Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

These cheesy chicken enchiladas are my cheater dinner. I roll leftover chicken and plenty of shredded cheese in flour tortillas, pour red enchilada sauce over the top, and bake them until the sauce bubbles. Even when I make the sauce from scratch, dinner still comes together on a weeknight.

My husband and I made a deal before we got married that I’d cook and he’d do the dishes. These enchiladas are one of his regular requests, and since everything bakes in one dish, his end of the deal stays easy.

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Why I Use Flour Tortillas

I like flour tortillas better than corn, and they save a step. They roll straight from the package without cracking, so you skip the frying and dipping that corn tortillas need.

Flour tortillas soak up enchilada sauce faster than corn, though. That means they need less sauce and can turn soggy if they sit in it too long.

I use 8-inch tortillas where eight fit snugly in an 11×8 glass baking dish (an 11×7 works, too). This is the standard taco-size tortilla (and also the one Costco happens to sell).

If you’re worried about soggy tortillas, brush both sides lightly with oil, lay them on a baking sheet, and warm them in the oven for two to three minutes while it preheats. Pull them out when they’re warm and just starting to blister, and they’ll hold up to the sauce and still won’t crack when you roll them.

If you prefer corn tortillas, you can use them. Warm them first so they roll without cracking, and plan on a longer bake time. Dipping each corn tortilla in the enchilada sauce before you fill it coats it and softens it a little more.

Dipping uses up a lot of the enchilada sauce, though. Plan on using part or all of a second, smaller 10-ounce can to pour over the top once the enchiladas are assembled.

Shred Your Own Cheese for Enchiladas

Bagged shredded cheese has a coating so the shreds don’t stick together in the bag. That coating also keeps it from melting as smoothly, so shred your own from a block.

I use three cups of cheese in these since they’re supposed to be cheesy, but go with 2 1/2 cups if that feels like too much. Cheddar on its own is great. When I have it, I use two cups of cheddar and one cup of Chihuahua cheese, which is delicious.

My trick is to freeze the block for 10 to 15 minutes before I shred it. Cold cheese doesn’t tear apart as much, so the shreds come out much nicer. I shred it with my rotary cheese grater, which is so much easier for me than a box grater.

Homemade or Canned Enchilada Sauce

I usually make my Simple 10 Minute Red Enchilada Sauce, but canned sauce works, too. One 19-ounce can is the right amount for this dish.

Canned enchilada sauce can taste a little metallic, so I doctor it to “fix” it. Whisk in 1/4 teaspoon sugar to cut the tinny taste and 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar to brighten the other flavors.

You can also whisk in 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and a pinch of chili powder before you pour it into the dish. At that point, though, you’re putting in about the same effort as making my sauce from scratch.

That tinny taste is also why I bake these in a glass dish. I don’t like cooking tomato dishes in metal pans, and the glass dish looks nicer on the table, too.

How to Make Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Start with cooked chicken. Leftover chicken and rotisserie chicken both work, and whenever I cook chicken for another dinner, I make extra so it’s ready for these. Save a rotisserie carcass for Homemade Chicken Stock.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees, and warm the tortillas now if you’re using the oil trick. Chop or shred the chicken, then stir it together in a bowl with 1 cup of the cheese and 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, which holds the filling together.

Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce over the bottom of an 11×8 glass baking dish. Don’t skip it, because flour tortillas stick to a bare dish and burn on the bottom.

Lay a tortilla flat and spoon about 1/2 cup of filling in a line near the center. Fold one side over the filling, roll it up, and set it seam side down in the dish. Repeat with the other seven tortillas, dividing the filling evenly.

Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Use a spatula to gently press any exposed tortilla ends into the sauce so they don’t get hard and crusty in the oven. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of cheese over the top.

Cover the dish with foil and bake, then uncover it for the last few minutes to brown the cheese. Let the enchiladas sit for one to two minutes before you serve them.

How Long to Bake Enchiladas at 425 Degrees

Bake flour tortilla enchiladas at 425 degrees, covered with foil, for 15 to 18 minutes. Then uncover them and bake for another three to five minutes, until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and turns lightly brown. If they’re not bubbly and ready after three minutes, give them a few more.

Corn tortillas take longer. Bake them covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for five to seven minutes.

Can You Make Chicken Enchiladas Ahead of Time

Yes, and I do it often. Make the filling, roll the tortillas, and set them in the dish on its layer of sauce, then stop there and cover the dish. Leave the rest of the sauce and the cheese off until you’re ready to bake, or the tortillas turn soggy.

I assemble them the night before and bake them the next evening. When it’s time, let the dish sit on the counter for 15 to 20 minutes to come to temperature, then pour on the sauce and sprinkle on the cheese before you add it to the oven. Add five minutes to the bake time.

Can You Freeze Chicken Enchiladas

You can, and you freeze them at the same stage as the make-ahead version. These freeze better than most chicken dishes because the chicken is already mixed with cheese and sauce, which keeps it moist.

Thaw the dish in the fridge overnight, then add the sauce and cheese right before you bake. Follow the make-ahead steps for the counter time and the extra bake time.

How Long Do Leftover Chicken Enchiladas Last

This varies, so follow the food safety guidelines for when you first cooked the chicken. Eat the leftovers within four days of cooking, and don’t count any time they spent in the freezer.

How to Reheat Chicken Enchiladas

I reheat leftovers in the oven in the same glass dish. Cover it with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, then uncover it and bake for another three to five minutes.

Yes, I reheat them for that long. It’s a lower temperature than the initial bake, but you want to bake them long enough to ensure everything is thoroughly heated through.

For a serving or two, I use the reheat setting on my air fryer, which sets the time and temperature for me. If yours doesn’t have one, air fry them at 350 degrees for five to seven minutes.

I don’t like the texture from the microwave, but it works in a pinch. Cover the plate with a damp paper towel so the enchilada steams a little, microwave it for one minute, and check it. Keep going in 30-second bursts until it’s hot, which usually takes 90 seconds to two minutes total.

What to Serve With Chicken Enchiladas

I usually serve these with my Spanish Rice and Guacamole. When I have a little more time, I add Homemade Refried Beans.

For a crowd, start with my Smoky Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Dip. For dessert, my Dessert Nachos keep the theme going.

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