Easy chicken enchilada recipe with cream cheese

This chicken enchilada recipe is so easy, that even a beginner cook can make it! The creamy filling is simple to whip up thanks to a block of cream cheese. Using canned enchilada sauce simplifies things even further.

If you’re looking for an easy chicken enchilada recipe, look no further! This dish is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. The cream cheese filling is rich and flavorful, while the canned enchilada sauce saves time on prep. Simply assemble the chicken enchiladas and bake! Serve with a side of rice and beans for a complete meal.

🥘 Ingredients

For this tasty Mexican dish, you need the following ingredients:

• 3 cups shredded chicken breasts
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 2 cups shredded cheese, divided
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons jalapeno juice (taken from a jar of jalapenos)
• 19 ounces of enchilada sauce
• 6 large flour tortillas

Garnish

• Fresh cilantro

🔪 Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add shredded chicken, jalapeno juice, diced onion, diced green bell pepper, and ⅔ cup of enchilada sauce to the cream cheese. Combine the ingredients.

Step 3: Lightly coat the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish with a small amount of enchilada sauce.

Step 4: Spread ⅙th of the cream cheese and chicken mixture on the center of a flour tortilla. Roll the tortilla to cover the filling and place seam side down on top of the enchilada sauce in the pan. Repeat with the remaining mixture and flour tortillas.

Step 5: Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce over the filled enchiladas making sure that the tortillas are completely covered in sauce.

⏲️ Baking Time

Step 6: Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle the top of the enchiladas with additional cheese, and bake for 5 minutes.

Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve with shredded lettuce, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, refried beans, or black beans.

Recipe Notes

For the shredded cheese, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, or any Mexican cheese blend. Using your favorite cheese and enchilada sauce will help ensure that these taste great.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of chicken do you use for chicken enchiladas?

You can use white or dark meat or a combination of either. Just be sure that it is fully cooked prior to using as an enchilada filling. Feel free to use store-bought rotisserie chicken in this dish. It’s a great time saver.

Are enchiladas better with corn tortillas or flour tortillas?

I believe that is a personal preference. Corn tortillas will impart more depth to the flavor of the dish, but flour tortillas are much easier to “roll.”

• ▢ 3 cups shredded chicken breasts
• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese
• ▢ 2 cups shredded cheese divided
• ▢ 1 medium onion diced
• ▢ 1 green bell pepper diced
• ▢ 2 tablespoons jalapeno juice taken from a jar of jalapenos
• ▢ 19 ounces enchilada sauce
• ▢ 6 large flour tortillas

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

• In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth.  Add shredded chicken, jalapeno juice, diced onion, diced green bell pepper, and ⅔ cup of enchilada sauce to the cream cheese. Combine the ingredients.

• Lightly coat the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish with a small amount of enchilada sauce.

• Spread ⅙th of the cream cheese and chicken mixture on the center of a flour tortilla.  Roll the tortilla to cover the filling and place seam side down on top of the enchilada sauce in the pan.  Repeat with the remaining mixture and flour tortillas.

• Drizzle the remaining enchilada sauce over the filled enchiladas making sure that the tortillas are completely covered in sauce.

• Cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove foil, sprinkle the top of the enchiladas with additional cheese, and bake for 5 minutes.

Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve with shredded lettuce, pickled jalapenos, sour cream, refried beans, or black beans.

Nutrition information is an approximation and will vary depending upon size and brands used.

Serving: 1enchilada | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 583mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 355IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 2mg

Hungry for more Mexican-inspired dishes? Be sure to check out our recipes for black bean dip, chicken burrito skillet, Mexican street corn salad, and Mexican chocolate ice cream pie.

 Be sure to come back and tell us how your cream cheese chicken enchiladas turned out!