How to Make Chicken Enchiladas

Roll up a panful of these saucy Mexican favorites.

Oh, who doesn't love a big plate of enchiladas? With their corn tortillas bursting with chicken, slathered in spicy chili sauce and covered with melted cheese, what's not to love? But there's no need to head out to a restaurant to enjoy this Mexican favorite. Simply shred some chicken, grab some tortillas and follow these steps to roll up a panful at home.

1 Fry Tortillas

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. One or two at a time—depending on the size of your pan—fry 10 corn tortillas for about 10 seconds per side. Gently lift the tortillas from the pan and place on paper towels to drain.

TIP

Enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas, however flour tortillas may be substituted. When using flour tortillas, skip this step.

2 Spread Sauce on Tortillas

Spread about 2 tablespoons prepared enchilada sauce on each tortilla. If using canned enchilada sauce, you will need a 28-ounce can for 10 enchiladas.

For richer flavor, make your own enchilada sauce. With a few pantry staples and a handful of spices, you can have homemade enchilada sauce ready in about 20 minutes.

3 Add Filling

Place a spoonful of shredded cooked chicken down the center of each tortilla, using about a pound and a half of chicken for 10 enchiladas. Top each spoonful of chicken with 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

TIP

Mix one sautéed chopped onion, a 4-ounce can of diced green chilies, a teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper with the shredded chicken for a more flavorful filling.

4 Roll Up

Roll up each enchilada into a cigar shape. Place them seam-side-down in a 9x13-inch baking dish.

TIP

Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of the baking dish before adding the rolled up enchiladas. This helps prevent the enchiladas from sticking, and flavors the bottoms with sauce.

5 Top with Sauce & Cheese

Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas. Top with about 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.

6 Bake

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees until the enchiladas are heated through and the cheese is melted, about 20 to 30 minutes. When serving, garnish with chopped fresh cilantro.

About Kitchen Is My Playground

Tracey is the creator of the popular blog The Kitchen Is My Playground, which she founded in 2011. Her goal is to share recipes with other home cooks looking to create flavorful (and somewhat adventurous) food for their families and friends. Connect with her on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter or Google+.