White Chicken Enchiladas
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
These White Chicken Enchiladas are wrapped in tortillas, smothered in a homemade white sauce, and buried under mozzarella until the whole pan goes golden and bubbly. The sauce takes 6 minutes in one small pan and it tastes like something you’d pay for. Forty minutes, start to table.
The white sauce is the best part of these, and it takes 6 minutes, which feels like it shouldn’t be allowed.
Butter, a spoonful of flour, some broth, then sour cream and green chiles stirred in at the end. That’s it. It comes out glossy and tangy with just enough green chile to keep things interesting, and it tastes noticeably better than anything you can pour out of a tin.
I’m not going to pretend I never use a can. I absolutely do. But this takes about as long as opening one, and once you’ve had the homemade version the difference is hard to unsee.
There’s one small trick to it, which I’ll tell you in a second, and after that you’ll never have a problem with it again.
The rest is the good kind of easy. Shred some chicken, toss it with cheese, roll it into warm tortillas, pour the sauce over, more cheese on top. Twenty two minutes later the whole pan is bubbling and browning at the edges and somebody is already hovering.
That somebody is Remo. He gets a second helping before I’ve sat down. Every single time.
The White Sauce
Here’s the trick, and it’s the only thing between you and a perfect sauce.
Pull the pan off the heat before the sour cream goes in.
That’s genuinely it. Sour cream is very happy warm and very unhappy boiling, so you let the sauce do the work with the heat it’s already got. Stir it in off the burner and it melts through beautifully, smooth and glossy every time.
The other small thing is consistency. You want it pourable going into the oven, more like a cream soup than a gravy, because it tightens up considerably in there. If it’s looking thick in the pan, a splash more broth fixes it on the spot.
Six minutes. One little saucepan. Tastes like you fussed.
Ingredients in White Chicken Enchiladas
- Chicken breasts (2, cooked and shredded): Shredded, not chopped, because all those raggedy edges grab the sauce and hold onto it. A rotisserie chicken is my usual move. Any leftover roasted or poached chicken does the job.
- Green enchilada sauce (1 cup): This goes into the filling rather than over the top, which surprises people. It gives the chicken a tangy head start before the white sauce ever shows up. Store bought, happily.
- Mozzarella cheese (2 cups, shredded, divided): One cup in the filling, one cup over the top. Shred it from a block if you’ve got 2 minutes, because pre shredded comes tossed in potato starch to stop it clumping in the bag, and that same starch keeps it from melting into a proper stringy pool. Monterey Jack or Pepper Jack are both excellent, and Pepper Jack brings a little heat.
- Flour tortillas (6 medium): Soft, obliging, and they roll without an argument. Corn works too and just needs warming first, which is covered below.
- Butter (2 tablespoons, unsalted) and all purpose flour (2 tablespoons): Equal parts cooked together for a minute. That’s your roux and it’s doing all the thickening.
- Chicken broth (1½ cups, low sodium): Low sodium, because between the chiles and 2 cups of cheese there’s plenty of salt already turning up to the party.
- Green chiles (4 ounces, 1 small can): Mild, tangy, and doing flavor work rather than heat work. If you want them to actually bite, buy the hot ones.
- Sour cream (¾ cup): Full fat. This is what makes the sauce creamy and it’s the one ingredient with an opinion about temperature.
- Fresh parsley or cilantro (2 tablespoons, chopped): Scattered over after baking. Something green and fresh against a pan that is otherwise entirely cream and cheese.
How To Make White Chicken Enchiladas
Oven to 350°F and give a 9 by 13 inch dish a spray. Future you, trying to serve these, will be grateful.
Mix the filling. Shredded chicken, 1 cup of the mozzarella, and the green enchilada sauce in a bowl. Stir until everything’s coated.
Warm the tortillas. Twenty seconds in the microwave under a damp paper towel and they roll like a dream. Warm tortillas are soft and cooperative. It’s a very small effort for a pan of neat tidy rolls, and it matters even more with corn.
Fill and roll. About ¼ cup of filling per tortilla, rolled up snugly, seam side down in the dish. Six of them, all lined up.
Make the sauce. Butter melted in a saucepan over medium, flour whisked in and given a full minute so it loses that raw flour taste. Then the broth, poured in slowly and whisked until it’s smooth and bubbling and thickened.
Off the heat, then the good stuff. Pan off the burner, sour cream and green chiles stirred in. The residual heat melts it through perfectly. Taste it, season with salt and pepper, and if it’s looking thick, a splash more broth.
Pour and top. Sauce evenly over everything, then the last cup of mozzarella scattered across the top.
Bake 22 to 25 minutes, until it’s bubbling and starting to brown in spots. Two minutes under the broiler at the end if you want a properly golden top, and stay in the room for that bit.
Garnish and serve hot. Preferably before anyone can start picking at the corners.
Things Worth Knowing
- Off the heat before the sour cream. One move, and your sauce is smooth every time.
- Warm your tortillas. Twenty seconds, and they roll beautifully instead of putting up a fight.
- Keep the sauce pourable. It thickens a lot in the oven, so loose going in is exactly right.
- Give the flour a full minute in the butter. It’s the difference between a sauce and a floury sauce.
- Shred your own mozzarella if you can. It melts so much better.
- Shredded chicken, not chopped. More nooks, more sauce, better bite.
Variations
- Spicier. Hot green chiles, a pinch of cayenne, or Pepper Jack in place of half the mozzarella. Or all three, if that’s where you are in life.
- With beans. A drained can of black beans in the filling stretches it further and adds substance.
- Corn tortillas. Warm them first and they’re lovely. Great flavor, slightly more fragile.
- With spinach. A few handfuls, wilted and squeezed dry, folded into the filling.
- Salsa verde in place of the canned chiles for something brighter and tangier.
- Casserole style. Skip the rolling entirely, layer torn tortillas with filling and sauce like a lasagna. Faster, messier, just as good, and nobody has ever complained.
How To Serve White Chicken Enchiladas
These enchiladas are rich and creamy, so I like to serve them with something fresh on the side to balance things out. A simple green salad with a zippy vinaigrette works perfectly, or go all in with a side of Mexican rice, refried beans, or even guacamole and chips (because who’s stopping you?). If you’re feeling fancy, a cold margarita wouldn’t hurt either.
3 Ingredient Mexican Rice
Refried Beans
Easy Guacamole
Easy Cornbread Recipe
Make Ahead And Storage
Make ahead: assemble them fully, sauce and all, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake straight from the fridge with an extra 5 minutes.
Freezing: they freeze beautifully unbaked with the sauce on. Wrap tightly and bake from frozen at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, covered for the first half.
Fridge: 3 days in an airtight container once baked.
Reheating: covered in a 350°F oven for about 15 minutes, or the microwave for one portion. A splash of broth or milk loosens the sauce back up if it’s gone firm.
Other Delicious Recipes To Try
- Quick and Easy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Enchilada Meatball Bake
- Homemade Enchilada Sauce
- Chicken Enchilada Rice Casserole
- Beef Enchilada Stuffed Peppers
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
White Chicken Enchiladas
Video
Ingredients
Chicken Enchiladas
- 2 chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)
- 1 cup green enchilada sauce
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 6 medium flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)
White Sauce
- 2 tablespoons butter (unsalted)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
- 4 ounces green chiles (1 small can)
- ¾ cup sour cream
Garnish
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 2 tablespoons parsley (fresh, chopped)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 by 13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup green enchilada sauce. Stir until well mixed.
- Warm the 6 tortillas for about 20 seconds in the microwave under a damp paper towel so they roll easily. Spoon about ¼ cup of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla, roll it up, and place seam side down in the prepared dish.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the 2 tablespoons flour and cook for 1 full minute. Slowly whisk in the 1½ cups chicken broth and cook until smooth, thick, and bubbling. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the ¾ cup sour cream and 4 ounces green chiles. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is thick, whisk in a splash more broth until it's pourable.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the rolled tortillas, covering them completely. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup mozzarella over the top.
- Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. For a golden top, broil for the last 2 minutes and keep an eye on it.
- Garnish with the 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro and serve hot.
Equipment
Notes
- Take the pan off the heat before the sour cream goes in. The heat already in the sauce melts it through perfectly and it stays smooth.
- Warm the tortillas first. Twenty seconds under a damp paper towel and they roll without a fight. Especially important with corn.
- Keep the sauce pourable. It thickens a lot in the oven, so a splash more broth in the pan is always the right call.
- Give the flour a full minute in the butter before the broth goes in.
- Shred your own mozzarella. Pre shredded is coated in starch that gets in the way of a good melt.
- Make ahead: assemble with the sauce, cover, refrigerate up to 24 hours, bake from cold with 5 extra minutes.
- Freezing: freeze unbaked with the sauce on. Bake from frozen at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, covered for the first half.
- Chicken: rotisserie is the fastest route. Shredded rather than chopped so the sauce has something to cling to.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my sauce go grainy?
It got too hot with the sour cream in it. Take the pan off the burner first and let the heat that’s already in the sauce do the melting. Works every time.
Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes, and it’s a great party dish for exactly that reason. Assemble with the sauce on, cover, refrigerate up to 24 hours, and bake from cold with 5 extra minutes.
Can I use corn tortillas?
Absolutely. Warm them for 20 seconds in a damp paper towel first and they’ll roll happily. Lovely flavor, just a bit more delicate.
What if my sauce is too thick?
Splash in more broth before the sour cream goes in. Pourable is what you want, since it firms up a lot in the oven.
What cheese works best?
Mozzarella for the melt, Monterey Jack for flavor, Pepper Jack if you want heat. A Mexican blend works nicely too. Shred it yourself if you can.
Can I freeze them?
Yes, unbaked with the sauce on. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F for 45 to 50 minutes, covered for the first half so they heat through properly.
