Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas

I have a love-affair with Mexican-style foods and Tex-Mex foods. The flavors just speak to me. The spices, the heat, the freshness, the cheese… man, I could eat those kinds of foods every day!

This version of enchiladas is different, not because it uses chicken, but because it doesn’t use a traditional red or green enchilada sauce.

The sauce is homemade, with no heavy cream or condensed soups, and is creamy with some heat from diced jalapeños.

Serve these enchiladas alongside some Mexican rice and refried beans, with some chips and guacamole, and an ice cold margarita and you’ll have a Cinco de Mayo feast everyone will love!

What do I need to make this recipe?

• Cilantro – this is a garnish, so it’s optional, but recommended.
• Onion – a white or yellow onion works best here.
• Cheese – I like to use Monterey jack for it’s creaminess and mild flavor.
• Flour – all purpose flour, it’s used to thicken the sauce.
• Cream cheese – this recipe was tested with full fat cream cheese, but I believe low fat would work as well.
• Shredded chicken – I like to use a rotisserie chicken that’s had the skin removed and is shredded.
• Chicken broth – reduced sodium is preferred, so you can control the amount of salt.
• Salt/pepper – I prefer to use kosher salt, but if you use a different kind, you may want to use less (since kosher salt has a lower sodium content per volume).
• Jalapeño – you can choose to leave the seeds in for more heat, or remove them to be more mild.
• Cumin – cumin adds a smoky flavor, but no heat.
• Salsa verde – store-bought will work just fine, and you can use any heat level you prefer.
• Garlic powder – instead of garlic powder, you can use about 5 cloves minced garlic.
• Tortillas – corn tortillas are traditional, but my family prefers flour, so use what you like best. Soft taco or fajita sized tortillas are the right size.

How to make white chicken enchiladas?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Cook onion. Once the onion has been cooked until translucent, add the spices.
2. Add flour. Stir the flour around, and it’ll combine with the butter in the pan, creating a roux that will thicken the sauce.
3. Add broth. It’s best to add this slowly, stirring constantly as you add it, to prevent any lumps from forming.
4. Add cream cheese and flavorings. The cream cheese may take a little bit to fully melt into the sauce, but stir/whisk until the sauce is smooth.
5. Assemble enchiladas. Start by adding shredded chicken, and top with some salsa verde and some cheese.
6. Roll up. Roll from the bottom of the tortilla up towards the top, rolling the tortilla into a long cigar-like shape.
7. Add to baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas and add them all to a baking dish.
8. Top with sauce and cheese. Pour the creamy sauce over the top, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.
9. Bake. Bake uncovered, until cheese is melty and the enchiladas are hot and bubbly.

Variations of this recipe

• Chicken – usually I use a shredded rotisserie chicken, but if you have some leftover cooked chicken, or some shredded Mexican chicken, that will work well too.
• Cheese – instead of Monterey jack, you could try using pepper jack, white american, or even colby jack.
• Salsa – this recipe was developed with store-bought salsa verde, to make it an easier recipe to make, but it’s SUPER delicious with my homemade roasted salsa verde!
• Spicier – if you’re a fan of heat, you can increase the amount of jalapeños, add some cayenne pepper to the sauce, and use pepper jack cheese instead of Monterey.
• Milder – if you’d like to make this dish more mild, make sure you use Monterey jack cheese, and swap the jalapeño for 2 oz of mild diced green chiles.
• Tortillas – I know enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas, but my family prefers when I make these with flour tortillas, so that’s how I’m sharing them here with you. You can definitely swap them out for corn though, if you prefer.

Making enchiladas ahead of time

One of the best things about enchiladas (other than the taste!), is that can be assembled ahead of time.

Assembled enchiladas can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to bake, let the baking dish sit out on the counter while the oven preheats, then bake as directed (adding a few extra minutes since the dish will likely still be chilled).

Storage

Leftover enchiladas should be refrigerated in an airtight container and enjoyed within 4-5 days.