Why You’ll Love these Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Whether you’re planning a casual family dinner or looking for the perfect dish to impress guests, these Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas will quickly become your go-to recipe.
I’ve served these countless times, and they’re always a hit. What’s not to love about tender chicken, black beans, and corn wrapped in soft tortillas, then smothered in enchilada sauce and melty cheese?
The prep is straightforward—season, mix, roll, and bake. Plus, you can adjust the spice level by choosing mild or hot salsa.
Trust me, the aroma alone while these bake will have everyone hovering near the kitchen.
What Ingredients are in Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas?
These enchiladas bring together a perfect blend of Mexican-inspired flavors that will have your taste buds doing a happy dance. The combination of seasoned chicken, beans, corn, and cheese creates a filling that’s both hearty and flavorful, while the enchilada sauce ties everything together with its rich, slightly tangy profile.
I always keep these ingredients on hand for those nights when I need a crowd-pleasing dinner option.
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
- 1 (1/2 ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix
- 1 (16 ounce) jar chunky salsa
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (8 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese, divided
- 1 (15 ounce) can mild enchilada sauce, divided
- 6 large flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
When shopping for these ingredients, you might want to ponder a few variations based on your preferences. For instance, you could swap the chicken for ground beef or turkey if that’s what you have on hand.
The heat level is entirely customizable too—choose mild, medium, or hot salsa and enchilada sauce depending on your spice tolerance.
And while I’ve listed Mexican cheese blend here, feel free to use whatever melty cheese you prefer. Monterey Jack, cheddar, or even pepper jack would work beautifully.
Just make sure your tortillas are fresh and pliable to prevent cracking when you roll them.
How to Make these Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Let’s start by preparing the star of our dish—the chicken. Take 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breast chunks and cook them according to the directions on your taco seasoning packet. This typically means browning the chicken in a skillet, then sprinkling with the 1/2 ounce envelope of taco seasoning and adding some water to create that flavorful sauce. Once the chicken is fully cooked, give it about 10 minutes to cool down. Nobody wants burned fingers when mixing the filling, right?
While it’s cooling, you can prep your 9×13 baking dish by spreading 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce across the bottom.
Now for the fun part—creating that irresistible filling. In a large bowl, combine your seasoned chicken with the 16-ounce jar of chunky salsa, one 15-ounce can of rinsed and drained black beans, and an 8-ounce can of drained corn. Add 1 cup of shredded Mexican cheese to the mixture, and gently fold everything together. The colors alone will make your mouth water.
Next, take each of your 6 large flour tortillas and spoon about 2/3 cup of the chicken mixture down the center. Roll them up like little burritos and place them seam-side down in your prepared baking dish. They should nestle in there quite cozily, all in a row.
Finish by pouring the remaining enchilada sauce over your rolled tortillas, making sure to cover them completely—this prevents the tortillas from drying out while baking. Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top and dot with those 2 tablespoons of sliced ripe olives for a pop of color and flavor.
Pop the dish into a preheated 375°F oven for 20 minutes, or until you spot that gorgeous bubbling cheese and know the filling is heated through. The aroma that fills your kitchen during these 20 minutes of baking? Pure torture when you’re hungry, but so worth the wait.
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Substitutions and Variations
Now that you know how to prepare the basic recipe, I’m excited to share some substitutions and variations that can transform these enchiladas to suit almost any dietary need or flavor preference.
For a lighter option, try corn tortillas or whole wheat wraps instead of flour. Not a fan of black beans? Pinto or refried work beautifully.
Vegetarians can skip the chicken and double up on beans or add sautéed bell peppers and zucchini.
Spice lovers, like myself, might add diced jalapeños or use hot enchilada sauce.
Watching calories? Use reduced-fat cheese or swap the chicken for ground turkey.
Trust me, these enchiladas are incredibly forgiving.
What to Serve with Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
The perfect side dishes can truly elevate your cheesy chicken enchiladas from a simple meal to a memorable fiesta.
I love serving mine with cilantro-lime rice—it soaks up all that extra sauce beautifully. A simple green salad with avocado and a tangy vinaigrette adds freshness to balance the richness.
For something more substantial, try Mexican street corn (elote) or refried beans topped with queso fresco.
And don’t forget the cool counterpoints: sour cream, guacamole, or pico de gallo. My family always fights over the last scoop of guac, no matter how much I make!
Final Thoughts
Cheesy chicken enchiladas truly represent comfort food at its finest—warm, gooey, and incredibly satisfying. I’ve made these countless times, and they never disappoint. The combination of seasoned chicken, beans, corn, and melted cheese wrapped in soft tortillas creates magic on your plate.
What I love most? They’re adaptable to what you have on hand. No black beans? Try pinto. Want more heat? Use spicy salsa.
These enchiladas have saved many dinner dilemmas at my house. Make them once, and I promise they’ll become part of your regular rotation. Comfort food doesn’t get much better than this.
Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cook chicken chunks according to the directions on the taco seasoning packet. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes after cooking.
- Spread 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce across the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
- In a large bowl, combine the seasoned chicken, salsa, black beans, corn, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Mix gently until well combined.
- Spoon approximately 2/3 cup of the chicken mixture down the center of each flour tortilla. Roll them up and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, ensuring they’re completely covered to prevent drying out while baking.
- Sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top and garnish with the sliced olives.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and the filling is heated through.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
