White Chicken Enchiladas are seasoned rotisserie chicken and shredded cheese wrapped in flour tortillas and topped with a creamy white sauce. Then, the enchiladas are baked until bubbly and served garnished with cilantro and lime wedges. And, this is a wonderful dish to make ahead of time, too, perfect for those busy nights! If you prefer a more classic recipe with a tomato-based sauce, check out my Chicken Enchiladas, made with homemade enchilada sauce!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chicken: Using rotisserie chicken, which is already cooked, makes this recipe easy to prepare! And, you can sometimes find it already shredded, too! Cooked and shredded chicken breasts or thighs would also work. Season the chicken with lime juice, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Cheese: Shredded Monterey jack cheese is used in the filling and as the topping. It melts well and adds a creamy texture. Mozzarella, Colby jack, or cheddar cheese could also work well. Or, try a blend of your favorite kind of cheese!
- Flour Tortillas: I prefer using flour tortillas to hold the filling. If using corn tortillas, warm them or lightly fry in oil to prevent them from cracking or breaking.
- White Sauce: Instead of a tomato-based enchilada sauce, I used a creamy white sauce. It is made with butter, minced garlic, flour, chicken broth, sour cream, softened cream cheese, and green chiles.
- Green Chiles: Green chiles add a subtle heat and some flavor to the sauce. For more heat, add diced jalapeno peppers. Or, try the sauce with roasted red peppers if you prefer to keep it mild.
What To Serve With White Chicken Enchiladas
Here are some of my favorite dishes to serve with these chicken enchiladas:
- Mexican Rice
- Refried Beans
- Black Beans
- Easy Guacamole
- Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad)
- Tortilla Chips with Pico de Gallo
Make Ahead White Chicken Enchiladas
These chicken enchiladas are great for preparing ahead of time so they are ready to go when you are! You can refrigerate or freeze the assembled enchiladas. Here is how:
Make Ahead for the Refrigerator: Assemble the enchiladas and place them into the baking dish. Next, make the sauce and let it cool before pouring it over the assembled enchiladas. Then, cover the baking dish and store it in the refrigerator for up to a day or two. When ready to cook, you may have to add a few minutes to the baking time. (To prevent the enchiladas from becoming soggy, you can store the cooled sauce in a separate container. Then, simply pour it over the enchiladas when ready to bake.)
Make Ahead for the Freezer: Assemble the enchiladas and pour the cooled white sauce over the tops. Next, cover with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Label with the date and cooking instructions. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. When ready to bake, let the chicken enchiladas thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Storing & Reheating White Chicken Enchiladas
To store enchiladas, first, let them cool to room temperature. Next, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last up to 3-4 days. Or, freeze the baked enchiladas (once completely cooled) for up to 3 months. Reheat the enchiladas in the oven or the microwave.
White Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
Enchiladas
- 3 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups (226 g) Monterey Jack cheese, shredded, divided
- 8 large flour tortillas
White Sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup (240 g) chicken broth
- 4 ounces (½ package) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream
- 1 can (4-ounce) green chiles
Garnish
- cilantro, chopped
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the chicken, lime juice, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and 1 cup shredded cheese. Mix well until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
- Working one tortilla at a time, place about ½ cup of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla. Wrap tightly and place the filled tortillas seam-side down in the greased baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 more minute. Add the flour, salt, and pepper, whisking together until the mixture turns golden brown (about 2 minutes).
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth. Add the cream cheese and sour cream. Continue to cook, stirring often until the mixture is smooth.
- Add green chiles. Stir to combine.
- Pour the white sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas in the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cup of cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly. (Broil the enchiladas for an extra 2-3 minutes if you prefer the cheese to be golden brown.)
- Garnish the enchiladas with chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges on the side.
Video
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
These white chicken enchiladas were amazing! The chicken was perfectly seasoned with lime juice and spices, and the creamy Monterey Jack cheese made them so flavorful.
Elizabeth
I am not a huge fan of white sauces, but I didn't mind these chicken enchiladas! I like that they can be put together ahead of time, especially for busy nights!
Annabelle
I thought these enchiladas were great! And, I like the little kick from the green chiles. They were easy to make and tasted even better as leftovers.
Bella
The creamy white sauce with green chiles gave these enchiladas a unique twist. They were cheesy and delicious!
Selena
My family loved this version of chicken enchiladas! I will definitely be making these again!
Love them they turned out so good thank you
I would ,Ike this recipe emailed to me if possible.