If you are looking for an easy, filling family-friendly meal, you can’t do much better than these easy Chicken Enchiladas you can make ahead. Our step by step directions will make this a “can’t miss recipe” that everyone will love.
I know when one of us is feeling down or has had a rough day, dinner time is often the best time to decompress and talk about our feelings. It’s important to model for our kids that maybe our day wasn’t perfect either but we overcame challenges and now we are here together as a family and it feels so good. It’s like they say, ” the days are long but the years are short.” Dinner time is worth fighting for. It knits the family together, it’s the place where memories are made and strong family bonds are formed.
The key to successful family dinners is in planning. One of my favorite tips is to use the days of the week to serve Italian food every Monday, Mexican food on Tuesday, American cuisine on Wednesday, Asian inspired food on Thursday, etc. Adopt this menu for your family’s tastes and repeat it. It makes buying the food easier. You can cook the protein you need in your dishes on the weekend and parcel it out as needed for your recipes.
Easy Chicken Enchiladas You Can Make Ahead
Step by Step Directions:
- (16) 6″ white corn tortillas
- cooking spray
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes in juice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour Cream
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Directions:
*Tip – You’ll want to heat the corn tortillas. If you omit this step, your tortillas will crack and break apart when you try to roll them.
In a bowl, combine tomatoes, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Start with 1/4 teaspoon chili powder and add more to taste. Set aside.
In a nonstick pan, spray cooking spray and heat on medium-high. Add a corn tortilla to the pan, let heat for 5 seconds and lift up the tortilla, and add another. Repeat, placing one tortilla under the next until all 16 tortillas are heated. Remove from heat and place onto a plate.
In a saucepan, combine cream cheese and chicken. Add 1/3 cup tomato mixture and heat on medium heat until melted and smooth. Stirring constantly.
Spoon chicken mixture lightly onto a tortilla and wrap it, seam side down, and place it into a pan coated with cooking spray. My square pan held 16 tortillas. Repeat until the pan is full.
Spread tomatoes on top of tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 25-35 minutes or until cheese is melted and heated through. Serve with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro.
Save and try our recipe for Easy Chicken Enchiladas
- 16 Montecito 6" white corn tortillas
- cooking spray
- 1 can (14.5 oz) Sun Harvest organic diced tomatoes in juice
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup cooked chicken, chopped into small pieces
- 3 ounces cream cheese
- ½ cup First Street Natural Fancy Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- First Street Sour Cream
- Chopped Fresh Cilantro, for garnish
- In a bowl, combine tomatoes, oregano, cumin, garlic powder and chili powder. Start with ¼ teaspoon chili powder and add more to taste. Set aside.
- In a nonstick pan, spray cooking spray and heat on medium high. Add a corn tortilla to the pan, let heat for 5 seconds and lift up the tortilla and add another. Repeat, placing one tortilla under the next, until all 16 tortillas are heated. Remove from heat and place onto a plate.
- In a saucepan, combine cream cheese and chicken. Add ⅓ cup tomato mixture and heat on medium heat until melted and smooth. Stirring constantly.
- Spoon chicken mixture lightly onto a tortilla and wrap it, seam side down, and place it into a pan coated with cooking spray. My square pan held 16 tortillas. Repeat until the pan is full.
- Spread tomatoes on top of tortillas and sprinkle with cheese.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes or until cheese is melted and heated through.
- Serve with sour cream and chopped fresh cilantro.
This is a sponsored post for Family Meals Month in partnership with Smart & Final. All opinions are 100% my own.
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Oh my gosh! Thanks so much for sharing this! I love enchiladas, but I’ve never tried my hand at making them. I’m so excited to give these a try.
Mmm, this looks incredible! Bookmarking for next week.
Your recipe sounds amazing! I can’t wait to try it! Thank you so much for sharing it!
These are definitely going on my to make list for dinner next week! Um… Yum!
Smart and Final sounds like a great place to shop if you have one in your area. I love how they help the non-profit charities too. These chicken enchiladas look so delicious and I will have to make these for my family. We love Mexican food. Thanks for sharing this easy chicken enchilada recipe.
I LOVE chicken enchiladas! I could eat them every week if my husband let me make them that often – yours look truly delicious!
Those look great! I’ve been wanting to make enchiladas, but haven’t yet. I may have to give your recipe a try soon.
I make enchaladas once in a while sincemy husband likes it. This looks superdelicious!
Wow, this is a must-try! I love chicken enchiladas and I want to cook one for myself!
We love enchiladas!! These look so good, i know my whole family would love them, plus they look easy to make as well.
I am always looking for easy recipes like this one that the whole family will enjoy. We are big fans of Mexican food so I know this would be a hit.
I am always looking for new chicken recipes to try. This looks so delicious and easy to make. I will have to get the ingredients I need to make this for dinner this week.
I am making this tomorrow but we have some puled pork to use up!! Thanks for the reminder and a great recipe!