Leftover Chicken Enchiladas

Leftover chicken enchiladas are useful when you want cooked chicken to feel like a completely different dinner. The sauce, tortillas, and melted cheese change both the texture and flavor, while the chicken only needs to be heated through rather than cooked from raw.

Shred the chicken small enough to roll easily

Large chunks make enchiladas harder to fill and can split the tortillas. Shredded rotisserie chicken, roasted chicken, or cooked chicken breast all work. Remove bones and skin first, then break the meat into small pieces so the filling spreads evenly from end to end.

Warm the tortillas before rolling

Cold tortillas are more likely to crack, especially corn tortillas. A few seconds in a warm pan or microwave makes them more flexible. Keep them covered with a clean towel while you work so they stay soft enough to roll.

Leftover Chicken Enchiladas

Easy baked enchiladas filled with leftover cooked chicken, onion, sauce, and melted cheese.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken about 280 g
• 8 medium tortillas flour or corn
• 2 cups mild enchilada sauce about 480 ml
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a mix
• 1/2 small onion finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil

Method

 

1. Heat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Lightly oil a medium baking dish, then spread about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce over the bottom.
2. Mix the chicken, onion, cumin, and about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce in a bowl.
3. Warm the tortillas briefly so they bend easily. Divide the chicken filling between them, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the baking dish.
4. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.
5. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling, the cheese is melted, and the filling is hot throughout.

Use sauce in two places

A little sauce under the enchiladas helps keep the bottoms from drying out, while the rest goes over the top. The goal is to coat the tortillas rather than flood the baking dish. Too much sauce can make the rolls soft and difficult to serve neatly.

Do not overfill the tortillas

More filling is not always better. Overfilled enchiladas can split, unroll, or heat unevenly. A modest line of chicken and cheese down the center is easier to roll tightly and gives each portion a better balance of tortilla, filling, and sauce.

How to tell when the bake is ready

The sauce should be bubbling around the edges, the cheese should be fully melted, and the center should be hot throughout. If the cheese colors too quickly before the dish is hot, cover loosely for part of the baking time and uncover near the end.

Ways to change the filling

Black beans, cooked corn, sautéed peppers, or a small amount of chili can add texture without changing the basic method. Keep very wet add-ins to a minimum so the tortillas do not become soggy.

Reheating leftovers

Individual portions reheat well in the oven or air fryer when you want the edges to stay firmer. The microwave is faster but softens the tortillas more. In every case, reheat until the center is hot throughout.

More ideas for cooked chicken

Try our leftover chicken quesadillas, leftover chicken fried rice, or leftover rotisserie chicken pasta. For more ideas, see our 7 leftover rotisserie chicken recipes roundup.