Can you ever have enough enchilada recipes? I think not. This Salsa Chicken Enchiladas recipe from my friend Heather is a simple and delicious, quick, week-night dinner your whole family will love!
If you’ve been around for a while, you might have noticed I like Mexican food. Whether it’s a time consuming recipe like Chicken Chimichangas or a quick recipe like Chicken Taco Rice Skillet, I like it all! You’ll never find a shortage of delicious Mexican recipes on my site.
This particular enchilada recipe is awesome because it uses common ingredients and is so quick and easy to put together. The other thing I like about it is that because the meat mixture is combined on the stove top, it is already warm and can be thrown in the oven for 15 minutes to melt the cheese if you’re in a hurry to get dinner on the table. OR, if you want to prep it earlier in the day, you can do that and then put it in the oven an hour before you want to serve it. Enchiladas for life.
Enchiladas to make next:
- Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
- Creamy Cilantro Verde Enchiladas
- Creamy Chicken Green Chili Enchiladas
- Sheet Pan Smothered Burrito
How to Make Salsa Chicken Enchiladas
I love that this recipe uses two different types of salsa. It uses picante salsa in the meat mixture which gives it a nice subtle spice level and pairs perfectly with the cream cheese and cumin. At first I wasn’t sure how the salsa verde on top would pair with the red picante salsa in the meat mixture, but the combination of the two ended up being delish!
I used the Herdez brand of salsa verde, it’s spice level medium. I also used Pace Picante in the center, which is also spice level medium. In my opinion, this was the perfect amount of spice and flavor. I was a little concerned my children would find it spicy, but not one of them mentioned it was hot. If you’re worried, throw a scoop of sour cream on there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to Saute the onions?
If you plan to bake them for an hour at 350°, you can just dice the onions very small and skip sauteing. If you want to do the fast version where they only need to be in the oven for 15 minutes, you need to saute them.
does it matter what kind of salsa i use?
Well, not necessarily. I do suggest however that you stick with the salsa verde on the top. If you want to try a different type of salsa other than Pace Picante in the center, go for it!
How long do chicken enchiladas need to cook?
If you combine and heat the chicken mixture before filling the tortillas, then you only need to bake them at 350° for 15-20 minutes to melt the cheese. If you are putting everything in cold or room temperature or with raw onion that needs to cook through, you need to bake them covered for one hour at 350°.
Can i make these with other types of meat besides chicken?
Yes! Shredded pork or beef would be delicious in this as well.
What size tortillas should I use for chicken enchiladas?
The tortillas you see in these pictures are regular sized. However, you can use whatever size you want. Smaller tortillas will make more enchiladas and larger will make fewer.
Serve with ...
- 1 tbsp canola oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 3 cups pre-cooked chicken breast, shredded or diced
- 1 cup Pace Picante salsa
- 4 oz cream cheese
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 8-12 regular sized tortillas
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 cup Herdez salsa verde
- In a large skillet, heat oil and add onion. Saute until tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Add pre-cooked chicken, Pace Picante salsa, cream cheese, ground cumin, and mix until heated through.
- Once heated through, remove from heat and add in ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese.
- Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and add ⅓ mixture to each tortilla. Roll up and place in baking dish. (If you have more enchiladas than fit in your pan, you can put the extras in another small dish).
- Drizzle the salsa verde evenly over the rolled enchiladas, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese, cover with foil, and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- *If you are prepping these earlier and cooking later, bake at 350° for 1 hour.*
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