These shredded chicken enchiladas are my absolute favorite enchilada recipe. Follow my easy enchilada recipe and helpful tips to learn how to not only make the best chicken enchiladas ever but also how to perfectly shred chicken and make a delicious homemade enchilada sauce in just 10 minutes!
I don't make a whole lot of Mexican food at home...mostly because I just find it just way too darn good at restaurants.
Now, I do make some tasty fish tacos with pico de gallo, homemade fajitas with steak or chicken and some really good breakfast burritos. But, for the most part, I get my Mexican food cravings satisfied outside of my kitchen.
Plus, it's usually difficult to make Mexican food Dustin will want to eat (he's really a "meat-and-cheese-only-on-my-burrito" kinda guy).
Growing up in Southern California, I was raised to like the auténtico type stuff to be made for me by the experts -- like chiles rellenos, carne asada, chili verde, chilequiles, machaca, huevos rancheros and all those yummy things.
Ok, now I need to go out and get me every one of those dishes I just mentioned! **stomach growling**
Oddly enough, I've actually never been a big fan of enchiladas at Mexican restaurants....probably because I'm already stuffing my face with all those other types of dishes. I find most places add waaaay too much cheese to their enchiladas.
I know, I know...and the problem with that is....? True: cheese does tend to make everything better. But, I wanted to make an enchilada recipe at home that had more meat and was healthier -- yet just as tasty.
So, I started to make my own shredded chicken enchiladas at home. And they're amazingly delicious. They've easily become a favorite in the house and on the blog.
How To Make Shredded Chicken
Ever wondered how to cook chicken so it can be shredded? I think you'll think you’ll be shocked at how easy it is.
All you need to do is cook the chicken all the way through so it can be pulled apart using two forks. Then, use one fork to hold the chicken steady and the other fork to pull away or shred the chicken. You’ll have shredded chicken in no time. I’ve also seen people add chicken to food processors to shred, but I’ve never needed to. Here are the steps broken out so you see how easy it is to make shredded chicken enchiladas:
- Make my 10 Minute Homemade Enchilada Sauce (for realz: ONLY 10 minutes and you've got deliciousness right here).
-
Sprinkle sea salt and ground black pepper over the chicken breasts and then nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce.
-
Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
-
Remove the chicken from the sauce, set aside and let both the chicken and the sauce cool.
-
Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts by holding one fork steady and slowly scraping the other fork, prongs faced backwards, away from the other fork.
And poof: delicious, easy, and healthy shredded chicken.
Corn vs. Flour Tortillas For Enchiladas
I prefer corn tortillas over flour in general, but that is my preference. Flour tortillas tend to be less healthy, as they often contain refined flours and lard, but that isn’t always the case. You can also very easily make your own corn tortillas (like these ones right here!) so I def prefer corn.
Making enchiladas with flour tortillas can also lead to a more doughy texture in your enchiladas. While it doesn’t bother me, it is something to consider. At the end of the day, you can choose whatever makes you happy 🙂
A note on using cassava flour tortillas for enchiladas: Do it! In addition to high quality corn tortillas, I recommend trying out cassava flour tortillas as well -- they hold up much better than your typical corn tortilla and don't fall apart when you're baking them.
What You Need To Make Enchiladas
To make chicken enchiladas, luckily, you don’t really need that much at all. Most shredded chicken enchilada recipes are shockingly simple and super easy to put together. Think of them like a casserole with little enchiladas.
Here’s what you’ll need to make shredded chicken enchiladas:
- A casserole dish (could use rimmed baking sheet in a pinch)
- Enchilada sauce - you can buy pre-made, but I highly recommend making your own. It’ll just take you about 10 minutes extra. Here's my recipe if you wanna try it for yourself.
- Tortillas - I recommend these corn tortillas, but I may be partial 😉 I also think cassava flour tortillas are AMAZING in enchiladas.
- The main ingredients: chicken, cilantro, and cheese
That’s pretty much it. Told ya they are simple!
How To Make Shredded Chicken Enchiladas
- Make my 10 Minute Homemade Enchilada Sauce (for realz: ONLY 10 minutes and you've got deliciousness right here).
-
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and add the minced garlic to the enchilada sauce in a deep skillet and heat to a boiling over medium-high heat.
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Sprinkle sea salt and ground black pepper over the chicken breasts and then nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the sauce, set aside and let both the chicken and the sauce cool.
-
Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts by holding one fork steady and slowly scraping the other fork, prongs faced backwards, away from the other fork.
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Transfer the shredded chicken to a large bowl. Add half the enchilada sauce from the pan with the chicken, half the Monterrey jack and half the cheddar cheeses and the ½ cup of cilantro to the shredded chicken. Stir to combine.
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Wrap the corn tortillas in a damp cloth or paper towel and microwave on high for 15-20 seconds until pliable and warm.
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Grease a 9-inch x 13-inch casserole dish with olive oil. Spoon about ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture along the center of a tortilla. Gently, but firmly, roll the tortilla around the filling and place into the baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas, and add them all to the casserole dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle remaining cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
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Place casserole dish in the oven, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until the tortillas begin to turn golden.
How To Soften Corn Tortillas For Enchiladas
This is a great question and causes a lot of debate. For the longest time, I never knew how to soften tortillas for enchiladas. The last thing you want is to make these delicious enchiladas only to have the tortillas completely fall apart as you try to wrap them up. Here are some ways to soften corn tortillas for enchiladas so you can avoid such a travesty:
- Buy high quality tortillas or make them yourself - store bought tortillas have a tendency to already be quite dry so pass on those if you see them.
- Wrap them in a damp paper towel or kitchen towel and microwave for 15 seconds to soften.
- Quickly fry in olive oil to saturate and soften.
- Dip into enchilada sauce before rolling into enchiladas.
- Brush with olive oil.
Any and all of these options will work - it really just depends on your preference. Personally, I just use either high quality store bought tortillas (that feel soft at the store) or use my own, then I heat them in the microwave to soften, and I also brush with olive oil (the way I've written it in the recipe).
How To Make Homemade Enchilada Sauce
OMG please please PLEASE make your own enchilada sauce. It’s unreal good and makes SUCH a difference in the flavor and texture of your enchiladas. Plus it literally will take you 10 extra minutes to make and doesn’t require a ton of ingredients. I used to use the canned stuff and, now, I'm a total homemade enchilada sauce convert.
Here’s how to make homemade enchilada sauce:
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the fresh tomatoes and garlic, and stir to combine and reduce heat to medium. Stir constantly and cook for 4-6 minutes, until the tomatoes become softened.
- Stir in the tomato paste, low sodium chicken broth, chili powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, sea salt, pepper into the skillet, and continue to cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Done!
I have a whole post just on this very awesome enchilada sauce if you'd like to check it out for yourself!
3 OTHER HEALTHY ENCHILADA RECIPES
I love this Shredded Chicken Enchiladas recipe because it’s actually so easy to adapt, depending on your current cravings but it’s also a great way to use up whatever leftovers you have in the fridge. Here are a few more enchilada recipes
SPICY QUINOA AND BLACK BEAN VEGAN ENCHILADAS
This Spicy Quinoa and Black Bean Vegan Enchiladas is my go-to when I want to satisfy my craving for enchiladas while still eating clean. This vegan enchiladas recipe also features a super easy 10-minute Vegan Red Enchilada Sauce. So tasty and so satisfying. Not only is it good for you, but it also takes only 35 minutes to make. Pretty awesome, right? Get the recipe!
GROUND BEEF ENCHILADAS
Nothing makes me happier than when I find a way to make healthier versions of my favorite restaurant meals. If you’ve already tried making some of my other enchilada recipes and loved them, it’s time you give these Ground Beef Enchiladas a try, too. They are super easy to make and pack a flavorful bite! Get the recipe!
How To Freeze Chicken Enchiladas
This shredded chicken enchiladas recipe also freezes very well and is pretty easy to reheat. To freeze, follow these simple steps:
- Follow this recipe through all the directions up to adding the enchilada sauce back over the tortillas
- Wrap the casserole dish tightly in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to freeze.
- Alternatively, you can place the rolled enchiladas out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place in the freezer, and then freeze completely. Then, place the single frozen rolled enchiladas into a freezer safe resalable bag, and freeze together (this makes it so the enchiladas don't stick to each other.
- Freeze the enchiladas and the sauce separately so they don't get super soggy when you thaw them.
- When ready to cook, you can reheat frozen casserole of enchiladas in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F until heated though, then add the thawed enchilada sauce and continue the recipe from the instructions.
Next time you wanna try your hand at making your own enchiladas, let me know how it goes!
Shredded Chicken Enchiladas
Equipment
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
For The Shredded Chicken Enchiladas:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups enchilada sauce
- ½ tsp. sea salt, to coat the chicken
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper, to coat the chicken
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
- ½ cup Monterrey jack cheese, shredded, divided
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, divided (plus more for garnish)
- 12 6-inch corn tortillas (or cassava flour tortillas)
- optional: greek yogurt for garnish
For The Homemade Enchilada Sauce:
- 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 large tomatoes on the vine, diced
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 2 tbsp. tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
Instructions
To Make the Homemade Enchilada Sauce:
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add in the fresh tomatoes and garlic, and stir to combine. Cook for 4-6 minutes, until the tomatoes become softened.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients (tomato paste, low sodium chicken broth, chili powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, sea salt, and black pepper) into the skillet, and continue to cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Transfer to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
To Make the Shredded Chicken Enchiladas:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and add the minced garlic to the enchilada sauce in a deep skillet and heat to boiling over medium-high heat.
- Sprinkle sea salt and ground black pepper over the chicken breasts and then nestle the chicken breasts into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the sauce, set aside and let both the chicken and the sauce cool.
- Using two forks, shred the chicken breasts by holding one fork steady and slowly scraping the other fork, prongs faced backwards, away from the other fork.
- Transfer the shredded chicken to a large bowl. Add half the enchilada sauce from the pan with the chicken, half the Monterrey jack and half the cheddar cheeses and the ½ cup of cilantro to the shredded chicken. Stir to combine.
- Wrap the corn tortillas in a damp cloth or paper towel and microwave on high for 15-20 seconds until pliable and warm.
- Grease a 9-inch x 13-inch casserole dish with olive oil. Spoon about ⅓ cup of the chicken mixture along the center of a tortilla. Gently, but firmly, roll the tortilla around the filling and place into the baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle remaining cheese over the sauce. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
- Place casserole dish in the oven, uncovered, for 8-10 minutes or until the tortillas begin to turn golden and cheese is melted.
Video
Nutrition
This post contains affiliate links for the kitchen items I use regularly and highly recommend.
Beck & Bulow
This is amazing! My 10yo daughter is a picky easter, but will eat a whole breast on hey own when I cook this. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Patrick
Nice Post
Julie
Family friendly and delicious. I'm not sure if it's in the video, but I notice it's not in the recipe anymore. It used to say spray the tortillas with olive oil and put it in the oven for 5-10 minutes to slightly brown the edges of the tortillas before putting on the rest of the sauce and cheese and then baking at 400 for 8-10 minutes.
LOVE THIS RECEIPE. I've been making it for years. And I add ore cheese!
Liz
First time making enchiladas and they came out so good! Definitely will use this recipe again
Registrationwala
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Ayushi Mishra
FSSAI license mostly serves as the approval of the authority towards the restaurant which makes certain the consumers that the food of the restaurant confirms the food safety standards. FSSAI license is mainly a unique 14 digit registration number that is given towards restaurants, manufacturers, and traders which must be printed on the food packages. This upholds the consumers that they are eating at the right place which followed every of the safety food standards.
onlinedigitalsignature
A digital signature certificate is quite useful in India since digitally signed documents are accepted by various government agencies and are admissible in a court of law too. You can use digital signature certificates to e-file your income tax returns, for a Registrar of Companies e-filing, online auctions (such as e-tenders), and to sign documents such as PDFs.
onlinedigitalsignature
Nice receipe.. Now i am going to share my ideas on digital signature. A digital signature certificate is quite useful in India since digitally signed documents are accepted by various government agencies and are admissible in a court of law too. You can use digital signature certificates to e-file your income tax returns, for a Registrar of Companies e-filing, online auctions (such as e-tenders), and to sign documents such as PDFs.
Heather
I've been making this recipe since before you revised it to incorporate your homemade sauce. This is one of my family's favorite meals. With the revision, I feel even better about serving it. My husband has high blood pressure, so I aim for lower sodium meals. I omit most of the salt and there are zero complaints about lack of flavor. *chef's kiss* thank you from the bottom of my 9×13 pan. 🙂
Lacey Baier
Yay, that is SO cool! I'm so glad you have enjoyed the recipe before and after the healthy makeover!!! Thanks so much for saying hello and sharing 🙂
bijili crackers
Loved these! Followed the recipe exactly and the results were very tasty. Thanks for the recipe
Clara Jenkins
I am not the type of person who posts some reviews in online but I think I have to command for this amazing recipe. I tried a lot of enchilada recipes at home but this is the best in all. It's really amazing, I am going to make this for one more time, adding some extra cheese make this to touch each and every part of my taste buds. Thank you so much for this great recipe, I look forward for some more recipe of your creation.
John
thats yummy deffinely try this
Thanks for for sharing
Kim
This recipe has become a “regular “ with my family- it’s
Really quite easy to make- and it’s absolutely delicious.
Must save this recipe! 💙💙
Cindy Ross
Made this tonignt and it was good. Thank you for sharing the recipe! Homemade sauce was the best.
Rishi Sharma
Marvellous recipe looking scrumptious. Try!! to make it.
Kristin
I never write reviews online, but I felt I needed to comment on this fantastic recipe! I've tried many enchilada recipes at home, and they have all fallen flat. I made these last night (and am currently eating the leftovers for breakfast while I write this), and my VERY picky significant other LOVED them! I added a little more cheese than the recipe stated and threw some black olives on top as a garnish. The homemade sauce was HEAVEN! Very multifaceted flavor for such a simple recipe! It really did only take me 10 minutes to make. I look forward to making many more of your creations. Thanks so much for this awesome recipe!
Amy
These are excellent - best enchilada sauce I've made and I've tried a bunch! I cooked the whole chicken breasts in the enchilada sauce in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes at pressure with a few slices of jalapenos added in. Sped up the cooking process and was super delicious with a bit of a spicy kick.
Jess
Sadly I’m allergic to cilantro,will it be okay without it?
Jessica
You don't need the cilantro. There are people who think it tastes like soap, my sister included. So I don't make much with cilantro in it. It won't effect the flavor much. Still delicious without.
Sara
These are the best enchiladas! I grew up in Southern Cali also and I know good Mexican food....this is fantastic! My whole family loved it and I will definitely be saving this recipe for future use! Thank you for posting! I used a hand mixer to shred the chicken...works great and does it so fast! I also just line the pan with the corn tortillas put the mix in, cover it with corn tortillas and put the remaining sauce on top, top with remaining cheese and cook as directed. Perfect, easy, delicious enchilada casserole!
Ann
Best recipe on google.com - Thanks!
Sierra Higgins
Love it. So easy to make, and I just added green chili peppers to the sauce . Not a lot of them just a few because I love them. Even my picky eater ate a few bites. Victory! Really this is far to yummy and easy to make for anyone to not try.
Thank you!
From Michigan
Jenny
I tried your recipe tonight - It was very very good.
Dheepika
Your recipe looks more delicious. I got crazy, can't wait to eat it. I am going to try it tonight and I'll let you know my experience later.
Calendar
The homemade sauce was HEAVEN! Very multifaceted flavor for such a simple recipe! It really did only take me 10 minutes to make. I look forward to making many more of your creations. Thanks so much for this awesome recipe!
Krystal
Omg I just made this tonight for dinner and it was so delicious. I normally dont leave comments on websites. Your recipes is awesome
Jennifer
Did you change the recipe for the shredded chicken enchiladas? I've made these yummy enchiladas a few times and remember putting them in the oven without sauce and cheeses first, then putting sauce and cheese on and covering and putting them back in the oven.
Truman J Roughton
That’s what I thought also
Lynette
The enchilada sauce is so damn good! My boyfriend is Mexican and is very judgmental to other salsas that aren't his mom's, but he really liked this sauce! We had leftover sauce and used it on tacos the next day. Recipe is very easy to follow. I also liked that the ingredients are ones I had on hand. I often have to buy ingredients for other recipes, and those ingredients go to waste. Thank you!
Jorge
These enchiladas look really great! My girlfriend make some a few days ago and now you just made me want even more. I'm going to text her this so she sees it. Knowing her she'll drag me to the market in the next hour to get the ingredients lmao
Krystina C.
I have to thank you so much for this recipe. I used to live in California as well and i am used to very authentic Mexican food and I love spicy spicy food. Just made this dish tonight. OMG!!!!! So amazingly good. We used whole wheat tortillas, and more cheese than called for, and used a little bit of ground red peppers just for the heat. Such an easy recipe and so flavorful. The use of all of the spices saves on the amount of sodium you would get from a can. Your sauce is amazing. So thank you so much. Btw my old man doesn't do Mexican food but he went back for a third helping 😄
Maggie Unzueta
My mouth is watering. I want to eat that!
Kristen
Hi,
Could I use Roma tomatoes on the vine? I’ve got a handful of them to use and am hoping this would work
Lisa J
Question on the temp. In the recipe, you have #8 as "reduce the temp to 400". Is this accurate? See #1 .
Thanks,
Lisa
Christina
When freezing this recipe, so you do the first round of baking and then let it cool to freeze? Or freeze before baking period.
Jessica
The recipe for the enchiladas are missing! ahh! I come back here often for it but can only now find the enchilada sauce recipe. Please bring back the actual enchilada recipe. Thanks!
Lacey Baier
Yikes!!! Thanks for pointing this out. I fixed the problem and replaced the enchilada recipe portion so it's back up now!
L
I make these all of the time & unless it’s my a Margarita,
this seems different to me for some reason. What changed??
Andrea everett
You say once you roll the enchiladas to then turn the oven down to 400? Wasn't it at 400 to begin but with or am I missing something? Gonna make today will let you know sounds like a great tasty receive.
Shams
Yum, yum, yum! I had tons of shredded chicken left over from something, and this was fantastic. After we finished eating, my husband said that was the most satisfying meal he’s had in a long time…Maybe because I haven’t really cooked in awhile, but it was so good! We had it with a Bajio knock-off recipe for the sweet cilantro rice and it was delicious!
cockbrand
Just wanted to thank you for this fantastic recipe! I made them about a month ago and we loved them. I’m bringing a meal to another family this week and I just searched your site to find out how to make them again. They were easy and delicious! Thanks again!
Deb
I made these for a pot luck and they were scrumptious! I went back for seconds and the dish was scraped empty! It was easy and so worth it to make the sauce from scratch. Thank you so much for this recipe. I will definitely be making these enchiladas many times again.
Billy
I love that you made the sauce at home instead of buying it out of a can! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I can't wait to make my own homemade enchiladas at home. Thanks!
Coleen
Best enchiladas I've ever made and I worked in a Mexican restaurant for seventeen years. I used a blended corn and flour tortilla. Thanks for the recipe.
Erin
Your instructions have changed since I made this last time. The oven temp is now the same for both times in the oven. Before the temp was higher the first go around. Can you change it back?
Thanks for posting the homemade enchilada sauce. I haven’t made it yet but sounds great.
Chelsea
Thanks for the recipe. My first time making enchiladas and they were a hit 🙂
Katherine
Love this recipe! Quick question: recipe says to preheat oven to 400, and the later in the instructions it says to reduce oven to 400?
Jen
I've never made corn tortilla enchiladas - these lookg great! Thinking of making them for a GF dinner I'm hosting, but wondering if I leave off the enchilada sauce until baking, can I prepare them the night ahead? I worry about dipping the tortillas in encilada sauce making them fall apart. Thanks for any advice! Can't wait to try.
Donna R Hughes
I can't wait to try this one. I am so happy I found your site because you really do have a lot of good and healthy recipes. Sometimes it's hard for me to choose.
Matt
We love this recipe! A couple of slight modifications and it was amazing. Sautéed some onions first with a little garlic. Then added some heat - 2 Serrano and 1 jalapeño chopped with seeds. Then instead of enchilada sauce I used one full bottle of Jardine’s roasted tomatillo salsa, plus maybe a quarter cup of water to thin it down a bit. Once boiling added the chicken and pretty much followed the recipe exactly. Just used the 4-cheese Mexican Sargento cheese to simplify. Will be making this regularly now! Perfection.
Lacey Baier
YES! Love the changes you've made here - thanks for sharing 🙂
Jan C
Tried this for dinner last night. Delicious!
Lacey Baier
woot woot! xoxo
Liz
Super yummy! Best enchiladas ever! I just added lime juice. Doubled the recipe. Yay for leftovers! 😊
Lacey Baier
Lime is ALWAYS a good idea! 🙂
Lisa
Loved this recipe! Didn't even bother to salt and pepper the chicken, the enchilada sauce and cheese gave it plenty of seasoning without the additional sodium. Added a can of stewed tomatoes to the enchilada sauce. Really loved the idea of basically poaching the chicken in the sauce, it really absorbed a lot of flavor.
Lacey Baier
Yay, so glad you enjoyed the recipe - thanks for sharing how it went 🙂
Robert
Dip the tort into sauce, then fry quickly in a little oil...adds a authentic touch
Lacey Baier
Thanks for sharing your tips!!
Joyce
THIS DISH IS WONDERFUL,,,MADE TONIGHT,,,,,,, MANY STEPS BUT WORTH IT.....WILL MAKE AGAIN AND AGAIN,,,,THANK YOU FLO
Lacey Baier
Woot! All caps - LOVE IT 🙂
Fern
This is a very good recipe. I didn't have cilantro, so just omitted it. I forgot to add 1/2 the cheese to the chicken and didn't realize it until it was almost cooked so I threw it all on top to melt. Still very tasty. I did also add a 1/2 can of pinto beans. I would make this again. Thank you for sharing.
Lacey Baier
Thanks for letting me know how it went - so glad you enjoyed it!
Fran
Excellent quick dinner recipe. I added fresh sweet corn to the mix. Instead of frying or microwaving the tortillas, I dipped the tortilla into the sauce before filling and rolling- worked great, no cracks; tortilla remained moist. Everyone loved the dish, served with rice and black beans.
Jasmin
This recipe was 👌🏾
Sautéed the garlic and about a quarter teaspoon of diced green chilies in some olive oil before adding a touch of chicken broth, and then the enchilada sauce. I love garlic so I trippled the amount. The fresh chilies gave the meal a nice hint of spice without being too overpowering.
Overall, very easy Sunday dinner paired with some homemade Mexican rice. I'll definitely make this one again!
nanoo
Good post. I definitely love this website. Continue the good work!
Christy
This is a family favorite! Got a quick solution for shredding the chicken! If you have one use kitchen aid mixer with paddle attachment and mix up the cooked chicken. Shreds like a charm!
Courtney
My husband could not quit saying how much he loved this recipe. I don't usually like enchiladas but even I loved it...so much so I sent the link to my sister for her to try it too. Could this be made into a freezer meal?
Sherilsl
Yes you can. We do it all the time. We double the recipe. Once its cool we top with heavy duty tin foil and freeze. When you're ready to eat them you let them thaw out a little bit and then cook as normal.
Christina
Do you do the first round of baking before freezing?
jonna
This was delicious. Especially with the cilantro. It gives it so much flavor!
Larry
Checked a bunch of recipes, your sounds the best. Let you know how it comes out. Liked your video.
Thx.
Teresa
I made these for a family gathering and they were a big hit. I made little change in the recipe. I did add canned green chiles to the filling. I bought a rotisserie chicken, removed the meat, shredded it and then added it to the enchilada sauce with garlic that had been brought to a boil in a sauce pan. I turned down the heat to low and let the meat simmer in the sauce for 15 minutes. Then drained off the sauce for use at the end of the recipe. Mixing in the dark meat gave extra flavor as did simmering in the sauce
Samantha
Found your blog and made these tonight as my mother wasn't feeling well and loves enchiladas. My father is a bit harder to please but he cleaned his plate so I will say that these were definitely a success! Thank you so much for the delicious recipe!
Debra Powell
This sounds amazing! I am making them for dinner tonight. I don't have cilantro so I guess it will have to wait til next time. Also, I'm using chicken tenders. Thanks for the recipe!
carol
Used only what was in the house...............already cooked shredded chicken, flour tortillas, no cilantro.
Lightly browned the garlic. I tossed chicken around in the pepper, salt, sauce etc and simmered a few minutes.
Five minutes before the end of baking I threw on some sliced olives.
One criticism would be maybe to cut to the chase a bit quicker, I almost starved to death getting to the recipe instructions......but for all the differences it tasted pretty good. Quick and simple.
Joanne
I had never made Mexican food before but my daughter was begging me to try it. I'm a pretty finicky eater and it took a while to find a recipe that didn't have anything in it I didn't like. I found this recipe and made it the other night and it was AMAZING! It's very easy and tastes delicious. I have to admit I used a lot more cheese than it said because we are definitely cheese lovers. I highly recommend this recipe if you've never made enchiladas before...and even if you have, try this one. Thanks for posting!
Doug W
Great recipe. I've made it probably 5 or 6 times. It's perfect as is, but I use green enchilada sauce and add a small can of green chiles to the sauce.
j
could I make these with leftover rotisserue chicken? would I just shred the chicken and warm up the chicken with sauce? thanks!
Sean
Delicious looking dish! I'll make it for sure! Lacey, I do mean this as a compliment but you have a very strong Julia Roberts resemblance to me. Thank you for the recipe
Sean
Meagan
Loveddddd this! Made it last night for my family, my kids even ate it. It was a little time consuming with having to fry the tortillas but that is the first time I have ever made enchiladas like that and it came out amazing. Next tine I wont fry the tortillas as long, they were pretty crunchy on the bottom, hard for my littles to cut.
Debra Powell
This sounds amazing! I am making them for dinner tonight. I don't have cilantro so I guess it will have to wait til next time. Also, I'm using chicken tenders. Thanks for the recipe! Thanks for the heads up, Meagan!
Kira
Have you tried this recipe in a slow cooker? If so is there any variations to the recipe other then cook time? I would love to try this tomorrow for dinner! I have been craving some Chicken Enchiladas!
Deborah
I do not even understand how I finished up here, however
I thought this submit was good. I do not understand who you are however definitely you're going to a well-known blogger if
you happen to aren't already. Cheers!
Sara
This recipe rocks! Thank you so much for sharing it with us all. 🙂 It's very simple, quick, and pretty healthy. It's also a very nice looking dish! So much flavor, and great textures. I used less cheese, and it was still wonderful. I'll be using your awesome recipe often! Thanks again.
Katie
Made these tonight and they were delicious! However, the bottoms of the enchiladas got very tough and rubbery. Not sure what I did wrong ... I did spray the bottom. We just scraped off the filling and tops and ate it. Everyone loved them!
Lacey Baier
Interesting- I haven't had that issue before. Was the casserole dish placed in the center of the oven, or closer to the bottom that may have overcooked that part?
Janice
My tortillas got tough as well, hard to cut. Still tasty...I lightly fried my corn tortillas.
Jalapeno Business
Google brought me here.
Cooking comes very natural and easy for me. Peculiarly, I've never, ever had enchiladas before and set out to make it.
Because my mate and I love all things ghost pepper spicy, I dropped a couple of those, as well as a couple each of serrano and habanero peppers into the sauce to simmer with the chicken. I also added some sort of spicy adobo chili paste thing of which the name escapes me.
I didn't follow the baking procedure until after the fact. I just poured the sauce and added the cheese, covered and baked and the tortillas were actually soft and not crispy, which was a relief.
5/5 will make this my go-to.
Thank you for sharing this scrummy recipe!
Lacey Baier
Awesome, I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
emilyd
My mom is Mexican and she heats and softens her corn tortillas directly on the flame of the gas burner before dipping the tortillas in sauce and then rolling up the filling inside.
This stops the tortillas from cracking, and is a low fat alternative to frying, and a low energy alternative to microwaving. Also, microwaved tortillas stiffen up even more if you don't roll them immediately and they cool.
Lacey Baier
Thanks so much for that info!! 🙂 Very useful.
Valerie
Are there prep/freeze ahead instructions. I want to make it Sunday and then throw it in the oven after work one night. Think it would still be okay?
Lacey Baier
Valerie, you can certainly make ahead and freeze, but the tortillas will break down a bit more than if cooked right away. To avoid this, if you wish, you could top the enchiladas with the cheese and sauce until ready to bake. But, either way, it'll still be a tasty dinner 🙂
chef aicha
Thank you for your efforts I'll try this recipe
Lacey Baier
Enjoy, chef!
Christine
Lacey,
I love this recipe! It's one of my go-to's! However, I would like to switch it up and use the Las Palmas Green Chile Enchilada Sauce, instead of a red enchilada sauce. Would I follow all of the same steps?
Thanks,
CHRISTINE in Colorado
Lacey Baier
That sounds like a good plan, Christine! Will you let me know how it turns out? 🙂
Trey
Made these tonight. Came out delicious ! super easy. thanks for sharing 🙂
Lacey Baier
Yay! You're very welcome- thanks for the feedback 🙂
Chelsea
I'm new at cooking but i made this exactly like your recipe. me & my boyfriend loved it! he kept begging me to make it again basically right after i cooked it! which makes me feel so good that he loved my cooking so much, all thanks to you & your recipe! making them again tonight & we are so excited!
Lacey Baier
Wow, that makes me SO happy to hear, Chelsea. Congrats on cooking a great meal and I am so glad you both enjoyed it so much 🙂
Amber
I made this and it was DELICIOUS! Best enchiladas EVER! I used Old El Paso enchilada sauce. And I added extra cheese and I only put it in the oven at 375 for 20 minutes total. I used the big size burrito shells and they worked perfect! This was great!
Lacey Baier
YAY! Thanks for the feedback, Amber. I'm so glad you enjoyed the enchiladas and that the changes you made turned out so nicely 🙂
Roxanne
Love this recipe. Very easy and tasty. The first time I made it I only had a small can of enchilada sauce, it was still good but we had to add salsa because there wasn't enough sauce. Now trying it tonight with the big can of enchilada sauce (pictured above) and my husband and I can't wait to eat it during the Super Bowl! Don't have sour cream (because we are watching calories and pennies)
Lacey Baier
Those blasted calories and pennies! lol. I'm so glad you enjoy these enchiladas, Roxanne - perfect SuperBowl food!
Elvira
We use plain Greek yogurt to get the creamy taste of sour cream! Try it
Lacey Baier
Ooooh, good idea 🙂
Roxanne
Love this recipe. Very easy and tasty. The first time I made it I only had a small can of enchilada sauce, it was still good but we had to add salsa because there wasn't enough sauce. Now trying it tonight with the big can of enchilada sauce (pictured above) and my husband and I can't wait to eat it during the Super Bowl! Don't have sour cream (because we are watching calories and pennies)
Lacey Baier
Thanks for the feedback, Roxanne. So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Tim Aupperle
I came across your recipe this morning; when I had some chicken breast that needed to be cooked. I read your blog and watched your video. I did as you did with the tortillas and fried them a little bit in some oil; they held together perfectly. I made about 40 of them and they all came out perfectly; the kids and wife loved them!
Thank you,
Lacey Baier
AWESOME. Thanks for sharing how it went, Tim!
Lian
I made these for my husband (a chef) and myself last night and we really liked them! I didn't fry the tortillas--just microwaved them in a plastic bag with a few drops of water for 45 seconds and they were very easy to use. I was clearing out the pantry and needed to use some red enchilada sauce, and this recipe is exactly what I was looking for! This is a very easy, tasty recipe! Thank you!
Lacey Baier
Yay! So glad you two enjoyed the recipe, Lian. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Patrice
I made these tonight for my family and they loved them. Thank you for sharing your gift of cooking with others. When I get the thumbs up we can have it again, I love it.
Lacey Baier
Yay! This comment makes me so happy, Patrice 🙂 thank you for sharing. So glad you all enjoy this recipe 🙂
I_Fortuna
Traditional Mexican enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. If you use flour, it is called a wet burrito. We always use corn tortilla as it is traditional.
I make our own homemade enchilada sauce. If you make your own you will never go back to canned. Canned enchilada sauce was invented by corporations many years ago to satisfy a certain type of palette of those who were not able to make their own. Most traditional Mexican cooks never use tomatoes which are found in canned sauces. Some celebrity chefs still add tomatoes much to my chagrin : )
Tomatoes are usually reserved for salsa and pico de gallo. Many people like to use them in their tortilla soup and albondigas soup, but even that is rare.
All you need are several Tbs. of mild chile powder (and little hot chile powder to taste), equal parts masa or white flour, oil, onion, broth or water, oregano, and cumin. Saute the onion in the oil and add the spices to make a roux. Each cook has her or his special other traditional additions that sets theirs apart and these recipes are handed down and kept secret. Hubby still does not know my recipe. The red color is from the chile not tomatoes. If you like the kind of enchiladas you get in the restaurant (especially in California and parts of Mexico) this is how it is made.
Because in our small Texas town you cannot get good Mexican food, I have to make it at home. We and other Mexican families in town do not like Tex/Mex food. It is not a Mexican invention. (No offense).
However, that said, I have found that many people, including Mexicans, do not know what carnitas (pork) is. This blows my mind. These are the only kind of tacos we make and top them with pico de gallo.
Our enchiladas are always cheese with a special surprise in the middle.
Southern Mexican food, that is food closest to the Caribbean not the deep South of the U.S., is very different and they use black beans instead of pinto beans and oranges and orange juice in a lot of their cooking.
New Mexican food (from New Mexico, not necessarily from young "new" Mexicans) is also extremely different and superbly delicious. Most of the time when you order enchiladas they come to you flat (corn tortillas), covered with New Mexican enchilada sauce (hot) and the optional fried egg or two.
New Mexican chile is made the same as my homemde only with chiles from New Mexico.
If you decide to make your own enchilada sauce using whole chiles they must be reconstituted as you will get them dried. Once reconstituted, you must discard the stems and seeds and scrape out the pulp or grind the whole chile, minus the stem, in your food processor. A real pain.
It is enough work at my age to just make my sauce homemade along with all the other dishes that have to be prepared like Mexican rice, tacos, chile rellenos, and tamales.
O.K. We good now? Vaya Con Dios!
Lacey Baier
You definitely get the award for longest comment! Lol. Wow, lots of good info here. Thank you for sharing. I am with you on preferring Mexican food to Tex-Mex. Thanks again!
Jay
I liked cooking the chicken right in the sauce, virtually no mess to clean up. I sautéed onion and jalapeño to add spice. Came out great!
Lacey Baier
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it, Jay! I like the idea is adding the onion and jalapeño. Thanks for sharing!
Greg
It looks like you use 2 cans of enchilada sauce. In the video it looks like a lot more was added than was in my 1 can! 1 - for cooking chicken, 1/2 can for inside mix and 1/2 can for topping. Correct?
Lacey Baier
Greg, I promise I only use 1 can (total) of the enchilada sauce. Lol. I use the entire can to cook the chicken, then split that "cooked" sauce between the mix and topping. 🙂
Jim Kane
This has become my new favorite enchilada recipe! I do add a little cumin to the chicken mixture because I really like the flavor. Must serve with sour cream!! 🙂
Lacey Baier
I love the idea of adding cumin! And I'm sooooo in agreement about the sour cream 🙂
Steph
This is a wonderful recipe! We get sick of fajitas and tacos. This was a nice change up! This is the second time I'm making this recipe.....I have to print it off now for my recipe binder!
Lacey Baier
Woohoo!!! Made it to the recipe binder 🙂
Ariel
I plan on using chili sauce instead of enchilada sauce. The problem I face is, you say to cook the chicken in the sauce, then use the sauce afterwards. Isn't that a problem with the raw chicken? Can not wait to try this!
Lacey Baier
Hi Ariel - the chicken fully cooks in the sauce so it's just as safe to eat as the chicken. 🙂
Jessica Hernandez
I made these for dinner two weeks ago and my husband and I LOVED them. While we were eating, I came to the realization that we could just make the mixture and put over chips with lettuce and avocado for "chicken enchilada nachos!" 🙂
We are going to have them for dinner tonight. THANKS
PS: I loved your video with the outtakes.. haha!
Lacey Baier
Yay! I'm so glad you guys enjoyed the enchiladas! And the outtakes 😉
That's a great idea about the nachos! Yum!
Kelly Thomas
I just received high fives from my family after making these for dinner tonight! They are my new favorite enchiladas by far. I did use flour tortillas instead of corn because I just don't care for the taste of corn tortillas. They turned out simply perfect. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Lacey Baier
Yay for high fives!! That is so awesome, Kelly. Thanks for sharing and I'm very happy your whole family enjoyed them 🙂
Sally
What stage do you freeze them, when they are cooked?
Lacey Baier
Yes, right before the step to add the sauce and cheese. Then, when ready, I defrost and start back right at that step.
shirley elizabeth
I used your method to make enchiladas lady week and, after one bite, my husband said to never make any other kind of enchiladas again. So for Mexican night this week I am once again making your enchiladas.
Lacey Baier
Yay! Shirley, you made me smile with this comment 🙂 I'm so glad you guys like the enchiladas.
bubie chavala
well, i'm about to try this for the first time......for a potluck party. decided on 1/2 the cheese (because i don't love cheese) and 9 boneless skinless thighs. I am planning on making it until the step where you add the rest of the mixture and lightly cover with foil. Then I'm cooling/freezing it until we get to the cottage where i will thaw, bring to room temperature, add the rest of the sauce and cheese and cross my fingers. I'll report on the success - but only if its a hit.
Lacey Baier
Good luck!
Ashley
Made this last night and mine were very crispy! I used larger flour tortillas instead.
Lacey Baier
Hi Ashley! Thanks for the feedback. Crispy good or crispy bad? 😉
Lisa Yelichek
Hi Lacey -
I'm wanting to make this dish for a friend who is a bit bedridden with a tricky pregnancy. She's been getting several meals so I was thinking about letting this be a freezer meal for her husband to just pull out. What do you think - will this freeze well?
Thanks!
Lacey Baier
Hi Lisa! That's so nice of you. Yep, I've frozen this meal quite a lot and it turns out well. It might resemble a bit more of a casserole when defrosted and baked, but it still is really tasty. I wish the best of luck to your friend.
Barb Edgecomb
I can help you solve the dilemma with your corn tortillas falling apart when making Enchilada's. I had the same problem until a couple of my Hispanic friends showed me what I was doing wrong. You fry the corn tortillas in canola or vegetable oil as if you were making tacos only don't fry them to the point they are crispy; just to where they are cooked but pliable. You'll be able to determine when it's the right time to take them out after frying a couple of shells. I place them on paper towels to drain after frying them and cover the rest with paper towels as I make the Enchilada's. You'll see the difference. Enjoy!
Lacey Baier
Thanks, Barb!
Janie
Living in Texas I eat a lot of Mexican food, but I'm still trying to find a favorite recipe to cook at home. I'll definitely have to try this one out!
Lacey Baier
Hi Janie! I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Tracy
I have made these enchiladas three times now and they are to die for. We usually use 2 cups of sharp cheddar cheese instead of a mix of the two though. And we use two cans of enchilada sauce instead of one. So tasty! In fact, a batch are in the oven right now!
Lacey Baier
Good to know your variation on the recipe, Tracy. Thanks for sharing. I'm so glad you enjoy the recipe 🙂
Laura
I also wanted to mention that if you warm them just before you put in the filling, you will not have to spray them. And if you put a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of baking dish before you put the enchiladas in, they will not dry out...good luck.
Lacey Baier
Thanks, Laura, those are some great tips 🙂
Laura
I make them with corn tortillas all of the time...to keep them from falling apart, just warm them up. You can use a dry skillet at low-medium heat. Let it get warm and place one tortilla in...turn it every couple of seconds to keep from burning. You will know they are warm enough when they start to bubble up...and remember, you only need them warm so the are flexible
Lacey Baier
Thanks so much for that information, Laura!
Kate
Found your recipe on pinterest and tried it last night. They were delicious- will absolutely be making these again!!
Lacey Baier
Yay! LOVE hearing that, Kate. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Amy
These look great, although I do not like cilantro. For the enchiladas I make I leave the sauce warm and wisk in a tablespoon of oil, then soak the corn tortillas in for a few seconds then fill. It is a bit messy but I have never had a problem with my tortillas breaking apart.
Lacey Baier
Hey Amy - thanks for the advice. I'm not a huge fan of cilantro myself but I find this recipe is just the right amount for me 🙂
Lindsay
These are in the oven right now! I read through the comments and it seems like a lot have problems with their tortillas cracking. I'm using the uncooked tortillas from costco and before I made the dish I just slightly cooked them on a oiled pan. They have a few minutes to go but look great! - no cracking! plus I love flour tortillas more than corn. Great recipe and I will see how it tastes soon!
Lacey Baier
Great idea, Lindsay. I'd love to know how they turned out.
mary
This is a wonderful, foolproof recipe! I added 1 cup diced white onion and 1/2 jalapeno minced, lightly sautéed to the chicken mix (for extra heat and crunch). I'll be saving this recipe, it hit the spot! Thank you!
Lacey Baier
You're so welcome, Mary! Thanks for sharing your version as well.
Wendy
I have tears of joy in my eyes! First time in forever that my whole family ate the same thing and proclaimed it really, really good! Thank you!!!
Lacey Baier
That is SO cool, Wendy. I'm so glad this recipe was a hit!
Dana
Used 8" corn tortillas and heated them . Used non stick cooking spray in my nonstick pan and heated each side of the tortilla for 20 seconds. They did not break apart. This was my first attempt ever at making enchiladas. We loved them. This will be a new recipe to make again!
Lacey Baier
Awesome, Dana. Thanks for sharing!
Kim
Best enchiladas I have ever had! I used corn & wheat tortillas from trader joes following this recipe exactly (microwaved tortillas did not fry them) and they did not break or fall apart. Turned out perfectly!
Lacey Baier
Yay! Music to my ears, Kim 🙂
E in Tx
Made these with the leftover Christmas turkey. Best enchiladas I have ever made. Followed directions exactly with the exceptions of using shredded turkey and my homemade enchilada sauce. Took the advice of frying the tortillas in a little oil and had no breakage. Will definitely be making these again and again and again. Thanks for sharing.
Lacey Baier
I never would have thought to use turkey. Thanks for sharing 🙂 I'm glad you enjoyed the enchiladas.
Amanda
I wish I had read the comments BEFORE I made these.. I made 2 batches (1 for dinner tomorrow night and 1 for a friend of mine who just had a baby). I went through an entire bag of shells because they kept ripping or breaking. Even when I thought I finally got it figured out, they started breaking in the pan.. BAH! So they won't look pretty whatsoever but hopefully they taste good enough to make the hassle worth it!
Lacey Baier
Ugh, sorry about that Amanda. I hope you still enjoyed them.
Michelle
Made these using a pork roast instead of chicken. Turned out great!
Lacey Baier
Yummy!
TexMex
This is another Todo recipe for rotisserie chicken. I substitute one can of enchilada sauce w a can of chicken or beef gravy. Serve w sliced jalapenos and dollop of sour cream.
Lisa in Texas
If you dip the tortillas in enchilada sauce, I find them to be more "pliable". I've added a little row of cream cheese to bottom of tortilla for a little more taste. And I usually put some sauce (the packaged kind is pretty good too!) in the bottom of the pan first to keep them from sticking - even tho you use the spray.
Jason
To solve your breaking tortilla problem, before you roll them up submerge them in chicken broth.
Me,
Tried this tonight and loved it! We did fry the tortillas before hand though!
Lauren
I used the whole wheat tortillas from Costco. They hold up better against the sauce and baking.
Sarah
Very yummy!! I used flour tortillas instead of corn. Delicious 🙂
Jordyn
Another issue you may be having is you may be getting the tortillas to full. Little water, or like mentioned before, lightly fried, should work better for you.
Marcos
I agree with Wendy, you need to quickly fry the tortillas one at a time in hot oil, not deep fry hot, just hot enough to not soak too much into the tortilla. This will keep them pliable enough for you to work with them and roll them up without breaking. Another thing you can do is make it as a casserole layering the tortillas, chicken, sauce, cheese, etc.
Lacey Baier
Great advice, Marcos. Thanks!
Eri
I made these for dinner and they were yummy! My hubs had three helpings! Love the idea of poaching the chicken in the enchilada sauce. We added roasted green chilies into the filling. Thanks for the recipe...Muy Delicioso!
Lacey Baier
🙂 Gracias!
Wendy
Corn tortillas slightly fried (10seconds). Hold up and taste good too! I am going to try this recipe next week
Lacey Baier
Awesome - I hope you enjoyed them.
Tara
I've been looking for weeks for an amazing enchilada recipe, none of them sounded good until I stumbled upon this site this morning. I just finished eating them and OH MY GOSH! Absolutely AMAZING! For having pretty much no seasoning, I couldn't believe how much flavor they had! The only things I changed were I added sliced olives, green chilis, and diced jalapenos. WONDERFUL! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Lacey Baier
You're so very welcome, Tara! I am glad you enjoyed them.
Kathy
I have found that the tortillas that are in the refrigerator section of the store that you have to brown on a dry skillet. I have used both the flour and corn varieties of these and they are good. Costco has the best price on the flour ones. I haven't seen the corn ones there though.
Lacey Baier
Good to know!
Emily
I made these the other day for my roommates and I. Four of us ate the entire pan! I sauteed onions and yellow and orange peppers and put that in the chicken mix as well. Also I put refried beans in them as I was rolling them up. This was probably one of the best meals ever!
Lacey Baier
That's so awesome!
Krista
Just made these tonight and they were fantastic!!!! No problems with the tortillas at all 🙂 only thing I wish I could change would be that they were SO spicy! I even. Ought the mild
Lacey Baier
That's so strange - I'm sorry they turned out so spicy :/
Mary Linton
These were delicious! I made minor modifications to suit the ingredients I had on hand, but basically followed your recipe. Both my kids and my husband loved them. Gracias! And welcome to Austin. 🙂
Lacey Baier
You're very welcome. And thank you!
Amy
I don't mircowave tortillas I use small pan grill skillet to warm them up
Lacey Baier
Great to know. Thanks!
Vanesa
I will be tri this soon but will have to usse flour tortella no my son allergic to corn. This will be my las time tri to make chickn enchilladas, no my las 2 tri didnt work.
Lisa
I made this recipe for dinner tonight...they all LOVED it! No leftovers! I used flour tortillas instead of corn and they held up beautifully and were nice and crunchy on top. I will definetly be adding this to our menu!
Lacey Baier
Perfect! 🙂
Sara
I really enjoyed cooking the chicken in a homemade sauce! I'm surprised others have a problem with tortillas falling apart as I never have. Corn tortillas sound great, but I've always used flour tort. I lightly coat a metal pan with olive oil and they come right out. A friend puts a little enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan then continues to assemble and top her dish. I rarely use glass casserole pans, but they seem to stick and be stubborn. awesome awesome site!
Lacey Baier
Thanks for your feedback, Sara!
Joni
I just made these for the first time and even my no spice girl liked them. I also used the green enchilada sauce and it was really good. I only bought one 10 oz. can, next time I will use two cans so they aren't so dry. I could only find small corn tortillas, so I was able to make 14 and still had chicken left over. I plan to buy more enchilada sauce and finish making them tomorrow. We will definatley make this recipe again.
Lacey Baier
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Joni!
Amy
Looking forward to making this
Sharmane Miller
This dish was soooo good! It was a HUGE hit at my house!--and that's saying a lot...my family loves Mexican food but it has to be "authentic". This dish passed the test! Thanks so much for sharing!!! 🙂
Lacey Baier
That is so awesome, Sharmane. 🙂
Mandy
Have you tried pan frying your corn tortillas before baking and assembling them? It helps keep the tortillas from turning soft and to mush.
Nina Christina
This was actually the first time I made enchiladas, and although I varied this recipe a little, they were SO good!
Being the weekend before 4th of July, and rushing in the grocery store last minute, there was not a nare chicken breast to be found. I knew I had a couple cans of chicken at home, so I used those. (After using them once, I'd use them again! They made perfect "shredded" chicken!)
We aren't a fan of red enchilada sauce in this house, so we used green. And the green was perfect! And I only got one 10oz can and stirred it in with the garlic and chicken and cheese to warm.
After I filled my tortillas, I put them in the oven for about 10 minutes, took them out, and put more shredded cheese on top, and topped them off with a decent amount of white cheese dip I found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store by the sour cream and other cheeses. I covered, turned the heat down a bit, and took out about 10-15 minutes later.
I served with refried beans and a Mexican rice mix that I added corn too. Hubs put a home made salsa on top of his enchiladas for some extra spice, and I topped mine with sliced avocado.
This dish was so good, easy, and inexpensive. Thank you so much for the inspiration!
Lacey Baier
Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂
Ana
The recipe looks awesome!!! For sure will try it soon. Instead of browning tortillas in oil like other posts say, try blanching them in a pan with hot oil and then pass through sauce, just to give them a thin coating. This will prevent all of your tortillas from falling appart, specially if they are not freshly out of the comal prior to rolling or folding.
Lacey Baier
Will def try this. Thanks!
Alice
Cooking the same way with green chile enchilada sauce is also delicious (I use chicken thighs). Just add a dab of sour cream and monterey jack cheese to each tortilla. You can also just layer it: tortillas, chicken, mj cheese, sour cream and repeat.
Tammi
Love this recipe. Simple but tastes amazing, I have to say my family and I like spicy things so I added Chopped Jalapeno's to the mixed and it was awesome. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
chelsea
i always slightly fry my tortillas in a small amount of olive oil and let them cool before i put the filling in. yes, it is adding a little bit of unnessesary fat. but, they hold together and roll nicer.
Lacey Baier
Unnecessary fat doesn't make it not tasty 😉
Melissa
I love the way you cook the chicken in the sauce. I would have never thought of that. I am an amature mexican cook but love trying it all the same. I do add sourcream and diced ortega chili peppers to my shredded chicken mixture and it gives it a creamy texture. I'm going to use your receipe for Cinco de Mayo this weekend!! Thanks.
Lacey Baier
You're very welcome 🙂
Maggie courtis
I've always had 2 frying pans going - am electric one with oil in it and another with warmed enchilada sauce. Dip the tortilla in the hot oil, lift it out and drain it, then dip it in the sauce. Now they're ready to roll!
Lacey Baier
Thanks, Maggie!
Kristi
I made this the first time using leftover rotisserie chicken because I was too scared I would messup on actually cooking the chicken breast... but I got to say I am so glad I tried it this time. The chicken breasts become so moist and flavorful in the enchilada sauce! I guess I shouldn't knock it until I try it haha.. AWESOME RECIPE.. added frozen corn and it was amazingggggggggggggg :]
Lacey Baier
Yay!
Jessica
Just tried this receipe tonight and my husband, who typically doesn't even attempt anything more "south of the border" than Taco Bell at home dinner kits, actually polished off three before I had a chance to serve everyone else! I couldn't find the sauce that you used so I went with a Chi Chi's mild - and it was still too spicy for my taste. Is there a brand that is less than mild? Or a way to make a mild brand milder??
Lacey Baier
Hi Jessica, I'm not too familiar with all the different sauces. I hope you found what you were looking for.
Beth Cressaty
Love your enchilada recipe. I have had good success with my tortillas not breaking by first dipping them into a hot skillet of the enchilada sauce, then filling them and rolling them up. Seems to work for me! Beth
Lacey Baier
Thanks, Beth! I appreciate your suggestion!
Julie M
Please don't use flour tortillas -- corn is the only way to go.
Great recipe -- though I do the dip in oil or sauce to keep it from from cracking when you roll it up. Delish & Easy!
Vanesa
When you have a child allergic to corn you have to use flour.
Lacey Baier
Thanks, Julie!
Sommer Emery
I agree with some of the others...the trick with the tortillas is frying them first and then spreading with some sauce before filling. I know, I know, not the healthiest, but it tastes the best. I have tried several versions (all attempting to be healthier and I have found that I just have to stick with frying them). I don't fry things often, so I really don't feel too guilty about it. 🙂 And, if it makes you feel better, I also use the canned enchilada sauce. Like you, I attempted to make my own...not worth the hassle, and I actually like the canned sauce better! Your version looks pretty similar to mine, a few tweaks here and there, but pretty much the same, so I know they are delicious!
Lacey Baier
🙂
Jackie
Wow these were really good. I was skeptical about the chicken cooking in the skillet in 20 minutes, but it did! We used 2 chicken breasts and only filled 6 tortilla's (Azteca flour tortillas). I also used significantly less cilantro than the recipe calls for (because I don't really like it...too strong). I also used the 3 cheese cheddar from Kraft & this California Mission Jack w/Jalapeno Romano cheese from whole foods (best cheese ever...it comes in a block). I did not have any issues with the tortilla's breaking while filling (I just put them in the microwave). I brushed the tortillas with olive oil before I put the rolls in the oven & also after before I poured the sauce & cheese.
Sooooo good and I am a SUPER picky eater!!!
Lacey Baier
Yay!
Mariela
Made this last night for dinner and it came out amazing! In fact, my picky dad came over to eat and ate almost half the dish! Barely enough for my husband and for his lunch. It was absolutely delicious and to have the tortillas not break, i just warmed them on stove a bit and added some sauce on a plate lightly before rolling.
Lacey Baier
That's so cool, Mariela. Thanks for sharing.
Elyse
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/ten-minute-enchilada-sauce/
This is a ten minute super easy, one pan enchilada sauce. My mom used to always use the same brand you use in this recipe. Then one day we were out so we tried this one and it is delicious. Thought you might want to try it sometime. I am definitely going to try your recipe, looks delicious!
Lacey Baier
Thanks, Elyse! One pan recipes are the best!
Shannon
As a busy mom of 3 and a full time teacher, I make this alot. But, I make mine in the crockpot. I cook on low all day while at work turn off and let cool then the chicken tears effortlessly. I use 1/2 breast per enchilada and my family prefers flour shells. Super easy weekday dinner paired with saffron rice and retried beans.
Lacey Baier
Wow, how interesting. I would have never thought to use a crock pot.
jen
Well I was taught to dip the corn tortia in a pan of hot enchilada sauce and then add the filling and roll up. Maybe add less sauce to the shredded chicken so the end result is the same...
Lacey Baier
Thanks, Jen!
Nikki
we made these with corn tortillas from giant eagle..never fell apart!! : ) great recipe!! this is our second time making them! : )
Kimberly Van Sistine
Did you know that you can take your cooked chicken, put it in your mixer and within seconds your chicken will be shredded??? I never thought it was possible, but I put the paddle attachment on and it was super fast!!! Just thought I would share!!! Smiles!!
Lacey Baier
Good to know!
Melissa
These sound great! Instead of microwaving them - I have a suggestion to keep the the tortillas from breaking and to avoid the cooking step where you pre-bake the filled enchiladas before adding the sauce to them.
Heat a pan on medium with a little olive oil. Place one tortilla in at a time and lightly fry it. Just until it starts to puff up. Flip it and fry it again just until it starts to puff -- Remove and repeat with the rest of your corn tortillas. Let them cool a little and then fill them as usual.
Bob
Your tortillas look like flour tortillas. Am I missing something?
Lacey Baier
Nope, I used corn tortillas.
Vilma Lawrence
This sounds soooo good and easy! Can't wait to try it!
Wendy Robbins
I spray my corn tortillas with "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray", then I cover them tightly with plastic wrap and microwave for about 30-45 seconds. They rarely tear or fall apart. Give it a try and see what you think! Wendy
Nicole
I made these tonight and they are very good. It was so simple to make too! The only thing I didn't do was add salt to the chicken, just pepper.. and though the flavor is great, they taste very salty to me and I normally don't mind salt. I used a different sauce then the one you used, could that be the problem? I'm not sure what to do to make them less salty because I would love to make these again.
Laura Aguilera
My husband and I have been making enchiladas for years and we love your idea of cooking the chicken in sauce! Neither one of our Mexican mothers does it this way. We'll be cooking the chicken in the sauce next time. With regard to preventing the tortillas from falling apart, slightly fry them first in oil then dip them in the warm sauce. Also my husband has been experimenting with sauces and we think he's on to a good enchilada sauce which we plan to use next time. Sauce making is time consuming but worth it. We typically make a large batch and freeze some for later.
Amy Ziegler
I used to do the oil thing until a friend showed me an easier trick. I pour the enchilada sauce in a bowl and dip the tortillas in it. You can wipe off extra sauce but, it softens the tortillas and adds to the flavor without the added fat and mess :). Can't wait to try these!!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Oooh, very cool. Thanks, Amy!
Heather
At what point would you freeze these? After cooking or before all is cooked?
lacey - a sweet pea chef
I like to freeze it before the final bake because that allows all the stuff to bake for the first time in the oven. I hope that helps!
Erica
Hey-
For your tortillas, melt butter in a bowl. Slightly heat the corn tortillas so that they're warm and more flexible. Coat both side in butter (using your fingers, not dipping them in the bowl). This helps them to roll without cracking as much. Not perfect every time, but it works mostly. Just keep the tortillas warm and the butter melty. 🙂
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Erica, you had me at "butter!" 🙂
Myra
OK, so talk about lazy...
if you used the minced garlic in a jar, rather then fresh, does that affect the taste?
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Myra, I used to use the jarred stuff years ago, but I found it just didn't taste as good as fresh garlic. In my opinion, it's not as pungent or fragrant and doesn't stand up to cooking as well as fresh. Sorry 🙁
It's better than nothing, though.
Lacey Baier
I used to use jarred, minced garlic but the flavors were actually quite off. I much prefer fresh garlic but it's really up to what you like (or how lazy you wanna be) 🙂
Stacey
A trick that has always worked for me was preheating the tortillas (covered with paper towel) in the microwave for 30 seconds before assembly. has always worked for me!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Good to know!
susanne
You can just layer the tortillas, sauce, meat etc like a lasagna. Very easy and it all tastes the same as rolling them...
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Very, very interesting idea, Susanne. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Susan
I was just thinking the same thing but also layering it in the round crock-pot could be perfect. I will be trying it this week.
April
I can't WAIT to make these tonight !! THANK YOU for posting these !!!!!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
You're very welcome, April. I hope you enjoy them!
Amy
Great recipe! I always brown my tortillas in a small amount of oil as well to help with them not falling apart!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks, Amy!
Jessica
Ditto what Amy said. It doesn't help all of them, but it helps. Even just heating them up before folding helps. Thanks for the recipe, I will give it a try!
julie
I am going to make these to have on hand through the holidays. I want to make them ahead and freeze them. Should I completely finish them and bake them, then freeze them, OR should I assemble them oven-ready, and freeze them before baking?
lacey - a sweet pea chef
I'd freeze them before baking since you'll need to bake them again anyway once de-thawed. But, either will work 🙂 Enjoy!
Andrea
I made this recipe for the first time a few weeks ago for my mom (who grew up in a Mexican home). And she said they were better than her own!!! The whole pan of enchiladas was gone within minutes! I'm making them again tonight! Thank you so so much!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Wow, Andres, that is so cool! 🙂
Becky
I have made this recipe so many times! I love how simple it is and how short the ingredient list is. My grandma even loves them, and she swears up and down that she HATES cilantro. 😀 Everyone who I have fed this to has absolutely loved it.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Oh, that makes me so happy to hear, Becky! Thanks for sharing 🙂
tessa
My mom makes a delicious homemade chicken enchilada recipe. Her trick to making the tortillas stay together despite the sauces and filling is to lightly, lightly brown them in cooking oil on the skillet, let them cool, dip them into the enchilada sauce to resoften them, and then fill them and roll them. Try it! Hope this helps..
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks for sharing your mom's trick, Tessa. I'll be sure to try it out next time!
Ang
I agree with Tessa. My Grandmother used this method and I have always used it with no problems. This recipe is very similar to my Grandmother's but she also added some sliced olives and sauteed diced onions to the shredded chicken mixture.
Softening the tortillas in olive oil is an extra step but really doesn't take that much longer, considering the results.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Ooh, I like the idea of the olives and onions, Ang. Thanks for sharing!
Mandy
Sorry, I just read this post after the fact I said the same thing below! I agree with your mom, browning the tortilla in oil does the the trick:)
Lacey Baier
No worries, Many. I appreciate the suggestion nonetheless.
Megan
I made these last night and they were amazing. I kept thinking that it needed to be more complex, add more ingredients or something! Nope - they were AMAZING. I had to make my own Enchilada Sauce as I have food allergies...also made my own flour tortillas as I am cheap. I think my favorite part of the recipe is cooking the chicken in the sauce. It comes out SO tender and filled with flavor from the sauce.
Thank you so much for this recipe - it is certainly going into the rotation.
Mariam E
I made these for a few friends of mine and they turned out AMAZING. This was my first time making enchiladas so I was a bit nervous. I loved that you cook the chicken in the sauce...makes everything all the more flavorful. I'm definitely making these again and again !!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Mariam 🙂
Caitlin
I made these last night and they turned out perfectly! I pan fried the tortillas in a little cooking oil and they all stayed together. Thanks for the recipe!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay! Glad you liked them, Caitlin 🙂
Leslie
Thank you for posting this delicious recipe, I used flour tortillas and otherwise followed your recipe to a "T" huge hit in my house!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks for sharing, Leslie. So glad you enjoyed them 🙂
nicole
Ok I am new to cooking so you'll have to excuse me if this question sounds ignorant. So you can cook the chicken in the enchilada sauce and the leftover sauce in the pan is safe to use? Again sorry if this sounds dumb as I am new to cooking.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Nicole! No need to apologize! I think it's always smart to error on the side of safety when cooking, so I don't mind this question one bit. Cooking the chicken in the enchilada sauce and then reusing the sauce for the enchiladas is safe in this case because the chicken is thoroughly cooked and brought to the necessary temperatures for safe consumption in this recipe. Just think of it like a soup that you'd be able to reuse the "sauce" for if you cooked the chicken in it. I hope that help explain it for you. Please let me know if you have any more questions!
Karly @ Three in Three
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, and thank you to whoever pinned this so I could find it! Ha!
When my husband makes enchiladas, he runs them through a pan of warmed canola oil, which helps so much in preventing them from cracking and falling apart! He taught me the trick back when I was tackling flautas and they kept breaking into one million pieces.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks for the tip, Karly! 🙂
Donna Compton
THESE WERE AWESOME!! I actually tripled the recipe because I had a lot of company and I got triple the compliments. I used red tortillas and brushed a heavy coat of olive oil on them before I put them into the oven. I had no problem with splitting or falling apart. I fanned out about 7 - 8 tortillas (like a card hand) at a time on a very damp flour sack towel and microwaved them for 20 seconds before I filled them. I was able to make 20 and I used a 9 x 13 and a 7 x 11. I'll be making these again... and again...
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Donna!
Shannon
Not sure if anyone has asked this yet, but at what point is it best to freeze them?
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Shannon! Good question. For my personal chef business, I have found the enchiladas freeze better if I bake them first. I make them exactly as I would if I were going serve them except I don't put any sauce or cheese on top. After baking, let them cool, wrap and freeze. Freeze the sauce separately. Though, I'm always happy to hear suggestions 🙂
cheep3r5
I am sure someone has mentioned frying the tortillas lightly in a very small amout of oil before filling and rolling. You have to do that to make them pliable (and personally I think the oil adds a little coating to standup to the sauce). We make this dish using canned enchilada sauce. That is why you should look for a sauce made either in Mexico or Texas with New Mexico and AZ close behind. Nothing wrong with canned sauce. Also, make sure you cover the entire dish with sauce, including the ends so they do not burn or get so hard you can't eat them - waste not want not when eating this dish. Yum! We can jam 13 or 14 rolled corn tortillas in there.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks for the tips!
Hama
I'm a college student so I don't really have the time or determination to cook intense meals haha. My boyfriend is a picky eater and usually doesn't like mexican food but he loved this recipe! I used store bought rotisserie chicken that I had left over and shredded it. I also added frozen corn. Turned out amazing! Thanks for the recipe :]
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay, Hama! So glad it turned out for you. Great use of a rotisserie chicken for sure. 😉
Anna Claire
i just made this for a few friends last weekend...it was a BIG hit! yum yum....and no judgement on cooking the chicken in the sauce. 🙂 it was SO moist and tender!
thanks for sharing.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks for the no judging, Anna. Totally appreciated 🙂
I'm glad you all enjoyed the enchiladas -- always love to hear that!
Laura
I have not tried these yet, but I am a huge lover of Mexican food and I love to make enchiladas. I don't typically bake mine, but I am definitely going to try this recipe.
A tortilla trick I use is really healthy (HA) but awesome: heat some veggie oil (about 1/2 inch deep)in a small pan and when the oil is hot soak the tortilla in the oil--turning once. This is just to soften them up NOT to make them crispy. Drain between 2 paper towels.
I then stuff them with my secret recipe and when ready to serve I microwave them to just melt the cheese--no baking required thus shells intact. :)Then I smother with green chili, cheese, etc. To freeze I wrap each individually in plastic wrap and put them in a large freezer ziplock. When ready to eat defrost, heat and smother! Try it! The tortillas turn out amazing.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Sounds great, Laura. Thanks for sharing!
cathy
Thank you so much for the new addition to my collection of recipes. I made this last night for my husbands 50th Birthday Party and he swears they are the best he has ever eaten! Great Job!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay! That makes me so happy to hear, Cathy! Thanks for sharing -- and happy birthday to your husband!
Lindsay
We're halfway through making your enchiladas, and our kitchen already smells AMAZING! Can't wait until they're done. Yummy!! 🙂
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay! I hope you enjoyed them, Lindsay!
Lindsay
They were sooo delicious (both last night and for lunch today!!!) Thanks Lacey 🙂
lacey - a sweet pea chef
I can definitely agree they make a tasty lunch as left-overs as well 🙂
Ivette
I've read your post on the fish tacos about your trips to Ensenada. Well, in case you haven't heard of Mexicali, capital city of Baja, they make their enchiladas by passing (not soaking) the corn tortillas through the red chili sauce, then quick frying them in a hot pan with some cooking oil. The sauce not only keeps them from breaking but it also adds flavor to the filling. I personally prefer the enchiladas filled with a mixture of queso fresco, chopped onion and cilantro to either chicken of beef enchiladas. I top mine with shredded iceberg lettuce and more cheese (fresco, cotija or some of the filling mixture). Just a matter of personal preference.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thank, Ivette, for the suggestion. I have been through Mexicali a time or two, but never have tried the enchiladas. Come to think of it, I don't think I ever have had enchiladas in Mexico or Baja -- just in the states. Your preparation and filling sounds yummy 🙂
Kelley Coffey
I will be making this before the week is out. I've found that if I warm the tortillas and then dip in the enchilada sauce, they don't seem to fall apart. Give it a try. Take care.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks for the suggestion, Kelley -- I hope you enjoy the enchiladas! 🙂
Alix
I know you've gotten a lot of good tips on the corn tortillas falling apart. My mom does the quick fry then roll which works great but I don't like the additional grease. My aunt warms some enchilada sauce and puts the tortillas in there briefly to soften them up. I like this way better because it's less fat and more enchilada sauce 🙂
On another note I tried your Coconut Pineapple ice cream recipe. It tastes like summer vacation. My hubby and little one can't get enough. Thanks!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Enchilada tips are always welcomed, Alix. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed the ice cream too 🙂
Theresa
I found your website when I was looking for new recipes for my family. I've never made enchiladas, but thought I would try them. My family loved it! My husband asked if we could have them again for our anniversary in a couple of days. My oldest daughter (the picky one) even liked it, and she hates burritos. My other 4 kids loved them as well. I will be keeping this recipe and having it again soon. Maybe not for my anniversary though. Thanks for sharing your recipes. Can't wait to try some more.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay! LOVE hearing family success stories 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing, Theresa!
alma barron
Hi Lacy, congratulations on your blog. I just discovered it and I look forward to browsing through your recipes this summer. I'm so busy at the moment closing out the school year.
Just read your enchilada recipe and unfortunately, tortillas do tend to fall apart. I learned to make homemade enchilada sauce from my mom and it is super easy to make and will last in your fridge for about a month, longer in the freezer of course.
Before boiling, crack chiles open and discard stems and seeds,(use gloves if you need to.)
1 lb dry california chiles
garlic salt
powder onion
pinch of ground cumin
boil the chiles for about 15 minutes. Cool, blend on high and pour sauce through sifter.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Alma! Thanks for the recipe! I'll love to try it out 🙂
carina
Just made this for my boyfriend (who is Mexican) and he loved it! I am always abit iffy in making Mexican food for him because he loves the authentic stuff and is picky about his Mexican food but he loved this...and now I am told I have to make it more often. Thanks!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
What a compliment! I'm so happy you guys enjoyed it 🙂
Sumaya
This looks so delicious!!!! I'm making it for the fam tonight. Ever since I discovered your blog I've been obsessed with making these awesome dishes. Thanks Lacey!!!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay! Thanks so much for your interest in my site, Sumaya! I'm glad you are enjoying it 🙂
sherrie
Hi, just found your website because i was looking for watermelon sorbet. course, now i will have to spend hours sifting through all your recipes as they look so yummy. i've been experimenting with homemade enchiladas myself lately and one recommendation i have is to heat the tortillas on a flat skillet with pam. and I also assemble with everything that is already quite warm, if that makes sense. that way the filling is hot, the sauce that goes on top is hot, and all they have to do in the oven is melt the cheese. this just requires less time for the tortillas to "sit" in the sauces while it all heats up. off to read up on more of your recipes and can't wait to try this particular one!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks for the great advice, Sherrie! And, welcome!! 🙂
Pablo Sanchez
These are the most delicious enchiladas I have ever had the good fortune of consuming. like a party on my tongue. FANTASTIC!!!!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Wow -- what a great review! I'm so happy you liked the enchiladas, Pablo!
Marybeth
I used your recipe to make enchiladas for the first time last night for Cinco de Mayo-- they turned out excellent! Thanks for the recipe!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay! Glad you enjoyed the enchiladas for Cinco De Mayo, Marybeth! 🙂
Kim
Going to make your recipe this evening- love how you add fresh cilantro to it. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't seem to care for cilantro too much- any suggestions on a substitute?
A tip I received from a fellow Mexican friend is to dip the tortilla in a pan of warm enchilada sauce to make it pliable. Works for me at least.
So glad I came across your blog!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Kim! Thanks for the tip with the tortillas -- will have to try that. You could try using parsley instead of cilantro or just leave it out entirely.
Jen
My husband will be very grateful to you! I have a slightly different recipe on my blog, but this sounds absolutely something he would eat.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
I hope he likes it 🙂
francis
hi, was just wondering whether you have any pointers on how to make my own enchilada sauce??
i'm from the uk and shops here don't stock it
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Francis! I did a little digging and found this recipe for Enchilada Sauce over at Tasty Kitchen or this one from Amanda's Cookin' that seem to be pretty solid. I'd recommend checking those out for a starting point. If you have any further questions, please let me know. I have made enchilada sauce in the past, but don't really have a "recipe" to share that I can fully recommend of mine yet. Good luck!
Celia
Have you tried warming the tortillas in the microwave before rolling them up?
I do 6 tortillas in paper towel and put them 30 to 45 seconds in the microwave. Separate the tortillas immediately after taking them out from the microwave.
It's a lot easier to roll them and don't fall apart.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hey Celia! Thanks for the tip -- I do warm them up. It's not so much the rolling that makes them fall apart (I think), it's the sitting in the sauce. I will try your way as well next time, though!
Jennifer
Lacey,
Do you think I could assemble the chicken enchiladas a day prior to baking them?
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Jennifer! Very good question. You can definitely assemble the enchiladas a day prior -- the only catch is they will be even more likely to have the tortillas fall apart some during baking. I have used this recipe with my Personal Chef business and actually leave the top layer of sauce (stored in a separate container) off the enchiladas until the last minute prior to baking. I also freeze them for clients in this way. I've found this is the best way, but they still do fall apart some. Either way, they will still come out tasting great. I hope that helps. Good luck!
Tom
Delicious recipe! Perfect for three people, or two with leftovers.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks, Tom! Glad you enjoyed it (and thanks for the review!).
shavonte
omg this was my first time making these turn out so good thank you very much...
lacey - a sweet pea chef
I'm so glad you enjoyed the enchiladas, Shavonte! Thanks for stopping by.
The ORIGINAL "Jeeem"
Hey,
Regarding the tortilla issue...just make your own. But, what I do is make them a tad thicker than store bought and I also add about a quarter cup of Crisco or lard.
I know people will say NO WAY to this but hey, you really can't tell the difference and they do tend to stay together a bit better.
Don't run out and buy one of those stupid tortilla presses either! I just lay down some wax paper, roll the corn dough out on top of it and then "SQUASH" it by placing another sheet of was paper on top and pressing down with the bottom of a sauce pan.
Peel them off and deep fat fry them for just a few seconds...too long and they will get crispy on you...if that happens...well hey, instant corn chips!
-Jeeem-
lacey - a sweet pea chef
What a great idea! I've made my own tortillas several years ago, but have always wanted to try them again. Thanks for the idea!
Charlotte
Just did a review of this recipe on my blog. Just love it! Thanks! http://rebelheart.squarespace.com/charlottes-blog/2011/1/9/make-this-recipe-shredded-chicken-enchiladas.html
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Charlotte! Thanks so much for your positive review of my enchiladas. I'm glad you have enjoyed them!
Lindsey
I came across your blog last night when looking for a simple chicken enchilada recipe. These turned out wonderful! My husband even went back for seconds 🙂 I added sauteed onions to the mix and used flour tortillas because the corn tortillas at my store were incredibly smaller. This will become a staple in our house! Can't wait to try some of your other recipes (like the pan-seared salmon!). Thanks a bunch!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay, Lindsey! That's so great you all liked the enchiladas. I'm gonna have to try adding onions next time -- that sounds like a nice touch. Thanks for sharing!
Angie
Loved these! (Even hubby did and he's an enchilada snob!!) Will definitely be checking out the rest of your recipes! Thanks for sharing.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Wow! What a compliment! I'm so glad you guys loved the enchiladas, Angie.
Amanda
I just made these last night and they were delicious! I love your blog and seem to keep coming back to it!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay, Amanda! I'm so glad you liked the enchiladas!! Thanks for sharing and see ya around 🙂
Jessica
I made your wonderfully delicious enchiladas about 2 weeks ago. My husband was able to choose whatever he wanted for his birthday dinner and he chose your enchiladas. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Jessica, you (and your husband) just brought a huge smile to my face. How cool that he wanted my enchiladas for his birthday!! Thank you for sharing and please wish your husband a very happy birthday from me. 🙂
Katherine
Nothing I love more than blogs that help me decide on what to fix for dinner. I made these last night and they were delicious! Simple and Delicious! Thanks and I LOVE the simplicity and lay out of your blog.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Katherine! Well, there's nothing I love more than reading wonderful comments like yours. I'm so glad you liked the enchiladas! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Shari (aka: fruitloopgirl)
These look awesome. guess what is for dinner tonight....
=)
Shari (aka: fruitloopgirl)
Just thought I'd stop back and let you know that my family loved these! i made mine with flour tortillas at my husbands request, and it was a good choice for us.
Thanks for sharing your creations with us!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay, Shari! I've made them with flour tortillas too and they turned out well. I'm so glad you and your family loved the enchiladas. That makes me so happy 🙂 I really appreciate your follow up feedback.
Marisa
Mouthwatering photos!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thank you so much, Marisa! I'm so glad you like my photos. 🙂
nicthetoolchic
Very good!! I made this recipe tonight for my family of 5! I doubled the recipe and fried my corn tortillas before hand. I didn't have any jack but had pepper jack which I shredded and put on top of sauce before putting in oven. My husbands new fav enchi recipe. Thanks!!!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay, Nicole! I'm so glad you all liked the enchiladas. Thanks for sharing how you changed it up!
Megan
Delicious! I made this dish last week. I also had trouble with the tortillas - I noticed at the grocery store the other day there is a tortilla that is made with corn and flour. I will try that type next time with hopes of keeping them together. But, still - what an easy and tasty recipe! Thank you!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay, Megan! So glad you liked the enchiladas. Thanks for sharing! I'd love to know how the combo tortillas work out for you. Most of the feedback I've received has suggested actually frying the tortillas quickly before filling them in order to keep them from cracking. Good luck!
Megan
Hi Lacey! I highly recommend using a corn/flour combo tortilla. I just made these again with that type of tortilla and they are beautiful! I even skipped the step about warming them up. They are called "Golden Blend Tortillas" by Don Pancho - I found them at Albertsons. There is also a similar tortilla made by Mission. Yum!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Megan! Thanks for sharing how they turned out. I will check my local store to see if I can find them. Good catch 🙂
Charlotte
Made this recipe on Monday night and it was awesome! Had enough for leftovers the next night too. My husband SCARFED this down. Wonderful!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Yay, Charlotte! I'm SO happy you and your husband liked the enchiladas!! Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂
Eric
I make a similar recipe to this, but I layer my tortillas to cover the pan like a lasagna. I never thought it was worth the trouble to roll up the enchiladas. Cut in squares and serve, it tastes the same and is easier.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Eric, I like the way you think! Sounds like a great way to make enchiladas. Thanks for sharing!
Agnethe
Hi Lacey
Thank you sooo much for sharing this delicious recipe! My husband and I absolutely loved it and it won't be the last time I make this.
This was actually the first time we've tried enchiladas and I had to make the sauce from scratch, because I couldn't buy the ready made sauce anywhere in my local shops... guess enchiladas aren't the most popular Mexican dish here in Denmark...
😀
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Agnethe! I'm sooo glad you and your husband enjoyed the enchiladas! How interesting that you couldn't find enchilada sauce in Denmark! Who knew?!? 🙂
Simone
My mom made them and they were DELISH haha. She says that she will amke them like this from now on! Keep em' coming 🙂
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Simone! Oh, good...I'm so glad you all liked the enchiladas. Love hearing that!
Maura
we had these last night for dinner---yum!! thanks lacey. hope you're having a good time in texas!
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Maura! So glad you liked the enchiladas!! Thanks!
NanaBread
In south Texas (Houston area), local recipes recommend frying the corn tortillas very briefly first. In a skillet, add about 1/4" of canola oil. Heat it up to very hot(but not smoking), then quickly fry each corn tortilla just until it softens up, not until crispy. Drain on paper towels, quickly patting to remove excess oil. Roll immediately. Try it and see if it works for you.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Awesome. Great advice. If it's good enough for south Texas, it's good enough for me! Thanks for the help.
Bill G
I do the same thing and it works great! Do this with taco's also. yum
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks for sharing, Bill!
Carol
I grew up in the Salinas Valley in California and what I usually saw was frying the tortillas like NanaBread.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thanks for the tip, Carol! 🙂
Janessa
I usually Fry my tortillas a little bit to get them from not crumbling or breaking on me.
I also used the microwave about 10-15 tortillas for 2:00 minutes let them sit about a minute to cool off then roll them up.
Lacey Baier
Great advice, Janessa. Thanks!
Debby
Mexican food is one of my favorite 🙂
lacey - a sweet pea chef
I agree, Debbie. I agree. 🙂
Damsar
Your enchiladas look awesome! I haven't made these in a while, but I usually warm/toast my tortillas in a dry pan briefly before I use them. This makes them a little more dry, but pliable, so they don't break-down as quickly.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Thank you, Damsar! That's great advice. I will be sure to try that method soon!
Shea
These look fabulous - When I make enchiladas I use flour tortillas because I dont have to deal with them falling apart! I guess its more like burritos - but I love enchilada sauce. You just put me in the mood to make Mexican! Great post.
lacey - a sweet pea chef
Hi Shea! Good point...I have tried flour tortillas as well and had good results. Unfortunately, I'm stubborn and still want my corn tortillas, though! ;). Thanks for sharing!
sally Harvey
when do you freeze them, after they're cooked with cheese and sauce?
Lacey Baier
Hi Sally. I've done it two ways - either before you add the cheese and sauce (and freeze the sauce separately) OR after it's completely made. If you fry the tortillas in the beginning, they'll hold up ok even if you add the sauce and freeze right away, but they will be the crispiest if you freeze separately. I hope that helps!
David Reams
I’ve never had a spritzer before because funny enough it’s the bubbles in soda and sparkling water I don’t like which is why I’ve luckily never been a soda drinker. But I’ll tough it out for some alcohol! This might be the only way I’ll ever get my sister to drink red wine too!