Authentic Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Recipe

Try this authentic chicken and cheese enchilada recipe with guac on the side
Try this authentic chicken and cheese enchilada recipe with guac on the side

I thought Enchiladas were a difficult dish that you could only get at a restaurant because they were simply too hard to make at home. As it turns out, this is simply not true. Enchiladas are arguably one of the easiest (and quickest!) Mexican dishes to make at home. And you can top them with anything you have in the fridge. Try this authentic chicken and cheese enchilada recipe if you want to make something quick and easy.

I used a store-bought enchilada sauce but you can also make your own from scratch. I used Old el Paso red enchilada sauce and I would definitely repurchase this item. The sauce comes in two sizes: 10 oz and 28 oz. I always recommend buying the larger size for two reasons: it’s a better value and you can always make more of your meal and have leftovers. Also, I’m not sure about you but I always enjoy extra sauce on whatever it is I’m eating.

Red enchilada sauce for chicken and cheese enchilada recipe
Red enchilada sauce for chicken and cheese enchilada recipe

When rolling the enchiladas, make sure that you have heated the torillas thoroughly on the stove on a pan before filling them with your chicken mixture. If you try to roll them cold, they will crack. I heat my tortillas up in a nonstick pan without any oil. I heat them through for about 30 seconds.

How to Make Authentic Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

  • Tortillas: Traditionally, enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. However, if you prefer flour instead, those will work just as well and are much less prone to cracking.
  • Protein: This recipe is made with chicken, but it can easily be replaced with any other protein, such as beef, shrimp or tofu.
  • Cheese: Picking up the Mexican blend cheese from Safeway is always an easy and safe option. Using up the last of those bags of cheese in your fridge is also something you can do as well.
  • Sauce: You can make your own enchilada sauce or you can pick up a can from Safeway. The can from Old El Paso is the perfect size for a pan of enchiladas.
  • Guacamole: It’s necessary but freshly-made guacamole pairs well with enchiladas.

Toppings for Enchiladas:

Authentic Chicken and Cheese Enchilada Recipe

5 from 2 votes
Recipe by Sarah Course: Easy Recipes, Entrée, Freezer Friendly, Quick & EasyCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Calories

320

kcal

Ingredients

  • 12 12 corn tortillas

  • 2 cups 2 precooked and shredded chicken ((leftover rotisserie chicken works well for this) )

  • 3.5 cups 3.5 Enchilada sauce (make your own or buy premade)

  • 2 cups 2 pre-shredded Mexican cheese

  • toppings of your choice (guac, sour cream, etc. )

Directions

  • Prep your ingredients. Spray a casserole dish with PAM. Preheat the oven to 350. Shred your chicken if you haven’t already. Put it in a bowl and add about half a cup of your enchilada sauce. Mix to coat.
  • Heat your tortillas. Take your corn tortillas and heat them up in a pan one by one. If you don’t heat them up they will crack and break as you fold them with the filling in the pan.
  • Fold the tortillas. After heating, spoon one or two heaping tablespoons of the chicken mix into a corn tortilla. Fold and place in the casserole dish.
  • Bake. Cover the enchiladas with the remaining sauce. Top with cheese. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes. The enchiladas will be finished when the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
  • Serve. Serve your enchiladas immediately.

Notes

  • Add any cheese that you’d like, this recipe doesn’t have to be made with just the cheese specified.

Did you try this authentic chicken and cheese enchilada recipe? Tell me how it turned out in the comments below.

Authentic chicken and cheese enchilada recipe
Try this authentic chicken and cheese enchilada recipe

2 Comments

  1. Pingback: Fresh Guacamole at Home: How to Make It - Fluent Foodie

  2. I love the Old El Paso sauce! Some overlook it since it’s a store-bought sauce, but it’s so good! I always buy the biggest jar I can find and freeze what I don’t use.

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