Description
A delicious and comforting recipe for shredded chicken enchiladas featuring a creamy, cheesy filling infused with green chilies and spices, all rolled in warm flour tortillas and baked with rich enchilada sauce and melted Monterey Jack cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 10 ounces red enchilada sauce (1 can)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Filling:
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 yellow onions, diced
- 4 ounces diced green chilies (1 small can)
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (about ½ rotisserie chicken)
- 6 ounces queso fresco, crumbled
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 16 ounces freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Assembly:
- 8 large flour tortillas
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare Enchilada Sauce: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the raw flour smell disappears. Stir in the red enchilada sauce, chicken broth, kosher salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently while preparing the filling.
- Cook Aromatics and Spices: Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions and cook until translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the diced green chilies, ground cumin, and chili powder, cooking for another minute to blend flavors.
- Combine Filling Ingredients: Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the shredded cooked chicken, sour cream, crumbled queso fresco, and 2 cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Mix thoroughly until the filling is well combined and the cheese starts to melt slightly, creating a creamy mixture.
- Assemble Enchiladas: Spread ½ cup of the prepared enchilada sauce evenly in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Spoon approximately ⅓ cup of the chicken filling onto the center of each tortilla. Roll each tortilla tightly and place seam-side down in the baking dish to prevent unrolling.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle the remaining 14 ounces of Monterey Jack cheese over the top to cover the enchiladas completely.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and golden in spots.
- Rest and Garnish: Remove the enchiladas from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro before serving. Serve hot for best flavor.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time on cooking the chicken from scratch.
- Sour cream should be at room temperature to blend smoothly into the filling.
- For a spicier kick, add extra diced green chilies or chili powder to taste.
- Flour tortillas work best for pliability and rolling; corn tortillas may crack when rolled but can be used if desired.
- Letting the enchiladas rest after baking helps them set and makes serving easier.
