These creamy chicken enchiladas are easy to make and have a creamy cream cheese and shredded chicken filling! These are a cozy family favorite perfect for weeknight dinners.
Enchiladas are a Mexican recipe favorite in our house! We love beef enchiladas and pork enchiladas and these green chile enchiladas, too.
Table of Contents
Easy Mexican Chicken Enchiladas
When it comes to classic Mexican dishes, you can’t beat these creamy chicken enchiladas with red enchilada sauce. They’re a Mexican food staple that are delicious, has tons of flavor and perfect for topping pico de gallo and guacamole.
Some of my other Mexican food favorites are chicken taquitos, ground beef tacos and one pot burrito bowls. I love that everything in this creamy chicken enchilada recipe bakes in one dish in less than hour. They are warm and cheesy just like my recipe for cheese enchiladas!
Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients
Below are my favorites, but you could always add in extras like beans or this Mexican rice recipe.
- Enchilada sauce: For a creamier enchilada sauce, beat together 1 can of sauce with 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream.
- Butter: You’ll need butter to saute the onions and diced green chiles.
- Onion and chiles: This recipe calls for 1/2 cup chopped onion and a 4 ounce can diced green chiles.
- Cream cheese: I use cream cheese, but sour cream will work too.
- Salsa: Fresh salsa is best, but store bought will work too.
- Shredded cheese: I use Mexican cheese, but you can use cheddar or monterey jack too.
- Chicken breast: I love to use rotisserie chicken or leftover Instant Pot Mexican chicken for convenience.
- Tortillas: Flour tortillas are my preference, as I’ve found they fold easier. You can use corn tortillas if desired.
- Toppings: Extras like cilantro, diced tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, avocado and sliced olives.
How to Make Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
Scroll down for the printable recipe.
- Preheat oven. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray. Set aside. Pour about 1/4 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of the pan.
- Cook ingredients in fry pan. Melt butter in a fry pan and saute onions and green chiles. Over medium-heat, stir in cream cheese, 1/2 cup cheese and salsa. Once cheese is melted, mix in shredded chicken.
- Assemble enchiladas. Place about 3 Tablespoons of chicken filling in the center of each tortilla. Then roll them up and place in your dish seams down.
- Bake. Pour sauce over enchiladas, then cover with remaining cheese and place foil over pan. Bake for 20 minutes covered, then 10 more minutes uncovered. Remove from oven when nice and bubbly.
Storing + Freezing
- To store: These will keep in the refrigerator for about 3-5 days. Just store any leftovers in an airtight container or bag. To reheat, simply cook in microwave or oven until warm.
- To freeze: This dish makes a great freezer meal! Just assemble the enchiladas in your baking dish, then cover tightly with foil or a lid (do not bake). Place the dish in the freezer and freeze for up to 2 months. Remove from freezer and pop in the oven when you’re ready to enjoy!
5 star review
“Made these for dinner last night and they were delicious! My 3 children devoured them and for them that’s a miracle! My husband wants me to make them all the time. I think we will!”
– Rochelle
More Mexican recipes we love include this chicken flautas recipe, chicken fajitas and carnitas.
More Mexican Recipes
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Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 cup enchilada sauce , more if needed
- 2 Tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 4 ounce can diced green chiles
- 4 ounces cream cheese , or sour cream
- ¼ cup salsa , fresh is best
- 1-2 cups Mexican style shredded cheese
- 2 ½ cups shredded chicken breast , I used rotisserie
- 8 flour or corn tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray casserole dish with non-stick spray and set aside. Pour about 1/4 cup of the sauce onto the bottom of the pan.
- In a frying pan, melt butter and saute the onions and green chiles. Over medium-heat, mix in cream cheese, 1/2 cup Mexican style shredded cheese and salsa. Once the cheese is melted, mix in the shredded chicken.
- Place about 3 Tablespoons of the chicken filling in the center of each tortilla. Then roll them up and place in your pan seams down.
- Then pour the sauce over the enchiladas. Cover with remaining shredded cheese and place foil over pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Then bake 10 more minutes uncovered. Take it out when it’s nice and bubbly!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Chicken, Cinco De Mayo, Dinner, Freezer-Friendly, Freezer-Friendly, Mexican, Nut-Free
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
not yet but starting tonight
This is my absolute favorite enchilada recipe! I lived in NM and ate a LOT of wonderful Enchiladas, both northern NM, (SPANISH influenced and MEXICAN influenced) and I prefer this creamy marriage of flavors. Wonderful!
This makes me SO happy to hear, Julia! Thanks so much for your nice comment. Glad to hear you love the recipe!
when I need a thicker enchilada sauce, I mix in refried beans until the desired consistency is reached.
Great tip! I bet that’s delicious :)
What are the baking instructions if you are baking from frozen?
Hi Tyler! I would thaw in the fridge over night and then bake as directed. :)
What size tortillas did you use please? Thank you.
I’ve never had a dish like this before. It looks really good!
It’s one of our favorites! Hope you enjoy! :)
These enchiladas got two thumbs up from everyone at our dinner table! So good!
This is our favorite chicken enchilada recipe! So creamy and flavourful !
These look pretty tasty!! We love chicken enchiladas at our house, so I will have to add them to the menu! They will be gone in minutes!
What good looking enchiladas! These will be great for Cinco de Mayo!
Enchiladas are our favorite! Thanks so much for sharing!
Even my picky kids loved this! Wonderful recipe!!
Hi. I would like to try this but I’ve never heard of pato sauce. What is that? Thanks
Hi Tiffany! It is a brand of mexican style tomato sauce! :)
i love this recipe! i made this 3 times already. My family loves it. I cooked for a family of 6 so I doubled this recipe. I will be cooking this again not only for my family but inviting a friend over to try it. yum yum
I’m glad your family loves it, mine does too! It is such a simple but delicious meal! :)
my family and i are still loving this. I am making it tonight but I just want to ask if you could add flour tortilla’s to the ingredient list. Every time i view this & shop for what I need, I forget the tortilla’s. Thanks again for sharing.
Yes I will definitely do that! I’m sorry it was missing, thank you for letting me know! :) I’m glad your family loves the recipe.
These were so good. Made them tonight and it was a wonderful meal. Thanks for the recipe.
This looks delicious, and I would love to try it. One of the ingredients listed is Mexican cream cheese. I have never seen this in my grocery store. Is there a brand name I should look for?
Hi Grace! Sorry, that should have read ‘Mexican style shredded cheese.’ It’s updated now. :)
Thank you for your quick response.
What’s “el pato”?
Hi Kelly! It’s a hot sauce (not too hot though) found near the enchilada sauce. You could also substitue any red enchilada sauce. :)
Made these for dinner last night and they were delicious! My 3 children (5, 3.5, 2) devoured them and for them that’s a miracle! My husband wants me to make them all the time. I think we will! Who cares if they aren’t the healthiest, they are delicious and my children are eating them! They’ll finally get some meat in them!