Comforting, creamy, and easy to make, you'll want to bookmark or pin this Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada recipe for dinner later. It all starts with a homemade Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce that provides a cozy foil for chicken enchiladas.
I like to use a store-purchased Rotisserie chicken or roast my own at home and shred it for inclusion in these dreamy White Chicken Enchiladas. Pepperjack is my go-to cheese for Minnesota Tex-Mex, but Oaxaca and Chihuahua cheeses are great here too. And I insist on using corn tortillas because they are up to the job of preserving their texture - at least somewhat - when baked smothered in a creamy sauce.
Since this recipe is easy to make, it's also easy to customize and/or garnish. I sprinkled on some parsley for the photo op, but my favorite way to garnish is with some pickled jalapenos. The spicy, acidic hit from pickled jalapenos helps cut through the richness of the Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce.
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How to Make Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas - Ingredients
For this recipe for Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas you will need the following ingredients:
- chicken (I like to use shredded store-purchased Rotisserie or home-roasted chicken)
- corn tortillas (5 ¾ in diameter)
- shredded pepperjack
- sour cream enchilada sauce (ingredients listed separately below)
See recipe card for quantities.
Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce Ingredients
Like many of my recipes, this dish all began with the sauce - in this case a rich and creamy Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce.
- salted butter
- white all-purpose flour
- chicken or vegetable broth
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- sour cream
- cream cheese (optional, but recommended)
Makes approximately 2 ½ cups sour cream enchilada sauce. Get the full recipe.
How to Make Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas - Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Shred chicken, if you haven’t already.
To reheat refrigerated leftover Rotisserie chicken, add shredded chicken and 1 tablespoon of water to a pan. Cover and heat over medium heat until heated through.
Click here for instructions on how to make the sour cream enchilada sauce (makes 2 ½ cups, which is about what you’ll need).
Heat your tortillas in a pan before dipping them into the sour cream sauce. Heat tortillas over medium-high heat, for 5-7 seconds per side each. You want them to be completely pliable.
Coat the bottom of an 11x7 baking dish with the enchilada sauce, using around ½ cup or so of the sauce. Dip a warmed tortilla into the sour cream enchilada sauce, coating one side completely.
Lay down on a cutting board, dipped tortilla side up. Divide cooked chicken evenly between 7-8 tortillas; add 1 ½ tablespoons pepperjack cheese to each tortilla.
Roll enchiladas and place seam-side down in a 11x7 baking dish. Continue to do this until your pan is full.
Pour all of the remaining sour cream enchilada sauce over your rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining pepperjack cheese.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil or a lid and bake for 20 minutes, until heated through.
Remove the cover and broil for 6-7 minutes, until the cheese starts to get toasty and bubbly looking.
Let sit for a couple minutes to cool slightly if you can and then dig in!
Tip: Prepare your garnishes while the creamy enchiladas cook.
Variations & Additions
This is a basic recipe specifically so you can take creative liberties with the add-ins. I highly recommend trying these Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas with:
- Spicy peppers - Jalapenos, poblanos, Thai chiles, whatever spicy pepper you wish, just saute them before adding to your chicken filling. Or garnish with pickled jalapenos - a personal favorite of mine.
- Seasonings - Season your chicken however you'd like. When roasting at home I usually just season with salt and pepper, maybe some basil or oregano. You can also try adding a few dashes of cumin, cayenne pepper, or garlic/onion powder.
- Chicken - Try this recipe with shredded beef or pork, or go veggie with sliced mushrooms or pinto beans.
Equipment
Pyrex 2 Quart Glass Oblong Baking Dish
Top Tips
- Use the prescribed corn tortillas, they stand up better to enchiladas than flour tortillas.
- Experiment with additions to the shredded chicken, like spicy sauteed peppers.
FAQ
In a pinch, go for it and swap in flour tortillas in this Creamy Chicken Enchilada recipe. However, I think this recipe is better with corn tortillas for 2 reasons: 1) the taste 2) the durability. Flour tortillas just kind of... melt in enchilada dishes whereas corn tortillas maintain more integrity, add a subtle corn flavor, and provide more texture.
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas are good for up to 3-4 days.
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Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ pound shredded chicken (I like to use shredded store-purchased Rotisserie or home-roasted chicken)
- 7-8 corn tortillas (5 ¾ in diameter)
- 1 ½ cups shredded pepperjack
- 1 ½ cups sour cream enchilada sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Shred chicken, if you haven’t already.
- Click here for instructions on how to make the sour cream enchilada sauce (makes 2 ½ cups, which is about what you’ll need).Heat your tortillas in a pan before dipping them into the sour cream sauce. Heat tortillas over medium-high heat, for 5-7 seconds per side each. You want them to be completely pliable.
- Coat the bottom of an 11x7 baking dish with the enchilada sauce, using around ½ cup or so of the sauce. Dip a warmed tortilla into the sour cream enchilada sauce, coating one side completely.
- Lay down on a cutting board, dipped tortilla side up. Divide cooked chicken evenly between 7-8 tortillas; add 1 ½ tablespoons pepperjack cheese to each tortilla.
- Roll enchiladas and place seam-side down in an 11x7 baking dish. Continue to do this until your pan is full.
- Pour all of the remaining sour cream enchilada sauce over your rolled tortillas. Sprinkle with remaining pepperjack cheese.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil or a lid and bake for 20 minutes, until heated through.
- Remove the cover and broil for 6-7 minutes, until the cheese starts to get toasty and bubbly looking.
- Let sit for a couple minutes to cool slightly if you can and then dig in!
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