Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Picture this: tender rotisserie chicken, seasoned to perfection, tucked inside warm corn tortillas with black beans, a creamy, cheesy mixture of sour cream, cream cheese, and shredded Mexican cheese, and then smothered in a rich and zesty red enchilada sauce.

Hold on, we’re not done yet.

Sprinkle a generous helping of additional cheese on top (#teamcheese) and let it bake to golden, gooey perfection. Finish it off with your favorite enchilada toppings: avocado, fresh cilantro, chopped green onions, a splash of hot sauce, you know what to do.

Are you seeing this picture coming together? Every bite is an enchilada harmony of flavor and texture and yummms…

Let’s bring this tasty recipe to your dinner table.

• Shredded rotisserie chicken: These enchiladas are made more quickly and easily if you have fully cooked and shredded chicken already on hand. My go-to chicken is the hand pulled rotisserie chicken from Costco. If you’ve got the time and energy to cook a couple of chicken breasts though, go for it.
• Mexican cheese: Many stores carry pre-shredded Mexican cheese which is typically a blend of Sharp Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Asadero, and Queso Blanco cheeses. If you can’t find Mexican cheese create you own blend with a simple 50/50 mix of shredded Sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack.
• Enchilada sauce: Not to brag but I love my homemade red enchilada sauce recipe. It’s quick and easy to make with basic pantry ingredients. However, there’s nothing wrong with reaching for a can of store-bought red enchilada sauce, just be sure to read the ingredients label to verify that it’s gluten-free. These enchiladas are also super tasty using green enchilada sauce.
• Chili powder: Not to be confused with chile powder. Chili powder is a spice blend that typically contains ground chili peppers (such as ancho, cayenne, or chipotle), along with other spices like cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and paprika. Chile powder specifically refers to ground chili peppers, often made from a single variety such as ancho, guajillo, pasilla, or New Mexico chiles. Both powders are used to enhance flavor and add heat to various dishes, but their specific compositions and flavor profiles differ.
• Corn tortillas: White or yellow corn tortillas are both great. I recommend using 8-inch tortillas versus the smaller tortillas that range from 4 to 6 inches. If you can’t find the larger 8-inch tortillas, the smaller 6-inch taco tortillas will work but I would avoid using the super small 4-inch street tacos tortillas.

For a full list of ingredients and quantities see the recipe card at the end of this post.

Step 1: In a medium skillet cook some chopped onion in a little bit of olive oil or butter until tender. If you’re on a time crunch you can skip this ingredient but it does add some texture and flavor that I think makes it worth the extra few minutes.

Step 2: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, and 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese.

Step 3: Season the cheesy mixture with cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, kosher salt, and ground black pepper.

Step 4: Add a can of diced green chiles and give it all a stir to combine.

Step 5: Add black beans and cooked, shredded chicken to the cheesy seasoned mixture. Give it all a stir again. The magic is beginning to come together.

Step 6: Spread a thin layer of red enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.

Step 7: Let’s warm up those tortillas! Place a damp paper towel between every two tortillas (this method allows each tortilla to be uniformly steamed) and microwave for 1 minute. Let it rest in the microwave for an additional minute.

Step 8: Begin assembling! Spoon the cheesy chicken mixture into each tortilla, being careful not to overstuff, and roll it up into a cozy tortilla hug. Then place the stuffed tortilla seam side down in the baking dish.

Step 9: Pour the remaining red enchilada sauce evenly over the tortillas in the baking dish.

Step 10: Cover with foil and bake in a 350°F (180°C) oven for about 35 minutes or until heated through.

Step 11: After the enchiladas have baked for about 35 minutes, remove the foil, sprinkle the enchiladas with more Mexican cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Step 12: Top with your favorite enchilada toppings and swoon. Dinner is served!