Description
This Shredded Chicken Enchiladas recipe features tender shredded chicken blended in a creamy, cheesy filling with green chilies, cumin, and chili powder. Rolled in warm flour tortillas and baked in a rich red enchilada sauce until bubbly and golden, these enchiladas are perfect for a comforting family dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 10 ounces red enchilada sauce (1 can)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Filling
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 yellow onions, diced
- 4 ounces diced green chilies (1 small can)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (about ½ rotisserie chicken)
- 6 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 16 ounces freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Assembly
- 8 large flour tortillas
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat and Make Sauce: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter and whisk in the all-purpose flour. Cook this roux mixture until the raw flour smell disappears, stirring continuously. Next, stir in the red enchilada sauce, low-sodium chicken broth, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Bring this mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer gently while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced yellow onions and cook until they become translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Then, stir in the diced green chilies along with the ground cumin and chili powder. Cook this mixture for another 2 minutes to allow the spices to bloom and flavors to meld.
- Combine Filling: Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the shredded cooked chicken, room-temperature sour cream, crumbled queso fresco, and 2 cups of the freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Mix everything thoroughly until all the cheese is melted and the filling is creamy and well combined.
- Assemble Enchiladas: Lightly spread about ½ cup of the prepared enchilada sauce evenly across the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Take each large flour tortilla and place approximately ⅓ cup of the chicken filling in the center. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling and place it seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat this process for all 8 tortillas, arranging them snugly side by side.
- Bake: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining 14 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese over the top to cover the enchiladas. Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden on top.
- Serve: Remove the enchiladas from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes to set. Garnish with the chopped fresh cilantro before serving hot for a delicious, comforting meal.
Notes
- For a spicier version, add chopped jalapeños or extra chili powder to the filling.
- You can substitute corn tortillas if you prefer, but warm them first to prevent cracking.
- Use rotisserie chicken to save prep time, or cook and shred your own chicken breasts or thighs.
- Queso fresco can be replaced with feta cheese for a similar texture if unavailable.
- Leftover enchiladas can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
