Chicken enchiladas are one of the most popular staples of Mexican cuisine. The easy recipe features flavors the whole family will love, and you can make it for a quick weeknight dinner using leftover chicken and a homemade enchilada sauce. 


How to Make Chicken Enchiladas: Easy Enchilada Recipe

Enchiladas are a classic Mexican entrée that consists of corn tortillas stuffed with filling—typically proteins like chicken, cheese, or beef—which is rolled and covered in a savory sauce. The name “enchilada” is a Spanish term that translates to "seasoned with chile," a reference to the [native chile peppers](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-complete-guide-to-mexican-chile) prominent in traditional enchilada sauces. 

Traditionally, the dish consisted of a corn tortilla dipped in salsa and folded over, and occasionally filled with hard-boiled eggs or fish. You can fill enchiladas with various ingredients, including zucchini, boneless chicken breasts, ground beef, diced tomatoes, and green chiles. You can use various types of salsas and sauces on top of your enchilada, like a chipotle salsa or [French béchamel](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-wolfgang-pucks-bechamel-sauce-recipe), and add sliced avocado, cheddar cheese, or sour cream for extra texture.

[Corn tortillas](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-corn-tortillas) are the most traditional and adequate vehicle for enchiladas, as they provide structure to the enchilada. Softer [flour tortillas](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-know-when-to-use-corn-tortillas-vs-flour-tortillas) may become soggy and fall apart after soaking in enchilada sauce.

Popular Mexican enchilada recipes include:

- *__Enchiladas suizas__*, or Swiss-style enchiladas, feature a creamy cheese sauce.
- *__Enmoladas__* feature a [mole sauce](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-mexican-mole-poblano)—a rich, complex sauce made with nuts, seeds, and dried chiles.
- *__Enchiladas Verdes__* (also known as green enchiladas) feature a [salsa verde](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/easy-salsa-verde-recipe-and-tips), a tomatillo–based sauce.
- *__Enchiladas Rojas__* (also known as red enchiladas) feature a tomato- and chile-based red sauce.
- *__Enchiladas poblanas__* are filled with poblano peppers and stringy *[queso Oaxaca](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/all-about-oaxaca-cheese)*. 

Traditional enchiladas, once enjoyed by the ancient Aztecs and Mayans, are vastly different from the popular Tex-Mex enchilada casserole made with cooked chicken and cheese. There are a few regional varieties of enchiladas in the United States, including: 

- __California-style__. Enchiladas feature a red chile and tomato enchilada sauce.
- __Texas-style__. Texas enchiladas are filled with cheese and onions and covered in cumin gravy.
- __New Mexico-style__. New Mexico-style enchiladas, also known as *enchiladas montadas*, are stacked rather than rolled and smothered in either red enchilada sauce or salsa verde. They are sometimes topped with a fried egg.

Chicken enchiladas are one of the most popular staples of Mexican cuisine. The easy recipe features flavors the whole family will love, and you can make it for a quick weeknight dinner using leftover chicken and a homemade enchilada sauce. 


Enchiladas are a classic Mexican entrée that consists of corn tortillas stuffed with filling—typically proteins like chicken, cheese, or beef—which is rolled and covered in a savory sauce. The name “enchilada” is a Spanish term that translates to &quot;seasoned with chile,&quot; a reference to the <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-complete-guide-to-mexican-chile' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/a-complete-guide-to-mexican-chile","linkCopy":"native chile peppers","category":null}'>native chile peppers</a> prominent in traditional enchilada sauces. Traditionally, the dish consisted of a corn tortilla dipped in salsa and folded over, and occasionally filled with hard-boiled eggs or fish. You can fill enchiladas with various ingredients, including zucchini, boneless chicken breasts, ground beef, diced tomatoes, and green chiles. You can use various types of salsas and sauces on top of your enchilada, like a chipotle salsa or <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-wolfgang-pucks-bechamel-sauce-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chef-wolfgang-pucks-bechamel-sauce-recipe","linkCopy":"French béchamel","category":null}'>French béchamel</a>, and add sliced avocado, cheddar cheese, or sour cream for extra texture.

What Are Enchiladas?

<a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-corn-tortillas' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-corn-tortillas","linkCopy":"Corn tortillas","category":null}'>Corn tortillas</a> are the most traditional and adequate vehicle for enchiladas, as they provide structure to the enchilada. Softer <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-know-when-to-use-corn-tortillas-vs-flour-tortillas' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-know-when-to-use-corn-tortillas-vs-flour-tortillas","linkCopy":"flour tortillas","category":null}'>flour tortillas</a> may become soggy and fall apart after soaking in enchilada sauce.

What Type of Tortillas Work Best for Enchiladas?

Popular Mexican enchilada recipes include:<ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">Enchiladas suizas, or Swiss-style enchiladas, feature a creamy cheese sauce. </li><li class="">Enmoladas feature a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-mexican-mole-poblano' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-mexican-mole-poblano","linkCopy":"mole sauce","category":null}'>mole sauce</a>—a rich, complex sauce made with nuts, seeds, and dried chiles. </li><li class="">Enchiladas Verdes (also known as green enchiladas) feature a <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/easy-salsa-verde-recipe-and-tips' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/easy-salsa-verde-recipe-and-tips","linkCopy":"salsa verde","category":null}'>salsa verde</a>, a tomatillo–based sauce. </li><li class="">Enchiladas Rojas (also known as red enchiladas) feature a tomato- and chile-based red sauce. </li><li class="">Enchiladas poblanas are filled with poblano peppers and stringy <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/all-about-oaxaca-cheese' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/all-about-oaxaca-cheese","linkCopy":"queso Oaxaca","category":null}'>queso Oaxaca</a>. </li></ul>

Popular Mexican Enchilada Variations

Traditional enchiladas, once enjoyed by the ancient Aztecs and Mayans, are vastly different from the popular Tex-Mex enchilada casserole made with cooked chicken and cheese. There are a few regional varieties of enchiladas in the United States, including: <ul class="mc-m-4 list-styled"><li class="">California-style. Enchiladas feature a red chile and tomato enchilada sauce. </li><li class="">Texas-style. Texas enchiladas are filled with cheese and onions and covered in cumin gravy. </li><li class="">New Mexico-style. New Mexico-style enchiladas, also known as enchiladas montadas, are stacked rather than rolled and smothered in either red enchilada sauce or salsa verde. They are sometimes topped with a fried egg. </li></ul>

Popular American-Style Enchilada Variations

Best Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Chicken enchiladas are one of the most popular staples of Mexican cuisine. The easy recipe features flavors the whole family will love, and you can make it for a quick weeknight dinner using leftover chicken and a homemade enchilada sauce.