Using a few shortcuts, these Easy Chicken Enchiladas come together in no time and certainly don’t skimp on flavor!
Easy Chicken Enchiladas
As you probably know from scrolling through my blog, my family LOVES Mexican food! Add in a simple, kid friendly recipe and we are thrilled! This dish is just that! Simple, flavorful, kid approved, and even budget friendly!
Last week, I had this ready for the oven in about 5 minutes using pre-cooked chicken from my freezer! I added in some hatch peppers because I had them on hand, and dinner was set!
I served my Instant Pot Mexican Rice and Instant Pot Refried Beans with these enchiladas and still, the entire dinner was ready in only 20 minutes! Impressive, right??!
Ingredients Needed:
Chicken- boneless, skinless, cooked and shredded
Green Enchilada Sauce- any brand desired, or you can make your own
Peppers- we use diced Hatch peppers, but you can use Bell peppers, green chiles, jalapenos, or omit
Mexican Cheese- shredded
Tortillas- we use flour because it holds up well, but if you prefer corn, use it
*See recipe card below for exact measurements
How to prepare:
Toppings:
Well, with so many options, I definitely recommend making these your own and having fun with the toppings you put on.
- Sour Cream
- Jalapenos
- Shredded Lettuce
- Black Olives
- Hot Sauce
- Diced Tomatoes
- Diced Avocado
Frequently Asked Questions
What seasoning do you recommend for the chicken? I had cooked up some chicken breasts earlier in the week as I love to keep cooked, shredded chicken on hand in my freezer for meals like this one. Typically, I take 1-2 pounds of chicken breasts, put it in my slow cooker with about ½ cup water, and sprinkle some of my homemade taco seasoning on hand. You can also use fajita seasoning or cook the chicken in broth alone and season depending on the meal its going into.
What should I serve with these enchiladas? Well, you are keeping it simple with this dish, so continue the trend and keep your sides simple. Maybe some Instant Pot Mexican Rice (here is the stovetop version, Easy Mexican Rice). Add some Instant Pot Refried Beans to the meal. Or, salad? Fruit? Just keep it simple! The enchiladas are filling, so you don’t need to add much!
What tortillas should I use? I get sooooo many comments on my posts about using corn tortillas! Yes, I too LOVE me some corn tortillas, BUT….I have found that in this recipe, flour tortillas hold up better. Corn tends to fall apart easier and be more appropriate for beef enchiladas, but that’s just my preference! If you prefer corn, go for it, I just recommend heating up the tortillas prior to adding meat and rolling!
What enchilada sauce do you recommend using? Yes, I know, I cheated and used canned green sauce. Its good, what can I say! If you have your own recipe you love (please share it with me because I have yet to find a winner), you can definitely use homemade in place of canned! I tend to favor the Old El Paso brand for the green sauce, it’s not as spicy as the others I have tried and tastes pretty darn close to authentic!
Can you make this ahead of time? Absolutely! In fact, I encourage it! I love to make these in the morning and stick the pan in my fridge. The only thing I omit is the sauce when preassembling. The tortillas sitting in the liquid can cause it to get a bit soggy after cooked. Not a good look/taste. I assemble, refrigerate, and when ready to pop into oven, pour the sauce on top and its ready!
More tasty enchilada recipes to try:
Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas
Instant Pot Beef Enchilada Casserole
Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken Enchiladas
That’s it! I think I covered just about all questions and options! If not, feel free to comment below asking anything! If you try these Easy Chicken Enchiladas, let me know! I love hearing feedback!
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Easy Chicken Enchiladas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken, cooked and shredded *season as desired
- ½ cup hatch peppers, diced (optional)
- 20 oz Green Enchilada Sauce
- 1 cup Mexican cheese, shredded
- 10 tortillas, flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9×13 baking pan.
- In a bowl, combine the cooked chicken and peppers (if using).
- Place a scoop into the middle of each tortilla and roll up tight.
- Placing seam down, line the filled tortillas into the prepared pan. *You should be able to get 10 in a pan
- Pour sauce evenly on top of the filled tortillas, making sure to cover with sauce entirely.
- Sprinkle cheese evenly on top.
- Place pan in preheated oven and cook for about 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- Serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Jenny says
What are hatch peppers? Thanks
Kristin says
Hatch peppers are typically grown in the south. Similar to a green pepper, mild. If you don’t have any near you, you can use canned green chilis or green pepper diced!