Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

A chicken enchilada bake drenched in queso cheese and made with tortillas stuffed with a creamy, cheesy filling of tender flavorful chicken and taco seasoning.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. JUMP TO THE RECIPE
2. COOKING NOTES
3. WHAT TO SERVE THEM WITH
4. MORE MEXICAN MAIN DISHES

I am about to present to you my favorite enchilada recipe. Ever. 

And I've tried A LOT of enchilada recipes. Most leave me feeling pretty meh about them. Maybe it's the cans of condensed Cream of Something soups or the jars or salsa (or Rotel) most seem to have that or maybe it's lack of seasoning??

This recipe is different. The chicken filling is made with cream cheese, sauteed onions and green chilies and it's easily (and perfectly) seasoned with a packet of taco seasoning.

Also? It’s made with the secret ingredient our local Mexican restaurants use in queso: white American cheese. No kidding! That's what our Mexican restaurants use to make queso dip: white American cheese and heavy cream. That's it!

Want to hear something else that will blow your mind?? Guess where I got this recipe? From Husband’s ex-wife.

And I’m STILL not kidding!

But she did tell me if I put this on the blog she'd haunt or hunt me - whichever came first. HA! She was kidding though. I think. I'm pretty sure she was kidding. Right??

I think this is more like a burrito bake since it's made with flour tortillas and there's no enchilada sauce but I'm not into picking fights so I'm leaving the name alone.

I am so very grateful for this recipe because it really, truly is one of our family's favorites and we eat it at least once a month!

NOTES ABOUT COOKING CHEESY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

1. Absolutely no substitutions for the white American cheese. You can find it in the deli at any major grocery store. Ask for one solid piece of cheese. If I can't get them to understand I want one solid piece, I just ask for #10 slices (or whatever the thickest they have).
2. Use 2 large or 3 small chicken breasts.
3. You can absolutely use leftover or rotisserie chicken in this.
4. I typically use Neufchâtel (light cream cheese) when I make this since the heavy cream is so rich.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CHEESY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

• A simple salad with Easy Homemade Cilantro Lime Ranch 
• Fresh pico de gallo or your favorite salsa
• Borrocho Beans or go easy with a can of refried beans
• Yellow rice or Mexican Restaurant-Style Rice 
• Chips & salsa
• Mexican Street Corn (Esquites) or any corn salad 

MORE MEXICAN MAIN DISHES TO TRY

3-INGREDIENT CROCK POT CHICKEN TACOS - A super simple slow cooker recipe for shredded Mexican chicken taco meat made with only three ingredients. 

SMOTHERED BEEF & BEAN BURRITO BAKE - flour tortillas stuffed with ground beef, cheese and refried beans smothered in a savory queso sauce that comes together right in the oven. 

TACO RICE WITH QUESO - A one-pan skillet dinner  made with ground beef, taco seasoning and Mexican style rice drenched in an easy queso cheese sauce. 

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN TACOS - An easy, flavor-packed recipe using ground chicken and canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce that’s surprisingly healthy! 

Recipe for How to Cook Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Yield: 6 Servings

Author: Mandy Rivers | South Your Mouth

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

My family's FAVORITE chicken enchilada bake drenched in queso cheese made with tortillas stuffed with a creamy filling of tender flavorful chicken and taco seasoning.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese
• 1 1-oz. package taco seasoning
• 1 4.5-oz. can green chilies
• 6 10-inch flour tortillas (burrito size)
• 1/2 lb. white American cheese, shredded
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salsa or pico de gallo for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Simmer chicken breasts in salted water or broth for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Cool then shred into bite-sized pieces.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 3-quart 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
3. Sauté onion in olive oil until tender. Add cream cheese, taco seasoning, green chilies (with liquid) and cooked chicken to onions. Reduce heat to low then stir until all ingredients are combined and cream cheese is melted.
4. Fill tortillas evenly with chicken mixture and roll into enchiladas. Place enchiladas in prepared baking dish, seam-side down.
5. Sprinkle cheese evenly over enchiladas. Pour heavy cream over cheese. Cover dish with aluminum foil then bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
6. Remove aluminum foil, sprinkle paprika over enchiladas then continue cooking for 10-15 minutes or until cheese has started to brown.
7. Serve with salsa or pico de gallo.

Notes

• Absolutely no substitutions for the white American cheese (this is what they use to make queso dip at the Mexican restaurants). You can find it in the deli at any major grocery store. Ask for one solid piece of cheese. If I can't get them to understand I want one solid piece, I just ask for #10 slices (or whatever the thickest they have).
• Use 2 large or 3 small chicken breasts.
• You can absolutely use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken in this.
• I use a small mesh strainer to dust the paprika over the enchiladas.
• I typically use Neufchâtel (light cream cheese) when I make this since the heavy cream is so rich.

https://www.southyourmouth.com/2012/12/cheesy-chicken-enchiladas.html

Images and text © South Your Mouth LLC 2012

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