Description
These Easy Chicken Enchiladas are a flavorful Mexican-inspired dish featuring tender shredded chicken mixed with a homemade enchilada sauce and cheese, all rolled in soft corn tortillas and baked to perfection. Ready in under an hour, this recipe is perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 1 (12-ounce) can red enchilada sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Filling
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Other
- Cooking spray
- 6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Grease an 11×7 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Make sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the red enchilada sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, ground coriander, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper if using. Spread a thin layer of this sauce evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Combine filling: In a separate bowl, mix the shredded cooked chicken with 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and 1/3 cup of the prepared enchilada sauce until well combined.
- Warm tortillas: Heat each corn tortilla in the skillet for 15 to 30 seconds per side. This softens them and prevents cracking when rolling.
- Fill and roll: Place about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto each warm tortilla. Roll the tortilla tightly and place each seam side down into the baking dish on top of the thin sauce layer.
- Bake: Lightly spray the tops of the rolled enchiladas with cooking spray. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Add sauce and cheese: Remove the enchiladas from the oven and spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese evenly on top. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve: Remove from oven and serve immediately with your favorite toppings such as sour cream, diced avocado, or fresh cilantro.
Notes
- Warming the tortillas before filling helps prevent them from cracking when rolled.
- Use cooked chicken from rotisserie or leftovers to save prep time.
- You can add diced onions or jalapeños to the filling for extra flavor.
- For a spicier dish, increase or include the optional cayenne pepper.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
