Description
Delicious and flavorful Chicken Enchiladas featuring shredded chicken, black beans, green chiles, and a blend of classic Southwestern spices, all rolled in soft flour tortillas and baked in a rich homemade red enchilada sauce topped with melted Mexican cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
Spice Mix
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Filling and Sauce
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil (can substitute olive oil)
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 15 oz. red enchilada sauce (preferably homemade)
- 2 ¾ cups shredded cooked chicken
- Salt, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles, undrained
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish)
Assembly
- 8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese, divided
- Sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350° F to prepare for baking the enchiladas later.
- Combine Seasonings: Mix together the onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, and chili powder in a small bowl and set aside. Prepare remaining ingredients for easy access.
- Sauté Onions: Heat avocado or olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add Sauce and Garlic: Reduce heat to medium-low, then stir in 1/3 cup of the enchilada sauce along with minced garlic, cooking just to release the garlic aroma.
- Add Chicken and Salt: Add in the shredded cooked chicken and season with salt to taste, depending on whether the chicken is already salted, such as rotisserie chicken.
- Mix Seasonings and Veggies: Sprinkle the prepared seasoning mix over the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Stir in the black beans, diced green chiles (with juices), lime juice, hot sauce, honey, and chopped cilantro. Heat through for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Prepare Casserole Dish: Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish and spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce (about ¼ cup) evenly over the bottom.
- Soften Tortillas: Optionally microwave 4 tortillas at a time for 30 seconds to make them more pliable and easier to roll.
- Assemble Enchiladas: Spoon the chicken mixture onto the bottom third of each tortilla. Top with a heaping tablespoon of shredded cheese. Roll each tortilla tightly and place seam-side down in the casserole dish.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Pour or spread up to ¾ cup of the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese in an even layer over the top.
- Bake Covered: Cover the casserole with foil sprayed on the underside with nonstick cooking spray to prevent cheese sticking. Bake at 350° F for 10 minutes.
- Finish Baking and Broil: Remove the cover and bake for an additional 13 minutes. For a lightly browned top, broil on low (450° F) for 1 to 2 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from oven, garnish with additional chopped cilantro and your favorite toppings. Serve with sour cream on the side.
Notes
- Use rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken for convenience.
- Homemade enchilada sauce adds the best flavor but store-bought works fine.
- Optional toppings include sliced avocado, chopped onions, jalapeños, or extra hot sauce.
- Microwaving tortillas briefly makes rolling easier and prevents cracking.
- Adjust chili powder and hot sauce to control the spice level.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: chicken enchiladas, Mexican chicken recipe, baked enchiladas, easy enchiladas, shredded chicken recipe
