Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce

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Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce are soft tortillas stuffed with tender chicken, creamy avocado sauce, vegetable mixture, sprinkled cheese and smothered with a creamy avocado sauce to top it off!

When it is good, it is good! Summer Corn Salad, Black Bean and Corn Salad or Grilled Mexican Street Corn are classic Chicken Enchilada side dishes.

Chicken enchiladas on a plate with lime wedges on the side.

Chicken Enchiladas

This was a huge hit from my family! I dished it up and I impressed each of them, which is sometimes a hard crowd!
My son took a bite of this and said, “Mom, these are the bomb{dot}com!” And, oh my gosh, they are! I can’t even explain to you how amazing this avocado sauce is. This meal took a little bit to put together but it was so worth it!
It makes quite a bit of dressing so I was able to put it over our salad. We couldn’t get enough of it! Trust me, you need to make this! It will be a instant family favorite!

How do you make Chicken Enchiladas?

  • First make the avocado cream sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the flour, whisking until golden and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk the broth into the flour mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the sour cream, cumin, salt, garlic powder and pepper, whisking if necessary to remove any lumps. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Add avocados, cilantro and lime juice, and pulse until smooth and well-blended. (Be very careful blending hot liquids — the heat will expand! So be sure to remove the lid occasionally so that the heat can escape.) Season with additional salt or pepper if needed.
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, poblano and jalapeno, and saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions are cooked and translucent. Remove from heat.
  • To assemble the enchiladas, place a tortilla on a flat surface. Spread a tablespoon or two of the avocado sauce down the middle of the tortilla. Then layer on some of the vegetable mixture, shredded chicken and cheese. Carefully roll the tortilla and place it seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Drizzle the top with about half of the remaining avocado cream sauce, then cover the dish with foil and bake for about 20 minutes, or until tortillas are heated through and begin to harden. (I baked mine at 350 for about 20 minutes)
  • Remove from the oven, then serve individual enchiladas drizzled with the remainder of the avocado cream sauce. You can also garnish with additional cilantro, cheese, and/or sour cream.
Avocado cream sauce being blended together.

How do you cook chicken for Enchiladas?

Shredded chicken makes the best chicken enchiladas, so start with chicken breasts or thighs (boneless or bone-in will work).

There are several ways you can go, depending on what you have on hand. Here’s how to prepare your shredded chicken in the oven:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease with olive oil.
  2. Place bone-in chicken breasts, thighs or both in the pan. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  3. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45-55 minutes (depending on the size of the chicken) or until it reaches 165°F.
  4. Remove from the oven and shred using two forks.

Can you use other meats in these Enchiladas?

Yes! You are welcome to try it with beef, shredded beef, pork or steak. Let me know which way you prefer!

How do you make Enchiladas crispy?

The first step is to get the tortillas ready for filling.
  1. Warm the oil over very low heat in a heat-proof shallow dish or skillet. …
  2. Keep another heat-proof dish or skillet over low heat to keep the tortillas warm.
  3. Dip each tortilla in the warm oil for 5 to 8 seconds until the tortilla is warmed through and pliable.

How do you soften tortillas for Enchiladas?

Microwave in 30-second bursts until they are warmed through. Repeat in batches of five tortillas until all your tortillas are warm. 2. In the Oven – Wrap a stack of five or fewer tortillas in a packet of aluminum foil and put it in a pre-heated 350° oven for 15-20 minutes, until heated through.

What type of tortillas are best?

Corn tortillas are traditional for enchiladas, but I like to use flour tortillas. Choose 7- or 8-inch flour tortillas or 6-inch corn tortillas—they fit best in most pans. Recipes vary, but for a 3-quart rectangular casserole dish, you will need about eight flour or corn tortillas.

How do you keep your Enchiladas from getting soggy?

The most important tip for avoiding soggy enchiladas is to briefly fry your tortillas in hot oil before you fill and roll. This creates a little bit of a barrier so that the tortillas don’t soak up too much of the sauce and therefore start to break down.

One photo making the vegetable mixture too put in the soft tortillas the other photo putting the chicken and vegetable mixture in the middle of the tortilla.

Can you freeze Enchiladas?

Yes! Cover enchiladas tightly with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Freezeup to 3 months. To bake, remove plastic wrap, cover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

How long do Chicken Enchiladas last?

You will want to store them in an airtight container for up to five days in the refrigerator.

Looking for more Enchilada recipes?! Here are some!

Chicken enchiladas rolled together in a pan with jalapeños over top and lime slices for garnish.

Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce

5 from 8 votes
Delicious chicken enchiladas with an amazing avocado cream sauce!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Author Alyssa Rivers
Servings: 6

Ingredients
  

Enchilada Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 medium white or yellow onion peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 poblano peppers stemmed and thinly sliced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper finely diced
  • 8-10 flour tortillas
  • 4 cups shredded cooked chicken rotisserie works best
  • 2-3 cups Monterrey Jack cheese
  • optional garnish: fresh cilantro sour cream, and/or shredded cheese

Avocado Cream Sauce Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 tsp. cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp. pepper
  • 2 California avocados peeled and pitted
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • juice of one lime

Instructions
 

  • First make the avocado cream sauce: Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the flour, whisking until golden and bubbly, about 2-3 minutes. Slowly whisk the broth into the flour mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the sour cream, cumin, salt, garlic powder and pepper, whisking if necessary to remove any lumps. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a blender or food processor. Add avocados, cilantro and lime juice, and pulse until smooth and well-blended. (Be very careful blending hot liquids — the heat will expand! So be sure to remove the lid occasionally so that the heat can escape.) Season with additional salt or pepper if needed.
  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, poblano and jalapeno, and saute for 5-6 minutes until the onions are cooked and translucent. Remove from heat.
  • To assemble the enchiladas, place a tortilla on a flat surface. Spread a tablespoon or two of the avocado sauce down the middle of the tortilla. Then layer on some of the vegetable mixture, shredded chicken and cheese. Carefully roll the tortilla and place it seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Drizzle the top with about half of the remaining avocado cream sauce, then cover the dish with foil and bake for about 20 minutes, or until tortillas are heated through and begin to harden. (I baked mine at 350 for about 20 minutes)
  • Remove from the oven, then serve individual enchiladas drizzled with the remainder of the avocado cream sauce. You can also garnish with additional cilantro, cheese, and/or sour cream.


Nutrition

Serves: 6

Serving6gCalories445kcal (22%)Carbohydrates28g (9%)Protein29g (58%)Fat24g (37%)Saturated Fat9g (45%)Cholesterol96mg (32%)Sodium851mg (35%)Potassium455mg (13%)Fiber2g (8%)Sugar4g (4%)Vitamin A510IU (10%)Vitamin C40.4mg (49%)Calcium98mg (10%)Iron3.3mg (18%)

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword chicken, chicken enchiladas, enchiladas
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic

Alyssa Rivers

I am Alyssa and the blogger behind The Recipe Critic. I started my blog in June of 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family.

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  1. 5 stars
    I made the avocado cream sauce, had too many avocados after buying them on sale and we couldn’t use them all in time. It’s a dream, worked wonderfully in the enchiladas and I plan to make it again to have in the fridge for dipping. Thank you!

  2. 5 stars
    Just made this. It is wonderful! The cream sauce is delicious. I’m not sure what I’ll put it on next but I’ll be experimenting. Thank you for such a delicious entree.

  3. 5 stars
    Every recipe I’ve tried on this website has been fantastic. After I made this I felt compelled to express my thanks for this site and the recipes. Simply amazing is all I can say. I love the flavors in these enchiladas with the avocado cream sauce. Your recipes are very easy to follow and for the most made with ingredients you keep on hand. THANKS. PS if your reading this stop and go to the Best Homemade Alfredo Sauce Ever recipe. This will blow your mind how delicious this is.

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