Weeknight Chicken Enchiladas

These simple Weeknight Chicken Enchiladas are the perfect family meal during busy weeknights. I’m all about easy, cheesy chicken recipes!

Weeknight Chicken Enchiladas

Weeknight Chicken Enchiladas are one of those dinners that make the house smell amazing and have everyone excited about dinner. Chicken enchiladas don’t have to be a hassle. With my weeknight version, it’s no-fuss and takes less than 30 minutes to get into the oven. You’ll love this one!

Try my Stacked Enchiladas too!  Follow Picky Palate on Instagram for daily recipe Inspiration.

I’m a huge fan of easy chicken recipes and this enchilada recipe is just that!  Simple ingredients will have you on your way to a family favorite dinner in no time. Make sure you take advantage of Rotisserie chicken to save cooking time. I shred it ahead of time which helps a ton.

What You’ll Need

• red enchilada sauce– Find red enchilada sauce located in the Mexican foods section of the grocery store. You’ll find red and green varieties available. I make sure to select a mild version.
• sour cream– You’ll use sour cream mixed in with the enchilada sauce. I recommend the full fat sour cream, not the low fat for this recipe.
• white corn tortillas– In the tortilla section of the grocery store, look for the white corn tortillas. Taco size. Make sure to warm up 8-10 at a time to help prevent the tortillas tearing when filling and rolling them into the baking dish.
• rotisserie chicken– For most of my recipes that call for cooked chicken, I use a rotisserie chicken that I shred and keep the chicken in the refrigerator.
• shredded cheddar cheese– I generally use mild cheddar cheese for my recipes calling for cheddar cheese.
• shredded mozzarella cheese– It’s nice to mix a couple of cheeses on top of the enchiladas. I used mozzarella mixed with mild cheddar.
• green onion– Sliced green onions look great on top of the enchiladas and are very mild in flavor. Find them in the produce section of the grocery store.
• red bell peppers– Red bell peppers are near the onions in the produce section of the grocery store. I finely chop them to add to the top of the enchiladas as they bake.
• fresh cilantro– Fresh cilantro is great in Mexican dishes. Goes perfectly on top of the baked enchiladas before serving.

How To Make Chicken Enchiladas

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and have 9×13-inch baking dish ready to use.
2. Place enchilada sauce and sour cream into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined.
3. Place 1 cup enchilada sauce mixture into bottom of baking dish, spreading evenly.
4. Warm half of the tortillas in microwave for 1 minute, until hot. Start layering each tortilla with a couple tablespoons of shredded chicken and shredded cheese. Carefully roll tortilla over filling tightly and transfet to baking dish placing seam side down.
5. Continue to fill tortillas until pan is filled. Remember to warm second half of tortillas before filling.
6. Pour 2 cups of enchilada sauce mixture over enchiladas, spreading evenly. Top with green onion, red peppers and cilantro leaves.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot. Remove and serve warm.

Enchilada Sauce Recipe

There are a dozen enchilada sauces to choose from while deciding at the grocery store. There are a few brands that I prefer over others. I like Macayos mild red enchilada sauce. It’s not too spicy and has great flavor. If you own the Picky Palate Cookbook, I have an awesome homemade enchilada sauce recipe!

Stir in sour cream to your enchilada sauce for a creamy, even more mild sauce. It’s delicious when baked.

Spread it around so it’s evenly covering the entire bottom of your 9 x 13- inch baking dish.

How Do I Prevent My Corn Tortillas From Tearing?

One of the biggest annoyances of making enchiladas is having your tortillas break when trying to roll and place into your pan. To PREVENT this, take small batches of about 8 tortillas and microwave for 1 minute, until nice and hot. Having hot tortillas is KEY to prevent breaking while rolling.

How Full Should I Fill My Enchiladas?

One mistake many will make is overstuffing each enchilada. This will cause the tortillas to break and it’s just not necessary. Place a small amount of shredded chicken and cheese into center of tortilla and carefully roll into a nice tight roll.

How Do I Arrange My Enchiladas?

You need to make sure you place tortillas seam side down into your baking dish. That way they stay rolled nicely. I fit 14 enchiladas in my 9 x 13- inch baking dish.

Pour enchilada sauce over top of enchiladas.

Use a spoon to make sure sauce is covering all tops and sides.

Top with cheddar and mozzarella shredded cheese.

Top with sliced green onion, sliced mild red peppers and chopped cilantro leaves.

Tips For Making Chicken Enchiladas

1. Use shredded Rotisserie chicken for speedy prep time.
2. Chop your vegetables ahead of time for less prep time as well.
3. Feel free to switch out protein if desired. Beef works great as well.
4. Make sure tortillas are hot before rolling with filling. This helps prevent breaking.

What Should I Serve With Chicken Enchiladas?

1. A simple green salad is a perfect side dish.
2. Mexican rice pairs nicely too.
3. Homemade guacamole, chips and salsa are always welcome with Mexican dishes.

How To Store Leftovers

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. reheat as needed.

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