here, it’s great!
You can also use this sauce on Tostatos. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us!
Me again………back after reading all the Comments, which I hadn’t had time to do earlier. I just have a small suggestion for my fellow foodies who were so quick to take a “Critical Tone” in their comments regarding Traditional vs Non Traditional, or Authentic vs Non-Authentic Enchilada’s. Of course I’m referring to the comments criticizing your use of flour tortilla’s instead of the more frequently used (at least in the USA) corn tortilla’s. Having been battling a rare disease that is usually terminal in an all-too-short amount of time for 17 years, one of the biggest things I’ve learned is “DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!” And believe me, when you and your family have been told (several times) that there is no hope, and your life will definitely come to an end in a matter of weeks, or a few months at best, you find that most things qualify under “THE SMALL STUFF” label! So whether someone chooses to use flour tortillas or corn tortillas in a recipe is simply a matter of personal taste. And to see that being brought up in a critical manner to someone who has taken time out of their day to share something with others in hopes to add some enrichment their lives, really hurt my heart. I think we can all (and I include myself in this) benefit from the slogan “Try A Little Tenderness”, and try to adopt a less-critical, and more-encouraging tone in our choice of words when we’re interacting with others. That’s something I consciously think about now every single time I have a conversation with/make a comment about others. As for me, I’m extremely grateful for other people who have taken the time to share a bit of knowledge they have with others-like the recioe’s I’ve found here-because it’s A HUGE HELP to someone like myself! I don’t have the words to explain just hiw grateful I was to find this Enchilada Recipe today, because having been too I’ll to cook a meal for so many years, I’ve literally forgotten ALL of the recipe’s I used to use. And making a homemade meal for my husband on his birthday today, after he’s been taking complete care of me for the past 17 years, is a more meaningful gift than spending hundreds of dollars on some electronic gadget would have been! Thanks to people like Ali, I’m able to give something back to my husband tonight that money simply could never buy! So my suggestion is simply this: There’s absolutely nothing wrong with sharing that you do something differently than someone else does, but the tone we take by the choice of words we use, in any circumstance, makes A HUGE DIFFERENCE! And if we all try to keep that in mind each day, I think it will go a long way towards making this world a happier place. And Ali, once again, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for this recipe-and the others you’ve taken the time to put up here! You have made such a big contribution to the lives of my husband and myself today, that the words “Thank You” are much too small to adequately express the happiness we feel tonight! Now, I’m off to take these wonderfully-smelling enchilada’s out of the oven, and watch my husband eat a delicious homemade dinner that HE didn’t have to make, for the first time in 17 years!! :-)
Drema, thank you for writing this. Your perspective is one we all need to learn.
It’s my husbands birthday, and this will be his Birthday Dinner tonight! I used to make Chicken Enchilada’s quite often, but have been disabled/battling a “terminal” illness for 17 years now, and the cooking has become his duty over all those years. I’m on a new course of medications now that includes some Biologic’s, and, while not officially in remission, I’m feeling much better than I have for many years. So tonight I’m ready to try cooking a meal again! And since it’s been so many years since I’ve made them, I don’t recall the recipe I used for Chicken Enchilada’s. I came across yours while searching on the internet, and it sounds OH-SO-YUMMY!! So this will be the recipe I use for my hubby’s first Homemade Birthday Dinner in 17 years. I already know he’s going to just LOVE them!! I’m so thankful to have found your recipe–Thank You So Much!!
These are fantastic. The key for me is your sauce. I used my spice grinder to grind some various dried chilis I had laying around. I also added cayenne because we like it with a little kick. Other than than that, didn’t change a thing for the sauce and it came out so yummy and delicious..and authentic tasting. The only things I changed for the enchiladas was swap out pepperjack for the cheddar and I used a small can of sliced jalapenos that I chopped because that is what I had in the pantry. My wife and I agreed, any restaurant would be thrilled to serve these up. They are that good. And please, if you are going to make these, take the few minutes to make the sauce. It is seriously good eats. Definitely going into the rotation. Thank you for the recipes!
This was the best ever and my family totally loved these…..thanks to you
Never made enchiladas before. Tried them tonight with the homemade sauce. You were right they were Amazing. Best I every had and I made them myself who knew!
Bon appetite!
Sandra
This recipe looks amazing and I am excited to try it when I get home from work. I do have a question though, have you ever substituted pinto beans for the black beans? My husband and I do not like black beans, and I wonder if that would throw off the favor profile.
Pinto beans would be great! Enjoy!!
Just made these and they are so easy!! Thanks for the recipe!