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Easy Cheesy Baked Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

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A quick and comforting baked chicken enchiladas recipe featuring melty cheese, tender chicken, and a vibrant homemade red sauce. Perfect for an easy dinner or potluck.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie chicken works great)
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 8 small flour tortillas (or corn tortillas for gluten-free)
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
  • Sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional, for serving)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Red Sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, chili powder, oregano, ground cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Add 1/4 cup water to loosen the sauce. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.
  2. Make the Chicken Filling: In a bowl, combine shredded chicken, diced onion, minced garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Mix well.
  3. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
  4. Assemble the Enchiladas: Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish. Spread a few spoonfuls of red sauce evenly on the bottom. Place about 1/4 cup of chicken filling down the center of each tortilla, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with all tortillas.
  5. Top and Bake: Pour remaining red sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese on top. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
  6. Rest and Garnish: Let enchiladas rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with sour cream or Greek yogurt if desired.

Notes

Warm tortillas briefly in a dry skillet or microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel to prevent cracking while rolling. Do not overload tortillas with filling to avoid tearing. Let enchiladas rest after baking to help sauce thicken and cheese settle. Adding a splash of lime juice to the sauce before baking adds brightness.

Nutrition

Keywords: enchiladas, baked chicken enchiladas, cheesy enchiladas, red sauce, easy dinner, Mexican recipe, comfort food

Find it online: https://grubella.com/easy-cheesy-baked-chicken-enchiladas-with-red-sauce-recipe-for-perfect-dinner/