Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas are a quick and easy dinner smothered with a delicious sour cream sauce. Perfect for a family dinner that you can prepare in under 30 minutes.
It’s amazing how just a little cream and cheese can turn a so-so dish into a spectacular one. This white chicken enchiladas recipe made with rotisserie chicken and then covered in a cheesy sour cream sauce is one of our favorite ways to make enchiladas. Not your traditional chicken enchilada recipe because there’s no red enchilada sauce and while creamy, it’s nothing like beef enchiladas. That doesn’t mean they’re not packed with flavor.
White chicken enchiladas have a bit of heavy cream. You can always cut back on the fat and use whole milk but you’ll need some fat to get a creamy sauce.
I love spicy food so I used a jalapeño and serrano pepper for some heat and pepper jack cheese on top at the end to give it even more spice. This can easily be adapted by using Monterey Jack cheese and leaving out the peppers. Your sauce will still be awesome.
Why you’ll love Creamy Chicken Enchiladas with White Sauce
- This meal won’t disappoint – there’s so much flavor in this homemade sour cream sauce that you’ll make extra just so you can eat leftovers the next day
- It doesn’t take long to make a homemade sauce with a bechamel base
- For those spicy food lovers, this white sauce combines some heat with a creamy sauce. It can easily be tamed down for those who need it less spicy.
Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Ingredients
- Cooked chicken – either use rotisserie chicken or cook some chicken breasts in the oven, it’s super easy and only takes about 30 minutes. For busy nights, I’ll use a rotisserie chicken.
- Onion – white or yellow adds lots of flavor.
- Jalapeno – if you want the flavor without too much spice, leave out the seeds.
- Serrano – for an extra kick, this is totally optional. A serrano pepper is 2-4 times as hot as a jalapeno.
- Heavy cream – this will make the sauce very creamy, you can substitute with half-and-half or use whole milk.
- Sour cream – this adds a slight tangy taste to the sauce.
- Pepper jack cheese – I love this Monterrey jack cheese laced with peppers. If making it mild, use regular Monterrey jack cheese instead.
- Pantry staples – chicken broth, butter, flour, olive oil, salt and pepper
Substitutions and Alterations
You can substitute milk or half-and-half for the cream and while it won’t be quite as rich, it will still have a great flavor. You can also use low fat sour cream.
If you want it more spicy use the seeds of the peppers.
To make this mild, leave out the peppers and use a mild cheese like Montery Jack or Colby instead of Pepper Jack cheese.
How to make White Chicken Enchiladas
First, start by sautéing the onions and peppers together. Then add rotisserie chicken with a little chicken broth and some sour cream.
Second, in a separate skillet make a béchamel sauce by combining butter, flour and chicken broth. When thickened you’ll add some cream, cheese and sour cream.
Third, assemble the tortillas and pour the sauce over the top. Add a bit more cheese and bake.
Pro tip: Both corn and flour tortillas work well in this recipe so select your favorite. Microwave the tortillas wrapped in a damp paper towel for a few seconds to make them easier to roll.
Notes for Chicken Enchiladas with White Sauce
- Cilantro chopped and sprinkled on top of the enchiladas as they come out of the oven make a delicious addition to the sauce.
- Black beans can be added into the chicken mixture for additional protein.
- Pulled pork can be used in place of chicken.
- A can of diced green chiles can be used if you don’t have fresh jalapenos or a serrano on hand.
- Try topping with some salsa.
Every time I pull out this recipe, everyone is always asking why I don’t make these more often. The sauce is so good, you’ll want to lick the pan.
What to serve with White Enchiladas
Since the sauce is pretty rich, queso dip is too cheesy. Try something light and fresh like a peach salsa or add a simple salad. A side of rice is great to mop up any extra sauce.
How to store White Enchiladas
Store white enchiladas in the fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze any left over and simply reheat in the oven at 350º for 10-15 minutes.
White Chicken Enchilada Recipe FAQs
Enchiladas are traditionally a corn filled tortilla with a filling mixture of meat, maybe some veggies or beans and cheese and are smothered with a red enchilada sauce. This version uses a flour tortilla, but will still work with corn.
Red sauce in traditional enchiladas is a mix of red chiles and chili powder along with tomato paste. Fresh ingredients like onion, garlic, oregano also flavor the sauce. This white sauce begins with a basic bechamel sauce of flour and butter, then adding in broth, sour cream and heavy cream and cheese. Both sauces are delicious but are very different.
The serrano pepper is typically 2-4x hotter than a jalapeno pepper. If you love spicy foods, you’ll enjoy the combination of the peppers. If you enjoy some spice, but would prefer to pare it back, stick with a jalapeno.
Yes, the baked enchiladas will freeze so make a a double batch so you can prepare one dish for dinner and another to freeze for another day. Just let it thaw and bake covered in aluminum foil in a 350º oven for about 10 minutes.
You can make this sauce into a dip, or just serve the enchiladas with some chips and scoop up any left over sauce.
Corn tortillas are traditional and add flavor, but I prefer flour tortillas that are easier to fill and roll.
The white cheese typically used on Mexican enchiladas is queso blanco which is a mozzarella type of cheese that will melt unlike Cotija or Queso Fresco which will not melt.
The sauce used for white enchiladas is a bechamel sauce made with flour and butter with cream, sour cream and cheese added in.
Enchiladas are baked uncovered to allow the top to brown.
A homemade sauce is the secret to good enchiladas, it makes all the difference.
Enchiladas are typically filled with beef, cheese or chicken and are flavored with either a tomato sauce based topping or a cheese sauce based topping.
If you love White Chicken Enchiladas, you might also like:
White Chicken Enchilada Recipe
Ingredients
FILLING
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 jalapeno diced
- 1 serrano diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ cups cooked chicken shredded
- ½ cup chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup sour cream
- salt and pepepr
SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces pepper jack cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- 10 tortillas
Instructions
- FILLING: In a large skillet, sauté onion and peppers in olive oil until the onion is translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add cooked shredded chicken, ½ cup chicken broth and ½ cup cream. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook for a few minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Set aside.
- SAUCE: In a separate skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute until smooth. Gently pour in chicken broth, stirring constantly until smooth and thickened, 1-2 minutes. Add cream and ½ of the cheese. Stir in sour cream.
- Warm tortillas in microwave for 10 seconds until warm. Place chicken mixture on the tortilla, add a little cheese and roll up. Place in glass baking dish seam side down. Pour sauce over the top and sprinkle with more cheese if desired.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 350º or until slightly browned and bubbly.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Use either corn or flour tortillas. You can substitute the pepper jack cheese for monterey jack cheese.
- Cilantro chopped and sprinkled on top of the enchiladas as they come out of the oven make a delicious addition to the sauce.
- Black beans can be added into the chicken mixture for additional protein.
- Pulled pork or ground turkey can be used in place of chicken.
- A can of diced green chiles can be used if you don’t have fresh jalapenos or a serrano on hand.
Nutrition
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