Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

My small batch recipe for Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas come together in under an hours time thanks to pre-cooked shredded chicken. The flour tortillas are filled with shredded chicken, cilantro, and cheese are mixed with enchilada sauce. Rolled and baked until golden and topped with additional cilantro and diced tomatoes.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings

Calories 918kcal

Author Katie

Equipment

Oven

Ingredients

32 oz. enchilada sauce
2 cups cooked shredded Mexican chicken divided
¼ cup cilantro minced & divided
4 10- inch flour tortillas
1-¼ cup Cabot Firey Jack Shredded Cheese divided
1 plum tomato diced

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Spray an 8x8 square glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Then, pour ½ cup of the enchilada sauce in the baking dish. Swirl around and ensure that the entire bottom is covered in the sauce.
In a large bowl add the shredded chicken, 3 tablespoons of the freshly minced cilantro, and ¼ cup of enchilada sauce. Mix well and set to the side.
Lay a flour tortilla on the counter. Place in the middle of the tortilla; ½ cup shredded chicken and a ¼ cup shredded cheese. Close the tortilla in half then scoot all the filling to one side and roll tightly. Place the tortilla seam side down. Repeat until the other 3 enchiladas are made.
Pour the remaining sauce on top of the enchiladas--completely covering the tortillas. Top with ¼ cup of cheese.
Bake with foil for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and cook for a remaining 5 minutes.
While enchiladas are baking, heat the remaining enchilada sauce and set to the side.
Remove from the oven and top with diced tomatoes and the remaining minced cilantro. Carefully cut and serve enchiladas. Pour remaining sauce on top and enjoy.

Notes

Easily Shred Chicken - Place your cooked chicken breast and about a ½ cup of the sauce in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and let your mixer shred the chicken for you. In the matter of seconds you'll have perfectly shredded chicken with little to no work on your part (minus the dish washing)!
Make Ahead - I like to make the enchiladas ahead of time that way I can just pull them out of the refrigerator, heat and enjoy! I'll sometimes make them in the morning or the night before we are going to enjoy them.
Batch Cook - Since chicken enchiladas can take time some time to assemble. I like to make two pans. One to enjoy for dinner that week, and another to freeze for a future easy dinner.
Enchilada Sauce - If you have extra time while preparing these enchiladas I encourage you to try my Spicy Enchilada Sauce. 100% homemade and you'll never want to go back to store bought again! However, using the can sauce is totally okay too! You just won't achieve as rich as a flavor. I find the canned sauce to not be as robust as making your own. I admit though in a pinch I use the canned sauce too! So don't fret!
- Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce - Find yourself without any enchilada sauce at all and don't want to spend the extra time making my homemade version. You can mix 2 tablespoons of taco seasoning with 1 16 oz. can of tomato sauce. It works in a pinch.
Cheese - You can use any blend of Mexican shredded cheese. For this recipe I used the new Cabot Firey Jack Shredded Cheese. Complimented this recipe perfectly and gave it a nice little zing! I love to top the enchiladas with additional cheese.
Gluten Free - You can make these enchiladas gluten free by using corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas.
Enchilada Toppings - Then once out of the oven I add fresh cilantro and diced tomatoes. You can serve the enchiladas with guacamole or slices of fresh avocado. If you are looking for more dairy add on a dollop of sour cream.
Side dishes - I always make my favorite Mexican rice and ranchero beans. Homemade salsa, guacamole, and queso dip are nice to serve on the side with tortilla chips.

Nutrition