This homemade chicken enchiladas with red sauce recipe is perfect for an easy dinner any day of the week. The whole family is going to love these flavorful (yet mild) enchiladas stuffed with chicken, beans, seasoning, and cheese and topped with creamy red enchilada sauce. Use low-carb tortillas to help reduce carbs, or use your favorite healthy whole wheat tortilla in this recipe.
The Best Recipe for Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- Easy Dinner Any Night. I like that this recipe is a homemade recipe that is done very quickly. Saute your enchilada mixture and mix together your homemade enchilada sauce. Assemble your enchiladas and bake until your cheese is melty and bubbly- SO good!
- The Best Flavors. I love the chicken taco seasoning used in this recipe that brings tons of delicious flavor to your mixture. The enchilada sauce is creamy and flavorful and pairs perfectly with this recipe. It is sure to be a hit.
- Healthy. These enchiladas are packed with protein, are gluten-free, and can be adjusted to be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken and adding more black beans. Use low-carb tortillas to help reduce carbohydrates or use your favorite healthy tortilla in this recipe.
Chicken Enchilada Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this homemade chicken enchilada recipe:
For the Chicken
- Olive Oil: use your preferred in place of olive oil if desired.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast: use chicken breast or chicken thighs based on preference.
- Onion: use white, yellow, or sweet onions.
- Chicken Taco Seasoning: use store-bought or make our recipe for an easy chicken taco seasoning.
- Black Beans
For the Sauce
- Canned Enchilada Sauce: use mild to hot based on preference.
- Tomato Sauce
- Sour Cream: use low-fat or regular; both work well in this recipe.
- Diced Green Chilies: use mild or hot based on spice preference.
- Fresh Chopped Cilantro
Assembly
- Shredded Mexican Cheese Blend: You can use any variety of Mexican cheese blend.
- Taco-Sized Flour Tortillas: use low-carb tortillas or whole wheat to make them a little healthier.
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
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Substitutions and Additions
- If you prefer, you can use diced chicken thighs in place of chicken breasts. Alternatively, you can save yourself time by using a store-bought rotisserie chicken for shredded chicken.
- Use ground chicken and beef, or use all beans for a vegetarian option.
- Use whole wheat or low-carb tortillas if preferred.
- Use corn tortillas in place of flour tortillas.
- Add extra vegetables such as zucchini, squash, or spinach with the onions while they cook.
- To make it spicier, add your pepper of choice, using hot green chilies and hot enchilada sauce. You can also add chipotle pepper or crushed red pepper flakes if desired.
- Substitute green enchilada sauce with red enchilada sauce if desired for green chicken enchiladas.
How to Make Chicken Enchiladas
Here's how to make this recipe. For more detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Cook chicken and onion until done. Add taco seasoning and water, cook until liquid is absorbed, then add black beans and warm through.
- Add all sauce ingredients to a blender and pulse until smooth. Tip: this step can be done in advance!
- Lay the flour tortillas on a board. Divide the chicken mixture evenly between each tortilla. Add sauce and cheese. Roll and place in prepared baking dish seam side down.
- Cover with remaining sauce and cheese. Place in oven, uncovered, and bake until warm and the cheese is bubbly. Serve.
How Long to Bake Enchiladas
Bake your enchiladas uncovered in the oven at 350 degrees F until they are all warmed through, and the cheese is melty and bubbling. Usually, they are ready in about 30 to 35 minutes. Your enchilada mixture is cooked through, so you are just baking until everything is heated through.
How to Serve
- Adjust your seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve with sour cream, salsa, or any of your favorite Mexican food toppings, such as olives, diced tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, or fresh onion.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onion.
Meal idea! Serve with these with refried beans, a street corn salad, or a tossed salad with avocado dressing. Keep it light by pairing it with this Mexican green bean recipe.
FAQs on Homemade Chicken Enchiladas
No, you do not have to cover your baking dish while cooking. Because the internal enchilada mixture is already cooked, when you bake your enchiladas, you are warming the entire dish and melting the cheese on top, so it is best to bake uncovered.
Baked enchiladas in a casserole dish will almost always be soft or "soggy" due to the fact that the sauce and ingredients are all baked together for a long period of time. Traditional enchiladas are not baked together in a casserole. The corn tortillas are fried just until they are soft then the filling goes inside while it is warm and they are served immediately.
Some recipes call for enchilada sauce in the filling, and others do not. To keep them from sticking to the bottom, a small amount of sauce is often added to the bottom of the dish. Then, a final amount of sauce goes over the top of the enchiladas and then cooked in the oven so that everything is warmed together for serving. You can serve your enchiladas with extra enchilada sauce for serving if desired.
Once cooled, store your enchiladas in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
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📖 The recipe.
Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE CHICKEN:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into ¾" pieces)
- 1 medium onion (finely diced)
- 1 packet chicken taco seasoning
- 1 cup black beans (if canned, be sure to rinse and drain)
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 1 (10 ounce can) red enchilada sauce
- 8 (ounce can) tomato sauce
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 can diced green chilies (drained)
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
TO ASSEMBLE:
- 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
- 8 taco sized flour tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Add olive oil to a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is hot, add the chicken and onion. Saute until the chicken is done and no longer pink.
- Add in chicken taco seasoning and a ½ cup of water. Cook until water is absorbed. Stir in black beans and warm through. Turn off the heat. Drain any excess fat.
- Add all sauce ingredients to a blender. Pulse until smooth.
- Lay the flour tortillas on a board or clean counter. Divide the chicken and black bean mixture evenly between each tortilla. Add 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce and 2 tablespoons of shredded cheese.
- Roll each tortilla up and place in the prepared baking dish seam side down. Pour any remaining sauce over the top, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Place enchiladas in the oven, uncovered, and bake until they are warmed through and the cheese is bubbly, about 30 to 35 minutes.
Kori's Tips
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes that can be found in our post. Check it out!
- VARIATIONS: Use diced chicken breasts or thighs; Cooked rotisserie chicken may be substituted. Ground chicken, beef, or all beans may be used; Use whole wheat or low carb tortillas; Sneak in more veggies: saute 1 to 2 cups fresh vegetables such as zucchini, squash, or spinach with the onions.
- TIPS: Increase the spicy heat by using hot green chiles or hot enchilada sauce.
- SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with sour cream, salsa, and any favorite toppings such as olives or avocado slices. Garnish with fresh cilantro or green onion. Pairs well with refried beans or street corn salad.
Nutrition
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