Your next taco night just got a makeover with my sour cream chicken enchiladas recipe! If you’ve hesitated to try making chicken enchilada recipes before, this is a great way to ease into the wide world of Mexican chicken recipes — it’s so easy!
Flavorful, juicy chicken makes up the filling in flour tortillas, and it’s all topped with a creamy sauce and baked to chicken casserole recipes perfection. I’m warning you now: this sauce is seriously so good that you’ll be wanting to put it on all your chicken recipes.
Grab your cans of Rotel, and let’s get this sour cream chicken enchiladas cooking!
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What I Love About Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Mexican recipes are some of my favorites. They’re so simple to pull together but taste far from simple, encompassing notes from spicy to sweet to smokey and everything in between. But beyond the yumminess, there’s so much to love about my sour cream chicken enchiladas recipe!
- Crowd-pleasing!
- Family favorite
- Creamy, delicious sauce
- Oven-baked richness!
Recipe Notes
Tacos are a familiar Mexican dish — but enchiladas, while delicious, tend to be avoided, with home chefs fearing that it might be difficult. I promise you, it’s so easy! Let me walk you through it.
Ingredient Notes
Cheese – This sour cream chicken enchiladas recipe uses Monterey cheese, a milder American cheese a few steps below sharp cheddar. I love how smoothly this cheese melts — it brings the perfect level of creaminess to the dish!
Rotel – If you can’t find Rotel (though most grocery stores carry it!), you can easily substitute your Rotel for canned diced tomatoes and green chiles. Rotel is just a combination of marinated tomatoes and chiles, so it’s easy to replicate!
Chicken: My sour cream chicken enchiladas recipe uses pre-cooked chicken to speed up the process. I love using rotisserie chicken and shredding it that way, but if you want a different option, you can always use poached chicken. This is the easiest type of chicken to shred!
Cream Sauce: The most intimidating part of this recipe by far is the cream sauce. What do you do to keep it from curdling? Rest easy, friend! Follow the steps I outline below, and remember a few key tips, like not bringing your sauce to a boil, and not skimping on the flour (starch will stabilize your sauce!).
Storing Tips
Foods with a heavy milk component take some trickery to store, and my sour cream chicken enchiladas are no exception. Fear not, though! You know I wouldn’t give you a recipe without lots of storage tips to make sure you get the most longevity out of your meals as possible. Read on!
Can You Freeze This?
Partly.
The cream sauce definitely cannot be frozen. Milk doesn’t do well in the freezer’s low temperatures — remember how we talked about keeping your sauce from separating while cooking, and how you don’t want to boil it? Well, milk also doesn’t like going in the opposite temperature direction either (unless it’s been processed very specifically, like ice cream).
The rest of your enchilada — the tortillas and filling — can be frozen! You’ll get about three months out of your frozen leftovers.
When you’re ready to reheat and eat, you’ll have to whip up a new batch of sauce. But one taste and you’ll agree that it’s worth it!
Make Ahead Tips
The best way to shorten your cooking time is to make your filling ahead. Once you follow the steps for the chicken filling in my sour cream chicken enchiladas recipe, you can safely store it for up to four days in the fridge or four months in the freezer.
When you’re ready to finish the recipe, thaw if frozen, and finish out the steps.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Your sour cream chicken enchiladas recipe will last up to four days stored properly (sealed in an airtight container) in the fridge. Your sauce, though, will only last up to two days before it starts to separate and lose its integrity, so I’d eat up your leftovers before the two-day deadline.
Recipe Variations
Let’s go enchilada crazy with these variations!
Can I Add Pasta?
Looking for more baked chicken recipes? My chicken Alfredo casserole and chicken tetrazzini casserole are two equally delicious Italian twists on dinnertime. Pair either with garlic bread for a winning meal! Or you can go classic with chicken noodle casserole, which I love packing with veggies!
Can I Make This Cheesier?
I like the way you think! My cheesy chicken enchiladas recipe always ticks all those cheesy boxes. But if you want a dish that isn’t Mexican, cheesy chicken casserole is for you! Or toss in some extra starch with cheesy chicken noodle casserole.
Can I Use Shredded Chicken?
This recipe uses pre-cooked shredded chicken, and if you want to make your own, I have a great recipe for Mexican shredded chicken that will add an extra layer of flavor to your enchiladas. You’ll be blown away!
Can I Add Rice To This Recipe?
Rice and Mexican food go hand in hand! Cheesy chicken and rice casserole is one of my favorites. There’s something so hearty about each bite! Or bring on the veggies with chicken broccoli rice casserole — it’s a great way to get your greens.
But you cannot go wrong with the classic chicken and rice casserole — I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t like this!
What Other Mexican Chicken Dishes Can I Make?
There’s a wide, wonderful world of Mexican dishes out there. From simpler meals like Mexican chicken casserole to familiar favorites like chicken burrito bowl (Chipotle!) to unusual treats like chicken posole (Mexican soup!), you’ll love everything you make, I guarantee!
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 1 (10-ounce) can Rotel, drained
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
- 1/2 cups sour cream
- 1 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Topping:
- 2 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded
Garnish (optional):
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside
Make Filling and Roll:
- Add oil to a large skillet and saute onion until it's translucent and soft. Add taco seasoning, salt, pepper, and Rotel 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 1 cup Monterey Jack and 1/2 cup sour cream until evenly combined.
- Fill tortillas with a layer of the chicken mixture then a layer of the cheese mixture and roll each one and place seam side down, in the prepared pan.
Make Sauce:
- Melt the butter in a skillet. Sprinkle flour over melted butter and whisk to combine. Cook for 1 minute to remove the flour taste. Remove the skillet from heat and whisk in broth.
- Place back on the heat and cook until the mixture has thickened and is bubbly. Cool sauce for 3-5 minutes. (Don't skip this step- if the sauce is too hot and you add the sour cream it will curdle it-yuck!) Add sour cream and chilies and stir until sauce is smooth and sour cream is completely dissolved.
- Pour sauce over enchiladas and add remaining cheese over top. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until enchiladas are heated through and sauce is bubbly. Turn on the broiler and broil until the top is nicely golden. Garnish with chopped cilantro or green onions and serve.
Nutrition
More Mexican Chicken Recipes
If you thought those were all the Mexican recipes I had for you, think again! Check these out:
- Chicken Fajitas – Sizzle and serve!
- Arroz Con Pollo – Rice and chicken, classic.
- Mexican Grilled Chicken – Bring Mexico to your BBQ.
- White Chicken Enchiladas – Creamy, light, and delicious!
- Chicken Verde – Perfect if you are craving Mexican food!
Conclusion
My sour cream chicken enchiladas recipe brings all the zesty flavors you’d expect of a Mexican dish while piling on the extra cheesy, creamy goodness. What’s your favorite part of Mexican meals? Let me know in the comments!
Becky says
January 29, 2020 at 7:42 pmI sometimes go to a Mexican restaurant just for their “Shrimp Enchiladas”. This sauce sounds just like what their sauce may be made of–do you have any suggestions making shrimp enchiladas? They are the best of the best! Other than the shrimp and sauce, there doesn’t seem to be much else in the enchiladas. Suggestion?
Thank you!
Kathleen says
January 30, 2020 at 8:36 pmHey Becky! Check out my Shrimp Enchiladas Hope you enjoy <3