Chicken Enchiladas made from scratch – juicy, cheesy and full of flavour! There’s a few components to homemade enchiladas, but it is absolutely worth the effort with flavour you can never achieve with packet spice mixes and bottled enchilada sauce.
The foundation of this recipe is a double duty Enchilada Spice Mix that flavours the homemade Enchilada Sauce and also seasons the chicken filling.
Chicken Enchiladas
I like my Enchiladas plump and generously stuffed, rather tham skimpy on the filling
I want the filling to be JUICY and full of flavour, rather than dry and crumbly inside.
And I want the sauce to actually still be there when it comes out of the oven, not just a dried up crusty layer of red.
If this sounds like your kind of Chicken Enchiladas, then this recipe is for you!
What you need for Chicken Enchiladas
Here’s what you need for these homemade from-scratch Chicken Enchiladas.
1. Enchilada Spice Mix
Used in the Enchilada Sauce as well as seasoning the chicken filling. Nothing fancy here, just a generous dose of everyday spices!
2. Enchilada Sauce and Filling
Let’s pretend I didn’t forget to include the tortillas for rolling all this up in! 😂
Refried Beans – This is the “secret ingredient”. It fills out the filling so we can make big, plump enchiladas without using tons of chicken, holds it all together and makes it nice and juicy – and I wrote exactly the same thing about Chicken Burritos just a few weeks ago!
Tomato Passata – I use Tomato Passata as the base for enchilada sauce which is smooth, pureed tomato sold in bottles. It’s plain tomato, no flavourings or salt added, and I prefer it over crushed tomato because it makes a smooth sauce. US: What you call “tomato sauce” (such as Hunts) is an ideal substitute.
Passata is sold in the pasta aisle in supermarkets for around the same price as crushed tomato.
How to make homemade Chicken Enchiladas
The 3 components to making homemade Chicken Enchiladas are:
Enchilada Sauce
Chicken Filling
Rolling and baking
1. How to make Enchilada Sauce
Enchilada Sauce is thickened with flour and flavoured with chicken stock/broth and Enchilada spices. A simple 5 minute mix and simmer job. And light years better than store bought – see reader feedback on Beef Enchiladas which uses the same sauce!
2. Chicken Filling
We coat the chicken in the homemade Enchilada Spice Mix, then sear for maximum flavour. The smell when it hits the pan is wickedly good!
The Filling base starts with sautéed garlic and onion (flavour, flavour, flavour), then we mix in refried beans, stir in corn and the chopped chicken. As it simmers away, the generous amount of seasoning on the chicken will seep into the sauce, flavouring it with all those tasty Enchilada flavours!
↑↑↑Note the thick, juicy texture of the filling that’s going to be generously stuffed inside our enchiladas!
3. Rolling and assembly
It’s best to cool the Filling slightly so it thickens up a bit, making it easier to roll up.
Also, I can never resist adding a little (or big 😂) sprinkle of cheese before rolling it up! But if you’re watching your calories, feel free to skip it. 🙂
TIP: Add a little smear of sauce in the pan so the enchiladas don’t slip and slide as you place them in.🙌🏻
Pop it in the oven to bake for just 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the whole thing is bubbly and golden….
Best way to freeze enchiladas
The best way to freeze enchiladas is to keep the sauce separate. This is because the sauce soaks into the tortillas, making it excessively soggy AND leaving you with less sauce.
To freeze fully assembled chicken enchiladas, cool the sauce and the rolled up enchiladas completely, THEN assemble. Reason: Tortillas absorb less sauce when both are cold.
Bake from frozen – The enchiladas can be baked from frozen. If assembled separately, I thaw the sauce (quick zap in the microwave does the trick), pour it over the frozen enchiladas sprinkle with cheese then pop it in the oven.
What to serve with Enchiladas
If you want to go all out, serve your Enchiladas with sour cream, Guacamole or Avocado Sauce, and/or Pico de Gallo (tomato salsa) to dollop on top.
Pico de Gallo is also a good side dish to add to more vegetables into the meal. Another firm favourite is Cucumber Salad with Herb & Garlic Dressing – it’s terrifically refreshing so it’s a great contrast to the cosy cheesy Enchilada flavours! Otherwise, try this Chipotle Lime Roasted Cauliflower – very on theme with Mexican-esque flavours. – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 8 tortillas , flour or corn (about 20cm/8" wide, Note 1)
Enchilada Seasoning:
- 1 tsp EACH onion powder, garlic powder, salt
- 1 tbsp EACH dried cumin powder, paprika, dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, adjust to taste)
Enchilada Sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp flour , plain/all purpose
- 2 cups (500ml) chicken stock/broth , low sodium
- 1.5 cups (375ml) tomato passata or US puree (Note 4 sub)
Chicken Filling:
- 600g / 1.2lb chicken breast , sliced in half horizontally (or boneless thigh) (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp olive oil , separated
- 1/2 onion , chopped
- 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
- 1 red capsicum/bell pepper , diced
- 400g / 14oz refried beans (Note 3)
- 400g/14oz canned corn , drained (sub frozen 1 3/4 cups)
- 1/4 cup (65ml) water
- 1 cup (100g) cheese shredded (Mexican cheese blend, Monterey Jack, cheddar)
Topping
- 1.5 cups (150g) cheese , shredded
- 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro , roughly chopped
Instructions
- Enchilada Seasoning: Mix Enchilada Seasoning Spices. To be used for Filling and Sauce.
Enchilada Sauce
- Make roux – Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir 20 seconds.
- Add other ingredients – Add 2 tbsp Enchilada Seasoning, broth and tomato. Stir to combine.
- Simmer to thicken – Increase heat slightly to medium high. Cook for 4 minutes, whisking regularly, until the sauce thickens to the consistency of thick syrup (see video). Remove from stove.
Chicken Filling
- Coat chicken – Drizzle 1 tbsp oil over chicken, mix to coat. Sprinkle with Seasoning, toss to coat.
- Cook chicken – Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add chicken, cook 2 minutes. Turn and cook 1.5 minutes. Remove, rest 2 minutes then chop.
- Saute onion – In the same skillet, add onion and garlic, cook 1 minute. Add capsicum, cook 2 minutes until onion is translucent.
- Add everything else – Add refried beans, diced chicken, corn and water. Stir and cook for 2 minutes until reduces slightly. Should be thick and juicy, not watery.
Assemble and bake:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F.
- Roll – Lay tortilla on work surface. Spread 2/3 cup Filling on lower third, sprinkle with cheese then roll up, finishing with the seam side down (to hold it closed). Repeat to make 8.
- Smear a scoop of Enchilada Sauce across base of 22 x 33cm /9 x 13" pan. Place Enchiladas in, pour over remaining Sauce, sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake 20 – 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden. Serve immediately, sprinkled with coriander!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Mexican Mania
I like my Mexican food loaded with BIG flavours!
Life of Dozer
Karma in action after I teased Dozer by showing him a Strawberry Custard Tart I made…..(scroll down to see what happened 😭)
Hi Nagi, am I being blind?… I don’t see an oven temp that we are baking them at?
Yum! Already shared the recipe with two others. I will definitely make this again. I love cheese and didn’t even put some inside the roll—it’s perfectly fine and delicious without it. But…I will try it next time because…cheese! (Kind of like bacon in our house!)
Oh I hear you!! I’m so glad you loved it! N x
Ok, I laugh as I wrote this. I am from Texas and made your enchiladas last night. Didn’t know what to expect from Australian enchiladas. They were GREAT! Even my very picky husband loved them. Thanks for a new way of fixing. Love your recipes
I’m so glad they were a hit Mary! N x
I’ve been using your recipe for Mexican Shredded Chicken in my crockpot for my chicken enchilades. Throw it in the instant pot and blend the sauce after. Works amazing. Just chicken, sauce and cheese is all that is needed for a perfect enchilada. But I’m going to have to give this one a shot with the added fillings.
Sounds fantastic Mike!! N x
Nagi Baby, I love you like biscuits and gravy but what temperature does one bake the chicken enchiladas at?
Hi Ronnie, that would help wouldn’t it! Thanks for picking that up – fixing now. N x
can’t wait to try the sauce spice mix. sounds spot on. one thing i do on my enchiladas is mix some cream cheese in the filling and add a can of mild green chilies. If you can get hatch green chilies even better. just my Texmex style
Sounds great Laura!! N x
I couldn’t get my rating to work on here probably my fault but I give this recipe 10 stars~!~!~!
Thanks so much Nanette!!
I added sour cream and some cream cheese to my recipe and everyone went crazy.
Yum! Everything’s better with sour cream (I like to dollop on after they have been cooked) 🤤
Sorry Nagi, but when I saw the photo of you teasing Dozer…. Serves you right! My son once teased our dog with a cherry pie then promptly dropped it and our Gizmo scarfed the whole pie down. All I could was laugh. wow, isn’t life fun!
It sure does! Lesson learnt 😂
Enchiladas are regular items in my house. For a lighter version I use crepes rather than tortillas. I also use ricotta cheese and egg with chicken as a stuffing at times. And I use New Mexico red or green chili powder rather than cayenne. Corn or flour tortillas for this ex Californian.
Sounds like a great sub Karen! N x
If you freeze them do you thaw before baking or can you bake from frozen & adjust the baking time?
Tiffany
Phlanx’s Marketing Specialist
Hi Tiffany, freeze before baking and always thaw completely before cooking – N x
Thank you so much Nagi! By any chance you’re interested in doing collabs, you can check out the offers in our Collaboration section at Phlanx! https://phlanx.com/collaborations You can also check us out at Instagram @phlanxglobal
Nagi, My grandparents all came from Mexico and cooked a lot of traditional foods. Do you preheat the tortillas to make them easier to roll? At my house, frying the tortilla quickly to soften it up is a must. Generally about 10 seconds or until it floats to the top of the oil. Yes, this is more difficult, but it really seems to add flavor somehow. I agree that corn tortillas are the norm, but understand individual preferences. Can’t wait to try your seasonings.
Hi Lisa, I fine that some are easier to roll than others – corn tortillas generally need to be heated gently to make them more pliable whereas flour tortillas are fine as is ❤️
I used your seasonings for taco meat and my family really enjoyed it. I don’t use a recipe for the seasonings and it is inconsistent, so this will be a way to share the recipe with them. Thank you so much.
These are awesome. I use flour tortillas but throw in some corn ones because a family member likes them better. The sauce is so good I bottled it And processed it this year. Best way to use up the large quantity of tomatoes we grew. Will make double this year. I use Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeño or habanero bits.
You made the sauce and canned it ? Can you give the instructions?
Made this Tonight and it was amazing
If I can make the sauce and can it !!! game changer 🤗
Wahoo – perfect Jan!!!
Simply cannot wait to make your version of this dish ! There is a reason; having been laid low health-wise for quite a period end of last/beginning of this season needed some edible ready-made food. You will know the firm for weight losers and busy people whose ads we cannot help but view every night. Well, it has been easy just to reach into the fridge to remove a big bag of reasonable offerings. Actually there is a choice of some 45 dinners for one’s seven nights . . . there is ONE dish I have never missed – their ‘chicken enchilada’ . . . and I do not like repetitive dinners. Big serving of two with lots of cheese and olives atop, if you please ! Well, hope that period is nearly over but I know the first dish I’ll make when it is . . . shall tell you the difference 🙂 ! And, Nagi – that was karma as I said on Instagram !!!
Oh it would be one of my first dishes to make as well Eha!! N x
I’m a Southern California gal and enchiladas are very popular here and everyone has their own variation of the dish, but I have never seen or tried enchiladas with flour tortillas, it’s always corn. Are corn tortillas unavailable in Australia?
My family doesn’t care for chicken tacos or enchiladas so it’s usually beef or vegetable. I also put beans in mine only whole instead of refrieds which I usually use only in tostados. Have you tried feta in enchiladas? It’s delicious.
Hi Mel, you can get corn tortillas here although flour is more readily available – the dish works with both! I love the idea of feta in them – I’ll have to give it a go! N x
Yup bad Karma indeed teasing my other favourite Dozer (Luca is first)..
I like the way you have simplified the chicken enchiladas. .will make for my young nephew who stays here in town with us for University. .has a voracious appetite 💕👍
I hope it’s a hit Gillian! N x