Some of the recipes I make for my family, and then later test to share on the blog, just naturally work themselves out with what seems like very little effort on my part. This chicken enchilada recipe was one of those meals.
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I would like to take some credit for the “very little effort on my part” thing. Maybe after creating real food meals for years, and on top of that writing a real food blog, I’ve intuitively mastered the art of effortlessly creating recipes that work and taste great. Unfortunately, that’s just not the case. Recipe development is, quite often, hard work that requires lots of trial and error. There are times when my family is less than impressed with the meals presented at the table. That was supposed to taste amazing—well, in my mind it worked.
The real reason why this recipe came together so easily, is because it’s so incredibly simple. I’m talking really simple–shredded chicken, cheese, tortillas, and a bit of homemade enchilada sauce. That’s it!
In the future, we may make more enchiladas together. You know, fancy enchiladas with veggies, beans, and other real foods. We’ll save the fancier enchilada fare for another day. Today, we’re getting back to the basics. And the basics are so good.
Before sharing the recipe, let’s chat for a minute about making this meal a weeknight option, because we all need a bit of an enchilada pick-me-up by mid-week, right?!
Nearly every component of this enchilada recipe may be prepped in advance. And, remember, prepping in advance is the key to keeping it real even on the busiest of evenings.
The chicken may be cooked and shredded on the weekend and kept in the fridge, or frozen until it’s ready to be used. The sauce may be prepped in advance and stored in the fridge or the freezer (I like to store the sauce in Ziploc baggies in the freezer). And even the cheese may be shredded in advance. Once the prep work is done, the enchiladas come together in just a few minutes.
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups homemade enchilada sauce divided, or 1-jar of Siete red enchilada sauce
- 6 flour tortillas
- 2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken*
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided, Monterey Jack also works well
Optional Toppings
- sliced green onions
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish (my dish, pictured, is a bit smaller than 13x9).
- Spread 1 tablespoon of enchilada sauce over each flour tortilla. Divide the 2 1/2 cups of chicken and 1 cup of cheese evenly amongst the 6 flour tortillas--sprinkling the ingredients down the center of the tortillas. You could probably increase this amount to 8 tortillas, if needed. I use Rudi's Spelt Tortillas which come in packages of 6.
- Tuck two sides of the tortilla over the filling (the sides nearest the filling), and then roll up the tortilla snuggly. Place the wrapped enchiladas seam side down in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce (about 1/2 cup) down the center of the enchiladas, leaving the ends exposed. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over the enchiladas.
- Bake the enchiladas, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted.
- Sprinkle the enchiladas with sliced green onions and chopped cilantro (optional). Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Delicious and so easy to prepare! Thanks for another great staple recipe.
So glad you enjoyed the enchiladas, Amy!
Hi Kristin!
I made these the other day for my family and as a meal train for another family. I was slightly concerned they might be bland, as the enchiladas I typically make call for more ingredients. These were AMAZING!!! Devoured by-4 adults and 8 children. Thank you for sharing this recipe!
~Stacy
That’s so awesome, Stacy! Happy to hear that.
This is one of our favorite recipes.. even my pickiest eaters enjoy it! It is also one of my go to meals for new moms.
Yay, Jaclyn! So happy to heat that. I make this recipe on the regular as well. Sorry your comment was marked as spam btw…we’ve been having issues with our spam filter.
We LOVE these enchiladas – the homemade enchilada sauce makes it! I like how simple they are. Just made three batches – one to bring to a friend in need. Quick question: I’m freezing a batch (of Pre-made enchiladas) – how long would you recommend cooking it for from frozen?? Thank you! Love all that you do!
Hi Brandilyn,
I would say 30-35 mins from frozen.
LS Team.
This, along with the homemade Enchilada Sauce recipe, has become one of our absolute FAVORITE go-to recipes!!!
Yay, Trina! That’s amazing! So happy to hear that.
We made these tonight and loved them!! So tasty!! I’ve been on the hunt for a good enchilada recipe for a while now and I’m go glad to have found it!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Kristin! Yay!
So delicious and easy! Great weeknight recipe!
Thank you, Jess! I’m so glad you liked them.
So glad you heard my request for Enchiladas.. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Hey FDeG, It’s been too long…finally :). Were you able to make them yet?
I just saw the recipe this morning (it was profiled on the email) so I haven’t yet… But I’ll try to make it soon and will post on the results. Thanks for answering to my request!
Awesome, FDeG. I can’t wait to hear what you think. You’re welcome :).
I made the recipe last night with leftover rotisserie chicken. It was delicious and I made enough to freeze a tray for later 🙂
We made this tonight! Oh my goodness!! These are AMAZING!!
Hey Julie, I’m so glad you all enjoyed them!!
Hi Kristin,
I’m curious to know what brand of tortillas you use? I have difficulty finding a brand that does not add full of chemical elements in the bread recipe.
Thanks
Marie
Hey Marie-Helene, I use a few different brands. The first, and easiest to find, is Rudi’s Spelt Tortillas (pictured in this recipe). They’re generally found in the freezer section at the health food store. I’ve also used Siete Family Tortillas. They’re made with almond flour and cassava flour: https://sietefoods.com/. I’m not sure they’d hold up well in enchiladas. I’ve also used a brand called Stacey’s Organic Tortillas: http://staceysorganic.com/. I think the Whole Foods brand is decent, but they do use canola oil :(. Another option is Food for Life brand–another freezer section option.