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Easy Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas

Rich, hearty, easy cheesy white chicken enchiladas that ANYONE can master and fit everyone’s tastes! You’ll be rolling out and cranking up the Taco Tuesdays with this EASY and delicious dish! Have your entire family BEGGING for more! 

Red baking dish with easy cheesy white chicken enchiladas and a red napkin

Why This Recipe Works

  • Because they are EASY CHEESY!
  • Fast
  • Simple ingredients that are not hard to find and no complicated spices either!

Here’s How To Make Easy Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas!

STEP 1.

Mix the cheese and the chicken together, spoon into the tortillas and roll up, placing seem side down in a prepared dish.

hands rolling up flour tortillas with chicken

STEP 2.

Prepare the cheesy sauce.

pouring stock into cheesy sauce on stove top

STEP 3.

Pour the sauce over the enchiladas and bake for 25-35 minutes. 

cheese sauce being poured over the enchiladas in a baking dish

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)

Aren’t enchiladas typically made with corn tortillas? 

Corn Tortillas are the classic version for enchiladas but flour tortillas work as well. As it turns out my family prefers flour. 

Make sure to use whichever kind of tortilla your family prefers! 

Do I Have To Use Chicken Breast Only? 

No, of course not. Use whichever cut of chicken works for you! You can poach your own chicken too!

Here are some options: 

  • Shred a rotisserie chicken from the grocery
  • Use pre shredded chicken found in the grocery cooler.
  • How about the frozen chicken chunks? 
  • Do you prefer vegetarian? There are some excellent options available for this.
  • My friends made this recipe using beans in the tortillas and loved that too! 
  • Be adventurous and try all kinds of things! 

Where’s the Red Sauce?

There is none in this recipe! This isn’t a classic Mexican Enchilada Dish!

This is a recipe made up entirely by me, I hope you enjoy it! 

Easy Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas are a great way to introduce someone to enchiladas because they are a taste that many people enjoy!

Can I Sneak Some Veggies In This Recipe? 

Sure! 

Here are some suggestions:

In the enchilada filling, add in some pre cooked:

  • Spinach
  • Zucchini
  • Squash
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli

If you chop them small, no one will notice and because of the bright flavors of the rotel, you won’t even know they are in there! 

Can I Freeze These Cheesy Enchiladas?

This isn’t the best dish to freeze. Best to wait until you have a crowd to please to serve it. 

How Long Do These Enchiladas Last? 

They will last covered in the fridge for about 5 days. Don’t allow them to sit out on the counter for longer than 2 hours. 

Can I Make These The Day Before? 

Sure,

  1. Assemble the enchiladas and keep the sauce separate.
  2. Cover the enchiladas with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
  3. Do the same for the sauce.
  4. 45 minutes before serving, warm the sauce on the stove top and pour over the enchiladas. 
  5. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes until hot and bubbly. 

Close up of easy cheesy white chicken enchiladas and cilantro

Tips and Tricks for Perfect Easy Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas

  • You can use the preshredded cheese from the store if you like – it will work – but I feel that you get better flavor from the cheese you shred yourself. It might just be me – but that is what I think. They do something to the cheese that is preshredded to keep it from sticking to itself in the bag – not sure what – and I think that affects the taste. You be the judge – you know what your time involves.
  • You can use the smaller size tortilla wraps if you prefer. Just fill your casserole dish. No problem.
  • Use any shredded chicken cut that you prefer. 
  • Add more or less cumin based on your tastes for that flavor. This dish has plenty of flavor even if you add no cumin. 
  • The flour tortillas will puff as you cook them, so do not overfill the baking dish with the cheese sauce.
  • and straight from the Mexican government: the history of enchiladas

PRO TIP: If you have left over cheese sauce, save it to pour over scrambled eggs for breakfast! YUM! 

If You Enjoyed This Recipe, You Might Also Enjoy…

Mexican Cornbread

Taco Soup

Mexican Cornbread Muffins

Taco Pie

Crockpot Taco Chicken

Taco Casserole

Taco Spaghetti

 

Close up of easy cheesy white chicken enchiladas and cilantro

Easy Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas

Rich, hearty, easy cheesy white chicken enchiladas that ANYONE can master and fit everyone's tastes! You'll be rolling out and cranking up the Taco Tuesdays with this EASY and delicious dish! Have your entire family BEGGING for more! 
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Save Rate
Course: main
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheesy enchilada, easy enchilada, enchilada, white chicken enchiladas
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 356kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 Cups chicken shredded (about 2 breasts)
  • 3 Cups Pepper Jack Cheese shredded
  • 8 flour tortillas
  • 5 tbs butter divided
  • 3 tbs all purpose flour
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup Fontina cheese shredded
  • 15 oz Rotel tomatoes and green chilis
  • 4 oz green chilis
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Cilantro garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325. Prepare a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Shred the chicken with two forks. Remove and discard any skin and bones.
  • Mix the shredded chicken with 2 cups of pepper jack cheese. Place a handful of the mixture into each tortilla and roll the tortilla up and place seem side down in the prepared baking dish.
  • In a large sauce pan, melt 2 tbs of butter and garlic. Cook until the garlic is fragrant - about a minute. Remove these from the pan and put in the remaining 3 tbs of butter and add the flour. mix well and cook the mixture over medium heat for 1-2 minutes to allow the flour to cook (this removes the flour taste). Add the garlic back into the mix.
  • Using a whisk to whisk the butter/flour mixture, slowly add the chicken stock. It will seem that the flour mix is growing when you add the chicken water - just keep whisking - whisk very fast so as to remove any lumps that may want to form. Whisk until smooth and continue to cook this mixture over medium heat until it forms a bubbly sauce. You will note that it is somewhat thicker than when you started.
  • Stir in the sour cream and the fontina cheese. When well mixed, add the Ro-tell tomatoes and the can of green chilis. Add garlic powder, onion powder and cumin. Mix well and allow to heat until starting to bubble. Taste. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Pour this sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Make sure the sauce goes down between the enchiladas. Do not over fill. Top with the remaining 1-2 Cups of pepper jack cheese.
  • Place a baking sheet below the baking dish in the oven to catch drips. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until bubbly throughout. Cilantro as a garnish at the table. (it gets wilty if you put it on as it comes out of the oven)

Notes

  • You can use the preshredded cheese from the store if you like - it will work - but I feel that you get better flavor from the cheese you shred yourself.  It might just be me - but that is what I think.  They do something to the cheese that is preshredded to keep it from sticking to itself in the bag - not sure what - and I think that affects the taste.  You be the judge - you know what your time involves.
  • You can use the smaller size tortilla wraps if you prefer.  Just fill your casserole dish. No problem.
  • Use any shredded chicken cut that you prefer. 
  • Add more or less cumin based on your tastes for that flavor. This dish has plenty of flavor even if you add no cumin. 
  • The flour tortillas will puff as you cook them, so do not overfill the baking dish with the cheese sauce.
PRO TIP: If you have left over cheese sauce, save it to pour over scrambled eggs for breakfast! YUM! 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Easy Cheesy White Chicken Enchiladas
Amount Per Serving
Calories 356 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 14g70%
Cholesterol 70mg23%
Sodium 591mg25%
Potassium 271mg8%
Carbohydrates 18g6%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A 643IU13%
Vitamin C 5mg6%
Calcium 334mg33%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @loavesanddishes or tag #loavesanddishes!

***This post originally appeared on Loaves and Dishes in January 2015 and has been updated with: Why This Recipe Works, How It’s Made, Step by Step Instructions, Frequently Asked Questions, Video, Equipment, Nutrition Information and updated recipe instructions***

A VERSE TO SHARE

Romans 6:6-7

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin–  because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 

Wendi is the writer, CEO and dishwasher at Loaves and Dishes! When not in the kitchen or behind the computer, you can find Wendi serving on International Food Conference Boards, Speaking at various conferences, Leading and Cooking for the local Arts Council's "Taste of Stokes" events or donating home cooked goodies to various local non profits such as the Danbury Songwriters and Stokes Partnership for Children. Wendi is also a Registered Nurse with a Master's Degree and serves on her town's board of councilmen.

Recipe Rating




Paula

Tuesday 18th of April 2023

Thank you, great recipe! I made two batches today and all the jars popped, the taste was amazing and they came out fantastic. I looked at so many recipes and I am glad that I found your recipe it is the so easy.

Wendi Spraker

Wednesday 19th of April 2023

Hi Paula! I'm thinking that maybe you made strawberry jam or something with popping jars and it's about that time of the year but I'm not sure about the white chicken enchiladas and popping jars? But if you canned them, please let me know how and what you did, I'm intrigued!

Shailaja DESAI

Saturday 19th of September 2020

This looks super amazing and so flavourful!!

Wendi Spraker

Monday 21st of September 2020

Thanks! I hope you enjoy it!

Alex Vanderheyden

Monday 2nd of July 2018

This was so fucking good. We have so much leftover!!!!

Alex Vanderheyden

Monday 2nd of July 2018

This was so fucking good. We have so much leftover!!!

Wendi Spraker

Monday 2nd of July 2018

Great! It DOES make a lot though. Thanks for leaving a comment.

Moxie

Friday 2nd of February 2018

Lovely flavor!

15585

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