Our cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe comes together in under an hour and will satisfy the whole family. This has been a family favorite at our house for over 20 years.
Chicken recipes are a great go-to for busy families. Chicken is quick-cooking and takes on all the delicious flavors you add to it. Chicken casserole recipes are a wonderful choice if you don’t have lots of time to devote to prep work.
Serve this cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe with a simple green salad and you’ve got a healthy, hearty, super yummy dinner that everyone will enjoy. They’re easy enough to whip up for a weeknight and delicious enough to serve to company.
Let’s check out the recipe! Chicken enchilada recipes here we come!
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What I Love About Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe tastes like it cooked for hours, but it actually comes together quickly for an easy weeknight meal. Cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe are a family favorite for so many reasons:
- Kids can help by rolling the tortillas
- Save time with rotisserie chicken
- Three types of cheese!
Recipe Notes
If you’re craving cheesy, saucy goodness, our cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe are the perfect dinner. Stuffed, rolled, and baked in under an hour, everyone is sure to clean their plates when you serve these enchiladas! What your favorite chicken enchilada casserole?
Chicken Enchilada Casserole Ingredient Notes
This is a really easy chicken enchilada recipe. They’re a snap to put together.
Chicken: I like to make these with a rotisserie chicken. The chicken is moist, tender and fabulously seasoned. Not only does it taste great, but it makes fixing these a snap!
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!
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.
Diced chilies: Don’t like it too spicy? Mild canned chilies are available if you have sensitive palates in your family. To add an extra layer of smoky flavor, try fire-roasted chilies in your enchiladas.
Onion: Mild white or yellow onions work well in this recipe. Or try red onion for a more bold, pronounced flavor.
Cheese: Don’t skip the sour cream! If you’d like to lighten up the calories in this recipe you can use nonfat sour cream.
This recipe uses cottage cheese, Monterey Jack, and Cheddar. I use plain Monterey Jack some of the time and then sometimes I use Pepper Jack. To be honest, it just depends on my mood.
When I first saw this recipe I was unsure of the cottage cheese. Frankly, I’m not a huge cottage cheese fan. I think it’s the texture.
In this recipe, I think the cottage cheese is amazing. When it’s mixed with the other cheeses and sour cream then baked inside these 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 these enchiladas, you can use low fat or nonfat cottage cheese, nonfat sour cream and just a small amount of the shredded cheese. Whenever I make the lower-calorie version for my family, I leave out the cheddar and Monterey Jack in the cheese filling altogether and just use about 1/3 cup of just cheddar on the top.
Feel free to substitute cheeses based on what your family loves and what your grocer carries. Colby jack, pepper jack, and a Mexican blend are all good choices.
Tortillas: Authentic Chicken Enchiladas are typically made with corn tortillas. For some reason, I really LOVE all of my enchiladas made with flour tortillas. Well, no surprise, I make these enchiladas with flour tortillas. The results are deliciously wonderful!
An advantage in 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 may crack when they’re stuffed and baked. Not necessarily a big deal, just one of those things that’s good to know, especially if you’re serving these up to company.
If you like corn tortillas better, feel free to use them. Since the corn tortillas are smaller you’ll need more of them than I used of the flour.
Cilantro: I know some people don’t care for cilantro. If you’re one of those people, you can substitute the cilantro with either fresh chopped parsley or sliced green onions.
Storing Tips
Store leftover enchiladas in a glass or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid to ensure that they don’t dry out in the fridge.
Can You Freeze This?
You can freeze cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe, but you may find that the cottage cheese and sour cream have separated when you thaw them. You may need to drain off a bit of excess liquid, so we recommend freezing the enchiladas without the sauce. Freezing enchiladas without the sauce also cut down on ice crystals forming on them in the freezer.
Consider freezing the enchiladas in a container that can go in the oven, such as a lidded glass baking dish. Allow the frozen enchiladas to warm up before baking, then add the sauce and shredded cheeses on top. Be sure the baking dish is room temperature before placing it in the oven, to avoid cracking.
Make Ahead Tips
If you want to make these ahead of time and freeze them, I find it’s best to roll them and freeze them without any sauce or cheese topping. I defrost them, then top them with enchilada sauce and bake.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Once cooked, most casserole-style dishes, like enchiladas, remain fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Mexican Chicken Casserole Recipe Variations
Mexican chicken casserole is fun because it allows you to use your creativity and try different ingredients that you may have in the pantry or fridge.
Can I Use Other Types Of Cheese For This Enchilada?
For a rich, savory variation, try our cream cheese chicken enchiladas. Or experiment with a creamy Boursin-type cheese infused with herbs or chili peppers.
What Other Cheesy Casserole Recipes Can I Try?
Cheesy chicken casserole combines flavors that satisfy even the pickiest eaters. Cheesy chicken and rice casserole is classic comfort food you’ll be sure to love.
What Other Creamy Casserole Recipes I Can Try?
Not in the mood for red sauce? Our white chicken enchiladas are deliciously decadent. Creamy chicken enchiladas are loaded with a smooth sauce that makes every bite taste heavenly.
Can I Replace Tortillas With Rice?
Chicken and rice casserole is versatile and easy, getting a nourishing meal on the table on any busy weeknight. Our chicken broccoli rice casserole is so tasty, your kids won’t mind eating their veggies!
What Other Mexican Casserole Recipes I Can Try?
If you’re looking for other Mexican-style casseroles, chicken tortilla casserole is sure to please. And our chicken taco casserole puts a new spin on Taco Tuesday!
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 3 cups chicken cooked and shredded
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 1 (4-ounce can) green chilies diced
- 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
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Add oil to a large skillet and saute onion until it's translucent and soft. Add diced green chilies, taco seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and water and stir to combine. Add shredded chicken 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, 3/4 cup cheddar, 3/4 cup Monterey Jack and sour cream 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 the top with an equal amount of the chicken mixture. Roll the tortilla up and place seam side down in baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Cover the rolled enchiladas with enchilada sauce and sprinkle evenly with the remaining cheese.
- Bake in preheated oven until the enchiladas are heated through, the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted, about 20-25 minutes. Top with cilantro and serve.
Nutrition
More Chicken Casserole Recipes
If this cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe hit the spot, here are a few more chicken casserole dishes that we’re sure your whole family will love:
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas
- Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Dorito Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
Conclusion
We think this recipe is kinda perfect. Chicken, zesty sauce, 3 kinds of cheese…What more could you want? Your family just might request cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe every week!
Did you make this cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe? Have questions or comments? Leave us a note below.
Susan says
November 2, 2019 at 11:52 amLooks great! Before I make it I was wondering if I could swap out ricotta cheese for the cottage cheese. Thoughts?
Kathleen says
November 4, 2019 at 2:08 amI’m sure it would work just fine!
Brad Smiley says
January 2, 2020 at 7:26 pmWhere is the recipe for the red sauce. It used to be there??
Thanks,
Brad
Kathleen says
January 2, 2020 at 10:07 pmHi Brad I think you are looking for my enchilada sauce recipe
Jane Kraft says
June 11, 2018 at 11:37 pmYour enchilada recipes look great and I’m going to try them all. The one thing I don’t understand though is why you would use flour tortillas for enchiladas. They aren’t really made to be used like that. They don’t have the structural integrity that corn tortillas have and it seems to me that they would fall apart and turn into a gooey mess. Just my thoughts.
Kathleen Smith says
June 14, 2018 at 1:30 amHi Jane. Well, you’re right that they have less structure and can get gooey. I don’t have any problems with them falling apart. I find that leftovers tend to be gooey. I know it sounds weird, but I like that gooey part, so I always make sure to make enough for leftovers. It’s a guilty pleasure, LOL! It’s definitely not an authentic way to make them. It’s become more popular in the last decade at some Tex-Mex restaurants. Anyway, they’re absolutely delicious made with corn tortillas! Hope you enjoy <3
Aby says
May 24, 2018 at 3:32 pmJust made these chicken enchiladas yesterday, and they were absolutely delicious and quick to make. I initially thought it would be time consuming, but it took no time at all. The enchiladas ended up being perfectly cheesy and the sauce was so easy to make, which is a plus in my book! Totally going to make this recipe again!
Kathleen Smith says
May 24, 2018 at 3:46 pmSo glad to hear you liked the Chicken Enchilada! I love that you thought they were perfectly cheesy! I love how ooey gooey they are! Thank you for telling us about your experience <3 Happy Cooking!
Mimi says
August 17, 2016 at 4:51 pmCant wait to try this, looks delicious
Kathleen says
August 23, 2016 at 2:46 pmThanks Mimi. Hope you try it and enjoy!
Esther says
May 12, 2016 at 1:30 amI made these last weekend, made the enchilada sauce and they were the BEST enchiladas I have ever made! They were wonderful! Very easy to make. I also don’t care for corn tortillas and used flour ones, which I think made them even better. Thank you so much for this recipe. I am going to try the zucchini bread and the Greek Chicken recipes this weekend. Please sign me up for your newsletter also. I tried entering my information in the area on your site to sign up but nothing happened.
Thanks again for the recipes – I am looking forward to trying many more of them.
Kathleen says
May 12, 2016 at 6:21 pmHi Ester. Thanks so much for your comment it absolutely made my day:) Sorry about the confusion with my newsletter. I’m happy to get your name on the list. Also will have my techies look into whats going on with it!
Karla Waggoner says
April 9, 2016 at 1:06 pmHow can I get on your email list? Your recipes look winderful. I am definitely trying the peach pound cake this weekend.
Kathleen says
April 11, 2016 at 2:02 amHi Karla. Will do! 🙂
Kate @ Framed Cooks says
April 1, 2016 at 1:31 pmI can absolutely see why these are one of your family’s favorites – who could resist all the cheese deliciousness? Pinning. 🙂
Kathleen says
April 2, 2016 at 4:03 amThank so much, Kate!
Melody Tice says
March 29, 2016 at 4:06 pmYour chicken enchilada recipe looks amazing but where is the recipe, the list and amounts of all the ingredients? You generally say how to make it but I need specifics.
Thanks.
Kathleen says
March 30, 2016 at 1:43 amHi Melody. Coding problem. Thanks for letting me know. It’s fixed now 🙂