These Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas are packed full of authentic Mexican flavors and are quick enough to make for a weeknight meal. This creamy baked dish is sure to be a family favorite and is perfect for serving a crowd.
What’s in this Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Recipe?
Most enchilada recipes call for a tomato sauce for the base of them, but these ones have a creamy base made with sour cream, no tomatoes in sight. They are rich and creamy and great for the whole family.
- Unsalted Butter: Helps the onion and garlic cook without burning.
- Onion + Garlic: Adds an earthy and sweet flavor to the sauce.
- Kosher Salt: Enhances the natural flavor of the onion and garlic.
- Ground Cumin: Adds a savory and nutty flavor to the sauce.
- All-Purpose Flour: Thickens the sauce.
- Chicken Broth: Makes the sauce flavorful and rich.
- Sour Cream: Makes the sauce rich, creamy, and tangy.
- Green Chiles: Adds a kick of heat to the sauce.
- Shredded Chicken: This recipe is perfect for using up leftover chicken!
- Black Beans: Add a creamy, starchy element to the dish.
- Green Onions: Add a pop of freshness and color.
- Lime Juice: Adds a pop of acidity to offset the creaminess of the sauce.
- Cheese: I like to use Monterey Jack, but you can use your favorite cheese.
- Flour Tortillas: Look for the largest size you can find so they can accommodate all that filling!
Pro Tip: I like black beans, but pinto or kidney beans also taste delicious!
Variations on Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas
You can change up the filling of these enchiladas to suit your individual tastes. I’m a big fan of using crockpot salsa chicken in mine to up the creaminess even more. If I’m feeling spicy, I also like to add jalapeños instead of green chiles!
The secret to these enchiladas is in the sauce. This homemade sour cream enchilada sauce is worth the effort!
I prefer to bake enchiladas uncovered to allow them to brown up nicely in the oven.
I used Monterey Jack, but cheddar, pepper jack, or Mexican blend also work well.
Enchiladas are traditionally made with corn tortillas, but I find flour much easier to work with. It all comes down to personal preference!
Your enchiladas can become soggy if they are overfilled or if the sauce is runny. Make sure the sauce is on the thicker side to ensure your enchiladas don’t turn out soggy.
You can prep the whole dish, up to putting it in the oven, then cover it and keep it in the fridge for several hours. Then just bake it in the preheated oven before you are ready to serve.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover chicken enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350°F oven for 15-20 minutes, until heated through.
How to Freeze
Freeze chicken enchiladas in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
These enchiladas are delicious enough and hearty enough to serve by themselves, but for some vegetable variety, they are great to serve with a green salad, corn on the cob, refried beans, grilled zucchini, green beans, or grilled asparagus. I love them with a side of chicken flavored rice for a complete meal.
Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
For the Enchilada Sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
- 1 tablespoon minced onion
- 1 clove garlic minced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2-3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4 ounces green chiles (1 can)
For the Enchiladas
- 2½ cups cooked shredded chicken
- 15 ounces black beans drained (1 can)
- 4 green onions chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (from ½ lime)
- 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese divided
- 8 large flour tortillas
Optional Toppings
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Chopped onion
- Chopped jalapeño peppers
- Avocado slices
- Cotija cheese
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan and set aside.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the onion, garlic, salt, and cumin and cook for a minute until softened.4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 clove garlic, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Stir in the flour and let it cook for about 30 seconds until it forms a paste.5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- Gently and gradually whisk in the chicken broth, and continue to whisk until the mixture reaches a smooth, sauce-like consistency. If you add too much liquid, let the mixture simmer for a minute to reduce.2-3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- Stir in the sour cream and green chiles, remove from heat, and set aside.1 cup sour cream, 4 ounces green chiles
- In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, green onions, lime juice, 1 cup of cheese, and 1 cup of enchilada sauce.2½ cups cooked shredded chicken, 15 ounces black beans, 4 green onions, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 cups Monterey Jack cheese
- Pour ½ cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking pan.
- Fill each tortilla with about ½ cup of enchilada filling.8 large flour tortillas
- Place the enchiladas, seam side down, into the baking pan and pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the edges tortillas are starting to become brown and crispy.
- If desired, top with fresh cilantro, chopped onion, chopped jalapeño peppers, avocado slices, and cotija cheese.Chopped fresh cilantro, Chopped onion, Chopped jalapeño peppers, Avocado slices, Cotija cheese
Notes
- Prepare the enchiladas in a 9×13 baking dish.
- Grease the baking dish before adding the sauce for easy removal.
- Bake the enchiladas in a preheated oven for the best results.
- I used black beans in this dish but you can use whatever you have to hand.
Penny says
I am in the process of making you sour cream enchiladas, but not sure where I put the lime juice? I will put it with the chicken mixture? Please let me know if this is right. Thank you.
Becky Hardin says
Yes, that’s correct! Sorry about the confusion!
Gem says
I had the same problem. I forgot to put it in, so I just plan on adding a little lime juice on top.
Helen Betts says
Another great enchilada recipe! The only thing I changed was to add a teaspoon of hot New Mexico chile powder to the cumin/salt mix as we like things a bit spicy. I was sure there would be too much filling, but in fact it was perfect for eight 8-inch flour tortillas.
Becky Hardin says
Thanks, Helen!! I’m glad you loved it!
Eric Artherton says
Love , love , love this recipe
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for stopping by and sharing, Erica!
Pamme says
Very good recipe; don’t let the enchiladas bake too long or the tortilla edges + the cheese topping will harden. In other words: follow the recipe’s suggested time!
Becky Hardin says
Thanks for sharing your experience, Pamme!