White Chicken Enchiladas with Sour Cream Sauce {Recipe}

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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.

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!).

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. 
Hand rolling chicken and cheese together into a burrito

How to make White Chicken Enchiladas

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, add the shredded chicken and any seasoning or add-ins you like.  *See note. I cook my chicken with seasonings, so I don't add any here. Add in 1 ½ cups shredded cheese and 4 oz of green chiles and mix well.

3. Roll up about ½ cup of chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.  Place seam-side down in the prepared pan.

4. In a medium saucepan, we will make the sour cream sauce.  Start by melting the butter completely over medium heat and letting it start to get foamy bubbles.  Sprinkle in the flour and whisk.  Let this cook for 60-90 seconds while whisking.  Slowly pour in chicken broth 1 cup at a time.  Small amounts at a time and letting it thicken before adding more each time reduces the time.  Continually whisk while the sauce thickens.

*There are two ways to thicken the sauce here.  

*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.

5. When the sauce is thick and bubbly, remove it from the heat and stir in the diced green chiles and sour cream. Stir until well combined.

Stainless steel pan pouring sour cream sauce over the chicken filled burritos in a glass pan

6. Pour sour cream sauce over the prepared pan of enchiladas.  Top with remaining cheese.

7. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is bubbling.  

8. Broil on high for 2 minutes to get the cheese slightly golden.

a round plate holding the white chicken enchiladas with a fork in front of a glass bowl of salad

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!

White Chicken Enchiladas

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Try the Pinterest-famous recipe for white chicken enchiladas. Creamy, bold flavor without the heat, perfect for a comforting meal.

Ingredients
  

Instructions
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  2. In a large bowl, add the shredded chicken and any seasoning or add-ins you like.  *See note. I cook my chicken with seasonings, so I don't add any here. Add in 1 ½ cups shredded cheese and 4 oz of green chiles and mix well.
  3. Roll up about ½ cup of chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.  Place seam-side down in the prepared pan.
  4. In a medium saucepan, we will make the sour cream sauce.  Start by melting the butter completely over medium heat and letting it start to get foamy bubbles.  Sprinkle in the flour and whisk.  Let this cook for 60-90 seconds while whisking.  Slowly pour in chicken broth 1 cup at a time.  Small amounts at a time and letting it thicken before adding more each time reduces the time.  Continually whisk while the sauce thickens.
  5. *There are two ways to thicken the sauce here.  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.  If you 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.
  6. When the sauce is thick and bubbly, remove it from the heat and stir in the diced green chiles and sour cream. Stir until well combined.
  7. Pour sour cream sauce over the prepared pan of enchiladas.  Top with remaining cheese.
  8. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is bubbling.
  9. Broil on high for 2 minutes to get the cheese slightly golden.

Video

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414 Comments

  1. I don't usually comment on some of the recipes I make from pinterest but this one's an exception. I usually try out new recipes on my daughter and son in law (he loves to eat and cook)..this was a hit with them and a keeper for me. I think the only thing I would do different would be to add some pepper jack cheese to the top. Thank you for this recipe

    1. Thanks for stopping by! I have done a little pepperjack cheese on the top and oh boy....yum!!

  2. Thanks so much for this recipe!! I also made my chicken in the crock pot. It's SO easy to shred that way!! I added a little bit of broth, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. The only alteration I made to this is that I mix my shredded chicken with the cheese, refried beans and onions. I stuff them VERY full, but I still use the smaller taco shells. I fit 8 in a 9x13 casserole dish, and 4 in a 7x11 (? maybe? The next size down from the 9x13 in my pyrex set. 🙂 ) So then I make 1.5 times the sauce. These go fast in our house...always a favorite. 🙂

  3. Thank you so much for posting this recipe. My family loves it! We sometimes mix rice into the chicken and cheese mixture. Your recipe is our absolute favorite!

  4. My family of five (four of which are all guys) loved this meal!!!! Even the youngest one that complains 8 out of 10 meals. Great recipe! Thank you for sharing.

  5. Delicious recipe that I keep in my routine regularly. I also add a bunch of chopped cilantro to the sauce.

  6. Hi,

    Love this recipe. I decided to make it for a volunteer luncheon that I'm hosting in a few weeks. Need to make enough for 30-40 guests. How many does your recipe serve. You mentioned using soft taco shells which seem a bit small for assembling. I was thinking of using the bigger flour tortillas and serve one large per guest. I will also be making refried beans (do you have a good recipe for beans) as a side dish and serve fresh salsa. I think I read that I can assemble them the night before.
    Thanks,
    Rose

  7. I made the recipe exactly as stated and I'm sorry to say it was incredibly bland and not very good at all. I have several go-to enchilada recipes for both red and green sauce and this recipe did not compare 🙁 I'm so bummed because it seemed great in theory! The chicken definitely needs something to liven it up, but the sauce does as well... it just tastes like a very bland cream sauce.

    1. I really like this recipe but thought it bland also. I added 1 teaspoon cumin and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder which helped a lot. Now it's my favorite! Thank you, Joyful Momma!

  8. Tonight's dinner. Tried it with corn tortillas and instead of butter used milk, added minced garlic, and instead of rotisserie chicken I used chicken breast w/salt free Cajun seasoning, next time I will sub the flour with milled flax seed to make it GF (didn't think about that till after the fact

  9. Loved the recipe, but one minor suggestion. Before melting the butter, take the flour taste away by browning your flour for 1-3 minutes. then start the recipe

  10. Now following you on Pinterest. This recipe is amazing. Got a lot of comments. I cooked the chicken using onion, garlic and cumin as well as adding rice and black beans to the filling. Even by using low carb soft tacos, rice, black beans and light sour cream, it was easy, filling and flavorful

  11. I just made these for the fifth or sixth time. It's my number one favorite recipe. Love love love them! And so do my hubby and kids!

  12. I found this a whike ago and my husband literally requests it once every couple of weeks and every time we have a guest over and every holiday work dinner.... ahhh the list goes on for reasons to make such a delicious dinner. Off to the store because the husband has yet again reauested this for his holiday work lunch!! It's away of life, some what close to an obsession. Thank you!!!!

    1. I am so glad you like it!! My husband plans to take it for his coworkers for a lunch as well. Enjoy!

  13. I made these for dinner one evening and my wife said that it was the best "Mexican" type food she has ever had. I dredged the tortillas in enchilada sauce before stuffing them with the chicken mixture (to which I added more diced green chilis) ; the result was absolutely fantastic! Thank you for the recipe and for sharing it on Pintrest.

  14. Thanks for the recipe! I recently discovered that I have a soy intolerance/slight allergy, so I can't have store-bought enchilada sauce. The flour, butter, and (soy-free) chicken broth sauce was an excellent alternative!

    I made a few changes to suit my palate, and had great results. I added a couple spoonfuls of cumin, chili powder, and lime juice to the chicken while I cooked it (I would've marinated the chicken in this, but I didn't want to wait). I used half pepper jack cheese and half sharp cheddar. Also, I added about 2Tbs of chopped jalapeños and some of the juice they were in to the chicken/cheese mix along with more chili powder, cumin, and lime juice. The outcome was delicious! The lime adds just enough zest and the jalapeños and chili powder add just enough heat to balance the cream sauce.

    Next time, I think I'll add corn, black beans, and possibly mexican-style rice to the enchiladas. I want to make these again soon!

    Thanks again,

    Noelle

  15. Thanks for the recipe! I recently discovered that I have a soy intolerance/slight allergy, so I can't have store-bought enchilada sauce. The flour, butter, and (soy-free) chicken broth sauce was an excellent alternative!

    I made a few changes to suit my palate, and had great results. I added a couple spoonfuls of cumin, chili powder, and lime juice to the chicken while I cooked it (I would've marinated the chicken in this, but I didn't want to wait). I used half pepper jack cheese and half sharp cheddar. Also, I added about 2Tbs of chopped jalapeños and some of the juice they were in to the chicken/cheese mix along with more chili powder, cumin, and lime juice. The outcome was delicious! The lime adds just enough zest and the jalapeños and chili powder add just enough heat to balance the cream sauce.

    Next time, I think I'll add corn, black beans, and possibly mexican-style rice to the enchiladas. I want to make these again soon!

    Thanks again,

    Noelle

  16. Hi just found this recipe on pinterest, i want to make it for a mid morning pot luck, can i make it the night before or do i need to make it that morning?

  17. Hey Mipsy Jo, I live in Arizona and am married to a mexican. I make lots of authenic mexican food. That doesnt mean that just because these are called * enchiladas* that they cant be a nice family dinner once in awhile. I made this and my grandson loved them. If my 4 kids were still young, I would be making these for dinner at least once a month, they were delicious!

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