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Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
Flour tortillas filled with shredded chicken in a cream cheese sauce, rolled with colby jack inside, and baked under red enchilada sauce and more cheese.
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Enchiladas always look like they take a lot of effort, but they don't - and these cream cheese chicken enchiladas might become one of the easiest dinners in your rotation. It easily feeds a family (you'll end up with 10 enchiladas total) and takes just 20 minutes to get into the oven.
The filling is simple - shredded chicken folded into cream cheese that's been melted down with heavy cream.
Each tortilla also gets a sprinkle of colby jack before it's rolled. That way, the cheese melts inside the enchilada and not only across the top. Store-bought red enchilada sauce goes underneath the pan and over the top, then the whole thing bakes for about half an hour until the cheese turns golden at the edges.
Pro Tip
The first time I made these enchiladas, I accidentally dumped the Rotel straight into the mix without draining it, and there was no fixing it. I had to start again.
So learn from my mistake - drain your Rotel! A few minutes in a mesh strainer or colander while you do the rest of the prep is all you need to do, and the filling stays thick enough to hold its shape.
Ingredients For Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
What you'll need to make cream cheese chicken enchiladas:
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (about 3 cups)
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature and cut into pats. Slicing it first helps it melt evenly instead of leaving lumps behind.
- ½ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided (2 tablespoons for the filling, 2 tablespoons for garnish)
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained. Chunky Rotel works well here.
- 10 flour tortillas, 8 inch (17.5 ounces)
- 3½ cups freshly shredded colby jack cheese, divided (2 cups for the filling, 1½ cups for the top). Shredding from a block gives you a smoother melt than the pre-shredded bags.
- 20 ounces red enchilada sauce, two 10-ounce cans. Old El Paso is what I use.
Garnishes
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup pico de gallo
Substitutions and Additions
Chunky salsa works in place of the Rotel in the filling.
Salsa can stand in for the pico de gallo on top.
Thinly sliced green onions substitute for the cilantro, or you can leave it out altogether.
Monterey jack or pepper jack can replace the colby jack. Pepper jack brings a touch of heat.
For more heat, a diced jalapeño stirred into the filling or a hot enchilada sauce will give you a noticeable bite. For less, choose a mild enchilada sauce and mild diced tomatoes and green chilies.
Corn tortillas can be used, though they need a quick warm-up first so they don't crack when you roll them.
If green sauce is more your speed, these white chicken enchiladas use a creamy white sauce instead. For a stovetop version, this white chicken enchilada skillet delivers the same flavors in one pan - no oven required.
How to Make Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
FIRST STEP: Heat the oven to 350°F and coat a 9x13 baking dish generously with nonstick spray. Pour one can of enchilada sauce across the bottom of the dish.
SECOND STEP: Add the sliced cream cheese and heavy cream to a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Don't increase the heat. Just take your time here, or the cream cheese can scorch. Stir constantly until the cream cheese melts completely, then take the skillet off the burner.
THIRD STEP: Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cilantro along with the cumin and black pepper. Add the drained tomatoes and green chilies and stir again.
FOURTH STEP: Fold in the shredded chicken until every piece is coated, then spoon ⅓ cup of filling down the center of a tortilla.
It'll look like there's room for more, but overstuffed tortillas tear as you roll them and split open in the oven.
Scatter 2 to 3 tablespoons of colby jack over it.
Fold one end in and roll it up tightly, then set it seam side down in the dish. Repeat with the rest.
FIFTH STEP: Pour the second can of enchilada sauce over the top and finish with the remaining 1½ cups of cheese.
SIXTH STEP: Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and just starting to turn golden. Start checking at the 20 minute mark, since ovens vary.
SEVENTH STEP: Let the pan rest for 5 minutes, then top with sour cream, pico de gallo, and the last of the cilantro.
How To Serve Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
The toppings do a lot of the work here to turn this into a full dinner. Sour cream, pico de gallo, and fresh cilantro cut through the richness of the filling, and a squeeze of lime brightens the whole plate.
Use a wide spatula to lift each enchilada out in one piece, then spoon some of the sauce from the pan over the top.
Sides aren't necessary, but Mexican rice and refried beans round it out if you want a more filling meal. A crisp green salad with a lime vinaigrette balances the richness, and sliced avocado with salt and lime does the same with almost no effort. Chips and homemade salsa work as an appetizer or side, too.
If you would rather have beef, these ground beef enchiladas come together the same way.
Make Ahead, Freezing, and Leftovers
Make ahead - store before baking: If you make this ahead and store it before baking it, there's a risk that some of the enchilada sauce might soak into the tortillas. Here's how ot minimize the risk:
Roll the enchiladas up to 24 hours in advance and keep them covered in the fridge. A thorough drain on the Rotel is critical. Don't add the sauce until you're ready to bake, because sitting in the sauce overnight will make the tortillas soggy.
When it's time to bake, pour the can of sauce into the casserole dish, arrange the rolls seam side down, add the second can of sauce, and sprinkle the cheese. Then, bake as written.
Freezing before baking: Assemble in a foil tray, wrap it tightly, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as written and add about 10 minutes.
Freezing after baking: Cool the pan completely first, then freeze in individual portions. These reheat really well for lunches.
Reheating: Cover with foil and warm at 325°F until heated through.
More Recipes ⭐ Baked Tacos | Pineapple Salsa | Crockpot Rotel Dip | Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole
Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
Flour tortillas filled with shredded chicken in a cream cheese sauce, rolled with colby jack inside, and baked under red enchilada sauce and more cheese.
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Ingredients
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded (makes 3 cups))
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened to room temperature and sliced into pats)
- ½ cup heavy cream (room temperature)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (divided (2 tablespoons for the filling, 2 tablespoons for garnish))
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 10 ounces diced tomatoes and green chilies (drained (chunky Rotel recommended))
- 10 flour tortillas (8 inch (17.5 ounces))
- 3½ cups freshly shredded colby jack cheese (divided (2 cups for the filling, 1½ cups for the top))
- 20 ounces red enchilada sauce (two 10-ounce cans (Old El Paso recommended))
- ½ cup sour cream (for garnish)
- ½ cup pico de gallo (for garnish)
DIRECTIONS
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish generously with nonstick cooking spray.
- Pour one can of enchilada sauce evenly across the bottom of the dish.
- In a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat, combine the sliced cream cheese and heavy cream. Stir constantly until the cream cheese melts completely, then remove from the heat.
- Stir in 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, the cumin, and the black pepper until well combined.
- Add the drained tomatoes and green chilies and stir to combine.
- Add the shredded chicken and stir until it's fully coated in the cream cheese mixture.
- Spoon ⅓ cup of the filling down the center of a tortilla. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of cheese over it, drawing from the 2 cups reserved for filling.
- Fold one end over the filling and roll the tortilla up tightly. Place it seam side down in the dish on top of the sauce. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Drizzle the second can of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle the remaining 1½ cups of cheese on top.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is melted and beginning to turn golden brown. Ovens vary, so start checking at 20 minutes.
- Rest 5 minutes before topping with the sour cream, pico de gallo, and remaining cilantro.
Notes
- Chunky salsa can replace the Rotel in the filling.
- Salsa can replace the pico de gallo on top.
- Thinly sliced green onions can replace the fresh cilantro, or you can leave it out entirely.
- Shredded monterey jack or pepper jack can replace the colby jack.
- Roll the filling and tortillas up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate covered. Add the sauce and cheese just before baking.
- The leftovers are great for lunch, or use this dish to meal prep.
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