Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas: A Family Favorite (Print Version)

Make creamy white chicken enchiladas from scratch! This recipe brings comfort with tender chicken, a rich sauce, and melty cheese.

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 20 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Dietary: Contains Dairy, Gluten

# Ingredients:

→ Main Enchilada Fillings

01 - 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
02 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
03 - 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies, undrained

→ Rich White Sauce

04 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter
05 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
07 - 1 cup whole milk
08 - 1/2 cup sour cream

→ Cheese & Tortillas

09 - 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or a Mexican blend)
10 - 8-10 large flour tortillas (burrito size)

→ Garnish & Flavor Boosters

11 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 - Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish, optional)

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, get that chicken ready. If you're using a rotisserie chicken, shred it up. If you're cooking breasts, boil them until they're tender enough to shred easily with two forks. Then, in a big bowl, mix that shredded chicken with softened cream cheese, the diced green chilies, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. This is your flavor base, so give it a good stir. I always taste a tiny bit here to make sure the seasoning is right, don't be shy!
02 - Now for the star of the show! In a medium saucepan, melt your butter over medium heat. Once it's bubbly, whisk in the flour and let it cook for about a minute. This creates a roux, thickening our sauce. It should smell a little nutty, a good sign! Slowly, and I mean *slowly*, whisk in the chicken broth, then the milk. Keep whisking to avoid any lumps—trust me, I've had lumpy sauce before, and it's a bummer. Let it simmer, stirring, until it thickens. It should coat the back of a spoon. Remove it from the heat and stir in the sour cream until smooth. Season it up with salt and pepper to your liking.
03 - Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Pour about half a cup of your glorious white sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish; this keeps the tortillas from sticking. Now, for the rolling! Take a tortilla, spread a spoonful of the chicken mixture down the center, and sprinkle with a little Monterey Jack cheese. Roll it up tightly and place it seam-side down in your prepared baking dish. Repeat this until all your chicken filling is used up, usually about 8-10 enchiladas. It can get a little messy, but that's part of the fun!
04 - Once all your enchiladas are snuggled in the dish, pour the remaining creamy white sauce evenly over the top. Make sure every single one is covered; we want maximum sauciness! Then, generously sprinkle the rest of that beautiful shredded Monterey Jack cheese all over. Don't be shy here, the more cheese, the better the melty, golden crust. This is where it starts to look like the comforting masterpiece it will become.
05 - Pop that baking dish into your preheated oven. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until the enchiladas are heated through and the cheese on top is bubbly and beautifully golden brown. Sometimes I'll even switch on the broiler for a minute or two at the very end to get those perfect, slightly crispy edges on the cheese, but keep an eye on it! Things go from golden to burnt real fast, oops.
06 - Once they're out of the oven, I know it's tempting to dig right in, but try to resist for just 5-10 minutes. This little rest allows the sauce to settle and prevents everything from falling apart when you serve. Garnish with some fresh chopped cilantro or a dollop of extra sour cream if you like. The kitchen will smell absolutely divine, like pure comfort. Trust me, it's worth the wait for that perfect, cheesy bite!

# Notes:

01 - Don't overcrowd the baking dish; it messes with the melty, bubbly cheese texture.\nYou can assemble these the night before and just bake when ready, saving precious time.\nSour cream works in a pinch if you're out of Greek yogurt, but the tang and texture are different.\nA sprinkle of fresh cilantro really brightens everything up and adds a pop of color.

# Equipment Needed:

01 - 9x13 inch baking dish
02 - medium saucepan
03 - large mixing bowl
04 - whisk

# Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 550
Total Fat: 35g
Total Carbohydrate: 35g
Protein: 25g

Back