Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Easy Chicken Enchiladas are a fast and easy meal that everyone will love! It’s a perfect meal to feed hungry bellies on busy weeknights.

A fork cutting into a chicken enchiladas for eating.

I LOVE enchiladas…. like really love enchiladas!!! My amazing mother in law made these enchiladas for Sunday dinner when the Butcher Man and I were first married and I fell in love (with the enchiladas …. I already loved the Butcher Man and his mom!)

The enchiladas were cheesy, creamy and the filling was full of subtle Mexican flavors. I of course asked for the recipe and they have been a family favorite ever since! (Over the years I’ve added a few small changes but they are basically the same!)

The Filling for Easy Enchiladas

You will need 1 lb. of cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces.

For the creamy sauce/filling you will need sour cream, cream of chicken soup, green chilis and seasonings.

You will add some shredded cheddar cheese into the filling as well.

Mix it all up and you can adjust the seasonings to your liking.

The filling for chicken enchiladas made of cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chicken, cheese and seasonings.

Enchilada Sauce

I make these Easy Enchiladas because I am busy and need a quick easy dinner, so I use canned enchilada sauce. The flavor is so delicious and not too spicy (we use Mild) and it doesn’t have a “canned” taste like some of them.

This is the brand I use every time (I also use it for my Enchilada Tacos/Tostadas).

Can of red enchilada sauce used for easy enchiladas.

My boys prefer the red enchilada sauce but we make them with green enchilada sauce too, and they are so yummy.

The green enchilada sauce is a bit more spicy (even the mild) so when you are deciding which to use keep that in mind! Whether it’s red or green enchilada sauce I always use the Old El Paso brand!

If you are wanting Homemade Enchilada Sauce: For a delicious homemade Green Enchilada click HERE! For my amazing Red Enchilada Sauce click HERE!

A pan of easy chicken enchiladas with green sauce on them.
Green Enchilada Sauce
Fast and Easy Chicken Enchiladas in a pan covered in red sauce.
Red Enchilada Sauce

Rolling the Fast and Easy Chicken Enchiladas

After the filling is made, it’s time to roll them up!

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Take your 9×13 baking dish and spray it with cooking spray. Pour about 1/3 of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of your baking dish. Make sure to save at least half of your enchilada sauce to pour over the top of the rolled enchiladas before baking.

Take a tortilla and put some of the filling in the center of the tortilla and roll it up.

Place it in the baking dish, rolling it around in the enchilada sauce so the sides are covered in sauce. This will help the tortillas not stick together when the pan is full for easier serving and the enchilada will taste super yummy with the sauce on all sides.

Repeat with the rest of your enchiladas, making sure to roll it in the sauce before placing it next to the other enchiladas. Add more sauce to your pan as needed. I usually get 8-10 enchiladas depending on how much filling I have used in each.

TIP: Before covering the rolled enchiladas with extra enchilada sauce and cheese, run a spoon or your finger in between each enchilada. Make sure there is enchilada sauce in between each individual enchilada. This will help them not stick together as much when serving after they have baked.

A pan of enchiladas with a spoon used to run in between each enchilada to make sure sauce is in between each enchilada.

Once all of the enchiladas are rolled, pour the last of your enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with your remaining shredded cheese.

red enchilada sauce being over rolled easy chicken enchiladas
9x13 pan of rolled up chicken enchiladas covered in red enchilada sauce and shredded cheddar cheese

Baking the Fast and Easy Chicken Enchiladas

The enchiladas will bake for 30-40 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. You do not need to cover them with foil. You will know they are done when the cheese is melted, the edges start to brown a little bit, and the sauce is bubbly!

A pan of baked easy chicken enchiladas with red enchilada sauce and cheese.

Serving the Fast and Easy Chicken Enchiladas

I let my enchiladas rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. They can be tricky to get out of the pan (especially the first one) since they can be awkwardly long and the filling can run out of the sides. Just take 2 forks or 2 spatulas (one for each side) and gently lift it out.

You can also cut the enchilada in half and lift out each half.

TIP: Sometimes it helps to run the spatula or fork along the sides, in between the enchiladas, to separate them to help with lifting. Just gently run the spatula or fork along the enchilada so you don’t cut into it or poke a hole in it….the sauce will escape and you will be sad!

Easy Chicken Enchiladas on a plate with the pan of enchiladas next to the plate

We love to eat our enchiladas with sour cream and lettuce on top. Homemade Guacamole , Pico de Gallo, or Fresh Salsa would be so tasty. A side of Mexican Rice is always a delicious addition as well!

Try my delicious Cheese Enchiladas that are made with homemade enchilada sauce and suffed with cheese!

bite of easy chicken enchiladas with creamy chicken enchilada filling

For chicken enchiladas made from scratch (no canned anything) try my Amazing Chicken Enchiladas.

Looking for a simple and delicious Mexican Chicken recipe? Try my Crockpot Mexican Chicken!

For another delicious Mexican dish, try my Easy Ground Beef Enchiladas, Smothered Chicken Burritos or my Fast and Easy Beef and Bean Burritos.

If you liked this recipe please take the time to leave a comment and a star rating below! Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook and Instagram!




Check out the latest posts from the Butcher’s Wife!


Easy chicken enchiladas being served with sour cream and green onions

Fast and Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Fast and Easy Chicken Enchiladas are a fast and easy meal that everyone will love! It’s a perfect meal to feed hungry bellies on busy weeknights.
Makes 8-10 enchiladas depending on how much filling you put in each one.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 10 enchiladas

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. chicken, cooked and chopped into small pieces
  • 1 large can (28 oz.) enchilada sauce *see notes for my preferences
  • 1 1/2 cups sour cream
  • 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup *cream of mushroom works great too
  • 1 (4 oz. can) diced, green chilis (mild flavor) *optional
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided in half
  • 10 flour tortillas, enchilada size *soft taco or enchilada size

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl mix your chopped chicken, sour cream, can of soup, green chilis (optional), seasonings, and 1 cup of shredded cheese and mix well.
  • Pour some enchilada sauce in the bottom of your greased 9×13 baking dish. Make sure to save some enchilada sauce for pouring over the rolled enchiladas.
  • Take a tortilla and scoop some chicken filling into the center of the tortilla. About 1/4 cup (heaping) should be perfect, but you can add more or less. Roll the enchilada up over the filling.
  • Take the rolled enchilada and place it in the pan, rolling the enchilada in the enchilada sauce that is on the bottom of the pan so the sides get sauce on them.
  • Repeat with all of the enchiladas, making sure to roll them in the sauce before placing them next to each other in the pan. Add more sauce to the pan as needed. A 9×13 will comfortably hold 8-10 enchiladas and this is how many you should end up with depending on how much filling you put in each one.
    TIP: Take a spoon or your finger and run it in between each rolled enchilada to make sure the enchilada sauce gets in between each enchilada. This will help when serving so they don't stick together as much!
  • Pour your remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas, making sure sauce gets in between each enchilada. Sprinkle the rest of your shredded cheese (should be 1 cup) on top of the rolled enchiladas.
  • Bake your enchiladas for 20-30 minutes in the oven. You do not need to cover them with foil. You will know they are done when the cheese is melted, the sauce is bubbly, and the edges of the tortillas start to brown.
  • Wait a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

I love Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce.  We like these enchiladas with both Red or Green Enchilada Sauce.  We prefer mild sauce, but if you like a spicier sauce you can go for medium or hot.  The green enchilada sauce is already a bit spicier, even the mild has a bit of a kick, so take that into consideration when deciding which you prefer!
 

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.

Serving: 1Enchilada | Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 907mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 635IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 2mg

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