Easy Tequila Lime Chicken Enchiladas Recipes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 667kcal
Let's face it, everyone loves chicken enchiladas. I mean, what's not to love? But, hold on to your sombrero because today there is a new dish in town. Easy, made from scratch, Tequila-Lime Chicken Enchiladas that are made with hands-down the most unbelievably delicious marinade and sauce ever.
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Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken skin removed and deboned, cut into small pieces.
- ½ cup tequila
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1½ tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8-10 flour tortillas 10-inch
- 4 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese or a Mexican blend
- 1 cup green enchilada sauce
- 1 cup jarred salsa verde
- 1 cup Crema Mexican cream
Instructions
- To begin, mix together the tequila, brown sugar, lime juice, chili powder, and garlic powder until the brown sugar is dissolved.
- Place the shredded chicken in a plastic storage bag or bowl and pour in the marinade making sure all of the chicken pieces are saturated. Let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.
- When you are ready to assemble and cook, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- To begin, mix the green enchilada sauce with the salsa verde and Crema.
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with a non-stick cooking spray. Pour ½ cup of the enchilada sauce mixture into the bottom of the dish and spread out.
- Drain the chicken mixture and reserve any remaining marinade. Mix the chicken with 3 cups of the shredded cheese.
- Put a heaping ½-cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up as tightly as you can. Place the rolled tortillas in your baking dish seam side down. Repeat for the rest of the tortillas. You should be able to fit 8 enchiladas in the dish.
- If you have any leftover marinade, mix up to ½ cup with the enchilada sauce you made earlier. Pour this mixture over the enchiladas and top with 1 cup shredded cheese.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling and the cheese has melted. Let sit for about 5 minutes and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
If you can't find crema or don't have it, you can substitute sour cream thinned with milk or half-and-half. You can also use heavy cream instead.
You can also substitute honey, pure maple syrup, or corn syrup for the brown sugar.
It's just my husband and me, so instead of making one large casserole, I usually divide the enchiladas up into several dishes and bake one and freeze the rest. One and a half enchiladas are a good serving for most appetites.
If you do divide the enchiladas up into smaller meals and dishes, they will take less time to bake, so watch them.
Leftovers are even better the next day and can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. I usually heat them in the microwave.
This dish freezes beautifully and should be frozen unbaked. Cover tightly and store in your freezer for up to three months. Before you cook it, let it defrost overnight in your fridge, then follow the baking directions.
As you would expect, this is a great make-ahead dish. You can make it up to 24 hours ahead and store in the fridge unbaked. Before baking, take it out about 30 minutes beforehand to come to room temperature, then bake as directed.
Yes, I know authentic enchiladas call for corn tortillas, this enchilada recipe is not authentic, it's more of a Southern meets Tex-Mex mix, and I prefer flour tortillas. If you prefer corn, by all means, use them instead.
If you prefer, you can substitute about 4 small or 2 large chicken breasts, cooked and shredded, for the rotisserie chicken.
Nutrition
Calories: 667kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 53g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 1382mg | Potassium: 518mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 1241IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 554mg | Iron: 3mg
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