Delicious White Chicken Enchiladas

When I got bored with standard red enchiladas but still craved something creamy and filling, these white chicken enchiladas saved the day. Building a creamy, gooey white sauce from scratch and wrapping up juicy chicken and Monterey Jack cheese in flour tortillas just hits different—it's pure comfort food that actually fills everyone up. I came up with this trick after staring at leftover rotisserie chicken, not wanting to just microwave it yet again.

My kids, who usually sniff out and avoid any veggie pieces, actually scraped their plates for these. The smooth white sauce just makes everything taste mellow and cheesy—they're obsessed with all that cheese in every forkful. They do ask for “the white ones” way more now.

Tasty Ingredients

• Rotisserie chicken, shredded: Already loaded with flavor, just mix it in
• White sauce from scratch: Skip canned—homemade lets you pick how thick you want it
• Monterey Jack: Melts super well and has a great subtle taste
• Green chiles: Bring in a little zing, not much heat
• Flour tortillas: Won’t fall apart when you fill and roll them

Save

Simple How-To Steps

Final assembly and baking

Spoon the white sauce all over your rolled enchiladas, sprinkle lots of Mexican cheese on top, and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Pull them out when the cheese is bubbly and starts turning golden.

Creating the white sauce

In a saucepan, melt some butter over medium, whisk in flour till it looks like paste, then slowly pour in chicken broth while you whisk and it’ll turn super creamy in about 5 minutes. Finish by mixing in sour cream, more Monterey Jack, green chiles, salt, and pepper.

Assembling the enchiladas

Lay out 8 tortillas, scoop the chicken mix in, add cheese, roll up tight, and line them in your sprayed 9x13 dish, seam down so they stay together.

Making the chicken filling

Chop onion and cook it with olive oil till soft—about 5-7 minutes—then stir in garlic for a boost. Take off the heat and add in the chicken, salt, and pepper.

Prepping everything

Get your oven hot (425°F) and grease up that baking dish. Mix up chicken broth quickly by microwaving water and bouillon; don’t bother opening a whole carton.

Nailing the roux is a must if you want a non-lumpy sauce. Messed this up once by pouring all the liquid in at once and learned my lesson—slow whisking is how you get it right every time now.

Awesome Ways to Serve It

This dish is totally nice on its own, but toss some Spanish rice or scoop up refried beans as a side to make it even better. A crisp salad with lime dressing goes great to freshen things up. Want a drink? Ice-cold beer or sweet horchata really works with the creamy vibe.

Easy Ways to Mix It Up

Switch out the chicken for cooked turkey or shrimp if you want. I sometimes throw in diced bell peppers for some veg, or play around with the cheese. Chopping up a little cilantro to stir into the filling brightens things up too.

Prep-It-Now, Bake-Later

You can put these together a day ahead and stash the pan in your fridge. If you're starting from cold, just give them an extra 10 minutes in the oven. Want to freeze ‘em? Wrap them up before baking, thaw overnight when you need them, then bake as usual.

Save

This white chicken dish is the kind of comfort food that makes any night feel special. You get soft chicken, creamy sauce, and melty cheese all in one warm bite. It proves the best meals can come from giving old-school favorites a spin that takes them to a whole new level.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I prepare white chicken enchiladas in advance?

Sure thing! Put them together fully, then stick them in the fridge for up to a day. You might just need 5-10 extra minutes when baking.

→ How are white enchiladas different from red ones?

White ones use a thick, creamy sauce loaded with cheese and sour cream. Red ones are made with a tomato or red chili-based sauce.

→ Is it okay to swap flour tortillas for corn?

Yep! Just warm them first—either in a microwave for 20-30 seconds or in a dry pan. This keeps them soft and easy to roll.

→ How can I avoid lumpy sauce?

While you're adding broth to the flour mix, whisk it nonstop and pour gradually. Also, take the pan off the heat before mixing in sour cream so it doesn’t curdle.

→ Can these enchiladas be frozen?

Of course! Freeze the rolled but unbaked dish for as long as three months. When ready, thaw overnight and bake, adding a little more baking time.