Our easy White Chicken Enchilada recipe is bursting with flavor from shredded chicken, gooey cheese, and an amazing sour cream and green chili sauce. It’s a great way to use a rotisserie chicken to make dinnertime easier!

A baking dish filled with white chicken enchiladas.


Table of Contents
  1. Why we love this Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
  2. Ingredients for White Chicken Enchiladas
  3. How to make Chicken Enchiladas
  4. White Chicken Enchilada Recipe Tips
  5. Variations of Creamy Chicken Enchiladas
  6. How to serve White Chicken Enchiladas
  7. Storing leftover Chicken Enchiladas
  8. Chicken Enchilada Recipe FAQs
  9. More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes
  10. White Chicken Enchilada Recipe Recipe

If you are tired of your same old boring chicken dinner routine, these super flavorful and easy White Chicken Enchiladas are a great way to break out of your rut! We have made these dozens of times for family and company and they always get rave reviews. With minimal prep and dirty dishes, these can be on the table in just around 40 minutes to feed your hungry family!

We love Mexican food! And we love enchiladas. While traditional enchiladas in tomato sauce are delicious, sometimes we like to mix it up with something a bit different. This is the best White Chicken Enchiladas recipe because it's so easy to make using a rotisserie chicken and a homemade sauce. It's a good balance of comfort food and ease for some amazing flavor.

Why we love this Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

  • Customize the spiciness of these enchiladas easily, and serve with all your favorite enchilada sides or toppings!
  • This is a great recipe to use up any leftover chicken or even leftover turkey.
  • This easy recipe is ready start-to-finish in under an hour, so it's perfect for busy weeknights.
  • With only 10 minutes of prep time, these white enchiladas are ready in under an hour, which is ideal for busy weeknights. I also love that everyone can enjoy enchiladas with their favorite toppings, so everyone's happy - even picky eaters!

Ingredients for White Chicken Enchiladas

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

  • Tortillas - You can use corn tortillas for a more traditional Mexican taste, but I have used flour tortillas here as we prefer them for this type of enchilada.
  • Chicken - Use rotisserie chicken that has been shredded or chopped - you can use leftover chicken or turkey as well!
  • Cheese - I've used Monterey Jack Cheese for these enchiladas, but Pepper Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, or a Mexican cheese blend are other good options.
  • Butter & Flour - Use salted butter and all-purpose flour to make a roux for the white sauce.
  • Broth - Use chicken broth to thin the sauce out to get it the right consistency for the enchiladas.
  • Sour Cream - To make the white enchilada sauce super creamy. You can use Greek yogurt or an unflavored natural yogurt if you prefer.
  • Green Chiles - Use a can of fire-roasted diced green chiles for the sauce.
  • Cilantro & Green Onions - Fresh, chopped cilantro and chopped green onions can be used as a garnish for a fresh, tangy flavor.
  • Salt - Use kosher salt to enhance all the flavors.
  • Cumin - Ground cumin adds a classic Mexican flavor to this dish.
Ingredients for making white chicken enchiladas.

How to make Chicken Enchiladas

  1. Prepare baking dish. Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray the bottom of the baking dish with cooking spray or coat it lightly in olive oil so that the enchiladas don't stick to it.
  2. Combine chicken and cheese. Combine the shredded chicken and 1 cup of cheese in a mixing bowl.
  3. Fill wraps. Divide the cheese and chicken mixture evenly between the tortillas, and set aside.
  1. Make roux. Melt butter in a skillet. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbly to remove the raw flour taste.
  1. Make white sauce. Whisk the chicken broth into the roux. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes until thickened and bubbling. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
  2. Add sour cream and chilies. Stir in sour cream, diced green chilies, salt, and cumin.
  1. Layer sauce and wraps. Pour half of the green chili sauce into the bottom of the pan. Roll up the filled wraps into enchiladas, and lay them seam side down in the prepared baking dish.
  1. Add sauce and cheese. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Then sprinkle with the remaining cheese on top of the enchiladas.
  1. Bake. Bake for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbling around the edges. You can broil the enchiladas during the last few minutes to add some color to the top if desired.
  2. Garnish. Sprinkle with chopped green onions or freshly chopped cilantro before serving.
A casserole dish of baked sour cream chicken enchiladas with melted cheese on top.

Making Chicken Enchiladas in advance

These white chicken enchiladas are great for a make-ahead meal because you can assemble them a day or two in advance and keep them refrigerated until you are ready to bake them.

White Chicken Enchilada Recipe Tips

  • Shredded chicken. Use pre-cooked and pre-shredded chicken or make it yourself. You can buy or cook a rotisserie-style whole chicken, then cut and shred the amount of chicken off it that you need. Or you can boil raw chicken breasts until cooked through, remove them from the pan and let them cool completely, then shred them with two forks.
  • White Sauce. You can use a jar of store-bought green enchilada sauce to replace the white sauce to save some time and change the flavor, but I recommend trying to make your own!

What to serve with Enchiladas

Serve any Mexican side dish with enchiladas to make a delicious Mexican dinner spread. Try them with my Homemade Mexican Rice or Black Beans & Cilantro Lime Rice, and Grilled Mexican Street Corn for a complete meal.

These Chicken Flautas, Pico de Gallo, Grilled Mexican Street Corn Dip, and Sheet Pan Nachos all have great Mexican flavors too if you are planning a party and want to round out the spread!

Variations of Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

  • Beans. Add some black beans, pinto beans, or Refried Beans into the tortillas, or serve some on the side.
  • Turn up the heat. Add some chili powder, cayenne pepper, diced jalapenos, or hot sauce to the chicken mixture to add some more spice.
  • Cheese. I've used Monterey Jack Cheese, but you can use a Mexican cheese mix, Pepper Jack cheese, Mozzarella cheese, or cheddar cheese - any melting cheese will work well!
  • Veggies. Add some fajita veggies into the wraps, like chopped and sauteed bell peppers, onions, or even mushrooms to bulk out the wraps with some added nutrients and different textures.

How to serve White Chicken Enchiladas

Some of our favorite toppings for white chicken enchiladas are sour cream, chopped cilantro, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sliced jalapenos. They also go fantastic with a batch of Mexican rice or some black beans or refried beans. If you want to keep things a little lighter, serve them with a crisp green salad on the side.

Storing leftover Chicken Enchiladas

To store any leftovers, let them cool, then cover with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.

You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.

Freezing White Chicken Enchiladas

Use an airtight container or a freezer-safe dish to freeze your chicken enchiladas either before or after baking. For thawing, transfer the enchiladas from the freezer to the refrigerator and let them thaw overnight.

If reheating from frozen, preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the frozen enchiladas in an oven-safe dish and cover with foil. Bake for about 45-60 minutes, checking periodically for doneness. Add extra time if needed until they're heated through. If you let them thaw in the fridge overnight, they won’t need as long to heat all the way through.

How to reheat Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

If you are reheating a large amount of these enchiladas, we recommend covering them with foil and reheating them for 20-25 minutes in a 350 degree F oven until hot all the way through.

You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave. Place a portion of enchiladas on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a microwave-safe lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap. Heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, then check to see if the enchiladas are hot all the way through. Continue heating in 1-minute increments if needed to heat all the way.

Chicken Enchilada Recipe FAQs

What is white enchilada sauce made of?

White enchiladas use a white sauce that is made with a basic roux of butter and flour, and then we use chicken broth to make it into a sauce consistency. We then add sour cream to make it super creamy and chopped green chiles to give it the spiciness and flavor these enchiladas are famous for.

Can I make white chicken enchiladas ahead of time?

You can easily prep these enchiladas a few days ahead of time, to then assemble and bake them on the day.
Simply make up the chicken and cheese wraps, and also the green chile sauce, and store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then simply layer everything into the casserole dish and bake on the day. Storing your ingredients separately means your wraps won't end up soggy!

How do I store white chicken enchiladas?

Store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (or 4 days from when the chicken was first cooked).

Can I freeze white chicken enchiladas?

You can freeze the chicken and cheese-filled wraps in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Alternatively, just freeze the chicken and cheese mixture, and assemble everything on the day. I wouldn't recommend freezing the white chile sauce, as it doesn't tend to defrost very well. Make the sauce on the day, or a few days in advance, and store it in the fridge.

Two white chicken enchiladas on a plate with a bite taken out of one of them.

More Easy Chicken Dinner Recipes

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White Chicken Enchilada Recipe

4.92 from 37 votes
Amy Nash
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 4 -5 servings
These creamy White Chicken Enchiladas are a delicious variation of the classic Mexican enchilada that is typically made with red sauce and shredded beef or ground beef. Instead, these are made with shredded chicken and cheese in a sour cream sauce with green chilis and cumin, then topped with all the classic toppings to make an amazing Mexican meal the whole family will love!

Ingredients
  

  • 8-10 soft taco size flour tortillas
  • 3 cups cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded or chopped
  • 3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded and divided
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2-3 green onions, chopped
  • Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F and spray the bottom of the baking dish with cooking spray or coat it lightly in olive oil so that the enchiladas don't stick to it.
  • Combine the shredded chicken and 1 cup of cheese in a mixing bowl.
  • Divide the cheese and chicken mixture evenly between the tortillas, and set aside.
  • Melt butter in a skillet. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and whisk to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbly to remove the raw flour taste.
  • Whisk the chicken broth into the roux. Continue to cook for 3-5 minutes until thickened and bubbling. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in sour cream, diced green chilies, salt and cumin.
  • Pour half of the green chili sauce into the bottom of the pan. Roll up the filled wraps into enchiladas, and lay them seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
  • Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the enchiladas.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes until hot and bubbling around the edges. You can broil the enchiladas during the last few minutes to add some color to the top if desired.
  • Sprinkle with chopped green onions and freshly chopped cilantro before serving.

Notes

  • Make Ahead: You can easily prep these enchiladas a few days ahead of time, to then assemble and bake them on the day. Simply make up the chicken and cheese wraps, and also the green chile sauce, and store them separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then simply layer everything into the casserole dish and bake on the day. Storing your ingredients separately means your wraps won't end up soggy!
  • Storage: Store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days (or 4 days from when the chicken was first cooked).
  • Freeze: You can freeze the chicken and cheese-filled wraps in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Alternatively, just freeze the chicken and cheese mixture, and assemble everything on the day. I wouldn't recommend freezing the white chile sauce, as it doesn't tend to defrost very well. Make the sauce on the day, or a few days in advance, and store it in the fridge.
  • Green Chilies: If you want even more green chili flavor, you can double the amount of green chilies in this recipe.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 836kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 244mg | Sodium: 1904mg | Potassium: 211mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1069IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 633mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @HouseOfNashEats or tag #houseofnasheats!

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About the author

Hi, I'm Amy

I enjoy exploring the world through food, culture, and travel and sharing the adventure with mostly from-scratch, family friendly recipes that I think of as modern comfort cooking.

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Reader questions and reviews

    1. These were good comfort food. Flour tortillas make them a little more hardy!! I would add more cumin, and possible some spice to make them a little spicy, just not sure what that should be.. chili powder? Perhaps..

  1. Your recipe calls for Cumin but nowhere in the steps do you say where or what to add it to.Being the intelligent cook that I am I'm assuming to the White sauce.

    1. Yes, thank you for pointing that out. It is added to the sauce along with the sour cream and diced green peppers. I updated the instructions to reflect that.

  2. 5 stars
    Made with flour tortillas. I was impressed how the tortillas stayed firm considering all the sauce. Very tasty, but needed a bit more heat. Will try spicy hatch chilies next time.

  3. 5 stars
    First time ever making this dish. Just seems like I should add more to it. I didn't I trusted the process and "WOW"! DELICIOUS. Turned out great.
    Thank you.

    Don Andrew

  4. 5 stars
    Made these for dinner and omg. Deliciousness.
    I'm making them for New years eve.
    My new favorite easy peasy dinner.

  5. 2 stars
    This dish was easy to make, but it lacked any flavor. I will add something to the leftovers to make it more flavorful.

    1. Hmm I am sorry they lacked flavor for you. Generally, these enchiladas are well loved. But please, adjust any recipe to how you like it! Everyone's tastes are different and if you need to add more seasoning, salt, or spices, I encourage it! No one wants bland food!