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–+ servings
White Chicken Enchiladas with a creamy white sauce, cheese, and colorful toppings.
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White Chicken Enchiladas

These homemade White Chicken Enchiladas have the best creamy white sauce with sour cream, cream cheese, green chiles, and shredded Mexican cheese. They're perfectly seasoned and loaded with restaurant-worthy flavor!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Servings: 8 Enchiladas
Calories: 471kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

  • ½ teaspoon EACH: onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, chili powder
  • 2 ¾ cups shredded chicken see notes
  • 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese divided
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 ¾ cups chicken broth
  • 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles undrained
  • ¾ cup sour cream at room temp
  • 3 tablespoons cream cheese cubed and softened
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro plus more to garnish
  • 8 8-inch flour tortillas
  • 2 cups shredded Pepper Jack cheese

Garnishes

  • Roma tomatoes, green onions, red onions, jalapenos, cilantro
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine the seasonings in a small bowl and set aside. Measure out remaining ingredients before beginning.
  • Preheat oven to 350° F.
  • Combine the shredded chicken, ½ cup of the Monterey Jack cheese, hot sauce, and lime juice in a medium bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of the combined seasoning mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring continuously.
  • Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously. Add the remaining seasonings and undrained green chiles. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the sour cream, cream cheese, and cilantro. Stir until combined and melted.
  • Reduce heat to low and gradually stir in the Monterey jack cheese. Remove from heat.
  • Add ½ cup of sauce to the bowl with the chicken and stir to combine.
  • Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish. Spread 1/3 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom, the layer will be thin.
  • Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken filling on the bottom third of each tortilla. Roll tightly and place seam-side-down in the casserole dish. Repeat for all 8 tortillas.
  • Pour/spread the sauce over the top of the enchiladas and top with pepper jack cheese. (Note: There is a lot of sauce, you don’t have to use it all, but the tortillas do absorb some of it during baking.)
  • Cover and bake for 12 minutes. (If topping with foil, spray the bottom with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the cheese from sticking to it.)
  • Remove cover and bake for 15 more minutes. Broil on low (450° F) for 1-2 minutes to brown the top slightly if desired. Watch it closely during this time.
  • Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Garnish with diced tomatoes, green onions, red onions, sliced jalapenos, and cilantro and serve!

Notes

Pro Tips:
  • To make shredded chicken: Bring 2 chicken breasts to a very gentle bubble. (A full boil will make it tough.) Bubble gently for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then use 2 forks to shred.
  • Tortillas: I like to use these 8-inch flour tortillas as they're easier to roll and stay in place vs. corn tortillas, but you can use corn as well.
  • When assembling, you may choose to microwave 4 tortillas at a time for 30 seconds to make them more pliable.
  • Cheese: Shred my own cheese from a block for this recipe, it will melt much better than packaged shredded cheese. I use Cabot Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack. Other options include Cheddar Jack, Colby Jack, and Sharp White Cheddar.
  • Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is great for this recipe. See notes section of the recipe card if preparing uncooked chicken to use for this recipe. Season the shredded chicken with salt if it's not already salted. (Rotisserie chicken likely won't need additional salt.)
  • Toppings/Add-ons include Corn, Avocado, Guacamole, Salsa, Refried Beans, Rice, Limes, and more!
  • More enchilada recipes: Try my Chicken Enchiladas with red sauce, Chicken Enchilada Casserole, and my Beef Enchiladas next!
Make Ahead Method:
  • Assemble as outlined but don't top with enchilada sauce or cheese until ready to bake. Refrigerate for up to 2 days. 
  • When ready to serve, top with sauce/cheese. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for 15 more minutes, until hot and bubbly. (Optional: Broil at 450° F for 1-2 more minutes.)
  • If baking from frozen: Cover and bake for 1 hour. Remove cover and bake for 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Storage:
  • Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutritional information is an estimate and is per enchilada. There are 8 enchiladas in this recipe. (Each serving also includes lots of sauce. 😉)

Nutrition

Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 872mg | Potassium: 259mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 763IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 457mg | Iron: 2mg