Our homemade Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas are so hearty and delicious! The homemade red enchilada sauce is made with mostly pantry staples and takes this recipe over the top. Throw together an extra pan for a friend, neighbor, or new mom!
Chessy Chicken Enchiladas
Want to give these a little smoke? This recipe would work perfectly on the Traeger Pellet Grill.
Check out my Traeger Verde Chicken Enchiladas!
Chicken Enchilada shopping list
Wondering if you have to hit the store? Here’s the list of items you’ll need to make this recipe. For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken breasts
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Chili powder
- Vegetable oil
- Refried beans
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Salsa
- Garlic
- Oregano
- Basil
- Chili powder
- Cumin
- Crushed tomatoes
- Corn tortillas
Try our Beef Shank Tacos sometime too!
How to make Shredded Chicken Enchiladas
This is just the overview so you can see what you’re actually getting into here. When you are cooking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.
1
Brown Chicken
Start these out by seasoning a few BIG chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and onion powder. Put a few tablespoons of oil into a pan, and brown on both sides.
2
Sauce
While those are browning, start your enchilada sauce by placing the oil and garlic into a medium sauce pan. Cook garlic over medium heat for about 1 minute, and then add the rest of the ingredients for the sauce.
Stir that up well, and let simmer over low heat while the chicken is cooking.
3
Shred Chicken
After the chicken has browned, I added about 1/2 cup of water into the bottom of the pan and covered the pan to finish the cooking. My breasts were pretty large, so they needed this moist cooking to make sure they cooked through but didn’t dry out.
When the chicken is cooked through, shred it thoroughly. Did you know you can use your stand mixer to shred chicken? SO much easier than by hand. Toss it into your mixer bowl, attach your beaters, and beat on low for about a minute, or until the chicken is shredded. Perfect.
4
Beans
Now make your refried beans. I used a can of the regular style, then added 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, and 1/4 cup of salsa. Heat well, stir to combine, and then mix in with your chicken. Generously fill a taco size flour tortilla with the mixture.
5
Assemble
Roll up the enchiladas and place into a pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray, and has been lightly covered with enchilada sauce.
Cover these with your enchilada sauce. As much or as little as you would like. I tend to like things SAUCY, so I go a bit crazy with it. After the enchiladas are sauced, cover with cheddar cheese.
6
Bake
Bake in a 350°F oven for 30-45 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and the whole thing is heated through.
7
Enjoy
Enjoy hot with your favorite fixings!
Homemade Chicken Enchiladas FAQ
Can this recipe be made in advance?
Yes! This is a great recipe to make ahead of time and keep in the fridge for a quick dinner, or to store in single-serving containers for easy homemade lunches.
What’s the best way to store and reheat chicken enchilads?
Store covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave until steaming and hot.
Serve this with…
More recipes to love!
- Mexican Fried Rice
- Blackstone Mexican Pizzas
- Brisket Tacos
- Mexican Shrimp Cocktail
- Smoked Salsa Verde
- Grilled Chicken Tacos
- Blackstone Chicken Fajitas
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Sauce
Easy Cheesy chicken enchiladas have their own homemade sauce, and are so simple to make! This is one of our all-time favorites!
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
Beans
- 1 can refried beans
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup salsa
Enchilada Sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 cup salsa
- 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
Enchiladas
- 16 corn tortillas
- 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts, place the vegetable oil in a pan, and brown over medium heat.
- Once both sides are browned, add 1/2 cup water to the pan, cover, and finish cooking. When the chicken reaches 165° internal temperature, drain water and shred either by hand or with your mixer.
- In a medium saucepan, saute garlic in the vegetable oil for 1 minute over medium heat. Add the rest of the enchilada sauce ingredients, stir well, and reduce heat to low. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for about 10-15 minutes.
- Heat the refried beans in a small pan and mix in salsa and cheese. Stir the bean mixture into the chicken.
- Generously fill tortillas, roll, and place into a pan that has been prepped with cooking spray, and the bottom covered lightly with enchilada sauce. Top with enchilada sauce, and cover with cheese.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.
Recommended Products
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 693Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 159mgSodium: 1443mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 9gSugar: 6gProtein: 58g
Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate.
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