Best Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Best Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Fun and flavorful Tex-Mex Chicken Enchiladas made with homemade enchilada sauce and shredded chicken. Top with cilantro, chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives, minced jalapeno, chopped avocados, or sour cream.

Course main mail

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword chicken enchilada recipe, how to cook chicken for enchiladas, how to make chicken enchiladas, what to serve with chicken enchiladas

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 273kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Ingredients

Homemade enchilada sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 15-ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 7-ounce can diced green chiles
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 large flour tortillas 8 inch
2 ½ cups Mexican blend cheese see notes
assorted topping such as cilantro chopped tomatoes, minced jalapeno, sliced black olives, sour cream (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish.
Prepare the homemade enchilada sauce and set it aside for a few minutes
Heat canola oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook the onion until it is soft. Reduce the heat and add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Now add the black beans, shredded chicken, green chiles, and 2/3 cup enchilada sauce. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Mix everything together over low heat for a couple of minutes.
Spread 1-2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Spoon a line of the chicken mixture across the tortilla and sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of shredded Mexican cheese. Roll the tortillas up and place them in a baking dish seam side down. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining Mexican blend cheese and bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas are heated through.
If desired, garnish with additional toppings like cilantro, chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives, minced jalapeno, chopped avocados, or sour cream.

Notes

Are you always in a pinch in regard to time? No worries! Simply use premade jarred or canned enchilada sauce. Or make the homemade sauce up to 3 days in advance.
You can use flour or corn tortillas for this recipe. Corn tortillas need to be warmed before rolling so they do not crack.
Any cooked, shredded, or cubed chicken will work for this recipe. Rotisserie chickens are available in most grocery stores, or big club stores like Sam's and Walmart. They are simply delicious and so tender. This time around, I slow-cooked some chicken breasts in the crockpot.
Pinto beans may be substituted for the black beans.
I use a Mexican cheese blend from Costco with Monterey Jack, cheddar, queso quesadilla, and asadero cheese. It is an all-natural cheese using potato starch to prevent caking. We love it, and it tastes delicious.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezing enchiladas is easy. First, fully cool the enchiladas and then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or cover the casserole dish with two layers of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and bake as directed or reheat in the microwave.

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