White Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce {Recipe}

ByAlexis

These easy White Chicken Enchiladas are made with flour tortillas, shredded chicken, melty cheese, green chiles, and a delicious sour cream sauce.

White Chicken Enchiladas are ALL the rage, and for good reason. The flavor is incredible.  Bold flavor but not spicy.  Creamy comfort food, yet not too rich.  These are a winner in all categories and will satisfy even the pickiest eater. (Yes even with green chilies and sour cream!)

White Chicken enchiladas text overlay with ribbons and a plate with white chicken enchiladas and a fork

This recipe gets all the accolades and compliments.  Everyone loves these creamy and cheesy chicken enchiladas. Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas has been the #1 recipe on my site every year since 2012.  It's just a classic favorite.

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Not your everyday Enchiladas...

These are not your typical enchiladas.  Traditionally, enchiladas are made with corn tortillas and a red or green sauce.  These are a "whole other thing"….and so so good.

 
Two foil pans ready to cook white chicken enchiladas sitting on a wood table

I have a big family and we love to have big Fiesta Night dinners.  Tacos, taquitos, nachos, and of course these enchiladas are a must.  There are never any leftovers (I blame the Sour Cream and green chillies!).

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Easy Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

This is a great recipe for a busy schedule.  If you have a busy day, cook the chicken in the slow cooker and then shred it and assemble the enchiladas, and make the sauce at dinner time.

If you have a busy late afternoon, make the the full recipe up to 12 hours in advance and keep in the fridge and just bake them at dinner time.  

White Chicken enchiladas in glass pan from oven

I like to put these on the Menu for Monday because I can cook the chicken in the slow cooker on Sunday and assemble everything and stick the pan in the fridge.  Then when we get home Monday from school, activities, appointments, and general chaos that comes with the beginning of the week, I can pop these in the oven and know that we will all be looking forward to a delicious dinner.

Ingredients for White Chicken Enchiladas

There are so many ways to make this your own.  This recipe will give you the confidence to experiment.  Onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, black beans, taco seasoning, chili powder, and all kinds of things to add as you cook the chicken and assemble the filling.  Start with the basic recipe and then experiment as you like.  

If you like to punch up the flavor and enjoy spicy, add chili powder to the chicken, add diced jalapenos to the sauce and use pepper jack cheese.
  • Flour tortillas- I used a taco size tortillas, but you can also use the smaller ones and get more individual enchiladas.  The flour tortillas do not become soggy or gummy.
  • Cooked, shredded chicken- I have shared several ways above to make delicious and moist chicken and easy ways to shred it quickly.
  • Monterey Jack Cheese- you can use any kind of melting cheese.  Cheddar jack, pepper jack, and Mexican blend all work well here.  If you are using mozzarella, mix it with cheddar for texture and melting.
  • Butter and flour- this will be used to make roux as a base to thicken the sour cream sauce.  
  • Chicken Broth- use prepared chicken broth or bouillon base and water
  • Sour cream- use full-fat sour cream.  Full-fat Greek yogurt can also be used.
  • Green chiles- these are diced and mild. They are not spicy, and they add great flavor. 

See the recipe for quantities.

Hand rolling chicken and cheese together into a burrito
*You can add all the broth at once and stir while it cooks, coming to a simmer for 15 or 20 minutes and is nice and thick. Stir continually.
*Or you can add in only small amounts (½ to 1 cup of broth) at a time and let each addition thicken before adding more, it will only take about 10 minutes to simmer and thicken.  Stir continually.
Stainless steel pan pouring sour cream sauce over the chicken filled burritos in a glass pan
a round plate holding the white chicken enchiladas with a fork in front of a glass bowl of salad

Serve with your favorite taco toppings and a side salad or fresh veggies.

If I am making this to serve a large family or big group, I figure 1.5 enchiladas per person and then go heavy on the side options. I like to warm up pinto beans (or refried beans) and corn and serve chips with salsa. There is always more sour cream and fresh avocado. Fresh lime wedges and diced tomatoes are wonderful. We also like sliced black olives and jalapenos. 

Variations and Substitutions:

  • Use corn tortillas.  Tradiitional enchiladas use soft corn tortillas.  Warm up the tortillas first so that when you roll them up, they won't split.
  • Add chili. powder and taco seasoning to the chicken
  • Add green chilies and onions to the chicken when cooking it.

What's The Best Way To Make Shredded Chicken?

*Slow cooker- use 4-5 boneless chicken breasts and cook on low with ½ cup water and seasonings for 6 hours.  Shred and enjoy.

*Oven roasted- Drizzle olive oil over 4-5 boneless chicken breasts and season with cumin, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  Shred and enjoy.

*In a large pot filled with chicken broth, boil chicken breasts for 20 minutes or so until cooked through.  Shred and season.  

*You can also buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it for a quick solution.  Even faster, I love buying the packaged shredded rotisserie chicken from Costco. 

Top Tip

*For an easy way to shred chicken, you can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and shred it on low while the chicken is hot.  you can also use an electric hand mixer with beaters just be careful not to mash or pulverize the chicken.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Can I freeze White Chicken Enchiladas?

This recipe, as a whole, does not freeze well.  The chicken rolled up in the flour tortillas will make the tortillas gummy when thawed. The sour cream sauce doesn't freeze well and separates when thawed.  To use your freezer in meal prep for this recipe, cook your chicken with prices and any mixins.  Cool and then freeze in a zip top freezer bag for 2-3 months.  You can then thaw and roll it up in the tortillas, make the sauce, and bake it as directed.

More Enchilada Recipes

Do you love all enchiladas?  I have recipes for more!

414 Comments

  1. Amazing recipe! 🙂 The whole family enjoys these.

    I always add some salsa to the chicken mix, and make extra sauce cuz we like them saucy!! I also dip the rolled tortillas in the sauce before placing in the pan, to make sure each one gets totally covered, then pour the remaining sauce over top.

    This time I'm using jalapeno havarti cheese, although usually I just use mozzarella cuz it's what I have on hand.

    I like the idea of adding some black beans to the chicken... trying it this time! Because of the beans, I got 13 stuffed-full enchiladas. 🙂

  2. This is almost identical to a recipe I have been making for years...and I do mean years! It is my kids favorite...so much so my 23 yr old son has it memorized and makes often!! A great one to make and freeze to give to a new mom, or to a family in need.

  3. If you have trouble getting the sauce thick and bubbly, remember that it will only be a bit thick. It wont be thick like sour cream or a cheese sauce. It will just not be as thin as broth.
    And, If you want to make these in advance, you can make just the enchilladas and either keep them in the fridge for 48 hours or freeze them for up to 3 months. Just add the sauce right before you bake them.

  4. My husband LOVES whenever I make these. I also add several spices to the sauce and chicken. We like our food spicy. We also add spanish rice inside the enchiladas. Lots of tapatio hot sauce sprinkled on our plates as well. 🙂

  5. Making them now! Cannot wait to try! I did add black beans to chicken mixture as well as a little cream cheese. Found this on Pinterest!

  6. I was making the recipe, but couldn't get the broth to come to the thick n bubbly state??

  7. This is one of those recipes to double and freeze one! I'm always on the hunt for freezer meals! (0=
    Thanks

  8. I made these last night. The only thing different is that I added a can of Rotel just out of preference. Yummy!!

  9. I make these all the time and they are always a big hit. Thanks for the recipe.

  11. Go ahead and freeze these before you bake them and do not add the sauce. Then just thaw and bake as directed or bake from frozen just increase the bake time by 50%. Make the sauce fresh and add it before baking. Enjoy!

  12. Can these be frozen? If they can, what would be the best way to do that (prior to baking, after baking, etc)?

  13. I agree with Mipsy Jo, they are pretty bland, but it is a great starting point. Someone sent a pan of enchiladas as funeral food, and they were so good. I think this maybe the recipe, but I'll have to spice the hell out of it. I like semi spicy food. Maybe try spicier green chilies. It also seemed like the bottom of the pan got pretty dry, maybe pour a little bit of the sauce in the pan before placing the tortillas in. I will definitely try these again with the variations.

  15. These are wonderful! My family and I are enchilada fans from Texas and we're hard to please and these definitely hit the spot. The original recipe is great for people who don't like (or simply can't handle) a lot of spice. But at the same time, it's a great starting off point for creating something with more flavor. I tend to use a little extra sour cream, as I am a sour cream lover. I also use a small can of rotel along with the green chilis for a little extra flavor. When it's just the hubby and myself, I sautte some onions to add to the chicken & cheese, as well as throwing in some chili powder and garlic powder for a little extra flavor. With the kiddos around (who are both picky eaters), I more or less follow the recipe. Either way, they are delicious!

  16. Hate to burst your bubble, Mipsy Jo, but SoCal enchiladas ain't got nothing on enchiladas in Texas.

    1. lol...have eaten 'mexican' food in So. Cali....ewwwww. Nothing like Tucson or Phoenix mexican food - all categories!!

  18. If you're from the Mid West somewhere...like Heber Springs, AR (no offense Heber Springs!) ...then you might like this type of food.
    But I live in So Cal...and we have the best enchiladas around and even better recipes.

    Sorry this recipe is just "ok" in my book.

    If you need bland...this is for you.

    Although I will say...it is a good recipe to "jump off" from and spice the heck out of it! LOL

    Sorry Joyful Momma 🙁

  19. Thanks for sharing such a wonderful recipe. I made these and even my picky hubby liked them!

  20. Hi I am planning on doing these tomorrow, but what.type of chiles where used? I don't like spicy. So I am wondering do we have to use them!?

    1. Go ahead and use the canned chopped green chillies. They are not spicy in the least. My husband doesn't like anything spicy and he gobbled these up

    2. Thank You, those where the type I bought but thought they where going to be too Hot. 🙂 I actually didn't do them yet. But I am just starting to right now! 🙂

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