Easy Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas: Delicious Weeknight Tex-Mex Family Favorite

Struggling to find a weeknight dinner that’s both incredibly delicious and genuinely easy? You’re looking for that perfect comfort food dish the whole family gets excited about, a meal that delivers creamy, cheesy satisfaction without a complicated, time-consuming process. It’s the search for the ultimate Easy Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas.

To make easy chicken sour cream enchiladas, you will create a simple homemade sour cream sauce, combine it with tender shredded chicken and cheese, roll the mixture into flour tortillas, and bake everything in a casserole dish until golden and bubbly. This process is perfect for a weeknight dinner and creates a creamy, savory meal the whole family will love.

Drawing from a kitchen-tested and perfected recipe, this guide guarantees success every time. We’ll walk you through creating a rich, homemade sauce (with no canned soup!) and share pro tips to avoid common pitfalls. Get ready to master a dish that’s better than any restaurant version.

How Do You Make Easy Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas Your Family Will Actually Eat?

The secret to a truly family-friendly meal is balancing incredible flavor with simple, reliable steps. This creamy chicken enchiladas recipe is designed to be that go-to dish in your rotation. It transforms simple ingredients like shredded chicken and sour cream into a rich, savory chicken enchilada casserole that even picky eaters will devour. Forget recipes with bland results or complicated techniques; this is your blueprint for a delicious, comfort food classic. We’ll show you how to build layers of flavor, starting with a velvety homemade sauce, and ensure your final dish is bubbly and delicious, never soggy. This isn’t just a recipe; it’s the answer to the constant “what’s for dinner?” question.

The 7 Essential Steps for Perfect Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas

Mastering homemade chicken sour cream enchiladas is about following a few key stages that build on each other to create a flawless final dish. We’ve broken down the entire process into seven clear, manageable steps. From creating a homemade sauce from scratch to the final bake, this guide ensures you get it right every time. This structured approach demystifies the process, proving that a restaurant-quality Mexican casserole is easily achievable at home on any weeknight dinner schedule.

1. Whisk Together the Creamy Sour Cream Sauce (No Canned Soup!)

Pin this easy sauce recipe to your ‘Weeknight Dinners’ board!

The foundation of incredible white chicken enchiladas is the sour cream sauce, and making it from scratch is surprisingly simple. This method uses a classic butter and flour roux to build a rich, stable base, guaranteeing a silky-smooth texture that you can’t get from a can of cream of chicken soup. This is a foundational technique that elevates the entire dish.

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp Butter
• 4 tbsp All-Purpose Flour
• 2 cups Chicken Broth, warm
• 1 cup Sour Cream, full-fat recommended for creaminess
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. This is your butter and flour roux.
3. Slowly pour in the warm chicken broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps.
4. Simmer the sauce for 3-5 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
5. Remove from heat and let it cool for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the sour cream, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper until smooth.

Pro-Tip: To avoid curdled sauce, always remove the pan from the heat and let it cool slightly before whisking in the sour cream. High heat can cause the dairy to separate. This is a key step for emulsifying dairy correctly.

2. Shred the Tender and Flavorful Chicken

Save this time-saving kitchen hack for later!

For the filling, you need tender, flavorful shredded chicken. The beauty of this recipe is its flexibility. You can poach your own chicken breast or, for a fantastic shortcut that makes this a true weeknight dinner, use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. The goal is moist, perfectly seasoned chicken that will meld with the creamy sauce.

What You Need

• 3 cups Shredded Chicken (from about 1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breast or one whole rotisserie chicken)
• 1 cup of the prepared Sour Cream Sauce
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 4 oz can of diced Green Chiles, drained

Steps

1. Shred the cooked chicken using two forks.
2. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, 1 cup of the sour cream sauce, 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese, and the drained green chiles.
3. Stir until everything is evenly mixed. This is your enchilada filling.

Pro-Tip: For the fastest way to shred chicken quickly, place warm, cooked chicken breasts in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 15-20 seconds for perfectly shredded chicken with zero effort.

3. Warm the Tortillas to Prevent Cracking

Never have a cracked enchilada again! Pin this essential tip.

This quick step is the most critical for easy assembly. Softening tortillas before you roll them makes them pliable and prevents them from breaking and spilling their delicious filling. For this creamy enchilada recipe, soft flour tortillas work beautifully and this simple microwave trick is the fastest method.

Supplies Needed

• 8-10 “Soft Taco” size Flour Tortillas (or Corn Tortillas if preferred)
• 2 damp paper towels

Steps

1. Stack the flour tortillas on a microwave-safe plate.
2. Cover the stack with a damp paper towel on the bottom and another on top.
3. Microwave on high for 45-60 seconds, until the tortillas are warm and pliable. Keep them covered while you work.

Pro-Tip: Do not skip this step! Cold tortillas are brittle and will crack and fall apart when you try to roll them. A quick warming makes them flexible and easy to work with. For corn tortillas, a very light flash-fry in a bit of oil is the best method to make them pliable and helps prevent soggy tortillas.

4. Assemble the Chicken Enchiladas

Pin this guide for your next Tex-Mex night!

Now for the fun part: bringing it all together. The key here is to create an assembly line to make the process quick and efficient. Having your warm tortillas, filling, and prepared baking dish ready to go is the key to a smooth quick assembly.

Tools Required

• A 9×13 inch Casserole Dish or baking dish
• Spatula or large spoon

Process

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Spread a thin layer (about 1/2 cup) of the sour cream sauce on the bottom of your 9×13 inch baking dish. This prevents sticking.
3. Take one warm tortilla and fill it with about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture.
4. Roll the tortilla up snugly and place it seam-side down in the baking dish.
5. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, arranging them tightly in the dish.

Pro-Tip: Don’t overfill the tortillas. This makes them difficult to roll and can cause them to burst open while baking. A 1/3 cup scoop or a large spoon is the perfect tool for portioning the filling evenly.

5. Pour the Sauce and Sprinkle with Cheese

The best part! Pin this cheesy goodness.

This is the final step before the oven works its magic. Ensuring the enchiladas are completely smothered in sauce is key to a creamy, non-dry result. Topping it with a generous layer of melted cheese creates that irresistible golden-brown crust.

What You Need

• Remaining Sour Cream Sauce
• 1.5 cups shredded cheese blend (e.g., Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese)

Steps

1. Pour the rest of the sour cream sauce evenly over the top of the rolled tortillas in the baking dish. Use a spatula to make sure all the edges are covered.
2. Sprinkle the shredded cheese blend evenly over the sauce.

Pro-Tip: For the best melty cheese topping, grate your own cheese from a block. Pre-shredded cheeses are often coated in starches that can prevent them from melting as smoothly. A blend of sharp Cheddar cheese for flavor and Monterey Jack cheese for superior meltability gives professional results.

6. Bake Until Bubbly and Golden

Dinner is served! Pin the perfect finished dish.

The final transformation happens in the oven. This oven-baked method is simple and hands-off. You’re looking for visual cues—hot, bubbling sauce and beautifully browned cheese—to know when this Mexican Casserole is ready to come out.

Oven Settings

• Temperature: 350°F (175°C)
• Baking Time: 20-25 minutes

Instructions

1. Place the uncovered casserole dish in the preheated oven.
2. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
3. The enchiladas are done when the sauce is hot and bubbly and the melted cheese is golden brown in spots.

Pro-Tip: You do not need to cover the enchiladas with aluminum foil when baking. Leaving them uncovered helps the cheese get those delicious, slightly crispy golden-brown spots. If you notice the top browning too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking time.

7. Let it Rest and Garnish Before Serving

The perfect plate! Pin this for serving inspiration.

This final step is tempting to skip, but it is essential for serving perfect enchiladas. Letting the casserole cool for a few minutes allows the sauce to set up, ensuring you can serve clean, beautiful portions. Then, it’s time to garnish and serve with all your favorite sides.

Garnishes & Sides

• Fresh chopped Cilantro
• Sliced Jalapenos (optional)
• A dollop of sour cream or guacamole
• Serving suggestions: Mexican Rice, Refried Beans

Steps

1. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven.
2. Let the enchiladas cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. This is crucial for letting them set, so they don’t fall apart when you serve them.
3. Garnish with fresh cilantro and sliced jalapenos, if desired.
4. Serve warm with your favorite sides.

Pro-Tip: Resting is not optional! Straight out of the oven, the sauce is very thin. Letting it stand for 10 minutes allows the sauce to thicken slightly and the cheese to set, ensuring you can serve clean, intact portions instead of a soupy mess.

Key Takeaways: Your Quick Guide to Perfect Enchiladas

Here are the most important tips to remember for delicious, foolproof chicken sour cream enchiladas every single time.

• Make the Sauce from Scratch: A simple butter and flour roux creates a much creamier and more flavorful sour cream sauce than any canned soup can provide.
• Heat is the Enemy of Sour Cream: To avoid curdled sauce, always remove your sauce from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before whisking in the sour cream.
• Warm Your Tortillas: Microwaving flour tortillas under a damp paper towel makes them pliable and is the single best way to prevent them from cracking when you roll them.
• Grate Your Own Cheese: For the ultimate cheesy, gooey topping, grate your own Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese. It melts far better than pre-shredded varieties.
• Don’t Skip the Rest: Letting the chicken enchilada casserole rest for 10 minutes after baking is essential. It allows the sauce to set, ensuring clean slices that aren’t soupy.

FAQs About Easy Chicken Sour Cream Enchiladas

How do you keep enchiladas from getting soggy?

The best way to prevent soggy enchiladas is to lightly fry corn tortillas in oil before filling. For flour tortillas, which are less prone to sogginess, ensure your sauce isn’t too thin and don’t let the assembled enchiladas sit for too long before baking. Spreading a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan also creates a protective barrier.

Can I use flour tortillas for enchiladas?

Yes, you can absolutely use flour tortillas, and this recipe is designed for them. Flour tortillas are softer and result in a chewier, more tender enchilada, which many people prefer for creamy sauces. Just be sure to warm them before rolling to prevent cracking. The choice between corn vs flour tortillas is a matter of personal preference.

Can you freeze chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce?

It is generally not recommended to freeze enchiladas with a sour cream-based sauce. Dairy-heavy sauces like this one tend to separate and become grainy when thawed and reheated. For a make-ahead freezer meal, it’s better to use a red enchilada sauce or a sauce made without sour cream.

How do you thicken sour cream sauce?

The best way to thicken a sour cream sauce is by starting with a proper roux (butter and flour). If your finished sauce is still too thin, you can create a small slurry by mixing one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water, then slowly whisking it into the simmering sauce until it reaches your desired viscosity.

What is the best cheese for white enchiladas?

A blend of Monterey Jack and a sharp white cheddar is the best cheese for white enchiladas. Monterey Jack is prized for its excellent meltability and creamy texture, creating that perfect “cheese pull.” The sharp cheddar adds a necessary layer of tangy, savory flavor to complement the rich sour cream sauce.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?

Yes, you can substitute full-fat Greek yogurt for sour cream in a 1:1 ratio. It will provide a similar tanginess and creamy texture. Be aware that Greek yogurt has a stronger tang and is even more prone to curdling with high heat, so be extra careful to cool the sauce before mixing it in.

How do you reheat chicken enchiladas?

The best way to reheat chicken enchiladas is in the oven. Place them in an oven-safe dish, cover with foil to prevent drying out, and bake at 325°F for 15-20 minutes, or until heated through. Reheating in the microwave can work but may result in a softer, less ideal texture.

Should I cover enchiladas with foil when baking?

No, you should bake these sour cream chicken enchiladas uncovered. Leaving them uncovered allows the cheese on top to get beautifully golden brown and slightly crisp in spots. If you notice the cheese browning too quickly, you can then tent the dish loosely with foil for the remainder of the bake time.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

You can assemble the enchiladas up to 24 hours in advance, but store the sauce separately. Assemble the filled and rolled tortillas in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate. Keep the sauce in a separate airtight container in the fridge. When ready to bake, pour the sauce over, top with cheese, and add 10 minutes to the baking time.

What goes with sour cream chicken enchiladas?

Sour cream chicken enchiladas pair perfectly with classic Tex-Mex side dishes. Excellent choices include Mexican rice, refried beans or black beans, and a simple corn salad. For a fresh contrast, serve them with sides of guacamole, pico de gallo, and extra sour cream.

Final Thoughts on Your New Favorite Weeknight Dinner

You now have everything you need to create the most delicious and easy chicken sour cream enchiladas. By making the simple homemade sauce and following the key tips—like warming your tortillas and letting the finished casserole rest—you’re set up for professional results in your own kitchen. This recipe proves that you don’t need complicated steps or processed ingredients to put an incredible, family-favorite meal on the table. It’s the perfect solution for a busy weeknight that still feels special. What will you serve with your perfect enchiladas?

Last update on 2026-02-26 at 17:43 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API