Easy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

This easy sour cream chicken enchilada recipe starts with flour tortillas that are filled with a seasoned shredded chicken mixture, topped with an amazing sour cream sauce, and baked until cheesy and gooey. 

I love chicken enchiladas. Whenever we go to On the Border, I like to order the combo that includes chicken enchiladas and chicken tortilla soup. Plus chips and salsa. 

You can easily make these sour cream chicken enchiladas at home to feed the whole family. The filled tortillas are topped with a creamy white sauce with green chiles. Served with some rice, they are pure comfort food.

Because you use cooked chicken, it is the best way to use up some leftover chicken and easy enough to make as a great weeknight recipe.

Equipment needed to make easy chicken enchiladas

• Mixing Bowl – to combine the chicken mixture.
• 9×13 Baking Dish – I like this one with to save leftovers for the next day.
• Whisk – to make the creamy sauce.

Ingredients for Chicken Enchiladas

• Flour tortillas – Corn tortillas would be authentic but I use soft flour for a more Tex-Mex feel.
• Chicken – Two cups of cooked shredded chicken breasts. I like to make shredded chicken in the instant pot, or you can shred up a rotisserie chicken, or use leftovers.
• Monterey Jack cheese – I highly recommend shredding your cheese off a block. Pre-shredded cheese is convenient, I get it, but it has non-caking agents on it that prevent it from melting as nicely.
• Butter – To use in the sauce.
• Flour – All purpose white flour.
• Chicken Broth – You can also use chicken stock.
• Sour Cream – The base of the creamy sauce. You could likely use Greek yogurt as well, but I haven’t tested it.
• Green Chiles – Diced green chiles (sometimes also spelled chilies). Usually anaheim or poblano, they are fairly mild.
• Cilantro – Fresh cilantro is best but dried works as well.
• Seasonings – You’ll need onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and chili powder (can be skipped if you don’t like any heat).

How to make easy white chicken enchiladas

1. STEP ONE: Make the chicken mixture. To a large bowl, add the cooked, shredded chicken, chili powder, and one cup of cheese. You could also add a can of RoTel to the mixture to add more flavor.
2. STEP TWO: Roll the enchiladas. Spoon a scoop of the chicken mixture to the center of a tortilla, fold the edges in, roll it up, and place seam-side down into the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish. 

How to make Sour Cream Sauce

1. STEP ONE: To a medium saucepan, melt butter and stir in the flour. Cook for one minute on medium heat, stirring as it thickens (you’re making a roux). Pour in the broth and whisk until smooth, continuing to heat until thick and bubbly. Then, stir in the sour cream, can of chilies, and seasonings until just combined. Don’t bring to a boil or you’ll curdle the sour cream. 
2. STEP TWO: Assemble and bake. Pour the sour cream sauce over the rolled enchiladas, top with additional cheese, and bake at 350° for 20 minutes until melty, bubbly, and golden brown.

If you’re serving a smaller group, try my chicken enchiladas for two!

If you want to heat things up a bit, try my salsa verde chicken enchiladas!

What do you serve enchiladas with?

Chicken enchiladas are a meal in themselves but I like to serve them with:

• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Mexican Rice
• Homemade Tortilla Chips
• Blender Salsa
• Mexican Street Corn
• Guacamole
• Slow cooker black beans

How to store leftovers

Leftovers should be covered and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze chicken enchiladas?

Yes! Chicken enchiladas freeze really well. Fully assemble them, cover tightly with plastic wrap and then a layer of foil, and store in the freezer for up to three months.

When ready to bake, remove the plastic wrap, cover with foil, and bake for one hour minutes at 300°, uncover, and bake another 10-15 minutes or until completely heated through.

Can I make a double batch?

Yes! Because these enchiladas freeze so well, you can make a double batch and freeze one to bake at a later time. I like to pick up the aluminum disposable pans from Sam’s Club for easy freezing. 

They also make a great dish to take to a family with a new baby or a sick friend. Any time you want to share a dish to be helpful.

White Chicken Enchiladas FAQs

Why are my chicken enchiladas soggy?

Your enchiladas might get soggy if you add too much sauce. You don’t want dry enchiladas, but you also don’t want to drown them.

Should enchiladas be cooked covered or uncovered?

Many enchilada recipes call for the dish to be covered while baking. I leave the foil off when baking mine. The ingredients are already cooked, you’re just heating them through and melting all the cheese.

Are enchiladas better with corn or flour tortillas?

I prefer flour tortillas in this recipe but corn would be more authentic (I am not making any authenticity claims in this recipe!).

If you’d like to use corn tortillas, just make sure you heat them to soften them before you roll and fill the enchiladas. 

What kind of cheese do Mexican restaurants use in their enchiladas?

Many Mexican restaurants use Monterey Jack cheese in their enchiladas, which is what we use here. You can also use pepper jack for more heat.

Need more Mexican-inspired recipes? Try these:

RoTel Southwest Chicken Skillet
Green Chile Corn Casserole
Cheesy Beef Enchiladas
Cheesy Chicken Fajita Casserole
Air Fryer Chicken Quesadilla

Click here for my entire collection of chicken recipes.

Easy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Melissa Williams | Persnickety Plates

This easy sour cream chicken enchilada recipe starts with flour tortillas that are filled with a seasoned shredded chicken mixture, topped with an amazing sour cream sauce, and baked until cheesy and gooey. 

4.74 from 87 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Servings 6 servings

Calories 487 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 2 cups cooked chicken shredded
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 medium flour tortillas
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoons all purpose white flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 ounce diced green chiles
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick spray and set aside.
• To a large mixing bowl, add the shredded chicken, chili powder, and 1 cup of cheese, and mix together. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the 8 tortillas. Fold the tortillas then roll up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter then stir in flour and cook one minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
• Stir in sour cream, can of chiles, cilantro, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Do not let it boil.
• Pour the sauce over the enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
• Bake 20-22 minutes and then place under high broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheese.

Notes

Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

For variety, add one can of RoTel to the chicken mixture before rolling up.

Can be frozen for up to 3 months when wrapped tightly and stored in the freezer.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 487kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 26gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 957mgPotassium: 352mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 799IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 387mgIron: 3mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Originally published February 20, 2012