Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

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This enchilada recipe is an easy way to make the most cheesy chicken enchiladas you've ever had. I have tips below on how to make this recipe super easy too!

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas - enchiladas with salsa and sour cream

This is our go-to recipe for dinner parties because it can feed a crowd and everyone loves it.

This recipe pairs great with my white american mexican cheese dip. Highly recommend serving with tortilla chips, salsa, guacamole, and other fresh toppings.

Ingredients

To make these cheesy chicken enchiladas you obviously need cheese and chicken but also tortillas and enchilada sauce. I told you it was easy!

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas - preparing the enchiladas

Soft taco tortilla shells
Chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
Shredded Mexican cheese

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Cook chicken breasts until no more pink in the middle.
Put cooked chicken into stand mixer to shred the easy way (or shred by hand)
Add shredded chicken, 1 c. of the shredded cheese, and 2 small cans of sauce to a large saute pan.
Cook until cheese melts and mixture becomes bubbly.
While cooking the chicken, spray a 9 x 13 pan with Pam cooking spray.
Add about ⅓ c. of cheesy chicken mixture to the center of a tortilla.
Fold tortilla in half then roll up and place along shorter side of the 9 x 13 pan with edges facing down.
Repeat with all tortillas until they fill the pan.
Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is browned - usually around 30 minutes.

Hint: To shred your chicken the easy way, make sure it's cooked through then throw the chicken breasts into your mixer. My KitchenAid Stand Mixer shreds the chicken in seconds compared to 10-15 minutes by hand.

Substitutions

To make this a vegetarian enchilada recipe, substitute 2 cans of black beans for the chicken breasts.

Variations

This is a great recipe because you can build on it in so many ways. We've added sauteed bell pepper and onion and it was delicious.

Spicy - add a few dashes of Cholula hot sauce or use the spicy version of enchilada sauce if you like a spicier enchilada.
Deluxe - add guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo or other toppings
Kid friendly - keep it simple with the recipe above and use mild enchilada sauce

Equipment

To make these cheesy chicken enchiladas we use our favorite mixing bowls, saute pan and Kitchenaid Stand Mixer to shred the chicken super fast.

Storage

We have prepped these enchiladas the day before and baked them the day of an event and they were perfect. After cooking I would say they are still good in the fridge for 3-4 days. They are delicious as leftovers too but I recommend keeping them in the baking pan and reheating in the oven if you want to keep the crispy edges.

FAQ

What cheese melts the best for enchiladas?

We like to use shredded mexican cheese that you can find at any grocery store. Usually it's comprised of Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Asadero, and Queso Quesadilla cheeses.

How do you make cheese enchiladas not soggy?

To make cheese and chicken enchiladas not soggy I recommend baking them. Often when we reheat them in the microwave they have a soggier texture so I like to reheat in the oven as well.

Are enchiladas better with corn or flour tortillas?

I think that enchiladas are better with flour tortillas but it's definitely a personal preference. I prefer flour tortillas for all dishes really.

Should you cover enchiladas when you bake them?

I don't think you should cover enchiladas when you bake them initially but when I reheat our leftovers I do cover them. You want the cheese to get lightly browned on top when you first cook them so that's why I don't cover them.

Which sauce is the best for enchiladas?

This Mild Old El Paso Red Enchilada sauce is the best for enchiladas in my opinion. We have small children who don't like things too spicy so the mild is the one we usually go with.

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]: