Flavor packed shredded chicken and chile enchiladas made with simple ingredients are the perfect weeknight meal to make in a pinch or prep ahead of time.
Why this recipe works
These shredded chicken and chile enchiladas are freezer-friendly and super easy to prepare. While this version isn’t smothered in a typical enchilada sauce, the flavors speak for themselves. It’s something you can always add if you wanted!
That’s one of the main reasons we love enchiladas. You can make them with a traditional green or red enchilada sauce, broth bases, ground beef, chicken, pork and of course, there’s shredded beef enchiladas. No matter how you make them they are a wonderful meal you can enjoy at any time of the year whether they’re strictly traditional or sprinkled with a little personal flair.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
CHICKEN – For convenience factor and to save valuable time, I used a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. You can also make the chicken yourself or use leftover chicken, depending on how many you are serving. If you do make the chicken yourself, use the stock that it creates in place of the canned stock in the ingredient list.
CHEESE – Use your favorite blend of cheese here. Mexican blend or a mixture of pepperjack and cheddar are great options.
TORTILLA – We’ve found that flour tortillas hold the filling for these enchiladas better, but it really comes down to personal preference. You can certainly use corn tortillas instead. If you sub out the flour for corn tortillas, you’ll likely end up with a few more enchiladas as the shells are smaller.
How to Make Shredded Chicken and Chile Enchiladas
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove meat from chicken and place in a dish, keep warm. Combine the next 5 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Maintaining heat, cook onion and broth mixture until it’s reduced by half, about 20 minutes.
- Add chicken to broth mixture and simmer for ten minutes to heat through. Remove chicken and onion with a slotted spoon. Reserve about one cup of the broth and discard the rest.
- Rinse out the saucepan, then add the green chiles and the 1/4 teaspoon chili powder; cook about one minute or until heated through. Stir in flour. Cook and stir for one minute more.
- Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese.
- Grease or spray a 13×9 baking dish; set aside.
- Mix the onion and chicken mixture, if too dry, add a bit of the reserved broth mixture. Divide the shredded meat mixture among tortillas, placing meat mixture along one edge. Top with sour cream mixture and roll up tortillas (they will be full). Arrange in baking dish, seam side down. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Bake uncovered, 10 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through or pop them in the microwave.
You can make this ahead, all the way up to the part where you put them in the oven. Cover and store the dish in the refrigerator. Take out the dish about half an hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature, then bake as directed. If you don’t have time to take it out early, simply add a little cooking time to compensate.
These enchiladas are mild, not spicy. You can up the heat factor by using hot green chiles instead of mild.
Yes, absolutely. Place the prepared enchiladas, cooked or uncooked, in an air-tight container or large ziptop bag, seam side down. Freeze for up 3 months. Allow enchiladas to thaw in the refrigerator overnight then bake according to directions (if uncooked), adding a few extra minutes if needed. Or pop them in the oven at 350F until warmed through if they are precooked.
Serving Suggestions
Serve shredded chicken and chile enchiladas with beans and classic Spanish rice on the side! As mentioned above, you can incorporate homemade enchilada sauce into the mix or simply keep it on the side for those who aren’t keen on smothered enchiladas. Optionally garnish with sour cream, diced tomatoes, onions, and chopped cilantro.
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Shredded Chicken and Chile Enchiladas
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 4 cups shredded chicken we used a 3 pound rotisserie chicken
- 4 ½ teaspoons chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano crushed
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 28 ounces chicken broth
- 8 ounces diced green chiles two 4 ounce cans, undrained
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
- 8 ounces sour cream
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- 8 flour tortillas 8 inches
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- I used a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. You can also make the chicken yourself or use leftover chicken, depending on how many you are serving. If you do make the chicken yourself, use the stock that it creates in place of the canned stock in the ingredient list.
- Use your favorite blend of cheese here. Mexican blend or a mixture of pepperjack and cheddar are great options.
- We’ve found that flour tortillas hold the filling for these enchiladas better, but it really comes down to personal preference. You can certainly use corn tortillas instead. If you sub out the flour for corn tortillas, you’ll likely end up with a few more enchiladas as the shells are smaller.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Remove meat from chicken and place in a dish, keep warm. Combine the next 5 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Maintaining heat, cook onion and broth mixture until it's reduced by half, about 20 minutes.
- Add chicken to broth mixture and simmer for ten minutes to heat through. Remove chicken and onion with a slotted spoon. Reserve about one cup of the broth and discard the rest.
- Rinse out the saucepan, then add the green chiles and the 1/4 teaspoon chili powder; cook about one minute or until heated through. Stir in flour. Cook and stir for one minute more.
- Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and 1/2 cup of the cheese.
- Grease or spray a 13×9 baking dish; set aside.
- Mix the onion and chicken mixture, if too dry, add a bit of the reserved broth mixture. Divide the shredded meat mixture among tortillas, placing meat mixture along one edge. Top with sour cream mixture and roll up tortillas (they will be full). Arrange in baking dish, seam side down. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese. Bake uncovered, 10 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through.
Expert Tips & FAQs
- You can incorporate homemade enchilada sauce into the mix if desired or simply keep it on the side for those who aren’t keen on smothered enchiladas. Optionally garnish with sour cream, diced tomatoes, onions, and chopped cilantro.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350F oven until warmed through or pop them in the microwave.
- Make Ahead – Prepare all the way up to the part where you put them in the oven. Cover and store the dish in the refrigerator. Take out the dish about half an hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature, then bake as directed. If you don’t have time to take it out early, simply add a little cooking time to compensate.
- Freezing – Place the prepared enchiladas, cooked or uncooked, in an air-tight container or large ziptop bag, seam side down. Freeze for up 3 months. Allow enchiladas to thaw in the refrigerator overnight then bake according to directions (if uncooked), adding a few extra minutes if needed. Or pop them in the oven at 350F until warmed through if they are precooked.
Nutrition
This recipe originally appeared here on Nov 11, 2010 and has since been updated with new photos and expert tips.
Amanda Davis
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Linda HOWELL says
this sounds so great
Linda HOWELL says
I CAN NOT WAIT TO TRY IT
Orquidea says
I don’t know how to call these, but these are not enchiladas.
Enchiladas are made of corn tortillas, sure, but they also are covered in sauce. Depending the sauce, the kind of enchilada. Sauces don’t have to be always spicy, though the name reccommends it. For example, mole enchiladas are made with a sauce called Mole, green enchiladas with a green sauce, red enchiladas with tomato sauce and so on.
The tortilla is fried until soft, and then dipped in the sauce, then filled with the meat, and put in a dish, and if you want, again covered with more sauce, cheese (not cheddar, fresh cheese or if you will put them in the oven one that melts like manchego cheese or chihuahua cheese), lettuce, onion, avocado, and cream.
If you don’t want to fry the tortilla, you can just fill them with the meat (or vegetables, cheese like panela cheese or cottage cheese), roll them until they are like tubes, cover them with enough sauce, cream and melting cheese, and put in the oven untill the cheese melts.
Amanda says
Thanks for that info! This recipe originates from an authentic Mexican enchilada recipe. While it doesn’t have a sauce on top, it is an enchilada. :)
Eva says
I would have to agree these are chicken burritos covered in cheese. Enchiladas are made with corn tortillas.
anickh says
do u ever fry your tortillas (before filling them?)
Amanda Formaro says
No I don’t usually. I’ll give it a try, but I don’t notice them being soggy without frying them either :)
Eva says
She used flour tortillas in this recipe. When using corn if you do not lightly fry them the tortilla will become mushy and not hold up.
Enrique says
I usually makr strips of sirloin mixed with mushrooms,caramelized fried onions and green salsa. Great real street tacos. Lots of cilantro!
Amanda says
Thank you Enrique, great advice! I happen to love corn tortillas, but my family is partial to flour. There's nothing better than a "street taco" with fresh steak and cilantro onion relish on a corn tortilla! YUM!
Enrique says
I find that flour tortillas tend to get soggy sooner than corn tortillas. For a crunchier result corn tortillas are much better. It's important to quickly heat corn tortillas ,slightly oiled, over a dry saucepan. It's easier to roll them or fold them, and won't split.
Enrique
anickh says
Enrique, flour tortillas DON’T get soggy if u fry them 1st.
Char says
This is what I want for dinner tonight! I have a very similar recipe that I had already put on my menu for the week, but I may try yours instead.
Gera @ SweetsFoodsBlog says
Spanish – Español is my language and the translation is correct but it doesn’t matter – you can make a recipe as you want – this is called fusion cuisine…btw love that tortillas here also are with flour.
Cheers,
Gera
Amanda says
Thanks everyone! You are awesome :)
Lea Ann says
Beautiful photo! I have a recipe similar to this and it's been years since I've made it. This looks delicious Amanda.
Mags @ the Other Side of 50 says
I definitely vote for the "Americanized" version. I like flour tortillas better than corn tortillas too. Looks delicious Amanda!
Marsha Mooty says
I love flour Tortillas better than corn! This sounds awesome Amanda!!!
Barb, sfo says
Looks delicious! I've got some pork carnitas left over from a previous dinner. I think it will work well with this enchilada recipe. Of course, I'll be using the red sauce recipe that I got from you, which I make in double or triple batches and freeze.
laurag56 says
My husband is from Mexico and he never complains if I make enchiladas with flour tortillas..he is happy someone is cooking! I think they are better that way…corn tortillas fall apart easily also. I will give your recipe a try..looks good!
Culinary Cory says
Great recipe idea. This will be a nice way to use up leftover turkey after Thanksgiving.
Amanda says
I ran the anonymous comment above through Google Translate since I do not speak Spanish. It translates to "When going to understand that the enchiladas are made with corn tortillas !!!!!!!!!!!!!! do not use flour !!!!!!!!"
So in response I will say that I never said this was a recipe from Mexico, this is a recipe from my American kitchen. It's quite common for dishes from other countries and ethnic backgrounds to be "Americanized". Thank you for the feedback :) but I like them better with flour tortillas :) you are certainly welcome to use corn tortillas if you like!
Anonymous says
Cuando van a entender que las enchiladas se hacen con tortillas de maiz!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no usen de harina!!!!!!!!
Amanda says
Thanks everyone!
Julie says
I could eat Mexican food everyday and I'd love to have some of these tonight!
briarrose says
This looks amazing. I'm craving Mexican food again after looking at the photo. ;)
Sue says
I've been up for awhile and haven't had breakfast yet, and your enchiladas are REALLY making me hungry! They look so tasty! I love sour cream, especially with Mexican food!