These spicy chicken enchiladas with green sauce are loaded with deliciously seasoned shredded chicken, onions, jalapenos, diced green chilies, and two types of cheese, all rolled up in flour tortillas and baked until hot and bubbly. Easy and delicious!
Living in Texas, we love all the delicious southwestern, Tex-Mex, and Mexican foods. Tacos, nachos, burritos, Mexican corn – all of it. You name it, I’ve made it. One of my all-time favorite Mexican dishes to make is chicken enchiladas. Of course, like many Texans, I prefer my food with a nice kick of heat, and so does my family. So these spicy chicken enchiladas have been an extra spicy staple of our family meals for a long time. My mom used to make them at least two or three times a month when we all still lived at home, and now this recipe is on the table quite often. It’s just so deliciously spicy and full of flavor.
Spicy Chicken Enchiladas
These enchiladas take the classic chicken variation and add even more heat to them. It starts with tender shredded chicken breast. Then it’s combined with a combination of seasonings and spices that add a ton of flavor and a big kick of heat. After that, I mix the chicken with enchilada sauce, add cheese, wrap it in soft tortillas, and then cover the entire thing with more enchilada sauce and tons of cheese. After it bakes, I end up with an enchilada dish that packs a powerful punch of flavor and heat and is always gone by the end of the meal.
Why You’ll Love These Spicy Chicken Enchiladas
- They’re super easy to make and taste absolutely delicious.
- They’re so flavorful and loaded with two types of cheese, seasoned perfectly, and baked until the cheese is hot and bubbly.
- They’re just as delicious the next day!
Spicy Chicken Enchiladas Tips and Variations
Enchiladas are one of the easier Mexican dishes to make. It’s all just a matter of mixing filling and baking. That being said, I have a few tips here that will help you make these the best they can be quickly and easily. I also have some great variations that I think you’ll enjoy.
Tips
- Shred your chicken as soon as it cools enough for you to handle. Hot or warm chicken shreds much more easily than cold chicken.
- The easiest way to shred your chicken is with two shredding claws. You can also use two forks.
- Always heat your tortillas before working with them so they bend rather than crack.
Variations
- Try using shredded turkey, beef, or pork with this recipe.
- Use your favorite cheese for this recipe. Mexican blends and other traditional Mexican cheeses work well.
- You can use any type of tortilla you like, from flour or corn to any of the wide varieties available like whole wheat, vegetable, and more.
What to Serve with Spicy Chicken Enchiladas
Enchiladas really shine as part of a larger Mexican feast. Serve one or two of them alongside your favorite Mexican sides for a full, hearty meal or make a huge spread for your next big party. Some great ideas include:
- Mexican green beans
- Mexican bean salad
- Mexican corn casserole
- Elote
- Refried beans
- Black beans and rice
- Mexican rice
- Spanish rice
- Chips and salsa
- Pico de Gallo
Topping Ideas for Enchiladas
While these enchiladas are absolutely delicious on their own, it’s always nice to add a little more flavor, isn’t it? Try topping your enchiladas with any of the following
- Avocado
- Diced red onions
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh or pickled jalapenos
- Sour cream
- Mexican cream
- Extra cheese
Spicy Chicken Enchiladas FAQ
If you have questions about this recipe, then read on. The following FAQ answers the most commonly asked questions about enchiladas.
Are enchiladas spicy
Enchiladas are as spicy or mild as you want them to be. Red enchilada sauce is generally milder than green, however, both come in hotter and milder variations.
Is green enchilada sauce hot?
Today, green enchilada sauce can be founding varieties ranging from milder to blazing hot, however, traditionally, it’s a sauce with a healthy amount of heat.
Which is more spicy, red or green enchilada sauce?
Green enchilada sauce tends to be spicier than red sauce. Both are made with hot peppers, however, red sauce is made with chilis, while green sauce is made with jalapenos and serrano peppers which are hotter.
What is typically in an enchilada?
Enchiladas typically contain filling such as meat, cheese, or vegetables – or sometimes a combination – which are wrapped in a tortilla and then covered in sauce and baked.
Should enchiladas be covered when baking?
Enchiladas should be covered for the majority of their baking time to prevent them from drying out. They’re uncovered in the last 10 or 15 minutes to ensure the cheese is melted and bubbly.
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat Spicy Chicken Enchiladas
You can store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer store, freeze them in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
To reheat enchiladas, cover them and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until warmed through.
Spicy Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients
This recipe only uses simple ingredients that you can find easily at your local grocery store.
- Chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- Green enchilada sauce
- Diced green chilies
- Jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
- White onion, diced
- Slap Ya Mama
- Garlic powder
- Cumin
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Large flour tortillas
How to Make Spicy Chicken Enchiladas
Making these enchiladas is just as easy as shopping for the ingredients. It’s a simple recipe that only requires minimal stovetop cooking, so you’ll be in and out of the kitchen quickly.
Step 1: Prep
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a high-sided 13×9 baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Chicken
Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium and add the chicken breasts. Boil until the chicken is cooked through. Then drain and shred the chicken and add it to the pot again. Sprinkle it with seasonings and pour 2 cans of enchilada sauce into the pot. Finally add the jalapeno and onions, stir, and simmer on low until the onions and jalapenos are tender.
Step 3: Prep the Tortillas
Pour half a can of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish and the other half into a shallow bowl. Then, heat the tortillas and dip each one into the shallow bowl of sauce, and set them in the baking dish.
Step 4: Fill the Tortillas
Add the chicken mixture along with both types of cheese to the center of each tortilla and roll them all up and place seam side down.
Step 5: Bake
Pour the remaining can of enchilada sauce over the filled tortillas and top with cheese. Then cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 10 more minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Carefully remove from the oven and enjoy!
Try These Spicy Chicken Enchiladas Today
These delicious spicy chicken enchiladas are as easy as they are delicious. It only takes a few minutes and a few simple steps to make one of the most flavorful enchilada recipes you’ve ever had! These are perfect for family dinners, parties, potlucks, and more. The best part is that they’re always a big hit no matter when or where you serve them. Give them a try, and I know you’ll fall in love.
More Delicious Mexican Recipes You’ll Love
Easy Beef and Bean Enchiladas – These delicious enchiladas are made with deliciously seasoned ground beef and refried beans, cheese and more.
Taco Pasta – This taco pasta recipe is a hearty and delicious ground beef recipe made with corn, diced green chilies, cheddar cheese and pasta shells.
Tex Mex Breakfast Tacos – These delicious tacos are great for breakfast. They are loaded with shredded beef, eggs, cheese and so much more and are a family favorite breakfast recipe.
And, here are some delicious Ground Beef Quesadillas from Great Grub, Delicious Treats that your might enjoy as well.
Spicy Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
- 3 cups Monterey jack cheese, shredded
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- (4) 15 ounce cans green enchilada sauce
- 4 ounce diced green chilies
- 1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon Slap Ya Mama
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 10 – 12 large flour tortillas
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and spray a large 13×9 baking dish (one with high sides), with a non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a pot of water, over medium high heat, add chicken breasts.
- Bring to a boil and cook until the chicken is no longer pink. Drain, shred the chicken, return to the pan.
- Sprinkle with seasonings and spices, stir to combine then pour 2 cans of enchilada sauce into chicken. Add onions, and jalapenos. Stir and simmer over low heat until onions and jalapenos are tender.
- Pour half a can of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and the remaining half into a shallow bowl.
- Heat tortillas then dip each tortilla into the shallow bowl of sauce then set the tortilla in the baking dish.
- Add chicken mixture along with both types of cheese to the middle of each tortilla and roll up and continue until all the tortillas are filled with the chicken mixture.
- Pour remaining can of enchilada sauce over the filled tortillas and top with cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes, remove foil and bake for 10 more additional minutes.
- Carefully remove from the oven and enjoy.
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