Chicken Enchiladas

These Chicken Enchiladas are loaded with seasoned chicken, cheese, black beans, green chilis, and more! They're topped with enchilada sauce and cheese and baked to golden perfection.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Servings: Enchiladas

Calories: 386kcal

Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

Seasonings

½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, dried oregano, chili powder

Enchiladas

1-2 tablespoons avocado oil can sub olive oil
½ yellow onion diced
14 oz. red enchilada sauce I highly recommend my homemade version
2 ¾ cups shredded chicken see notes
Salt to taste
3 cloves garlic minced
1 (15 oz.) can black beans drained and rinsed
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles undrained
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro plus more to garnish
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese divided
Sour cream for serving

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Combine the seasonings and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and soften for 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce to the skillet along with the garlic.
Add the cooked chicken and season with salt to taste if not already salted. Rotisserie chicken likely won’t require additional salt.
Sprinkle the chicken with the combined seasonings (from step 2) and toss to coat. Stir in the black beans, green chiles, lime juice, hot sauce, honey, and cilantro and heat through for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Spread 4 tablespoons of enchilada sauce on the bottom, the layer will be thin.
Optional: Microwave 4 tortillas at a time for 30 seconds to make them more pliable.
Spoon the filling on the bottom third of each tortilla and top with a heaping tablespoon of cheese. Roll tightly and place seam-side-down in the casserole dish.
Pour/spread enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled tortillas. (I use up to 3/4 cup, you don't have to use all remaining sauce, it may be too heavy.) Sprinkle with an even layer of cheese.
Cover and bake for 10 minutes. (If topping with foil, spray the bottom with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking to it.)
Remove cover and bake for 13 more minutes. Broil on low (450) for 1-2 minutes to brown the top slightly if desired. Watch it closely during this time.
Garnish with cilantro and desired toppings (see notes for suggestions) and serve with sour cream!

Notes

Pro Tips:

To make shredded chicken: Bring 2 chicken breasts to a very gentle bubble. (A full boil will make it tough.) Bubble gently for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then use 2 forks to shred.
Tortillas: I like to use these 8-inch flour tortillas as they're easier to roll and stay in place compared to corn tortillas, but you can use corn as well.
Enchilada Sauce: I always make my easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce. You can also use a 10-oz. can.
Cheese: I like to shred my own cheese from a block for this recipe, I use Monterey Jack and Cheddar. You can definitely use packaged Mexican shredded cheese though.
Toppings/Add-ons include Corn, Avocado, Guacamole, Salsa, Refried Beans, Green Onions, Jalapenos, Diced Tomatoes, Rice, Limes, and more! (Sour cream is a must!)
Feel free to add up to 1/4 cup of heavy cream or half and half to your enchilada sauce. It adds a little something "extra"!
Beef: To make this with ground beef, try my Beef Enchiladas recipe!

Make-Ahead Method

Assemble as outlined but don't add enchilada sauce or top with cheese until ready to bake.
Refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to bake, add sauce/cheese. Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 13 more minutes, until hot and bubbly. (Optional: Broil at 450° F for 1-2 more minutes.)
Freeze for up to 3 months. You can bake right from frozen. When ready to bake, add sauce/cheese. Cover and bake for 25 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 20 more minutes. (Optional: Broil at 450 for 1-2 more minutes.)

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutritional information is an estimate and is per enchilada. This recipe makes 8 enchiladas.

Nutrition