Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

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This cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe has been a family favorite at our house for over twenty years. We think it’s kind of perfect: lots and lots of cheese, savory chicken, flour tortillas, and just the right seasoning smothered in zesty enchilada sauce! What more could you want? Your family just might request this recipe every week!

Enchiladas are a great go-to for busy families. Add my white chicken enchiladas to your dinner list, too! They’ve been a fan favorite for over a decade on the blog. My shredded beef enchiladas and shrimp enchiladas are also very popular with readers. Just check out the comments!

Let’s make some enchiladas!

✨ Before You Start

✨ Use rotisserie chicken when you can. It’s a huge time saver and adds tons of flavor from the seasoned skin all the way through the meat. Leftover grilled or baked chicken works beautifully, too.

✨ Shred your own cheese. Pre-shredded bags are convenient, but they’re coated with anti-caking agents that keep them from melting as smoothly. A quick pass on the box grater gives you the best ooey-gooey topping and filling.

✨ Don’t fear the cottage cheese. It melts into the sour cream and shredded cheese, turning into a rich, creamy filling—not lumpy cottage cheese. Even cottage cheese skeptics usually love this one.

✨ Warm your tortillas slightly. A quick wrap in foil and a few minutes in a warm oven (or a damp paper towel in the microwave) makes them more pliable and less likely to tear as you roll.

✨ Sauce the pan first. A thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish keeps the tortillas from sticking and helps everything bake up moist and flavorful.

✨ Let them rest before serving. A short rest out of the oven helps the filling set a bit so it slices and serves more neatly.

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients

• Chicken: I like to make these with rotisserie chicken. The chicken is moist, tender, and fabulously seasoned. Not only does it taste great, but it makes fixing these a snap! You can also use leftover grilled chicken. I often make a double batch of my grilled cilantro lime chicken to use in this recipe. Its flavors add more deliciousness to these enchiladas.
  • If you grab one from Costco, you know you can’t begin to beat the price! An uncooked whole chicken is generally more expensive than a rotisserie chicken from Costco! Gotta love it!
• Onion: I use a yellow onion in this recipe. This vegetable chopper makes quick work of chopping. Mild white or yellow onions work well in this recipe.
• Oil: Use any neutral-flavored vegetable oil.
• Green Chiles: I use Mild canned chiles in this recipe. Be sure to buy these already chopped. I think they add a lot of great flavor. Even the mild variety has a little heat, so if you’re super sensitive to heat, feel free to omit them. You can also add the juice from the can. They have very little juice.
• Taco Seasoning: I like to use mild taco seasoning to keep this dish kid-friendly.
• Cottage Cheese: I like to use whole milk cottage cheese for the richest flavor. When I first saw this recipe, I was unsure about the cottage cheese. Frankly, I’m not a huge fan. I think it’s the texture. In this cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe, the cottage cheese is amazing. When it’s mixed with the other cheeses and sour cream and then baked inside the enchiladas, the mixture is ooey-gooey, creamy, and rich. It doesn’t really have anything in common with the taste of the cold plain version of cottage cheese.
  • If you want to make a lower-calorie version of this cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe, you can use low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese, nonfat sour cream, and just a small amount of shredded cheese
• Cheeses: This recipe uses cottage cheese, Monterey Jack, and Cheddar. I sometimes use plain Monterey Jack, and sometimes, I use Pepperjack. To be honest, it just depends on my mood.
• Sour Cream: I like to use regular sour cream, but you can use nonfat sour cream if you’d like to lighten up the calories in this recipe.
• Tortillas: Authentic chicken enchiladas are typically made with corn tortillas. For some reason, I really LOVE  my enchiladas made with flour tortillas. Well, no surprise, I make these enchiladas with flour tortillas.
  • An advantage of using flour tortillas is that they don’t need to be fried to make them pliable before you stuff them. If you make the recipe with corn tortillas and skip the step of frying them to make them pliable, the tortillas will likely crack when they’re stuffed and baked. This is not necessarily a big deal; it’s just one of those things that’s good to know, especially if you’re serving these up to the company.
  • If you like corn tortillas better, feel free to use them. Since they are smaller, you’ll need more of them than I used of the flour.
• Enchilada sauce: You can use a 28-ounce can of enchilada sauce, but I strongly encourage you to try making your own. Homemade enchilada sauce is a snap to make. It literally takes less than 10 minutes to make and, let me tell you, it’s so, so, SO much better than anything you’ll get in a can. You can customize the spice level to make it either mild or super spicy.
• Cilantro: Add the quintessential Mexican herb flavor. If you hate it, omit it!

🥣 How To Make Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and spreading about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11 x 14-inch baking dish. In a large skillet, sauté the chopped onion in vegetable oil until soft, then stir in the green chiles, taco seasoning, salt, pepper, and water. Add the shredded chicken and toss until everything is well coated, then take it off the heat. In a separate bowl, mix together the cottage cheese, half of the cheddar and Monterey Jack, and the sour cream until creamy.

To assemble, lay a tortilla on your work surface and spoon a strip of the cheese mixture down the center, followed by some of the chicken mixture. Roll it up snugly and place it seam-side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and fillings. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce evenly over the top, making sure all the tortillas are coated, then sprinkle with the remaining cheeses. Bake for about 20–25 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Let the enchiladas rest for about 10 minutes, then garnish with cilantro and serve.

***See the full instructions below

⭐ Pro Tips

⭐ Don’t overfill the tortillas

It’s tempting to really stuff each one, but too much filling makes them hard to roll and more likely to tear. Aim for a modest line of filling down the center—you’ll still get plenty in every bite once they’re baked and saucy.

⭐ Warm the tortillas for easier rolling

If your tortillas are cracking, warm them briefly. Flour tortillas can be wrapped in foil and placed in the warm oven for a few minutes, or microwaved under a damp paper towel. Pliable tortillas are the secret to tidy rolls and fewer torn edges.

⭐ Sauce the bottom and between the rolls

That thin layer of sauce in the pan keeps the bottoms from sticking and helps the tortillas soak up flavor instead of drying out. After you pour sauce over the top, you can gently nudge it between the rolls with a knife or spoon so every enchilada gets a little love.

⭐ Let them rest before serving

A 10-minute rest makes a big difference. The bubbling cheese and sauce calm down, the filling thickens slightly, and the enchiladas slice and lift from the pan more neatly—which is especially helpful if you’re serving guests.

⭐ Customize the heat level

Keep things mild by using mild taco seasoning and green chiles, or bump up the spice with hot chiles, Pepper Jack cheese, or a pinch of cayenne. This recipe is very forgiving, so you can easily tailor it to your family’s taste.

🔬 The Science of Ultra-Creamy Enchiladas

The magic of this recipe is in the filling. Cottage cheese, shredded cheeses, and sour cream all bring different things to the party: the cottage cheese adds protein and moisture, the shredded cheeses melt into long, stretchy strands, and the sour cream adds tang and helps create a smooth, cohesive texture.

As the enchiladas bake, the cottage cheese curds soften and melt, blending with the other dairy into one creamy mixture. The fat in the cheese and sour cream also helps protect the chicken from drying out, while the sauce around the tortillas provides steam and moisture so everything stays tender. Letting the dish rest before serving gives the melted cheese and sauce time to thicken slightly, so the filling doesn’t run out the moment you cut into it.

Storing + Reheating + Freezing + Make-Ahead Tips

Storing

• Let leftover enchiladas cool to room temperature, then cover the baking dish tightly or transfer individual portions to airtight containers. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

Reheating

• For larger portions, cover the dish with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 15–20 minutes, or until heated through. If you’re reheating a glass or ceramic baking dish, let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats so it doesn’t go from cold to hot too quickly. Individual servings can be reheated in the microwave in 30-second bursts until hot.

Freezing

• You can freeze the enchiladas before or after baking. For unbaked enchiladas, assemble them in a freezer-safe dish, cover tightly, and freeze for up to 2–3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bake as directed, adding a little extra time if needed. For leftover baked enchiladas, cool completely, wrap portions well, and freeze. Reheat from thawed in the oven until hot and bubbly.

Make-Ahead

• Assemble the enchiladas up to 24 hours in advance, cover tightly, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, pull the dish out while the oven preheats, then bake until the filling is hot and the cheese is melted. You may need to add 5–10 extra minutes since you’re starting from cold.

Food Safety:

If you’d like more info on food safety, check out this link.

What to Serve With Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Fresh + Crisp Sides

A bright, crunchy side keeps things feeling fresh alongside all that cheesy goodness. Try my  Southwest salad, Pineapple Coleslaw, 1905 Salad, Grape Salad, or Creamy Fruit Salad for a cool contrast.

Comforting Sides

Round out the plate with something cozy and satisfying. Mexican Rice, Charro Beans, Mexican Corn Salad, are classics, and Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes or Crack Potatoes are delicious if you’re feeding a hungry crowd.

Cozy Breads

A little bread on the side is never a bad idea. Serve these enchiladas with Mexican Cornbread, Jalapeno Cornbread (with Bacon!), Cheddar Biscuits, or Garlic Bread to soak up every last bit of sauce.

Sweet Finishes

Finish your Mexican night on a sweet note with Pineapple Pie, Bisquick Apple Cobbler, Pineapple Delight, Biscochitos, or Polvorones. They all make a lovely, crowd-pleasing dessert after a hearty pan of enchiladas.

Frequently Asked Questions

✦ Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?

Yes, you can absolutely make these with corn tortillas if you prefer a more traditional enchilada. Because corn tortillas are smaller and more fragile, you’ll need more than 12 and they benefit from a quick warm or light fry in oil to make them pliable. If you skip that step, they’re more likely to crack and split as they bake, but they’ll still taste delicious.

✦ Can I lighten up these enchiladas?

You can make a lighter version by using low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese, reduced-fat sour cream, and cutting back slightly on the shredded cheese. You can also use whole-wheat tortillas if your family enjoys them. Just keep in mind that lower-fat cheeses don’t melt quite as lusciously as full-fat, so the texture will be a bit different.

✦ Do I have to use rotisserie chicken?

No, any cooked chicken will work—poached, baked, grilled, or leftover from another meal. Just make sure it’s well seasoned and shredded or chopped into small pieces so it blends nicely with the filling. If your chicken is very plain, you may want to add a pinch of extra taco seasoning or salt.

✦ Can I make this ahead for a party?

Yes, this is a great make-ahead dish. Assemble the enchiladas earlier in the day, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Bake right before serving, adding a few extra minutes if needed to heat them through. You can also bake them slightly under, cool, and reheat gently with foil for events where you need to transport the dish.

✦ What toppings do you recommend?

We love these with sliced green onions, extra cilantro, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime. Pickled jalapeños, avocado slices, or a spoonful of guacamole are also wonderful if you want to dress them up even more.

Still have questions? Drop them in the comments — I love helping you bake + cook with confidence! 💗

More Mexican-Inspired Favorites

• Carne Picada
• Best Taco Meat Recipe
• Chile Rellano Casserole
• Mexican Chicken Casserole
• Dorito Chicken Casserole
• Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Zucchini Boats

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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! 💗 Kathleen

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Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Cheesy chicken enchiladas loaded with lots of chicken, gooey cheese, sour cream, and mild green chilies. Delicious and healthy~always a family favorite.

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Servings: 6 - 8 servings

Author: Kathleen

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 cups chicken cooked and shredded
• ▢ 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 cup onion chopped
• ▢ 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
• ▢ 1 envelope taco seasoning
• ▢ salt
• ▢ black pepper
• ▢ 1/4 cup water
• ▢ 1 cup cottage cheese
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups extra-sharp cheddar cheese shredded, divided
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups Monterey jack cheese shredded, divided
• ▢ 1/2 cup sour cream
• ▢ 12 (8-inch) flour tortillas
• ▢ 1/4 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
• ▢ 28 ounces red enchilada sauce

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Add oil (2 tablespoons) to a large skillet and saute onion (1 cup) until it's translucent and soft. Add diced green chilies (1 can), taco seasoning (1 envelope), 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and water (1/4 cup), and stir to combine. Add shredded chicken (3 cups) and toss to evenly coat with onion and seasoning mixture. Remove from the heat, cover, and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together cottage cheese (1 cup), 3/4 cup cheddar, 3/4 cup Monterey Jack, and sour cream (1/2 cup) until evenly combined.
  
• Coat the bottom of an 11 x 14-inch baking dish with 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce. On a clean, flat work surface, spoon about 3-4 tablespoons of the cheese mixture down the center of a tortilla to the top with an equal amount of the chicken mixture.
• Roll the tortilla up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
  
• Cover the rolled enchiladas with enchilada sauce and sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese.
  
• Bake in the preheated oven until the enchiladas are heated through, the sauce (1/4 cup) is bubbly and the cheese is melted about 20-25 minutes. Top with cilantro and serve.
  

Fans Also Made:

• 
  Chicken Noodle Casserole
• 
  Chicken Tortilla Casserole
• 
  Dorito Casserole
• 
  Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

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Notes

1. Don’t overfill the tortillas. It’s tempting to really stuff each one, but too much filling makes them hard to roll and more likely to tear. Aim for a modest line of filling down the center—you’ll still get plenty in every bite once they’re baked and saucy.
2. Warm the tortillas for easier rolling. If your tortillas are cracking, warm them briefly. Flour tortillas can be wrapped in foil and placed in the warm oven for a few minutes, or microwaved under a damp paper towel. Pliable tortillas are the secret to tidy rolls and fewer torn edges.
3. Sauce the bottom and between the rolls. That thin layer of sauce in the pan keeps the bottoms from sticking and helps the tortillas soak up flavor instead of drying out. After you pour sauce over the top, you can gently nudge it between the rolls with a knife or spoon so every enchilada gets a little love.
4. Let them rest before serving. A 10-minute rest makes a big difference. The bubbling cheese and sauce calm down, the filling thickens slightly, and the enchiladas slice and lift from the pan more neatly—which is especially helpful if you’re serving guests.
5. Customize the heat level. Keep things mild by using mild taco seasoning and green chiles, or bump up the spice with hot chiles, Pepper Jack cheese, or a pinch of cayenne. This recipe is very forgiving, so you can easily tailor it to your family’s taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 2207mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 2223IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 475mg | Iron: 2mg

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