Creamy, cheesy, and so very easy to make, these Blackened Chicken Enchiladas are here to liven up your kitchen! Each enchilada is slathered in homemade salsa verde, filled with tender blackened chicken, then smothered in cheese, sour cream, red onion, cilantro, and a whole lot of love!
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Today’s recipe is headed South of the Border! Care to guess what my favorite Mexican dish is? Enchiladas of course! There’s something about warm tortillas stuffed with tender meat, then smothered in zippy green chile sauce and cheese, and baked to ooey-gooey perfection that sends my spirit all the way to heaven and back. This is truly my take and definitely not authentic. It is an ode to my fave Mexican flavors.
My Blackened Chicken Enchiladas with homemade Salsa Verde made with Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil gives takeout a run for its money! The bold flavors of Tex-Mex and a bit of Southern spunk with that blackened flavor, this recipe comes together quickly to create something outrageously sinful.
Ingredients
What I love most about enchiladas (of any kind) is how simple they are! You don’t need a mess of ingredients or an entire day to make something this flavorful and straight up delicious.
This easy chicken enchilada recipe is extremely flexible when it comes to ingredients. Feel free to get creative and customize your enchiladas whatever way you’d like. But before you do, take a moment to review my choices; it might just help you make your own!
If you weren’t craving enchiladas before you got here, I bet you are now. What do you say we get cooking?
- Butter- I use it in both the blackened chicken component and to fry the tortillas for that wonderful buttery taste. And don’t forget it is also farmer-owned!
- Salsa Verde- Made with simple, fresh ingredients like tomatillos, jalapeños, cilantro, and onion, this bright sauce is the perfect base for enchiladas. I highly recommend taking the extra time to make your own Salsa Verde; it’s super easy and the difference in flavor is astounding. A full tutorial of this recipe was posted earlier this week.
- Chicken- I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they absorb flavor well. Chicken thighs can also be used and are easily shredded.
- Blackened Seasoning- Looking for BIG and BOLD flavor? Look no further. Blackened seasoning is a mixture of dried herbs, chili powders, and spices that will absolutely change your cooking game. It gives this recipe a cool Southern flavor twist. I use it for everything even this Blackened Catfish.
- Chicken Broth- Broth contains a highly concentrated amount of flavor; it also helps to keep the chicken super moist. You can also use chicken stock if you have it on hand.
- Chipotle Pepper and Sauce- These smoky-sweet, slightly-spicy peppers add depth of flavor. I prefer to use canned chipotle peppers. Fish out a whole pepper and set aside a tablespoon of the sauce it’s in.
- Corn TortillasO- Corn tortillas are my absolute favorite so I use them here, but flour tortillas are a great option too. Just a matter of preference.
- Monterey Jack or Mexican Cheese Blend- What would enchiladas be without cheese? Pepper Jack or Shredded Queso Chihuahua would also do.
- Sour Cream- Tangy and oh so creamy, sour cream adds a welcome layer of decadence.
- Red Onion- If you find raw onion to be a bit abrasive, you’re not the only one. I like to chop my red onion, then let it sit in a bowl of ice water for about 5 minutes. Once drained, you’ll find that the onion is much more mellow yet still crisp and vibrant.
- Cilantro- Fresh herbs add bright color, refreshing flavor, and a zesty bite.
How to Make Blackened Chicken Enchiladas
Alright, now that we have our ingredients ready to go, let’s talk about how to make enchiladas! For this recipe, you’ll need to…
- Make the Salsa Verde. As mentioned above, I prefer to make my own salsa. The flavor is fresher and I have more control of salt content/flavor balance. If desired, double the batch and store in jars for later use (think nachos, tacos, marinades, etc.). However, if you don’t have the time, you can grab some at the grocery store or even at your favorite Mexican restaurant and use it for this recipe.
- Prepare your Filling. Cook the chicken with peppers, blackened seasoning, and delicious Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil, allow it to cool, then shred it. I have a great tip for shredding too– use a hand mixer! It will shred the chicken in no time. Toss the chicken with salsa verde and set aside. You can also add a bit of sour cream to this filling if you want it to be super creamy! This is optional.
- Assemble the Enchiladas. Toast the tortillas in a bit of Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil, add a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture to the middle, roll it up, and place the whole thing seam-side down in a greased casserole dish (there should also be about ½ cup salsa verde in the dish).
- Arrange the Enchiladas in a Baking Dish. Once all of the enchiladas have been formed and placed in the baking dish, layer on the cheese.
- Bake the Enchiladas. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, then bake for about 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.
- Top, Serve, and Enjoy! Garnish with red onion, sour cream, cilantro, and just about anything else you’d like. I love to add pickled jalapeños, diced tomatoes, and black olives!
Storing and Reheating Leftover Enchiladas
Enchiladas are surprisingly filling, so once they’re served, you might find that your pre-dinner appetite was bigger than your stomach has room for. Store any leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Alternatively, enchiladas can be frozen for 2-3 months.
To reheat leftover enchiladas, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking dish with aluminum foil. Place the enchiladas in the dish, cover with another piece of aluminum foil, and bake for about 20 minutes, uncovering the dish for the last 5-10 minutes. If reheating from frozen, add about 10-15 minutes of baking time.
If you’d prefer to use the microwave, that’s alright! Place the enchiladas on a microwave-safe plate, make a few shallow cuts into the tortillas, then tent them with a moistened paper towel. Heat for 1 minute on high. If it’s not hot enough, continue to heat in 30-second intervals.
Other Mexican Inspired Recipes
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, it does! Try out a few of my FAVORITE south-of-the-border inspired recipes:
- Mexican Cornbread
- Mexican Corn on the Cob
- Birria Tacos
- Mexican Rice
- Mexican Chicken Pozole Verde
- Carne Asada
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- guacamole
Blackened Chicken Enchiladas
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Ingredients
For the Salsa Verde
- 1 1/2 lbs tomatillos with husks removed and rinsed
- 1/2 jalapeno up to 1 jalapeno for more heat (with stem removed or for even more heat, 1 serrano chile pepper)
- 1/3 cup cilantro packed
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 4 tsp fresh lime juice
- 2 garlic cloves
- salt to taste I start with 1/2 tsp for reference
For the Chicken
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp cajun or blackened seasoning up to 2 tsp
- 1 chipotle pepper plus 1 tbsp chipotle sauce
- 3 tbsp Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream optional
For Enchilada Assembly
- 1/4 cup Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil or more as needed
- 12-14 corn tortillas
- 2 cups Monterey jack or Mexican cheese blend
- red onion chopped for garnish
- tomatoes chopped for garnish
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Instructions
For the Salsa Verde
For the Chicken
- Add chicken to a medium sized pot or pan then cover with chicken broth. Sprinkle in Cajun seasoning, chipotle pepper, and sauce then add Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and cook covered for about 20 minutes. Remove chicken and place in a separate bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Once cooled, shred chicken with a fork or knife or even with a hand mixer, then toss with ½ cup of the premade salsa verde and sour cream, if desired, and set aside.
To Assemble
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Add 1 tablespoon Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil to a pan and melt over medium-high heat. Add 1 corn tortilla and cook for about 10-15 seconds then flip over and cook again for another 10-15 seconds. Remove from the pan and place on paper towels to drain. Repeat with all the tortillas (add more butter with canola oil as needed) until they are all warmed through.
- Add ½ cup of salsa verde to the bottom of a greased or nonstick sprayed casserole dish and spread out.
- Next add about 1 tablespoon prepared chicken to the center of each tortilla and roll it up. Add each filled tortilla seam down to the greased casserole dish and repeat until complete.
- Pour the rest of the salsa over the top of the tortillas evenly, top with cheese, then finally cover with foil.
- Bake for about 15 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for 5-10 minutes more until the cheese is completely melted.
- Garnish with chopped red onion, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, and sour cream if desired and serve.
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Oh the flavors are superb in this dish and we would love it! I must try this soon
I have everything I need for this dish, can’t wait to make it this weekend!
So much great flavor! I love the spiciness of the blackened seasoning along with the chipotle. Yum!
this recipe is a keeper! The enchiladas are so flavorful, everyone loved them!
I have been looking for a chicken enchilada recipe and I’m super pumped to have found this one. Can’t wait to try it!