These chicken enchiladas with red sauce are the best because we make our own version of the popular Mexican enchilada sauce!
Original recipe: February 2019 | Updated: May 2021
Why This Recipe Works
Chicken Enchiladas are one of those dinners that everyone loves. This popular Mexican dish is loved and devoured by all, whether kid, adult, Mexican, American or any other variety of human.
It is such a staple dinner and I don’t know anyone who loves to cook who does not have a go-to chicken enchilada recipe. I have been perfecting this recipe for years and absolutely love this dish. It is one of my favorite dinners to make for guests, as it always gets rave reviews.
I recently tweaked the recipe even further by using homemade enchilada sauce, which basically transforms these into the best chicken enchiladas on planet Earth. No lie. Make them and see for yourself!
Recipe Ingredients
Jalapeno peppers – The peppers add a nice added zing to the recipe, but if you prefer a milder meal omit them entirely.
Chicken – Save time by pulling meat straight from a Rotisserie chicken. Alternative: Bake 2 large chicken breasts at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes until cooked through; shred using two forks. Either way, add shredded, fully cooked chicken to this recipe.
Green chiles – Omit chiles for a milder end result.
Tortillas – My personal preference is to use flour tortillas for this recipe, but corn tortillas taste great, too. Whichever route you go, use fresh, soft tortillas.
Enchilada sauce – A robust, savory red sauce is the star in this recipe so purchase a quality variety or even better, make a batch of Homemade Enchilada Sauce.
Toppings – Green onions, red onions, tomatoes, avocados, sour cream, lime wedges, tortilla strips, salsa or cilantro.
How To Make Chicken Enchiladas With Red Sauce
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, cilantro and jalapeño peppers (if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until veggies are soft and fragrant.
Step 2
In a medium bowl combine the shredded chicken, green chiles, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix well and add the ingredients to the skillet. Stir until warmed through, about 3 minutes.
Step 3
Pour half of the enchilada sauce evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Divide the chicken mixture from the skillet between the tortillas in a small strip down the center of each.
Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, reserving 1/2 cup. Roll each tortilla tightly and add to the baking dish, seam side down, and going parallel to the shortest side.
Step 4
Coat the rolled tortillas evenly with the remaining enchilada sauce and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Top with additional toppings of choice and serve warm!
Recipe Notes
- Use fresh ingredients! This plays a huge role in the success of this recipe. Make sure your tortillas are soft and that your veggies are bright and fresh.
- All you need is an extra 15 minutes to make your own Enchilada Sauce. When I started doing this, these enchiladas reached a WHOLE new level of delicious. It is SO worth the extra few minutes of effort!
- These enchiladas can definitely be made ahead of time, kept in the fridge (covered) overnight and baked the following day.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of taco seasoning to the skillet (along with the onion and garlic, etc) for an added punch of flavor.
Can You Freeze Enchilada Sauce
If you find yourself with leftover sauce, you might be wondering if you can freeze it. Click over for all the info you’ll need about how to freeze enchilada sauce.
FAQ About Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken enchiladas are the perfect meal to bake, then freeze for later. Allow to cool after baking, store in an airtight container and freeze for up to 4 months for best results.
A standard batch of chicken enchiladas are not considered to be a “healthy” recipe due to the high carbs and fat found in the cheese and toppings. To slim down the recipe, replace flour tortillas with corn and cut the amount of cheese used in the recipe in half.
Some side dish options that go well with chicken enchiladas include Spanish rice, refried beans or chips and salsa or guacamole.
Chicken enchiladas are made by rolling seasoned chicken in flour tortillas, then lining them up in a pan. Often the rolled tortillas are sandwiched by layers of enchilada sauce and cheese. They are then baked in the oven until warmed through and bubbly.
Uses for Rotisserie Chicken Meat
There are endless possibilities for ways to use Rotisserie chicken meat. Here are a few ideas after you get these enchiladas made!
- Shred the chicken and add it to your next wrap or salad.
- Add it to your next batch of chicken noodle soup!
- Use it this yummy chicken enchilada bake.
- CHICKEN BURRITO BOWLS! Chipotle style!
- Throw it into a cheesy quesadilla or even a grilled cheese sandwich!
Cinco de Mayo Recipes
Here are a few of my all-time favorite Mexican recipes that get made in my home A LOT!
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Chicken Enchiladas With Red Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup cilantro finely chopped
- 2 jalapeno pepper finely chopped, optional
- 2 cups chicken cooked and shredded (recommended: pull meat from a Rotisserie chicken)
- 4 oz diced green chiles
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 flour tortillas burrito size
- 2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded, divided
- 40 oz enchilada sauce or a batch of Homemade Enchilada Sauce
- 1/4 cup Green onion slices, tomato slices, avocado slices, sour cream and extra cilantro for topping if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, cilantro and jalapeño peppers (if using). Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until veggies are soft and fragrant.
- In a medium bowl combine chicken, green chiles, lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix well and add to the skillet. Stir until warmed through, about 3 minutes.
- Pour half of the enchilada sauce evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Divide mixture from the skillet between the tortillas in a small strip down the center of each. Top with a small handful of shredded cheese, reserving 1/2 cup. Roll each tortilla tightly and add to the baking dish, seam side down, and going parallel to the shortest side.
- Coat the rolled tortillas evenly with the remaining enchilada sauce and top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Top with additional toppings of choice and serve warm!
Notes
- Use fresh ingredients! This plays a huge role in the success of this recipe. Make sure your tortillas are soft and that your veggies are bright and fresh.
- All you need is an extra 15 minutes to make your own Enchilada Sauce. When I started doing this, these enchiladas reached a WHOLE new level of delicious. It is SO worth the extra few minutes of effort!
- These enchiladas can definitely be made ahead of time, kept in the fridge (covered) overnight and baked the following day.
- Add 1-2 tablespoons of taco seasoning to the skillet (along with the onion and garlic, etc) for an added punch of flavor.
These were delicious! My daughter who is 7 had 1 1/2 and whewn I took the leftovers work by colleagues kept telling me how good they smelled. Definitely making again.
These enchiladas look pretty delicious.. so i can imagine why you were rapt to have them as leftovers. Wish I had some actually!