When you're in the mood for Mexican these Easy Chicken Enchiladas will hit the spot. All you need is a rotisserie chicken and a few grocery store staples to make a fantastic weeknight dinner. Spicy taco-seasoned chicken is combined with enchilada sauce, green chiles and cilantro, then rolled into a tortilla and sprinkled with lots of ooey gooey cheese. Serve with salsa, guacamole, refried beans and your favorite cerveza or margarita.
I've been so busy this last week trying to get every room in our house repainted that I'm dead tired by the end of the day. And dinner, needless to say, was the last thing on my mind.
To make it more difficult, my kitchen counter is so piled up with all my dishes and pots and pans from my baker's & pot rack that there is no room to even work. Enter these super easy chicken enchiladas to save the day! Which are also awesomely delicious too!
What makes it so easy? Well, it starts with a prepared rotisserie chicken, don't you just love how convenient they are? Add to that a can of enchilada sauce, a can of green chiles, some tortillas, grated cheese, and fresh cilantro and you're good to go.
Of course, if you have the time, homemade easy enchilada sauce is always delicious, but, for me, easy was the only thing on my mind. It whips up in about 15 minutes then you pop it in the oven.
Now it was time to take a load off my feet and relax with an ice-cold margarita on the rocks. Hubby joined me with his favorite Cerveza and I could see he was salivating over the aromas coming out of the kitchen.
Frequently asked questions
How long will enchiladas keep?
They will keep about 5 days in the refrigerator or 6 months tightly wrapped in the freezer.
Can you reheat these chicken enchiladas?
Yes. I like to put mine on a microwave-safe plate, cover with cling wrap, and warm for 3-5 minutes. They can also be reheated in the oven Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, cover the baking dish with foil then reheat for 20-30 minutes.
Can I freeze this casserole?
Yes, this green chile chicken enchilada casserole can be frozen before or after cooking since all ingredients are fully cooked. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil prior to freezing. When ready to use, let thaw in the refrigerator then follow the reheat instructions above.
What do you serve with enchiladas?
I serve my homemade chicken enchiladas with salsa, guacamole, and sour cream with sides of refried beans and rice.
Easy steps to make chicken enchiladas
Gather all the ingredients - rotisserie chicken, green chiles, enchilada sauce, taco seasoning, cilantro, tortillas, and grated cheese.
- Mix taco seasoning with water. (photo 1)
- Pour over chopped or shredded chicken. Toss well. (photo 2)
- Add a small can of chopped green chiles. (photo 3)
- Add chopped cilantro. Stir all together. (photo 4)
- Divide chicken mixture evenly between 6-8 tortillas. You can opt for either flour or corn tortillas.
- Close tortilla by folding in both sides then rolling over the unfolded edge into a small log. You want to make sure to secure all that tasty filling inside the tortilla.
- Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce in the bottom of an 8x11-inch baking dish. Place each enchilada, seam side down, on top of sauce.
- Pour remaining enchilada sauce over filled tortillas.
- Sprinkle with as much cheese as you like. I love enchiladas just oozing with cheese so I actually add a little extra.
- Cover with foil and let the chicken enchilada casserole bake for 25 minutes. If you like your cheese a little browner on top, place it under the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Make sure to watch it carefully so it doesn't burn.
Serve these easy chicken enchiladas while they're hot and the cheese is all melty. Now, you're probably wondering what sides to add. How about all of them! (haha) Since Mexican sides are some of my favorites, I go a little crazy with them.
Try these chicken enchiladas with a slice of lime, my classic guacamole, refried beans, sour cream, salsa and maybe some Spanish rice. Now that's one delicious dinner! And the best part, cleanup is a snap! Oh, and there are leftovers for tomorrow's lunch. Woohoo! Enjoy!
More sides for your Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Sparkling Margarita with bright citrus flavors and a hint of heat.
Homemade Refried Beans from Dinners Dishes and Desserts
Spanish Quinoa is a take on Spanish rice but with a more protein-rich base. Easy to make and has all the flavor of the original.
Love Mexican? Here Are More Recipes to Enjoy
Ground Beef Sour Cream Enchiladas are creamy, cheesy, and flavored with green chiles.
Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Recipe with black beans and green chiles.
Chicken Fiesta Casserole with chicken breasts coated with crushed Cheez-Its and a cheesy cream sauce.
Chicken Tinga Tacos for tortillas filled with shredded chicken and tomato chipotle adobo sauce.
Baked Salsa Chicken topped with gooey cheese.
Pork Enchiladas with creamy green sauce.
Find even more Mexican chicken recipes here on 2CM!
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Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked leftover chicken rotisserie chicken works great
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup taco seasoning
- 4 oz can chopped green chiles, drained
- ⅓ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 28 oz can enchilada sauce or easy homemade enchilada sauce
- 6-8 flour tortillas
- 1 cup cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese shredded (or more to your liking)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Shred or chop leftover chicken in a large bowl.
- In smaller bowl, mix taco seasoning and water together then add to chicken.
- Stir in green chilies and fresh cilantro.
- Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce in the bottom of an 8x11-inch baking dish.
- Lay out tortillas and divide mixture evenly between them. Roll the tortillas up and place seam side down in prepared dish.
- Cover with remaining enchilada sauce and top with shredded cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- If you like your cheese browner, uncover casserole and place under broiler for 5 minutes or until cheese is brown and bubbly.
- Garnish with green onions. Serve with guacamole, sour cream and salsa on the side.
Video
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Enchiladas
How long will enchiladas keep?
They will keep about 5 days in the refrigerator or 6 months tightly wrapped in the freezer.Can you reheat these chicken enchiladas?
Yes. I like to put mine on a microwave-safe plate, cover with cling wrap, and warm for 3-5 minutes. They can also be reheated in the oven Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, cover the baking dish with foil then reheat for 20-30 minutes.Can I freeze this casserole?
Yes, this casserole can be frozen before or after cooking since all ingredients are fully cooked. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil prior to freezing. When ready to use, let thaw in the refrigerator then follow the reheat instructions above.What do you serve with enchiladas?
I serve mine with salsa, guacamole and sour cream with sides of refried beans and rice.Nutrition
This post has been updated with new photos and improved easy to follow instructions. Original post was published on May 7, 2017.
Kalena says
These really look delicious, but my Mexican Auntie would have had a fit if she was still alive if I made enchiladas with flour tortillas or tacos. These remind me of mini “WET” burritos.
So I will,try this with the more traditional corn tortillas!
Mahalo!🤙🏽
Linda Warren says
I've made these with both but my family likes the flour better. I think you'll love it with the corn tortillas too! Enjoy!
Donald says
Can you heat the tortillas, will they roll up better
Linda Warren says
Yes, if your flour tortillas are a little old or you are using corn tortillas, you can definitely heat them slightly to make them more pliable. If my flour tortillas are a little hard, I place mine between damp paper towels and heat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. They will roll up much more easily when soft and warm.
Rebecca says
I loved this recipe and so did my husband! Just made it last night for Cinco de Mayo and celebrated from home! What recipe do you recommend for your Mexican rice??
Linda Warren says
It's a great recipe for Cinco de Mayo. So glad you enjoyed it! I have a Spanish Rice recipe on the site where quinoa is subbed for rice that I like to use. If you don't like quinoa, rice could easily be substituted.
Trinh says
I followed this recipe, and it was great! I didn't change anything. My kids added more cheese to their serving. This will be on our rotation menu. Thank you, ladies!
Linda Warren says
You're so welcome! So glad everyone enjoyed it. And, of course, they added more cheese! lol
Jill says
Made this for the family. They LOVED it. Everyone just raved. I added a bit of extra cheese and only did half the can of green chilies. Also no cilantro because I had someone that didn’t care for it. I think it would be better to let them add it on the top. But really easy and very flavorful.
Linda Warren says
What a great way to change it up to suit everyone's tastes. Wish I was at your house for dinner! 🙂
Marcia says
Can you make theses a day or 2 in advance
Linda Warren says
Most definitely! You can make it and freeze it for several months, defrost, then bake or make it ahead of time, keep it refrigerated for 2-3 days, then bake. Hope you enjoy it!
Sophie Heath says
Super delicious and easy to make!
Lisalia says
I don't like soggy enchiladas, so we just used half the sauce in the recipe. BUT saved the other half to drizzle over while serving. Kept a nice texture and was SO good! Thanks for this great recipe.
Linda Warren says
That's a great way to change it up. Glad you enjoyed it.
Meagan says
Flavor is good but recipe calls for too much sauce . I even doubled everything else and it was still too much so made enchiladas soggy. I would use half the amount.
Linda Warren says
I would use whatever covers your tortillas so that they remain soft and cheesy. The 28-oz should not have drenched the enchiladas but it might be that you used smaller ones and/or a smaller dish. Glad you enjoyed the flavors.
Charlene says
I used salsa and and sour cream in with the chicken and other ingredients! Magnificent plus a little cheese too and salt. Also used chicken breasts cooked in Insta Pot
Linda Warren says
That sounds awesome! Love the sound of the spicy salsa and creamy sour cream additions.
Shadi Hasanzadenemati says
Love this easy recipe! Chicken enchiladas are my favorite!
Jenn says
Easy and delicious! We're totally on an enchilada kick right now and loving this recipe!