These white chicken enchiladas are my go-to when I want something cheesy, creamy, and quick for dinner. I stuff soft flour tortillas with shredded chicken, green chiles, and melty cheese, then smother them in a rich homemade white enchilada sauce that bakes up perfectly golden and bubbly in the oven. Whether I use rotisserie chicken or leftovers, these creamy chicken enchiladas with white sauce always taste incredible!
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I just finished eating this recipe. I loved it! The sauce is DElicious. I’m going to use the sauce recipe for queso dip.
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Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy White Sauce
The secret to my white chicken enchiladas is all in that creamy sauce! It’s silky, savory, and just a little spicy. I make it by whisking together butter, flour, chicken broth, sour cream, green chiles, and plenty of cheese. It’s the ultimate comforting white enchilada sauce that clings to every tortilla and keeps the filling moist.
These white sauce enchiladas are perfect for busy nights because they come together in about 40 minutes from start to finish when using leftover shredded chicken. They reheat beautifully and are a crowd favorite at family dinners and potlucks alike. They’re hearty enough to serve alone, but pair perfectly with rice, beans, or a fresh salad for balance.
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Temper the Sour Cream for a Silky Sauce
With a creamy white enchilada sauce, it’s easy to accidentally curdle it if you’re not careful. My best tip is to bring your sour cream to room temperature. For extra assurance, you can temper it with a little bit of the warm broth mixture before adding it in to slowly into the full pot of broth. This raises the temperature slowly and evenly, helping to preserve the sauce’s silky texture.
Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Equipment
- 9×13-inch Baking Dish
Ingredients
For the Enchiladas:
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (*)
- 1 cup green chile enchilada sauce
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 7 ounces diced green chiles (1 large or 2 small cans, drained and rinsed)
- ½ cup diced yellow onion (optional)
- 10 medium flour tortillas
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons salted butter (¼ stick)
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 8.5 ounces unsalted chicken broth
- 1 cup low fat sour cream (room temperature)
- 7 ounces diced green chiles (1 large or 2 small cans, drained and rinsed)
- 1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, 7 ounces green chiles, and onion.3 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 cup green chile enchilada sauce, 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 7 ounces diced green chiles, ½ cup diced yellow onion
- Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into each tortilla (fill down the center), and roll to close.10 medium flour tortillas
- Place in the baking dish, seam side down.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour until smooth.2 tablespoons salted butter, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Pour in the chicken broth and whisk to combine. Allow to simmer and thicken for 2-3 minutes.8.5 ounces unsalted chicken broth
- Slowly stir in the sour cream and remaining 7 ounces green chiles. You can temper the sour cream by stirring in a bit of the warm broth mixture, then stirring the whole thing back into the pot. This helps prevent curdling with low-fat sour cream.1 cup low fat sour cream, 7 ounces diced green chiles
- When bubbling, stir in 1 cup of cheese and stir until melted and smooth.1½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Pour the cheese sauce over the enchiladas, fully covering. Top with the last remaining ½ cup cheese.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly and slightly browned. Garnish with cilantro.chopped fresh cilantro
Notes
- This meal is already super hearty, but you can use canned white beans or black beans (drained and rinsed) for extra heartiness and texture.
- Lightly warm the tortillas in the microwave or on the stovetop before filling so they’re pliable and less likely to crack.
- I put 8 tortillas along the long side of the baking dish, then squeezed in the extra 2 along the side. You can also place the remaining 2 in a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- Low-fat sour cream works here, but it can curdle more easily, so make sure to bring it to room temperature first, then temper it over low heat, stirring constantly.
- The white enchilada sauce should be thick and stretchy, but still pourable. If it’s too thick to pour, you can thin it with a little extra chicken broth.
- Serve on its own, with rice and beans, or with some greens.
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
How to Make White Sauce Chicken Enchiladas Step by Step
Mix the Filling: Preheat your oven to 350°F, then grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and set it aside. Stir together 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken, 1 cup of green chile enchilada sauce, 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese, 7 ounces (1 large or 2 small cans) of drained and rinsed green chiles, and ½ cup of diced yellow onion (if using) until combined.
Roll the Enchiladas: Place 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture into each of 10 medium flour tortillas, and roll to close. Place each filled enchilada seam side down into a baking dish. I nestled 8 of my enchiladas as shown in the image and squeezed the other two in along the sides. If they really don’t fit, you can bake the remaining two in a 9×5-inch loaf pan–just save some of the sauce for them!
Make a Roux: Next, melt 2 tablespoons of salted butter in a pot set over medium heat. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour until smooth to create a roux. This will thicken the white enchilada sauce so it doesn’t make your tortillas soggy.
Thicken the Broth: Whisk 8.5 ounces of unsalted chicken broth into the roux to combine. Simmer and let it thicken for a few minutes. It should be quite thick and gooey by this point.
Add the Chiles and Cheese: Then stir in 1 cup of room-temperature low-fat sour cream, and 7 ounces (1 large or 2 small cans) of drained and rinsed green chiles. Once bubbling, stir in 1 cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese until melted and smooth. The sauce should be very thick and stretchy, but still pourable. If it’s too thick, you can add a little more broth to thin it.
Assemble the Enchiladas: Pour the cheese sauce all over the enchiladas in the baking dish. If you have your extra 2 enchiladas in a separate pan, don’t forget to sauce them as well! Top with the remaining ½ cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
Bake and Serve: Bake your white chicken enchiladas in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until melted and bubbly. The chicken should be warmed through to 165°F. Garnish with chopped cilantro, if desired, before serving.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Store cooled white chicken enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. For the best results when freezing, I recommend separating the enchiladas and sauce so they don’t turn soggy once thawed. Reheat in a baking dish covered with foil at 325°F until warmed through. Add a splash of broth or milk to the sauce if it thickens in the fridge.
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