Difficulty Level: moderate
If you’re looking for plenty of spice, customizable heat, and a rich sauce, this chicken enchiladas recipe should be added to your to-cook list. The chicken is coated with chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne to give it an unbelievable flavor as it cooks. The sauce is made with broth, tomatoes, and more of the spice mix to give it a punch that’s unforgettable.
This recipe is perfect for a family get-together or evening meal, plus it only takes around an hour to make and serve. However, it’s fairly hands-on, so make sure you have the time to be in the kitchen for that long. This isn’t a one-pan recipe where you can throw ingredients into a pan and walk away for an hour. Yet, the effort you put in is definitely worth it, and I guarantee that you’ll be making the sauce time and time again. It’s fantastic over nachos or fries. Check out the ingredients and cooking steps below.
Chicken Enchiladas Recipe Ingredients
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced small or shredded after cooking
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 4-ounce can of diced green chiles
- 1 15-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 1/2 cups of shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
- 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 2 cups of low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons of chili powder
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, optional
- 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro, optional
Chicken Enchiladas Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Mix the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- In the skillet, add the chicken and half of the spice mix. Cook for 8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Once cooked, remove it from the skillet.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the same skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and green chiles, then cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the black beans and cooked chicken to the skillet. Stir well, then remove from the heat.
- In a saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 30 seconds.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth, tomato sauce, tomato paste, and the remaining spice mix into the saucepan. Simmer for 7 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Spread a thin layer of sauce across the bottom of the baking dish.
- Spoon the chicken filling into each tortilla. Add a small sprinkle of cheese inside each one, then roll tightly and place seam-side down in the dish.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is melted.
- Let the enchiladas rest for a few minutes before serving and add cilantro on top.