This Easy Chicken Enchilada Recipe is loaded with shredded chicken, black beans, enchilada sauce, and shredded Mexican cheese! Ready in less than an hour, this easy Mexican dish perfect for meal prep and freezing!

Easy Chicken Enchiladas in a white casserole dish

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    Chef Tips / Before You Get Started

    • Heat the tortillas by warming them in the microwave or heating in a hot skillet. This makes them more pliable and easier to roll.
    • Making your own enchilada sauce is easy and tastes so much better than store-bought! Check out my homemade enchilada sauce recipe in my enchilada rice post.

    Ingredients for Easy Chicken Enchiladas

    • Enchilada Sauce: Standard store-bought enchilada sauce is perfect for this recipe or you can make your own! I used mild enchilada sauce however use medium or hot if you want an extra kick!
    • Chicken: Use either leftover rotisserie chicken or I prefer to make shredded chicken in an instant pot (it’s really easy!). For even more flavor, make a batch of my Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas and use that instead of plain shredded chicken.
    • Onion: Just one small onion gives tons of flavor!
    • Diced Green chilies: Add a hint of spice and a lot of flavor.
    • Black beans: To keep it simple I added a can of black beans, however, if you prefer cooking dried beans from scratch, they will be delicious in this easy chicken enchilada recipe too! You could also substitute pinto beans for the black beans.
    • Tortillas: Large flour tortillas hold up really well in enchilada casseroles. I personally prefer using flour tortillas however corn tortillas are traditionally used in Mexican style enchiladas!
    • Cheese: Shredded Mexican cheese goes both into the tortillas and gets sprinkled on top of the enchilada casserole. You can substitute your favorite hard cheese instead. Cheddar or Monterey Jack would both be delicious as well.

    How to Make Chicken Enchiladas

    • Preheat the oven: To 350 degrees. Spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan, and set aside.
    1. Saute onion and garlic: In a small skillet heat olive oil. Add onion and sauté until golden brown and slightly tender, 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
    sauteed onion in cast iron skillet with wooden spoon
    1. Mix together filling: Transfer onion/garlic mixture to a large bowl along with the shredded chicken, green chilies, black beans, 1 cup of enchilada sauce, and 2 cups of Mexican cheese. Stir to combine.
    enchilada filling in large white bowl
    1. Roll up enchiladas: Layout the 8 flour tortillas. Divide the filling between the tortillas. Roll them up and place them in the prepared baking dish.
    rolling up chicken enchiladas
    1. Pour the remaining 3/4 of enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.
    topping chicken enchiladas with enchilada sauce
    1. Bake: For 20 minutes uncovered or until warm and the cheese is melted.
    2. Serve: Immediately with fresh cilantro, red onions, and tomatoes for serving, if desired.
    baked chicken enchiladas out of the oven

    Variations

    • Use a different kind of meat! If you have leftover carnitas or barbacoa, this is a great way to use them up!
    • Make these vegetarian enchiladas by omitting the meat and adding more beans, corn or veggies!
    • Use different beans: Pinto beans or white beans would also work in place of the black beans. Take your beans up a notch and make them from scratch by soaking then boiling them.
    • Add more veggies: You can add pickled jalapeños, bell peppers or corn to make this even more filling.
    serving enchiladas topped with cilantro on a white plate

    Shredded Chicken For Enchiladas

    Whenever I need shredded chicken for a recipe I always make it in the Instant Pot. You can cook it from frozen or refrigerated and it takes less than 16 minutes (from frozen) and 12 minutes (from the fridge).

    overhead shot of raw chicken thighs in the instant pot
    overhead shot of cooked shredded chicken thighs in the instant pot

    What to serve with Chicken Enchiladas

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Should I cover enchiladas when baking?

    No, I don’t think it’s necessary. I like the tortillas to become a little crispy on the edges as well. Delicious!

    What is enchilada sauce made of?

    My homemade enchilada sauce from my enchilada rice recipe consists of oil, flour, chicken broth and spices. It’s super easy to make and lasts for a while in the fridge!

    Can I freeze chicken enchiladas?

    Yes! This makes an easy freezer meal! Once assembled don’t bake the chicken enchilada casserole but wrap it up tightly and cover it in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you are ready to eat defrost the enchiladas overnight in the refrigerator. Bake as directed and enjoy!

    Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour?

    Yes absolutely! I typically rotate between flour or corn depending on what we have in the pantry. Corn tortillas are more traditional and have more flavor than flour. Corn tortillas are typically smaller so you will need extra then this recipe!

    Feeling lazy? Instead of rolling up the enchiladas make my vegetarian enchilada casserole. You can always add chicken to this!

    A spatula lifting a portion of Chicken Enchiladas from a white casserole dish

    More Mexican Inspired Recipes To Try

    Recipe

    Easy Chicken Enchiladas

    Easy Chicken Enchiladas Easy Chicken Enchiladas. Loaded with shredded chicken, black beans, enchilada sauce and shredded Mexican cheese!
    Author: Kelley Simmons
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Serves 6
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      Ingredients 

      • 2 10 ounce cans enchilada sauce, divided
      • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
      • 1 small onion, diced
      • 3 cloves garlic, minced
      • 1 pound shredded chicken, about 2 cups, I used chicken thighs but breasts will also work
      • 1 4 ounce can diced green chiles
      • 1 15.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
      • 8 large flour tortillas
      • 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese, divided
      • fresh cilantro, diced red onions, tomatoes for serving, if desired

      Instructions

      • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9 pan, set aside.
      • In a small skillet heat olive oil. Add onion and sauté until golden brown and slightly tender, 3-4 minutes.
        Add in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
      • Transfer onion / garlic mixture to a large bowl along with the shredded chicken, green chilies, black beans, 1 cup of enchilada sauce and 2 cups of Mexican cheese. Stir to combine.
      • Lay out the 8 flour tortillas. Divide the filling between the tortillas. Roll them up and place in the prepared baking dish.
      • Pour the remaining 3/4 of enchilada sauce on top and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.
      • Bake for 20 minutes uncovered or until warm.
      • Serve immediately with fresh cilantro, red onions and tomatoes for serving, if desired.

      Nutrition Information

      Calories: 475kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 36gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 725mgPotassium: 309mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 400IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 425mgIron: 3mg

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