Description
These Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas are a comforting and delightfully cheesy dish, packed with tender shredded chicken, a creamy, spiced filling, and smothered in rich enchilada sauce. They are a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any night of the week.
Ingredients
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (wear gloves)
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 0.5 teaspoon paprika
• 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (28 ounce) can green enchilada sauce
• 7 flour tortillas
• 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Season chicken breasts with garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Place in a baking dish and bake until cooked through, about 30-35 minutes. Let the chicken cool, then shred it using two forks.
3. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the minced onion and jalapeos until the onion is translucent. Stir in the cream cheese until it’s melted. Add the remaining garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder, and cumin. Mix in the shredded chicken and remove from heat.
4. Spread half of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spoon the chicken mixture down the center of each flour tortilla. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of Monterey Jack cheese over the filling in each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and place them seam-side down in the baking dish. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled enchiladas and top with the rest of the Monterey Jack cheese.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the filling is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted.
Notes
Don’t overcook the chicken: Keep an eye on the chicken while it’s baking to ensure it remains moist and tender.
Melt cream cheese gently: Stir the cream cheese constantly over medium heat to ensure it melts smoothly without scorching.
Roll tortillas tightly: Roll the tortillas firmly but gently to prevent them from tearing while ensuring a neat presentation.
Sauce coverage: Ensure all enchiladas are well-covered with sauce to prevent the tortillas from drying out during baking.
Resting time: Letting the enchiladas rest for a few minutes after coming out of the oven allows the flavors to meld and makes them easier to serve.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican-American