The easy dinner recipe produces wonderfully creamy enchiladas, thanks thanks to cream cheese and sour cream, but there's plenty of heat and spice, too, thanks to chile peppers and cumin. An unexpected ingredient, slivered almonds, adds crunch to the filling and topping. Serve this creamy chicken enchilada recipe with Mexican red rice, refried beans, and chips for scooping up any extra sauce. Serve the finished enchiladas with salsa verde to bring out the the flavor of green chile in the filling.
A few simple shortcuts make this easy chicken enchilada recipe weeknight-friendly. Use leftover shredded rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked cubed chicken breast in the filling. You can even use canned chicken if you have it on hand. Using cream of chicken soup in the sauce adds creaminess and flavorful without much effort.
This chicken enchilada recipe calls for a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. It's important to use the recommended-size baking dish to prevent bubbling over. Check a dish's capacity by filling it with water, a quart at a time. Right-size dish not available? Opt for a dish with larger volume.
Ingredients
-
¼ cup slivered almonds
-
¼ cup chopped onion
-
2 tablespoon butter or margarine
-
1 4 ounce can diced green chile peppers, drained
-
1 3 ounce package cream cheese, softened
-
1 tablespoon milk
-
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
-
2 cup chopped cooked chicken or turkey
-
12 7 inch flour tortillas or 6-inch corn tortillas
-
1 10.75 ounce can reduced-fat condensed cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
-
1 8 ounce carton light dairy sour cream
-
1 cup milk
-
¾ cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (3 ounces)
-
2 tablespoon slivered almonds
-
Sliced green onions and chopped cilantro, if desired
Directions
-
In a medium skillet cook the 1/4 cup almonds and the onion in hot butter over medium heat until the onion is tender and the nuts are lightly toasted. Remove from heat.
Test Kitchen Tip: Do not let the almonds burn. This will cause a bitter flavor in the finished enchiladas.
-
Stir in 1 tablespoon of the canned green chile peppers; reserve the remaining canned peppers for sauce.
-
In a medium bowl stir together the cream cheese, the 1 tablespoon milk, and the cumin; add the nut mixture and chicken. Stir until well combined to make the filling.
-
Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla near an edge; roll up. Place the filled tortillas, seam side down, in a greased 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Set aside.
Test Kitchen Tip: To get the most evenly filled enchiladas, place the filling near one side of each tortilla. Starting from the filled side, roll up each tortilla and place it in the baking dish, seam side down.
-
For the sauce, in a medium bowl combine the reserved chile peppers, the soup, sour cream, and the 1 cup of milk. Stir until well mixed.
-
Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the tortillas in the baking dish. Cover with foil. Bake the chicken enchiladas uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for about 35 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.
-
Remove the foil. Sprinkle the enchiladas with shredded cheese and the 2 tablespoons almonds. Return to oven; bake for about 5 minutes more or until the cheese melts. Top with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro, if desired. Makes 6 servings.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 538 | Calories |
| 30g | Fat |
| 38g | Carbs |
| 29g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 6 | |
| Calories 538 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 30g | 38% |
| Saturated Fat 13g | 65% |
| Cholesterol 100mg | 33% |
| Sodium 635mg | 28% |
| Total Carbohydrate 38g | 14% |
| Total Sugars 6g | |
| Protein 29g | 58% |
| Vitamin C 7.1mg | 8% |
| Calcium 343.3mg | 26% |
| Iron 3.1mg | 17% |
| Potassium 424mg | 9% |
| Folate, total 32.3mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 0.7mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 0.3mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
