These super simple and, of course, delicious loaded chicken enchiladas are an easy weeknight dinner meal and a great way to use leftover chicken.
Loaded Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients
These enchiladas are chock full of white chicken, brown rice, fresh corn, beans, and then topped with a red enchilada sauce, avocado salsa and pico de gallo! The beauty of this recipe though is that you can customize any way you like.
- Chicken breasts – If you prefer dark meat or have leftover chicken or even turkey, use that.
- Tortillas – Corn tortillas are traditional and tend to hold their structure better and not get soggy. I use both as sometimes I would rather have flour tortillas or that is what the family prefers.
- Rice – I use white rice but any type of rice will work including cilantro rice, Mexican rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, etc.
- Pinto beans – I like to use black or pinto beans depending on the mood.
- Enchilada sauce – I have made these with both a red and green sauce. Honestly, I can’t decide which I like more.
- Cotija cheese – The versatility continues, use Mexican blend cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey Jack or whatever you have on hand.
- Avocado salsa – Use any salsa that you prefer.
- Pico de gallo – Diced or fire roasted tomatoes would be a workable substitute.
How to Make Loaded Chicken Enchiladas
These come together pretty fast. Simply cook the rice, bake the chicken in the oven. And throw the rest of the ingredients together in a dish (well, i guess into each tortilla, but same thing) and bake until warm and gooey!
Fillings & Toppings for Enchiladas
There are variety of fillings and toppings to choose but the real key is to use ingredients that complement each other. Here are some additional filling and topping ideas:
- Top with fresh parsley, cilantro, or green onions.
- Add a dollop of sour cream or crema.
- Kick up the heat with jalapeños, peppers or hot sauce.
- Add avocado slices or guacamole on top.
- Stuff with shredded lettuce, slaw, green chiles, bell peppers, diced tomatoes, onions or even pineapple.
- Squeeze fresh lime juice for a refreshing acidity.
- Top with sliced radishes or olives.
- Mix up the meat with beef, pork or seafood such as shrimp or crab.
- Add a bit of queso inside or on top.
- Experiment with adding corn or potatoes.
- Make breakfast enchiladas with bacon and egg.
Oh! And I almost forgot what makes these enchiladas extra special. Instead of buying a package of tortillas at the grocery store, I like to drop by my local Mexican restaurant, Cafe Rio, and pick up a bunch of freshly made tortillas! A local supermercado that makes fresh tortillas is another great option. Fresh tortillas make a HUGE difference and, if you’re like me and can’t figure out how to properly make a tortilla to save your life, it’s a game changer!!
Easy Loaded Chicken Enchiladas
These super simple and, of course, delicious loaded chicken enchiladas are an easy weeknight dinner meal and a great way to use leftover chicken.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 4-6 fresh tortillas, corn or flour
- 2 cups rice, cooked
- 15.5 oz pinto beans (1 can), drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce (Trader Joe's has a great one!)
- 1/4 cup cotija cheese
- Avocado salsa or guacamole (I found mine at Trader Joe's)
- Pico de gallo (I found mine at Trader Joe's)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Cook the rice according to package instructions.
- Place the chicken breasts in a large oven-proof pan and add about 1/2 cup of water. Cover with a lid (or tin foil) and place in the oven to bake for about 20 minutes or until the breasts are fully cooked.
- Remove from the oven, drain and place the chicken on a cutting board to rest/cool (about 5 minutes)
- Shred the chicken using two forks.
- To your tortillas, add rice, beans and shredded chicken.
- Fold each one like a burrito and place into a medium-sized baking dish.
- Pour about half of the Enchilada sauce onto the bottom of the pan then douse the tops of the enchiladas with the rest.
- Sprinkle with some cotija cheese and place in the oven at 375°F for about 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.
- Remove and top with the avocado salsa, pico de gallo and more cheese, if desired.
Notes
Leftover chicken such as rotisserie chicken works great with this recipe and saves meal prep time.
To prevent your tortillas from getting too soggy consider frying them for about 10 seconds in any oil prior to assembling. This will make them slightly crispy and prevent them from absorbing too much sauce.
Try these Mexican dishes next or serve them all at your next fiesta!
