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Square close up shot of a pan of easy chicken enchiladas.
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4.86 from 7 votes

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Quick and easy homemade chicken enchiladas baked in a zesty red sauce and topped with shredded cheese, green and red onions, and fresh cilantro!
Course Dinner
Cuisine American, Mexican
Keyword cheesy chicken enchiladas, easy chicken enchiladas, enchiladas, pulled chicken enchiladas, shredded chicken enchiladas
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 323kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ of a small onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
  • 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
  • 1 (19 oz) can red enchilada sauce, divided (about 2 ¼ cups total)
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, divided
  • 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese, divided
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (11 oz) can Mexican-style corn with red and green peppers, drained
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
  • 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
  • Optional toppings: sliced green onions; chopped fresh cilantro; chopped red onion; diced avocado or guacamole; sour cream; lime wedges

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Spread about ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan; set aside.
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened - about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Remove from heat. Stir in chicken, ¾ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of the cheddar, ½ cup of the Monterey Jack, beans, corn, cumin, and chili powder. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
    Chicken corn and black beans in a skillet
  • Place chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
    Process shot showing how to make easy chicken enchiladas
  • Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes (or until the enchiladas are heated through and the edges of the tortillas are a bit crispy). Garnish with desired toppings and serve warm.
    Square close up shot of a pan of easy chicken enchiladas.

Video

Notes

  • Substitute pink beans or pinto beans for the black beans.
  • Omit the beans and substitute with about 1 ½ cups of additional chicken or corn. You can also replace the beans with 1 ½ cups of cooked rice.
  • Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. You'll need to warm the corn tortillas before rolling them (so that they don't fall apart). To do so, wrap a stack of tortillas in damp paper towels. Microwave for 30 seconds - 1 minute or until the tortillas are soft and flexible.
  • Swap out the Mexican-style corn and use regular canned corn or frozen corn that's thawed before adding it to the skillet.
  • Use green enchilada sauce instead of red enchilada sauce.
  • If you have some extra time, prepare a batch of homemade enchilada sauce for this recipe. You'll need a total of about 2 ¼ cups.
  • Shredded rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut and it also adds great flavor to the filling!
  • For an extra kick and flavor, add a can of diced green chilies to the chicken mixture.
  • Make the enchiladas spicy with some jalapenos on top or some cayenne in the filling.
  • Bake the enchiladas just until warmed through (this takes about 20 minutes, but every oven is slightly different). The sauce should be hot and bubbly, and the edges of the tortillas should be crisp. Keep an eye on them because you don't want them to burn.
  • Set out an enchilada toppings bar and let your family members garnish their plates with all of their favorites! There are so many delicious options, including onions, cilantro, avocado, sour cream, and lime.

Nutrition

Serving: 1enchilada | Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1062mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 733IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 239mg | Iron: 2mg