The enchiladas in my Ultimate Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas casserole are everything you would expect great chicken enchiladas to be. Wrapped in flour tortillas, full of tender, seasoned chicken, smothered in a creamy, sour cream white sauce, this enchilada casserole isn’t just for Cinco de Mayo!
A quick and easy main dish or entree full of melted cheesy goodness, this make-ahead wonder is as perfect for a festive dinner party as it is for a casual weeknight family meal.
Here is what you need:
Yes, I know it looks like a lot of ingredients, but this dish comes together very quickly. For the chicken enchiladas, you will need:
- Cooked chicken – leftovers or a rotisserie chicken work just fine.
- Flour tortillas – while this recipe calls for flour tortillas, if you like corn tortillas, feel free to use them instead.
- Mexican cheese blend – includes a mixture of shredded Monterey Jack, mild cheddar, Asadaro, and Queso Quesadilla cheeses. Good substitutes include an Italian cheese blend, or a Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese blend.
- Olive oil – is used to saute the onion and garlic.
- Onion and garlic – are both in the Allium family and provide a savory classic flavor base to the enchiladas.
- Seasoning – aromatic and savory spices cumin and chili powder add a rich and hearty, slightly spicy taste to the chicken and season it to perfection.
For the sour cream enchilada sauce, you will need:
- Sour cream – provides a tangy rich flavor and adds to the creaminess of the enchilada white sauce.
- Butter – along with flour is used as the base of the white sauce and adds richness. I usually use unsalted, but salted works fine in the recipe as well.
- Flour – combines with the butter to make the white sauce and thickens the sauce.
- Chicken stock – adds rich savory flavor to the sauce. If I am using purchased stock I usually use reduced sodium stock. If using regular stock, you might want to reduce the amount of salt added.
- Tomatoes and green chilies – are a tasty addition to the sauce and besides flavor, they add a bit of color. The most common brand of this popular blend is Rotel. I usually use the original Rotel which is slightly spicy. If you want to tone down the heat, choose mild.
- Salt and pepper – kosher salt and ground black pepper enhance all of the other flavors of this dish and bring them all together.
How to make this recipe:
- To make the enchiladas, first, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Then, add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook for five to six minutes or until the onion is tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken, cumin, and chili powder, stir to combine, and cook for one to two minutes or until everything is heated. Remove from the heat and allow to cool briefly.
- Add one and one-half cups of cheese and stir to combine.
- Place about one-third of a cup of the mixture on each tortilla and roll up tightly.
- Place the enchiladas seam side down in a baking dish, which has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- To make the sour cream enchilada sauce, melt the butter in a medium size skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, salt, and pepper, and whisk to combine. Stir and cook for one to two minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and just starting to change color.
- Slowly pour in the chicken stock and whisk constantly. Bring to a boil and cook for three to four minutes more until the mixture has thickened.
- Remove the white sauce from the heat and add the sour cream, and diced tomatoes and green chilies. Mix well.
- Pour the sour cream enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly. Serve immediately. Optional, top with your favorite toppings.
Frequently asked questions:
Yes, the recipe can be doubled if you are feeding a crowd. If you have a small family, make the recipe as directed but divide it up before assembling your casseroles. For example, this recipe makes eight enchiladas, so I usually divide it into two dishes, then freeze one and bake one.
Absolutely! Enchiladas are a great make-ahead dish, and they can easily be frozen and stored covered in the freezer for up to three months.
Leftovers can be stored covered in your refrigerator for up to four days. Like most pasta dishes, leftover enchiladas are even better the next day. To reheat, sprinkle the leftovers with about a teaspoon of water, cover with foil, and place in a 350-degree F. oven for about 20 minutes.
There are several ways to make this dish ahead. If you will be serving it within 24 hours, make it as directed but don’t bake it. Cover it and store it in the refrigerator. Remove it from the fridge about an hour before you want to bake, then bake as directed.
You can also freeze this casserole unbaked. Cover and store in your freezer. The day before you plan to serve it, remove it from the freezer, and place it in the refrigerator to thaw. When thawed, bake as directed.
Authentic Mexican enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. This recipe is more of an Americanized Tex-Mex version and calls for flour tortillas. However, feel free to use whichever you prefer.
I like to serve Mexican Chopped Salad with Honey Lime Dressing as a side dish with enchiladas. They don’t need anything else except, of course, maybe a margarita.
Toppings are optional but highly recommended. My family likes the same type of topping on our enchiladas as we do on tacos. Our favorites include sour cream, salsa or pico de Gallo, sliced avocado or guacamole, and extra grated cheddar cheese.
Other options include black beans or refried beans, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce, crumbled Cojita or queso Blanco cheese, cilantro, and black olives.
Sharon’s tips:
- Check out my post, How to make Homemade Chicken Stock, if you would like to make your own stock.
- You can save time, and simplify your meal prep by cooking several chicken breasts or whole chickens in advance. For instance, after cooking, I divide up the meat and freeze it until I need it. I usually put two cups of cut-up chicken in plastic freezer storage bags because that’s what most recipes use. However, you can also use a deli roasted rotisserie bird from your grocery store.
- These enchiladas are slightly spicy. If you don’t like heat, simply reduce or leave out the chili powder and use “mild” diced tomatoes and green chilies.
More enchilada recipes:
★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!
Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Ultimate Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Ingredients
Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked chicken with skin and bones removed, diced or shredded, about one pound
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese divided, can also use a Monterey Jack and Cheddar blend, or an Italian blend.
- 8 flour tortillas 8-10 inches wide
Sour Cream Sauce Ingredients:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup diced tomatoes and green chilies drained, about ½ of a 10 oz can of Rotel
Instructions
Chicken Enchiladas Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and cook for five to six minutes or until the onion is tender and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken, cumin, and chili powder, stir to combine, and cook for one to two minutes or until everything is heated. Remove from the heat and allow to cool briefly. Add one and one-half cups of cheese and stir to combine.
- Place about one-third of a cup of the mixture in the middle of each tortilla and roll up tightly. Place the enchiladas seam side down in a 9×13 oven-safe baking dish, which sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce Directions:
- Melt the butter in a medium size skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, salt, and pepper, and whisk to combine. Stir and cook for one to two minutes or until the mixture is bubbly and just starting to change color.
- Slowly pour in the chicken stock and whisk constantly. Bring to a boil and cook for three to four minutes more until the mixture has thickened.
- Remove the white sauce from the heat and add the sour cream, and diced tomatoes and green chilies. Mix well.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the enchiladas and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted, and the sauce is bubbly.
- Serve immediately. Optional: top with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- To make ahead, cover the unbaked enchiladas and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours or wrap tightly with foil and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. If refrigerated, take the casserole out approximately one hour before baking to come to room temperature. If frozen, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
- Check out my post, How to make Homemade Chicken Stock, if you would like to make your stock.
- You can save time, and simplify your meal prep by cooking several chicken breasts or whole chickens in advance. For instance, after cooking, I divide up the meat and freeze it until I need it. I usually put two cups of cut-up chicken in plastic freezer storage bags because that’s what most recipes use. However, you can also use a deli roasted rotisserie bird from your grocery store.
- These enchiladas are slightly spicy. If you don’t like heat, simply reduce or leave out the chili powder and use “mild” diced tomatoes and green chilies.
- Toppings are optional but highly recommended. My family likes the same type of topping on our enchiladas as we do on tacos. Our favorites include sour cream, salsa or pico de Gallo, sliced avocado or guacamole, and extra grated cheddar cheese.
- This recipe can be doubled if you are feeding a crowd. If you have a small family, make the recipe as directed but divide it up before assembling your casseroles. For example, this recipe makes eight enchiladas, so I usually divide it into two dishes, then freeze half and bake the other half.
- Authentic Mexican enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. This recipe is more of an Americanized Tex-Mex version and calls for flour tortillas. However, feel free to use whichever you prefer.
Nutrition
**This recipe was originally published on February 24, 2019. It was republished on January 9, 2022, with new photos, the addition of a FAQ section, and an expanded ingredient list.
Could it be made with hamburger and beef stock instead of chicken?
Hi Emmie, I have never made it with beef so I can’t say whether it would work or not. I think you would probably be better off finding a recipe specifically made for beef. Here is a link for a beef enchilada recipe I found on the internet: https://www.food.com/recipe/sour-cream-beef-enchiladas-191223
All the best,
Sharon
The email with this came in my inbox while I was mulling over my dinner planning for the week, and I decided to make it since I had all the ingredients on hand. It looked “good enough”, but tasted so much better than that!! My family absolutely loved it and they were disappointed that one enchilada really did the job of filling them up (although they are happy that there were plenty left over for an upcoming “leftover night” dinner).
I don’t know what the “secret sauce” in this recipe is, but the combination of all the ingredients really hit it out of the park. Even better – they don’t scream for salsa. They taste absolutely terrific all on their own.
What is a serving size 1 or 2 is each enchilada 452 Cal?
The nutrition information listed is for one enchilada and 1/8 of the sauce. For all but really large appetites, and depending on what other sides might be available, one enchilada should be enough for one serving. I also ran the ingredients through a new nutrition plugin and the new calorie count shown is 349 calories.
I hope that helps and I hope you enjoy this recipe.
All the best,
Sharon
We really enjoyed the enchiladas. We cooked chicken breasts with a little chili powder and cumin using our sous vide cooker. I look forward to making this for company, especially since it can be assembled the day before. Delish!
Since tortillas aren’t listed as an ingredient, I’d love to know how many and what size you used. Looks great.
Oh, Susan, I can’t believe I forgot to list such a crucial ingredient! I just added the tortillas to the recipe. I used flour tortillas and they were 8 inches wide. However, you could also use the 10-inch ones too! Depending on how much filling you add to each you will end up with 8-10 filled enchiladas.
All my best,
Sharon
Sharon, I am so hungry after reading through your post. There’s nothing better than cheese-smothered enchiladas. Your green chili sour cream sauce sounds fabulous. This is the ultimate comfort food for wintery evenings. Thanks for sharing.