Oven Baked Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Oven Baked Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
These Oven Baked Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas are filled with seasoned chicken, colorful bell peppers, onions, corn, and beans, then rolled in soft tortillas and baked under enchilada sauce and plenty of melted cheese.
The filling starts in a skillet, where the chicken is cooked with a flavorful Southwest seasoning blend before adding the vegetables, corn, and beans. Everything gets tucked inside tortillas, covered with enchilada sauce and cheese, and baked until hot and bubbly.
It’s an easy, hearty dinner with plenty of chicken and vegetables in every enchilada, and it’s perfect for busy weeknights, Taco Tuesday, or a casual family dinner.
Why You’ll Love These Chicken Enchiladas
These enchiladas are loaded with more than just chicken and cheese. Peppers, onions, corn, and black beans make the filling colorful, hearty, and full of Southwest flavor.
Cooking the filling in a skillet first also gives the chicken and vegetables much more flavor before they go into the oven.
Once assembled, the oven does the rest of the work. The tortillas soften underneath the sauce while the cheese melts into a bubbly golden topping.
Oven Baked Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Oven Temperature: 375°F
Ingredients
Chicken Enchilada Filling
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Southwest seasoning blend
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup corn, drained if canned
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Enchiladas
- 8 large flour tortillas
- 1 (19-ounce) can red enchilada sauce, about 2 cups
- 3 cups shredded Mexican blend or cheddar cheese, divided
- Chopped cilantro, optional
- Sliced green onions, optional
- Sour cream, for serving
- Salsa, for serving
Instructions
Cook the Chicken
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside.
Cut the chicken into small bite-sized pieces.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the chicken and sprinkle it with the Southwest seasoning blend.
Cook for about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and nearly cooked through.
Add the Peppers and Onions
Add the diced onion and bell peppers to the skillet with the chicken.
Cook for another 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the peppers and onions begin to soften.
Add the garlic powder and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Add the Corn and Beans
Stir the corn and drained black beans into the chicken mixture.
Cook for another 2–3 minutes, just until everything is hot and well combined.
Remove the skillet from the heat.
Stir about 1 cup of shredded cheese into the warm chicken mixture.
Prepare the Baking Dish
Spread about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
This creates a flavorful base for the enchiladas and helps keep the bottoms of the tortillas from drying out while they bake.
Fill the Enchiladas
Place a tortilla on a clean work surface.
Spoon some of the chicken, pepper, corn, and bean filling down the center of the tortilla.
Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling and place it seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling, arranging the enchiladas side by side.
Add the Enchilada Sauce and Cheese
Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas.
Use the back of a spoon to spread the sauce so the tops of the tortillas are well covered.
Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups of shredded cheese generously over the enchiladas.
Bake
Cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil.
Bake at 375°F for 15 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking for another 8–10 minutes, or until the enchiladas are hot and the cheese is completely melted and bubbly.
For a slightly golden cheese topping, place the enchiladas under the broiler for a minute or two at the end of baking. Watch them closely because the cheese can brown quickly.
Allow the enchiladas to rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Top with chopped cilantro or green onions if desired.
What Is Southwest Seasoning?
A Southwest seasoning blend usually combines spices such as chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic, onion, oregano, and sometimes cayenne or chipotle.
Using a seasoning blend makes these enchiladas especially easy because you can season the entire chicken filling at once.
Different brands vary in salt and heat, so taste the chicken mixture before adding additional salt or spicy seasonings.
What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work perfectly for this recipe. Cutting them into small pieces before cooking allows the Southwest seasoning to coat more of the chicken.
Boneless chicken thighs can also be used and will give the filling a slightly richer flavor.
If you’re short on time, shredded rotisserie chicken can work, too. Cook the peppers and onions first, then add the shredded chicken, Southwest seasoning, corn, and beans and heat everything together.
Flour or Corn Tortillas?
Either can work, but flour tortillas are particularly easy to roll and hold plenty of the chunky chicken filling without tearing.
If you prefer corn tortillas, warm them before assembling the enchiladas. This makes them more flexible and less likely to crack when rolled.
Depending on their size, you’ll likely need more corn tortillas than flour tortillas.
Don’t Overfill the Tortillas
It can be tempting to pack as much filling as possible into each tortilla, but overfilled enchiladas are difficult to roll and can burst while baking.
Add enough chicken mixture to create a generous line down the center while still leaving enough room to roll the tortilla securely.
If you have leftover filling, save it for quesadillas, tacos, burrito bowls, or a quick lunch the next day.
What Kind of Cheese Is Best for Chicken Enchiladas?
A shredded Mexican cheese blend is an easy choice because it melts beautifully and usually includes several complementary cheeses.
Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or a combination of cheddar and Monterey Jack are also delicious.
For a little extra heat, use Pepper Jack for some of the cheese.
Freshly shredded cheese generally melts more smoothly than packaged pre-shredded cheese, but either will work for an easy weeknight dinner.
Red or Green Enchilada Sauce?
Red enchilada sauce pairs especially well with the Southwest-seasoned chicken, beans, corn, and peppers in this recipe.
You can substitute green enchilada sauce if that’s what your family prefers. The finished enchiladas will have a slightly brighter, tangier flavor.
You can also adjust the heat by choosing a mild, medium, or hot enchilada sauce.
Make-Ahead Chicken Enchiladas
These enchiladas can be assembled ahead of time, making them a convenient option for busy evenings.
Prepare the chicken filling and assemble the enchiladas in the baking dish. Cover tightly and refrigerate until you’re ready to bake.
For the best tortilla texture, you can wait to pour the remaining sauce and cheese over the top until shortly before baking.
If you’re baking the enchiladas directly from the refrigerator, they may need a few additional minutes in the oven.
How to Store Leftover Enchiladas
Store leftover chicken enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave or place several enchiladas in a covered baking dish and warm them in the oven until heated through.
A little additional enchilada sauce and cheese can be added before reheating if desired.
What to Serve With Chicken Enchiladas
These enchiladas are already packed with chicken, beans, corn, peppers, and onions, so they make a filling dinner on their own.
For a larger meal, serve them with Mexican rice, cilantro lime rice, refried beans, guacamole, chips and salsa, or a simple salad.
Set out sour cream, salsa, diced avocado, sliced jalapeños, cilantro, and green onions and let everyone add their favorite toppings.
Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas for Dinner
These Oven Baked Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas have everything you want in an easy family dinner: seasoned chicken, sautéed peppers and onions, corn, beans, enchilada sauce, soft tortillas, and lots of gooey melted cheese.
Cooking the filling in the skillet before assembling the enchiladas adds tons of flavor, while baking everything together turns it into a warm, cheesy comfort food dinner.
Serve them straight from the oven with sour cream, salsa, and your favorite toppings for an easy Southwest-inspired meal everyone can customize.
