White chicken enchiladas are a popular Mexican dish that consists of tender shredded chicken, cheese, and spices wrapped in soft tortillas and smothered in a creamy white sauce.
This dish is famous for its rich and comforting flavors and its versatility. We serve as a main course or as a casual party dish. The creamy white sauce, made with ingredients such as sour cream and green chilies, adds a tangy and slightly spicy note to the dish, making it a crowd-pleaser for adults and children.
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❤️ Why I love this recipe
- This Mexican-inspired dish is quick and easy to make while incredibly flavorful and comforting.
- I can cook the chicken in advance. Leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken will also add convenience.
- Easily adapt your white chicken enchiladas to suit preferences and food allergies or to keep things interesting!
White Chicken Enchiladas is an easy-to-assemble, one-dish meal that will satisfy those Tex-Mex cravings in 35 minutes!
🛒 Ingredients
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Note: All of the chicken enchilada recipe ingredients and their amounts with options are in the recipe card below.
🗒 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat and whisk the flour to make a roux.
- Slowly add the chicken broth and whisk.
- Add the diced green chilis, sour cream, and cheese. Whisk until the sauce thickens, and then remove it from the heat.
- Combine the chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, chilies, cumin, and cheese, in a mixing bowl.
- While the oven preheats, assemble the enchiladas by laying a tortilla on a flat surface. Divide the filling evenly and add it to the tortilla, rolling it up.
- Add the rolled-up tortilla to a baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Fill and roll the rest of the tortillas.
- Pour the white sauce over the tortillas.
- Sprinkle cheese over the top of the sauce.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly.
- Garnish the baked white chicken enchiladas with freshly chopped cilantro, and serve!
🔪 Equipment
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- saucepan -- for the enchilada sauce
- dry measuring cups
- liquid measuring cup
- Baking dish -- 9X12-inch
🤔 FAQs
Questions asked about making the Creamy White Chicken Enchilada Recipe.
This white sauce consists of melted butter and flour as a thickening agent, together with chicken broth, sour cream, green chilis, and shredded cheese.
I’ve used shredded Monterey Jack cheese, but you could use Queso Blanco, Manchego, Queso Fresco, or Cotija which all melt easily.
Real Good chicken enchiladas are ready-to-heat and eat. Simply poke holes in the film covering and heat the tray in the microwave on high for 3-4 minutes. Allow the heated tray to sit for about 1 minute before serving.
Enjoy these white chicken enchiladas alongside a bean salad, rice, salsa and chips, or guacamole.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- When reheating these enchiladas, heat them to an internal temperature of 165°F to kill any potential bacteria. You can do this in the oven, microwave, or on the stovetop.
- The cooked chicken can be made specifically for this dish, or you can use leftover shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken.
- If you're worried your tortillas may break while assembling the enchiladas, pre-cook them in a little bit of fat to develop the flavor and make them easier to fill and roll up.
📚 Variations
- Add more heat to the filling and sauce by including chili powder or cayenne pepper.
- Use shredded turkey in place of chicken.
- Consider spreading a jalapeno bean dip over the tortillas before filling them with the chicken mixture.
- Use corn tortillas or flour tortillas. You can also use gluten-free tortillas if you have food allergies.
- Swap the Monterey cheese for another mild white cheese. Queso Blanco, Manchego, Queso Fresco, or Cotija are also great options.
🥫 Storage
Store these white chicken enchiladas in the baking tray, wrapped with plastic wrap, or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. Make sure the sauce cools before storing the dish.
📗 Related Recipes
Can’t get enough of enchiladas? Now you can enjoy all types of enchiladas with these varied recipes:
- Spicy Beef Enchiladas - Made with cornmeal crepes loaded with ground beef and jalapeno bean dip and topped with a spicy cheese sauce!
- Breakfast Enchiladas - Now, you get to enjoy enchiladas for breakfast! The breakfast sausage in this recipe makes it the perfect comfort food for the first meal of the day.
- Best Shrimp Enchiladas - Fill your tortillas with tender and flavorful shrimp, topped with a homemade creamy sauce.
- Chicken Mexican Pizza - If you love Mexican dishes, spice up your next pizza party with South of the Border flavors.
🍽 Serve with
Enjoy these White Chicken Enchiladas with a side of Italian Summer Salad since this dish is already filling and hearty.
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
I love all types of enchiladas and I can't get enough of them. That's why I keep adding to the different types of enchiladas on my blog!
These White Chicken Enchiladas will only take 35 minutes to make from scratch and ticks all the boxes for a comforting dish with Mexican-inspired flavors and creamy cheese sauce! You could assemble the entire dish the night before and simply pop it in the oven for an easy midweek family dinner!
Tutti a tavolo, è pronto!
What's new? Check out my All Our Way Store on Amazon. We'll be adding more items we love and use or wish we had to make cooking fun and easy.
📝 Recipe Card
These White Chicken Enchiladas boast Mexican-inspired flavors and ingredients such as tender shredded chicken, cream cheese, and spices wrapped in soft tortillas and smothered in a creamy white sauce. The green chilis in the filling and the white sauce provide an irresistible kick of spicy heat that’ll have you coming back for more!
Next time you're craving a chicken breast dish with a Southwest vibe, try our Chili's Copycat Monterey Chicken recipe.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
📖 Recipe
Creamy White Chicken enchiladas Casserole
Ingredients
White Enchilada Sauce:
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 4 ounces can diced green chilies
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Filling:
- 2 cups cooked chicken breasts shredded
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 4 ounces can diced green chilies
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 10 tortillas 8-inch
Topping:
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
- chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
To Make White Enchilada Sauce:
- In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, add the butter and melt. Whisk in the flour and create a roux. Slowly add in chicken broth and whisk. Add in the diced green chilis, sour cream, and Monterey Jack cheese. Whisk until it starts to thicken and remove from heat.
To Make the Filling:
- In a medium-sized bowl combine the chicken, cream cheese, sour cream, green chilies, cumin, and Monterey cheese.
To Assemble Enchiladas:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch dish with cooking spray. Lay a tortilla on a flat surface. Divide the filling evenly and roll the tortilla up and put it in the baking dish. Continue until you have used all of the tortillas.
- Pour the sauce on top of the tortillas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and cheese is bubbly. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Annette
Delicious and easy I put white American cheese over the white sauce yumm
Marisa Franca
Hi Annette! White American cheese sounds delish! I LOVE cheese - you can never have too much. Happy cooking and happier eating! xoxo
Michele
i added cilantro to the sauce and cooked it longer to thicken it up. Adding just a couple of cups of sauce over the top before the cheese was the right amount - not soggy at all. They can add sauce if they want to their plate. My family loved it!
Marisa Franca
Hi Michele! Excellent suggestions! I'm so glad your family enjoyed the enchiladas! Our family constantly asks for the dish. LOL! Keep warm!
Margo
Made these enchiladas. So delicious. Easy to make especially if you have chicken cooked already. I make a green enchilada which my family loves, but time to switch it up. I did add sauce inside the enchilada because I like mine creamy and gooey. Thank you
Marisa Franca
Hello Margo! I'm so glad you enjoyed the enchiladas. They are always in demand here. I hope you had a nice holiday season and I certainly hope you have a spectacular new year!!
Beth
I did enjoy these, but like Kelsey I found that the sauce was runny. Perhaps that's the reason for soggy tortillas that others had as well. I went back to the recipe to check and my amount of ingredients were correct.
I will try again and hope it will thicken more!
Thanks for sharing!
Marisa Franca
Hi Beth! We haven't had the problem but try adding 1/2 cup less broth to the roux. See if that makes it the consistency you like. Let me know! Happy cooking and even happier eating.
Cara
Was hoping to try these after freezing but I don’t see instructions for that. What temp do you cook these at from frozen and for how long? Do you make everything and just not bake it freeze it and then bake when ready?
Marisa Franca
Hi Cara! The enchiladas can be frozen (before being cooked) for up to 3 months. Cover them with a double layer of plastic wrap to protect against freezer burn and make sure the sauce is completely cool before wrapping. When you're ready to cook the enchiladas, make sure to let them come to room temperature before cooking as per original directions.
Cheryl Radke
My husband loved it!! Excellent flavor and so rich and creamy.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Cheryl! I'm so glad your Hubby loved the enchiladas -- they're always a favorite with our boys!! xoxo
Sue
Absolutely delicious! Everyone loves them, and I’m making them for guests tomorrow evening. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!❤️
Marisa Franca
Thank you for commenting, Sue! I'm so glad you enjoyed one of our favorite dinners. I'm sure your guests will think you are the BEST!! xoxo
Klynn
I will definitely make again. The sauce needed alittle something. I added Mexican red chili power,cumin,garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. It turned out to be really good.
Marisa Franca
Hi Glynn! So glad you liked the recipe. We always encourage tasting to add your own little kick to the sauce. Hubby likes spicy -- and then there are other people who think salt and black pepper adds too much spice. There's always a happy medium. Thank you for the tip!! Buon appetito!!
Mary thorndyke
What kind of tortillas do you use. Mine turned out mushy.
Marisa Franca
Hello, Mary! I'm sorry your tortillas turned out mush. This is the first time we've heard of someone having that problem. We usually buy the tortillas from La Tortilla Factory or Maria or Ricardo's. I hope you try it again. We loved the taste ,and they're a huge hit with our friends and family.
Julie
My tortillas did the same thing. The flavour and everything else was spot on. Not sure what I did? Anyone else have this issue?
Marisa Franca
I'm sorry your tortillas didn't turn out like you wanted. I've never had that issue. Could it be the brand you're using?
Victoria
Mary, you might try using “corn” tortillas. Flour tortillas tend to get mushy if you add much sauce to them. They’re great for burritos, etc. But for enchiladas corn is the way to go.
Diane
We loved it, my husband raved about how tasteful it is, and it was!
Marisa Franca
Hello, Diane! I'm so glad you and Hubby enjoyed it!! It's so easy to prepare -- we love to make it for family gatherings!! Hope you have a wonderful Fall and Wintere season!! xoxo
Daphne H.
I haven't made these yet. I, actually, just came across this recipe. It sounds delicious! I am planning to make these this weekend.
Marisa Franca
Hi, Daphne! You're going to love the chicken enchiladas. The beauty of this recipe is you can make it early in the day and then just pop in the oven before you're ready to eat. Let me know what you think. Buon appetito!
Karen
Made it…was delicious! Definitely easy! Served with broccoli and rice delicious!
Marisa Franca
Hi Karen! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. We do too and we sometimes make it ahead to enjoy on the busy weekends. A presto!
Sussan jackson
I added salsa to the filling for a little extra flavor. When I make it next time I would put some sauce on the bottom of the pan before I put the enchiladas in it. Great flavor
Marisa Franca
Ciao Sussan!! Great tip!! I'm glad you enjoyed the enchiladas -- they're on the menu this weekend. 😋 Thank you for your comment!
Becca Owen
We added black beans, Mexican corn, cream cheese, Monterey jack and mozzarella! And lil bit cummin! Devoured within hours!!
Awesome recipe, thanks for sharing!
Nikki
Hi Marisa!! Can you make the enchiladas a few hours in advance and make the sauce before putting them in the oven?
Marisa Franca
Hi Nikki! Yes, you can do that. In fact, I find it easy to do it that way and it certainly saves those last minutes you're getting ready for your dinner. Buon appetito!
Nikki
Should I keep them covered in the fridge until I’m ready to put them in the oven?
Marisa Franca
Yes, you should keep them covered and in the fridge.
Kelsey
I loooooove this recipe. The only issue I had was that the sauce didn’t really thicken up.
Marisa Franca
If you find that is the case, Kelsey, you may add less liquid or more flour in the roux. I'm glad you enjoyed the enchiladas. They are really great to serve at an informal dinner. Buon appetito!
Cindie
Delicious!! My husband does not like Mexican but loved these!!
Marisa Franca
Hi Cindy! Thank you for the nice comment -- and I'm so glad Hubbie liked them. xoxo
Gina Huston
These are a crowd pleaser! I made one pan gluten free tortilla another half pan regular flour. Everyone in the family loves them I will definitely make them on a bi weekly basis!
Marisa Franca
Hello Gina! I'm so glad your crowd feels the same as our gang!! Those enchiladas go fast, and aren't you super sweet to accommodate those who aren't gluten-tolerant? Now, everyone can enjoy the yummy enchiladas. Have a very Merry Christmas and a spectacular New Year!! xoxo
Angela
These are so delicious. This will be my go to chicken enchiladas.