The best chicken enchilada recipe! These easy chicken enchiladas have the most delicious shredded chicken filling and are one of our favorite meals. Follow our step-by-step instructions and watch the video to learn how to make enchiladas!
Chicken enchiladas are the perfect recipe to feed a crowd, bring to a friend, or make for your family on a busy weeknight. This is the best chicken enchilada recipe ever.
A flavorful slow-cooked, shredded chicken filling is mixed with beans, corn and cheese, wrapped in tortillas, smothered with enchilada sauce and topped with more cheese. Baked to bubbly perfection, these easy chicken enchiladas are one of our family's most favorite main dish recipes (my oldest daughter even requested them for her birthday)!
Chicken Enchilada Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
We'll take a minute to chat about the ingredients in these chicken enchiladas, as well as possible substitutions.
- Chicken breasts. Use boneless, skinless, free-range chicken breasts for the best results.
- Onion. Choose your favorite onion variety, our favorites include sweet onions and red onions.
- Honey. this is the secret ingredient that makes this the best chicken enchilada recipe ever. I don't recommend making substitutions or omitting the honey.
- Water. Chicken broth can be used in place of water if desired.
- Lime Juice. Freshly squeezed or bottled both work well in this recipe.
- Salsa.Choose your favorite salsa (or use homemade salsa). We use a mild variety because I'm cooking for kids, but if you like heat use medium or spicy.
- Spices. I use my favorite spice blend to make these chicken enchiladas. You can substitute 1 ½ TBS taco seasoning if preferred.
- Enchilada sauce. choose your favorite enchilada sauce or make your own. I prefer red, but green sauce works too.
- Cheddar Cheese. In my opinion, the sharper the better! You can use a Mexican blend cheese if you prefer.
- Black olives. Another key ingredient, I don't recommend omitting but you can if you must.
- Corn. Fresh corn cut off the cob, or frozen corn that has been thawed can be used in this recipe.
- Tortillas. Flour or corn tortillas both work well. Corn is a great gluten-free option. We prefer the taste and heartiness of flour tortillas.
How to make Chicken Enchiladas
This chicken enchilada recipe is easy to make, but as always we'll walk through the process step-by-step to ensure your success! Don't forget to watch the video.
Make the Shredded ChickenEnchilada Filling
The first step in making the best chicken enchiladas is to make the shredded chicken for the filling. This is where all the flavor resides and is what makes this recipe out of this world delicious. I love that the crockpot does all the work for me!
Slow-Cook the chicken
In the container of a slow cooker, combine honey, water, lime juice, salsa, garlic, spices and onion. Add chicken breasts and turn to coat Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours, or until chicken shreds easily with a fork.
Shred
Next, turn off the crockpot and shed the chicken. Then, return the shredded chicken to sauce in crockpot, loosely cover and let cool.
Mix the filling ingredients together
In a large bowl, combine the slightly cooled chicken plus any remaining crockpot sauce, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, black olives and corn and stir to combine.
Assemble the Chicken Enchiladas
Next, it's time to assemble the enchiladas. Preheat the oven and pour ½ cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a prepared baking dish. Then, add just over ½ cup of filling to the center of a tortilla. Roll tightly and place in the baking dish.
Repeat with the seven remaining tortillas and the rest of the filling, arranging them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas and spread evenly, then sprinkle the remaining 1 ½ cups cheese evenly over the tortillas.
Bake
Bake the chicken enchiladas in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
Serve
Let cool slightly then serve warm with your favorite toppings like sour cream! Here are some suggestions:
- The best homemade guacamole is a must-make to accompany these chicken enchiladas!
- Also this 5-minute homemade salsa. It's made with canned tomatoes (or fresh if you prefer) so you can make and enjoy it year-round.
- These easy refried black beans are one of my favorite simple recipes that only take 10 minutes to make.
- If you'd prefer a vegetarian filling, try using these Black Bean Sweet Potato tacos - yum!
- If you want a chicken filling that doesn't contain honey (but the honey really makes this recipe, it's the secret weapon) try these crockpot chicken tacos.
- This is the best nachos recipe ever - with two layers of cheese!
How to store Chicken Enchiladas
Store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To freeze
There are two ways to freeze these easy chicken enchiladas:
- Freeze before baking. To freeze before baking simply assemble the enchiladas, cover tightly with plastic wrap then foil, and freeze. To bake from frozen remove the plastic wrap. Bake covered in aluminum foil until the filling is bubbly, then remove the foil and bake until cheese is melted. This is my preferred method.
- Freeze after baking. To freeze after baking simply follow the instructions, let cool to room temperature, then cover with foil and freeze. Reheat covered with foil until warmed through.
FAQs about Chicken Enchiladas
This recipe makes the best enchilada filling. You can add beans, sour cream, extra cheese, chopped onions, etc.
Make sure to bake them uncovered to keep the tortillas from becoming soggy.
We usually choose a Mexican cheese blend or sharp cheddar. Cotija is also a delicious option.
You can make your own, but I prefer to save time and use canned. I like Whole Foods brand enchilada sauce and hatch organic sauce. We use mild for our kids.
If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don't forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube - be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can your creations!
Easy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Enchilada Filling:
- 2 lbs. chicken breasts
- 1 cup onion finely diced
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup water or chicken broth
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ½ cup salsa
- 1 TBS minced garlic
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 19 oz enchilada sauce divided
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- ½ cup black olives sliced
- ½ cup corn fresh or frozen & thawed
Chicken Enchiladas
- 8 tortillas flour or corn
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese
Instructions
Cook chicken:
- In the container of a slow cooker, combine honey, water, lime juice, salsa, garlic, spices and onion. Add chicken breasts and turn to coat
- Cook on high for 3 hours or low for 6 hours, or until chicken shreds easily with a fork.
- Shred the chicken, then turn off the crockpot and return the shredded chicken to the sauce in crockpot. Loosely cover and let cool slightly.
Make the Filling:
- In a large bowl, combine cooled chicken plus any remaining crockpot sauce, 1 cup Cheddar cheese, black olives and corn.
Assemble the Enchiladas
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x13” baking dish.
- Pour ½ cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Add just over ½ cup of filling to the center of a tortilla. Roll tightly and place in the baking dish. Repeat with 7 remaining tortillas and the rest of the filling, arranging them in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour remaining enchilada sauce over rolled tortillas and spread evenly.
- Sprinkle remaining 1 ½ cups cheese evenly over tortillas.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly.
- Let cool slightly then serve warm with your favorite toppings (salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc.)
Video
Notes
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Chicken breasts. Use boneless, skinless, free-range chicken breasts for the best results.
- Onion. Choose your favorite onion variety, our favorites include sweet onions and red onions.
- Honey. this is the secret ingredient that makes this the best chicken enchilada recipe ever. I don't recommend making substitutions or omitting the honey.
- Water. Chicken broth can be used in place of water if desired.
- Lime Juice. Freshly squeezed or bottled both work well in this recipe.
- Salsa.Choose your favorite salsa (or use homemade salsa). We use a mild variety because I'm cooking for kids, but if you like heat use medium or spicy.
- Spices. I use my favorite spice blend to make these chicken enchiladas. You can substitute 1 ½ TBS taco seasoning if preferred.
- Enchilada sauce. choose your favorite enchilada sauce or make your own. I prefer red, but green sauce works too.
- Cheddar Cheese. In my opinion, the sharper the better! You can use a Mexican blend cheese if you prefer.
- Black olives. Another key ingredient, I don't recommend omitting but you can if you must.
- Corn. Fresh corn cut off the cob, or frozen corn that has been thawed can be used in this recipe.
- Tortillas. Flour or corn tortillas both work well. Corn is a great gluten-free option. We prefer the taste and heartiness of flour tortillas.
How to store Chicken Enchiladas
Store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.To freeze
There are two ways to freeze these easy chicken enchiladas:- Freeze before baking. To freeze before baking simply assemble the enchiladas, cover tightly with plastic wrap then foil, and freeze. To bake from frozen remove the plastic wrap. Bake covered in aluminum foil until the filling is bubbly, then remove the foil and bake until cheese is melted.
- Freeze after baking. To freeze after baking simply follow the instructions, let cool to room temperature then cover with foil and freeze. Reheat covered with foil until warmed through.
Nutrition
The photos in this post were taken by Jamie from Dishing Out Health!
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Monique Du Preez
Totally delicious, my family loved it
Sarah
Oh my gosh. I came home to smelling this in the crockpot and quickly finished the rest of the steps so we could have dinner ASAP... Because yum. Taste bud anticipation was not let down!!!