Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
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This easy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas recipe will have everyone begging for more! Made with salsa verde, shredded chicken and melty cheese, this is the best white chicken enchiladas recipe, ever. 

Looking for more enchilada recipes? Try my easy Cheese Enchiladas Recipe, these Vegetable Enchiladas or this great make-ahead Mexican Casserole

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Growing up in Texas, authentic chicken enchiladas were one of my favorite meals. There’s nothing like soft tortillas stuffed with juicy shredded chicken and smothered in flavorful white enchilada sauce.

Problem was, when I moved to Florida it wasn’t so easy to find real-deal enchiladas anymore! So I decided to make a homemade chicken enchiladas recipe that captured everything I love about this Mexican dish.

When I think of enchiladas, three things come to mind: the sauce, the filling, and cheese. Any of these can make or break your enchiladas. Luckily for you, I have done all the hard work and selected the perfect ingredients to make the best homemade chicken enchiladas!

Ingredients in bowls to make Chicken Enchilada Recipe

Ingredients for my Chicken Enchilada Recipe

You probably have most of the ingredients for this white chicken enchilada recipe in your kitchen already, which means making this recipe couldn’t be any easier.

To make this recipe you will need:

  • Cooked and shredded chicken breast (I like to make shredded chicken in the Instant Pot – it’s so easy!)
  • Garlic
  • Serrano peppers & Jalapeno peppers
  • Butter
  • All-purpose flour
  • Chicken broth
  • Sour cream
  • Ortega Medium Salsa Verde – I highly recommend using Ortega Medium Salsa Verde to achieve the correct taste. It is not hot, just flavorful. I tried a more expensive Salsa Verde and was very disappointed in the lack of flavor!
  • Salt & Spices: Cumin, Cayenne, Salt, White pepper, Garlic powder
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Tortillas
  • Cheese: Sharp cheddar cheese & Monterey Jack cheese
  • Yellow Onion

How to Soften Tortillas for Enchiladas

I prefer this chicken enchilada recipe made with flour tortillas. Usually I like all my enchiladas made with the traditional corn tortillas, but in this case the flour is better. However, if you are using corn tortillas, you will need to soften them. This prevents them from breaking or falling apart while you’re making your enchiladas. Thankfully this is easy to do! Follow these steps to soften your tortillas:

  • Wrap a stack of tortillas in a damp paper towel
  • Place the stack inside a microwave safe dish that’s large enough to fit the tortillas without folding them.
  • Place the lid on top but don’t seal the container, you need an opening for steam to escape.
  • Microwave your tortillas for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until they are warm, soft and flexible.

Close up of a tray with chicken enchiladas

How to Make this White Chicken Enchilada Recipe

  1. Preheat your oven to 350F.
  2. Make the white enchilada sauce. Melt butter over medium-high heat and saute the peppers until soft. Add the garlic, cooking for 1 minute, then stir in the flour and cook an additional 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the broth until smooth and let cook until bubbly. Stir in the sour cream, salsa, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, garlic powder and cilantro until the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.
  3. Prepare your baking dish. Grease a 9×13 baking dish, then spread 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of the pan.
  4. Fill the tortillas. Place some shredded chicken, cheese and chopped onion in the center of each tortilla. Roll up each tortillas and place them seam-side down in your baking dish.
  5. Cover with sauce and cheese. Pour the rest of your enchilada sauce over the top of the filled tortillas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
  6. Bake the enchiladas at 350F. About 25 minutes, or until the top is brown and bubbling.
  7. Dig in. Serve your enchiladas and watch them disappear!!

Sour cream chicken enchiladas on a plate with a fork.

Tips for Making the Best Enchiladas

  • Add the sauce to the bottom of the pan before you add your rolled tortillas. This seems like a simple step but it’s very important since it prevents the tortillas from sticking to the bottom of your baking dish and gets the flavorful sauce all around!
  • Place rolled enchiladas seam side down. Another simple trick that makes a world of difference. This tip ensures the tortillas stay closed when baking your enchiladas. It also makes your sour cream chicken enchiladas easier to serve.

What to Serve with Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken enchiladas always pair well with Mexican rice, black beans or refried beans. I also love serving them with this easy Fully Loaded Guacamole recipe!

How to Store Homemade Enchiladas

If you have leftover chicken enchiladas, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can either cover your baking dish with saran wrap or transfer the enchiladas to an airtight container.

Jar filled with white enchilada sauce for chicken enchiladas

Can I Make Enchiladas Ahead? Can I Freeze Enchiladas?

Yes! You can easily prepare enchiladas ahead of time or even freeze them into pre-portioned meals. 

  • To make ahead of time: Follow the recipe instructions up until baking time. Store the assembled enchiladas in the baking dish covered with saran wrap. When you are ready to bake, remove the saran wrap and bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until the top of your enchiladas is brown and bubbly.
  • To freeze enchiladas: Cook the sauce and cool completely (I do it quickly using an ice water bath). Assemble the enchiladas in portion-friendly dishes (I recommend foil containers so they can go straight from freezer to oven) and wrap well with plastic wrap or foil. To cook: bake straight from the freezer and increase the baking time to 45-55 minutes total baking time.

Sour cream chicken enchiladas with cheese and cilantro on top.

I am so excited for you to try my families favorite chicken enchilada recipe. The homemade white enchilada sauce takes them over the top in flavor and makes them unforgettable! 

Please leave a review or comment below letting me know how they turn out for you!

Close up of a tray with chicken enchiladas
4.4 from 155 votes
Print Pin Recipe
Yield: 12 -15 enchiladas

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

This Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas recipe will have everyone begging for more! Made with homemade white enchilada sauce, shredded chicken & lots of melty cheese!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes

Ingredients

White Enchilada Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 serrano peppers, diced (seeds-in if you like the heat; reduce to 1 if you’re not a fan of spicy food)
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, minced
  • 3 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 16 oz jar of Salsa Verde, I recommend Ortega Medium Salsa Verde
  • 1.5 teaspoons cumin
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped

Chicken Enchiladas:

  • 6 cups cooked and shredded chicken
  • 12 tortillas, small fajita size
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
  • 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack
  • 1 small yellow onion, diced

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350. Spray/grease a 9×13 baking dish, set aside.
  • White Enchilada Sauce: Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add serrano and jalapeno peppers and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cooking for 30 seconds.
  • Stir in the flour and let cook for 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth and bring mixture back to a low boil.
  • Stir in the sour cream, salsa, cumin, salt, garlic powder, white pepper, cayenne and cilantro until the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.
  • Add 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add chicken, cheese, and chopped onion to the center of each tortilla and roll, placing seam-side down in the dish. Repeat until pan is filled.
  • Pour the sauce over the enchiladas, top with leftover cheese, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.

Video

Notes

  • Salsa Verde: I recommend using the Ortega brand Medium Salsa Verde to achieve the preferred taste. The medium is not hot, just flavorful. I tried a more expensive Salsa Verde and was very disappointed in the lack of flavor it added to the sauce.
  • Freeze: Cook the sauce and cool completely (I do it quickly using an ice water bath). Assemble the enchiladas in portion-friendly dishes and wrap well with plastic wrap or foil. To cook thawed, bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes (or to an internal temperature of 165). To cook straight from the freezer, increase the baking time to 45-55 minutes.
  • Nutrition

    Serving: 1enchalda, Calories: 587kcal, Carbohydrates: 45g, Protein: 36g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 119mg, Sodium: 1056mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 4g

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    Recipe Rating




    29 Responses
    1. Christi

      This is the best recipe! The sauce is absolutely incredible. I will never be able to order chicken enchiladas again when at a restaurant as I know I would only be disappointed after having these!

    2. Scarlet Smith

      I looked at a lot of different recipes similar to this one. I am so happy I decided to go with this one. It was absolutely delicious. Fixing to have it for dinner for the second time.

    3. Carolyn A Souza

      I am gluten free so I will sub in corn starch in the sauce and use all corn tortillas. This sounds wonderful and I am going to make it tomorrow. Thank you.

    4. Maria Gomez

      I’m from Texas. There was a restaurant chain, there, El Chico, that sold these but theirs were with corn tortillas. Thank you for the recipe, can’t wait to try them.

    5. Vanessa

      This recipe is fabulous. I cook a lot and love cooking from scratch. I discovered this recipe last year and it is in regular rotation. I recently made it for company and they raved about it. Also made it this week for a friend who lost her mom. At the funeral she told me that the enchiladas were “magical “ The sauce is magical!!!

    6. JoAnna Guelker

      These were fantastic, my husband couldn’t stop eating to the point that I had to put up the leftovers while they were still warm! The only thing wrong with this recipe is that it takes way longer than 15 minutes to prep and I had all the ingredients out and ready to go from the store!

    7. Kim

      Fabulous flavor. The sour cream sauce is the best! I have no idea what small fajita size tortillas are. No tortilla here are named as such, but I used what seemed to be a common size at my store… they were labeled as “large” but they weren’t so large, about 7”. I did 1/2 recipe with 3 cups of chicken, so about a half cup per tortilla for 6. They had just too much filling. Overwhelming, really. What size are small fajita size, I wonder? I think next time I will do with 9 tortillas and use 1/3 cup of filling.

    8. Noemi

      We love the enchilada, but I make it in a different way. Your recipe sounds really good, I want to try it. Thanks :)

    9. Gaye Oneill

      Made them for dinner tonight. Absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing! Already told my daughter I found another “keeper”

    10. Paige petersen

      SOOO Yummy! I used green onions instead and it was delicious! My husband especially loved them. Thank you:)

    11. Danielle

      This is the third time I’m making these and we never have any leftovers! They taste just like at the restaurant. Love the homemade sauce, it adds ALL the flavor to these!!!

    12. Jennifer Evers

      If you were to make these for a potluck the next day, can you go ahead and do all steps and refrigerate overnight and the enchiladas are good and not soggy? If not, can you give me tips on how to make part tonight and what I have to do in the morning?

      1. A woman holding a camera standing in front of some shelves.
        Jessica

        Hey Jenn!

        You should have no issues in putting it in the fridge overnight! I do it all the time!

        let me know how it turns out! :-)

    13. Melissa

      OH my goodness, Jessica! I might actually need a full scale intervention after trying these tonight! I will have to list this dish as one of the best things I have ever eaten! Thanks!!!

    14. Melissa

      I’m looking forward to making these for dinner this week. Do you have a preference for corn or flour tortillas?

    15. Sara

      I have been to 5 grocery stores and no one carries the Salsa Verde by Ortega :( (I live in Cincinnati, OH.) Do you know if there is any other brand of salsa verde I can purchase. I want to make this dish.

      1. Katie

        Hey Sara, I have made these before, so delicious! And none of the grocery stores where I live carry Ortega. I think in a lot places its called La Victoria…its the same brand, just a different name, I think its a regional thing.

    16. Kara

      I just made these tonight, and used fat free sour cream and whole wheat tortillas and they still tasted really good! Thanks for the recipe!

    17. Lauren

      I have these in the oven right now and my husband and I can’t wait for dinner! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!

    Thank You For Being Here!

    Jessica
    For the past 15 years, Jorge & Jessica have loved getting to share their families' favorite recipes with all of you. They live in Florida with their 3 kids.