Elevate your weeknight meals with these Delicious Chicken Enchiladas Recipe that are bursting with flavor and incredibly easy to assemble. This recipe offers a straightforward guide to creating a satisfying and comforting dish perfect for family gatherings or a cozy dinner for two.
Key Ingredients for Delicious Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cooked and shredded
- 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies, undrained
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- 12 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar)
- 1 cup prepared red enchilada sauce
- Optional toppings: sour cream, cilantro, sliced black olives, salsa, avocado
How to Make Delicious Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Whip up these Delicious Chicken Enchiladas Recipe in a flash for a meal that’s both simple and spectacularly satisfying. The perfectly seasoned shredded chicken melds beautifully with the vibrant enchilada sauce and gooey cheese, creating a symphony of flavors and textures. With a preparation time of just 25 minutes and a cooking time of 20 minutes, you can enjoy this delightful dish without spending hours in the kitchen.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Filling: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Combine Filling Ingredients: Add the shredded cooked chicken, undrained diced tomatoes, undrained diced green chilies, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Cook for 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and the mixture to heat through. If using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, you can skip the onion and garlic sautéing step and simply combine the shredded chicken with the tomatoes, chilies, and spices.
- Warm the Tortillas: Briefly warm the corn tortillas. This makes them more pliable and less likely to break when rolling. You can do this by dipping them quickly in warm enchilada sauce (if you have extra), microwaving them for 30 seconds wrapped in a damp paper towel, or lightly charring them a few at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat.
- Assemble the Enchiladas: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread about 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Fill and Roll: For each enchilada, place about 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken filling in the center of a warm tortilla. Sprinkle a little extra shredded cheese over the filling if desired. Tightly roll up the tortilla and place it seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Sauce and Cheese: Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas and filling, arranging them snugly in the baking dish. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the tops of the rolled enchiladas, ensuring they are well-covered. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese generously over the top.
- Bake to Perfection: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the enchiladas are heated through.
- Serve: Let the enchiladas stand for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with your favorite toppings like a dollop of sour cream, fresh cilantro, sliced black olives, salsa, or diced avocado.
Why You’ll Love This Delicious Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
These Delicious Chicken Enchiladas Recipe are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, boasting tender, flavorful shredded chicken nestled within soft corn tortillas, all bathed in a rich, savory enchilada sauce and topped with perfectly melted cheese. This dish captures the comforting essence of traditional enchiladas without the fuss, offering a taste that rivals your favorite Mexican restaurant but at a fraction of the cost. The simple yet robust flavor profile, often enhanced by vibrant toppings like zesty salsa or creamy avocado, makes each bite an absolute delight, bringing a touch of Mexican fiesta straight to your dining table.
Forget the takeout menus and embrace the joy of homemade goodness with this fantastic recipe; it’s a testament to how easy it is to create deeply satisfying meals that nourish both body and soul. If you’ve enjoyed making our Tex-Mex Chicken Casserole, you’ll find this an equally rewarding and accessible endeavor. So, gather your ingredients and get ready to experience the ultimate comfort food – we promise you won’t be disappointed!
Storing and Reheating Tips
Storing Leftovers:
Once cooled, store any leftover cooked chicken enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Ensure the container is well-sealed to maintain freshness and prevent them from drying out. If you plan to freeze them, it’s best to do so in individual portions for easier reheating.
Freezing:
To freeze, allow the enchiladas to cool completely. Place them in a freezer-safe airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. They can be frozen for up to 2-3 months.
Reheating:
- Oven: For the best results, reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C). Place the enchiladas in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes to crisp up the cheese if desired.
- Microwave: For a quicker reheat, place 1-2 enchiladas on a microwave-safe plate, cover loosely with a damp paper towel, and heat on medium power for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through. Be aware that microwave reheating can sometimes make the tortillas slightly softer.
- Freezer to Oven: If reheating from frozen, do not thaw. Place the frozen enchiladas in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) and bake, covered, for 30-40 minutes, or until heated all the way through. You may need to add a few extra minutes to ensure core heat.
Final Thoughts
These Delicious Chicken Enchiladas Recipe are a triumph of flavor and simplicity, offering a warm hug in every bite. We encourage you to try this recipe soon; it’s a guaranteed way to bring smiles to your dinner table with minimal effort. Prepare to be delighted by this comforting and utterly delicious dish!
Delicious Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Add the shredded cooked chicken, undrained diced tomatoes, undrained diced green chilies, chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir well to combine all the ingredients. Cook for 5-7 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together and the mixture to heat through. If using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, you can skip the onion and garlic sautéing step and simply combine the shredded chicken with the tomatoes, chilies, and spices.1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cooked and shredded, 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained, 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies, undrained, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
- Briefly warm the corn tortillas. This makes them more pliable and less likely to break when rolling. You can do this by dipping them quickly in warm enchilada sauce (if you have extra), microwaving them for 30 seconds wrapped in a damp paper towel, or lightly charring them a few at a time in a dry skillet over medium heat.1 cup prepared red enchilada sauce
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Spread about 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.1 cup prepared red enchilada sauce
- For each enchilada, place about 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken filling in the center of a warm tortilla. Sprinkle a little extra shredded cheese over the filling if desired. Tightly roll up the tortilla and place it seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar)
- Repeat this process with the remaining tortillas and filling, arranging them snugly in the baking dish. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the tops of the rolled enchiladas, ensuring they are well-covered. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese generously over the top.1 cup prepared red enchilada sauce, 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or a blend of Monterey Jack and cheddar)
- Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-7 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the enchiladas are heated through.
- Let the enchiladas stand for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with your favorite toppings like a dollop of sour cream, fresh cilantro, sliced black olives, salsa, or diced avocado.Optional toppings: sour cream, cilantro, sliced black olives, salsa, avocado