If you're craving a comforting dinner that feels a little special but is still an easy weeknight dinner, these easy white chicken enchiladas are for you! Soft tortillas are filled with tender buffalo chicken, smothered in a silky homemade white enchilada sauce, and baked until bubbly and divine.
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If you love quick and easy weeknight meals, you have to try my hamburger helper stroganoff, my crunchy turkey lettuce wraps, my sweet and sour sausages or my creamy red curry coconut baked dumplings. They are all so delicious and perfect quick weeknight meals!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- These creamy white chicken enchiladas are super easy and quick to make. They are perfect for a weeknight meal that everyone will love!
- This recipe is made with basic pantry ingredients, and it is easy to modify if you like it more or less spicy.
- They are made with a simple creamy white sauce that is made from scratch, and so delicious!
- This is the first recipe that I posted on Whipped It Up, way back in 2018 when it started, so it has a pretty special place in my heart.
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Ingredients You'll Need
No canned enchilada sauce here, we will be making a white sauce from scratch for these chicken enchiladas. It is easy to make, there is no blender required, and the sauce will be ready in less than 10 minutes!
- Shredded Chicken - Use two baked chicken breasts, shredded roast chicken, or grab a rotisserie chicken on the way home!
- Greek Yogurt - Can be substituted for sour cream.
- Chicken Stock - Replace the chicken stock with homemade bone broth or vegetable stock.
- Flour Tortillas - Make your own homemade flour tortillas for a delicious boost of flavor in these white enchiladas!
- Hot Sauce - Instead of using plain hot sauce, try using my creamy buffalo wing sauce!
A full list of ingredients with exact quantities can be found on the recipe card below.
Creamy White Enchilada Sauce
The creamy white enchilada sauce is made completely from scratch (no canned soup here!). It starts by making a simple roux, which gives the sauce body and that classic white color, then it is finished with greek yogurt for a silky smooth, ultra creamy texture. The flavor of the sauce is mild and savory, with just enough spice to keep things interesting without overpowering the flavor of the buffalo chicken stuffed enchiladas.
Easy Recipe Modifications
- Make It Spicy(er) - These black bean enchiladas already have some spice to them, but to make them spicer, try adding banana peppers or chopped jalapeños to the filling and sprinkling red chili flakes over the top of the cheese before baking.
- Spice Free - To remove all of the spice from these enchiladas, do not use hot sauce in the filling and do not use green chilies in the white sauce.
- How To Serve - Serve these white chicken enchiladas with sides of salsa, sour cream and homemade guacamole for dipping!
- Use Other Proteins - Swap the chicken for shredded turkey, canned chicken, crispy tofu pieces, or even ground chicken or turkey.
If you love enchiladas, you have to try my breakfast enchiladas, too!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Reader Review
"This recipe never fails, had it again tonight. Warmed my soul, now ready to relax the rest of tonight."
-Allison
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How To Make White Chicken Enchiladas
Step 1
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Whisk the flour into the butter mixture to create a thick paste. This creates a "roux" that is used as a base thickener for the sauce. Whisk in the chicken broth (or bone broth) until smooth and no clumps remain. Add salt & pepper, to taste and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Continue stirring until thickened and boiling. Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat. Stir in the greek yogurt, green chilies and set aside.
Step 2
Cook and shred two chicken breasts or shred a cooked rotisserie chicken. Take your shredded chicken and add it to a large mixing bowl with the black beans, hot sauce, and one cup of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese. Stir it up, and this will be your filling for the enchiladas.
Step 3
On a large surface, lay out all 8 flour tortillas. Evenly fill the tortillas with the prepared filling mixture. Gently roll the tortillas up and place seam side down into a lightly greased 9"x13" baking dish.
Step 4
Pour the prepared white sauce over the Enchiladas in the casserole dish. Spread the sauce out with the back of a spoon to make sure the enchiladas are completely covered.
Step 5
Sprinkle the enchiladas with the remaining 2 cups of cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes. Or until the cheese is completely melted, and the sauce is bubbling.
Step 6
Sprinkle diced scallions on top, if desired, and let the enchiladas cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. There you have it. A delicious family-friendly recipe, ready in under an hour!
Helpful Tips
- Use pre-cooked shredded chicken from a store-bought rotisserie chicken if you are in a rush, or use leftovers from my roasted spatchcock chicken or even turkey! Don't forget to use the bones to make homemade bone broth!
- Any cheese will work for these white chicken enchiladas. Although I would avoid using yellow cheddar, as it will make the final product greasy. If you have to use yellow cheddar, shred it, put it in a zip-top bag, and add a tablespoon of flour. Shake it until the cheese is fully coated in the flour. This will help absorb any extra grease.
How To Store Leftovers
Store leftover enchiladas in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
The basic ingredients inside the enchiladas are shredded chicken, hot sauce, black beans, flour tortillas, and cheese. They are then topped with an easy white sauce and more cheese before baking.
The white sauce for these enchiladas is a simple sauce made from scratch using a roux, chicken broth, spices and greek yogurt.
Yes! They freeze very well. Prepare the enchiladas right up to the step before baking them. Wrap the tray tightly with plastic wrap and store the enchiladas in the freezer for up to two months before baking. Bake from frozen, but be careful if you used a glass casserole dish to freeze the enchiladas in. Sudden temperature differences can cause the glass to shatter. It is best to use a disposable aluminum tray for freezing. Adjust the baking time as necessary, it could take an extra 20-30 minutes to fully cook the enchiladas.
Yes, they do have some spice due to using buffalo sauce in the chicken filling and green chilies in the white sauce. You can skip both the hot sauce and green chilies if you want to make this recipe spice-free!
Yes! This is one of the best "hacks" if you're running short on time to get dinner on the table.
Plain flour tortillas work best for this recipe, and if you're feeling fancy, use my homemade flour tortillas for a delicious treat!
Yes! Substitute it with sour cream, a dairy-free alternative or thick cashew cream!
Inherently, enchiladas are a soft, saucy dish. The tortillas soak up the sauce as they bake, becoming tender and flavorful. When the white enchilada sauce is prepared correctly, it won't cause the tortillas to fall apart. Instead, they stay fully intact with a deliciously soft and comforting texture.
What To Serve With White Chicken Enchiladas
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Easy White Chicken Enchiladas
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Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
White Enchilada Sauce
- 3 tablespoon Butter melted
- 3 tablespoon Flour
- 2 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 cups Chicken Broth
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt
- ¼ cup Diced Green Chilis
Spicy Chicken Enchilada Filling
- 2 Chicken Breasts cooked and shredded
- 14 oz Black Beans drained and rinsed
- 3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese shredded and divided
- ¼ cup Hot Sauce
- 8 Flour Tortillas 10"
- ¼ cup Green Onions diced (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x13 casserole dish
White Enchilada Sauce
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Whisk the flour into the butter mixture to create a thick paste. This creates a "roux" that is used as a base thickener for the sauce. Whisk in the chicken broth until smooth and no clumps remain. Add salt & pepper, to taste and bring to a boil over medium-low heat, continue stirring until thickened and boiling.
- Once the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat. Stir in the greek yogurt and green chilies, and set aside.
Spicy Chicken Enchilada Filling
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, 1 cup of Monterey Jack Cheese, and hot sauce. Stir to combine, and set aside.
Assembling the Enchiladas
- On a large surface, lay out all 8 flour tortillas. Evenly fill the tortillas with the prepared filling mixture. Gently roll the tortillas up and place seam side down into a lightly greased 9"x13" casserole dish.
- Pour the prepared sauce over top of the Enchiladas in the casserole dish. Spread the sauce out with the back of a spoon to make sure the enchiladas are completely covered. Sprinkle the enchiladas with the remaining 2 cups of cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes. Or until cheese is completely melted, and sauce is bubbling.
- Sprinkle diced scallions on top, if desired, and let the enchiladas cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
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Notes
- Shredded Chicken - Use a store-bought rotisserie chicken if you are running short on time. Or use shredded chicken from a whole roasted chicken, leftover turkey meat, or even ground chicken or turkey can be used in the filling.
- Greek Yogurt - Can be substituted for sour cream or thick cashew cream.
- Chicken Stock - You can use vegetable stock or homemade bone broth, too.
- Flour Tortillas - Make your own homemade flour tortillas to make these enchiladas extra special!
- Add More Spice - Make these white chicken enchiladas spicier by adding banana peppers or chopped jalapeños to the chicken mixture or adding sriracha or red chili flakes to the enchilada sauce.
- Spice Free - To make these enchiladas spice-free, do not use the green chilies or hot sauce in the recipe.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator and it will vary based on the ingredients that you use.
Allison says
The best
Jessica says
Thank you!
Allison says
I his is a family favourite now, so glad to have found it on your website.
Thanks
Allison
Allison says
On the menu for tonight again the boys can’t wait till it’s ready.
Thanks for all you do.
Stay healthy
Jessica says
yay!
You're welcome, stay safe!
karen barba says
Can this be made as a freezer meal?
If so, would i freeze just after adding the cheese and before the baking step?
Jessica says
Yes, absolutely it can! That is how I would freeze it, yes. When you're ready to make it, pop it in the oven frozen and adjust the baking time accordingly. 😃
Allison says
This recipe never fails, had it again tonight. Warmed my soul now ready to relax the rest of tonight.
Love what you do.
Jessica says
So happy to hear that it has become a favourite! 💕
Allison says
Hi, by popular demand I’m making this again, however this time it’s part of Christmas dinner instead of turkey.
Happy holidays to you and your family.
Jessica says
I love that!
Jessica says
These white chicken enchiladas hold a special place in my heart. This is the recipe that started it all, the first recipe I ever posted on Whipped It Up. It is literally perfect and still one of our favourites to this day!