Sour Cream Enchiladas are made with flour tortillas, shredded chicken, Mexican cheese, green chiles, and an amazing sour cream sauce! There’s no need to hit up the restaurants. You can serve your family authentic Tex Mex any night of the week with this easy recipe!
The Best Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
This recipe is one that I have made for YEARS! In fact, each time I make it, I swear it only gets better!
The rich and creamy white sauce is a nice change from the traditional red sauce that enchiladas are mostly commonly topped with and have I mentioned how incredibly simple it is to prepare?
Tender, seasoned, shredded chicken wrapped in a flour tortilla, topped with a creamy sour cream sauce and of course, melted cheese. It makes for a melt in your mouth dish that everyone will enjoy!
What is an enchilada?
According to Wikipedia, an enchilada is a Mexican dish consisting of a corn tortilla rolled around a filling and covered with a savory sauce. Enchiladas can be filled with various ingredients, including meats, cheese, beans, potatoes, vegetables, or combinations. You may notice that in this recipe, I use flour tortillas versus the classic corn. I have found that the flour tortillas hold up a bit better when filled with the chicken, however, either way works.
I especially love using rotisserie chicken in this recipe since all you have to do is shred the chicken, assemble, top it with sauce, shredded cheese, and bake!
Ingredients Needed
See printable recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts and directions
- Chicken- cooked and shredded, use Rotisserie for an added shortcut
- Onion- diced
- Vegetable Oil
- Tortillas- I prefer flour, but feel free to use corn if desired
- Cheese- shredded Mexican cheese is my go-to
- Butter- unsalted preferably
- Flour- this helps create the roux for the sauce
- Chicken Broth- combined with the flour, this makes the roux
- Sour Cream- adds all the creaminess to the enchiladas
- Green Chiles- if you like a little added heat, feel free to use jalapenos, diced
How to make Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
With just a few simple steps, these enchiladas come together in no time and can even be prepped ahead of time
- In a medium skillet, cook chicken and onion in the vegetable oil until chicken is cooked through and onion is tender. *I added 1 tablespoon homemade taco seasoning for added flavor at this step! See below for other ways to cook chicken.
- Divide chicken evenly between tortillas.
- Place 1-2 tablespoon cheese on top of chicken in tortilla. Roll tortilla closed and place seam side down in a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- In medium skillet, melt butter. Add in flour to create a roux. Allow to cook about 2 minutes.
- Slowly add in chicken broth and heat until bubbly and thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and chiles.
- Pour sauce evenly over tortillas.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of sauce.
- Bake in a preheated oven (400 degrees) for about 20 minutes, or until bubbly.
How to make shredded chicken for enchiladas
- Some people choose to use a rotisserie chicken and that’s a great method for making the filling if you’re pinched for time.I especially love this method during busy weeknights.
- Place 1 pound chicken breast into slow cooker with about 1/2 cup chicken broth (or water) and some taco seasoning or salsa. Cook on high for about 4 hours, or low for 6-8 hours. Shred.
- Add 1 lb chicken breast, 1 cup chicken broth, and about 1 tablespoon taco seasoning to your Instant Pot. Seal and pressure cook for 10 minutes. Allow a NPR for 5 minutes. Open lid and shred.
- Place diced chicken and onion in skillet and cook over medium heat until no longer pink.
- Boil chicken breast in water until cooked through. Shred.
What to serve with Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas
The classic side dishes are rice and beans, however, you can serve anything you desire with these enchiladas or keep it simple and serve them on their own.
The BEST Refried Beans- Only a few minutes to prepare and packed with flavor, you’ll never want restaurant beans again!
Instant Pot Mexican Rice- Packed with flavor and simple to prepare, you’ll never make rice any other way!
Restaurant Style Mexican Rice- Pairs perfectly with any Mexican dish, you’ll definitely be going back for seconds!
Mexican Street Corn Casserole- All the flavors of Mexican street corn, just off the cob! A one pan side dish that is sure to be a hit with everyone!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the enchiladas the day before?
Yes! I have made these the day before and when needed, popped into the oven and they were great. The only complaint I sometimes have with doing this is that the texture can get a bit soggy. Same great taste though. To avoid this, you can always wrap the tortillas with chicken inside and make the sauce, but not pour it on top until ready to bake. Either way is great!
Can I freeze these?
Sure can! Prep the enchiladas as directed above. Place plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil on top of enchiladas. Freeze casserole and write the date on the outside. Baked or unbaked, enchiladas will keep about 6 to 8 months. Let enchiladas thaw in a casserole dish before baking or reheating.
Can I use ground beef?
Yes! If desired, cook the ground beef and use in place of the shredded chicken in this recipe.
How do I store the leftovers?
I tend to place the entire pan (covered in aluminum foil) into my refrigerator to enjoy the next day. You can also store these in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Can I use corn tortillas in place of the flour tortillas?
Absolutely! Just remember to warm the corn tortillas up a bit before placing the chicken filling inside as the corn tortillas tend to rip/break easily if not warm.
How to reheat leftover enchiladas
In my opinion, these enchiladas are even better the next day and they can be easily reheated in the microwave, or in a 350 degree oven. Coat the casserole dish with foil the night before and it goes directly into the oven at 350 degrees. Reheat gently until just warm, about 20-30 minutes.
Add In’s and Variations
Enchiladas in general are pretty versatile. They can be easily adapted to fit anyone’s tastes. Below are just a few ideas to try for a fun variation
- In place of chicken, use ground beef or carne asada. Even shredded pork is tasty in these enchiladas.
- Add in diced bell peppers with the onions and chicken.
- Swap out flour tortillas and use corn.
- Add in a can of black beans to the chicken mixture.
- Serve with some diced avocados, tomatoes, black olives, or even a splash of hot sauce on top.
More Enchilada Recipes to try
Easy Beef Enchiladas– only 6 ingredients needed
Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas– using cream cheese in lieu of sour cream
Easy Chicken Enchiladas– a tasty green sauce on top of chicken stuffed tortillas
Instant Pot Beef Enchilada Casserole– let the Instant Pot do all the work to make this tasty dish
Homemade Sour Cream Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken, boneless/skinless, diced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8-10 flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 15 oz chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 oz green chiles
Instructions
- In a medium skillet, cook chicken and onion in the vegetable oil until chicken is cooked through and onion is tender. *I added 1 tablespoon homemade taco seasoning for added flavor at this step! (see recipe below)
- Divide chicken evenly between tortillas.
- Place 1-2 tablespoon cheese on top of chicken in tortilla. Roll tortilla closed and place seam side down in a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- In medium skillet, melt butter.
- Add in flour to create a roux. Allow to cook about 2 minutes.
- Slowly add in chicken broth and heat until bubbly and thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and chiles. Pour sauce evenly over tortillas.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of sauce.
- Bake in a preheated oven (400) for about 20 minutes, or until bubbly.
Nutrition
Recipe updated 1/3/23
