Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas (My Comfort Food Go-To)
Creamy white chicken enchiladas are the dish I make when I need something that feels like a warm hug in casserole form. I think I first had these at a potluck like five years ago—or maybe it was at my friend Jennifer’s house? Honestly can’t remember—but what I DO remember is thinking “I need to figure out how to make these immediately.”
And then I proceeded to mess them up three times before getting it right.
The first batch was basically soup. Like, I poured so much sauce that the enchiladas were literally swimming in it and the tortillas completely disintegrated. My husband took one look and said “are we… eating this with a spoon?” Not my finest moment. The second batch was the opposite problem—way too dry because I got scared of the sauce situation. Version three? Finally nailed it.
Now I make these homemade creamy white enchiladas at least once a month and my family has stopped asking “what’s for dinner?” when they see me pulling out tortillas and chicken. They already know, and they’re already excited.
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Why This Best White Chicken Enchiladas Recipe Works
Look, I’m gonna be honest. The secret to amazing white chicken enchiladas with sour cream is that creamy sauce. It’s not the regular red enchilada sauce—this is a white sauce made with butter, flour, chicken broth, and sour cream that’s just… incredible. It’s rich and tangy and coats everything perfectly.
Now, here’s the thing about easy creamy chicken enchiladas. Some recipes make you cook chicken from scratch, make your own tortillas, and basically spend three hours in the kitchen. Not this one. I use rotisserie chicken from Costco (or Walmart, or wherever), store-bought flour tortillas, and pre-shredded cheese (yeah, I know I said don’t use pre-shredded in other recipes, but for this? It’s fine. We’re baking it covered so it melts perfectly anyway).
My neighbor Kate tried making these with corn tortillas because she thought they’d be “more authentic” and they just fell apart. Flour tortillas are the way to go here. Trust me on this one.
Ingredients for White Chicken Enchiladas with Cream Cheese
Alright, here’s what you need for these white chicken enchiladas with Monterey jack cheese. The ingredient list looks long but most of it is pantry staples:
For the Filling:
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken is your friend here)
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or pepper jack if you like it spicy)
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the White Sauce Chicken Enchiladas:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth (I use the low-sodium kind)
- 1 cup sour cream (full fat—don’t even try light sour cream, it gets weird when you heat it)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 can (4 oz) diced green chiles
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Everything Else:
- 10-12 flour tortillas (the burrito-sized ones)
- 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (for topping)
- Optional: fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, sour cream for serving
Quick shopping note—when I say softened cream cheese, I mean SOFT. Not cold and hard from the fridge. Leave it out for like an hour or microwave it for 15 seconds. Otherwise you’ll be standing there whisking forever trying to get the lumps out. Been there, done that, have the arm cramps to prove it.
Also, about those green chiles—I use the canned Hatch green chiles because they’re easy and consistent. Fresh ones are great if you have them, but canned is totally fine and honestly what most people use.
How to Make Creamy White Chicken Enchiladas
Okay, let’s do this. I promise it’s easier than it looks.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Like, really coat it. These can stick if you’re not generous with the spray.
Step 2: Make your filling first. In a medium bowl, mix the shredded chicken with 1 cup of the cheese, half the can of green chiles, the green onions, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set this aside.
Step 3: Now for the magic—the creamy sauce. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Don’t let it brown! Just melt it. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk constantly for about 1 minute. It’ll make this paste-like thing called a roux. This is what thickens your sauce.
Step 4: Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking the whole time. The key is—oh wait, I forgot to mention—do this SLOWLY or you’ll get lumps and have to start over. Ask me how I know. Once all the broth is in, keep whisking and cook for about 2-3 minutes until it starts to thicken.
Step 5: Remove from heat and add the sour cream, softened cream cheese, the other can of green chiles, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk until everything’s smooth. The cream cheese might be stubborn at first but keep whisking and it’ll melt in. If you’re having trouble, put it back on low heat for a minute while whisking.
Step 6: Assembly time! Take a tortilla and spoon about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture down the center. Don’t overfill or they won’t roll properly. (I learned this when I tried to stuff too much in and they exploded everywhere. My dog was thrilled. I was not.)
Step 7: Roll up the tortilla and place it seam-side down in your prepared baking dish. Repeat with all the tortillas, packing them in snugly next to each other.
Step 8: Pour that beautiful creamy sauce all over the rolled enchiladas. Use a spoon to make sure you get it into all the gaps. Then sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese on top.
Step 9: Cover with foil (spray the underside with cooking spray so the cheese doesn’t stick) and bake for 25 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes until everything’s bubbly and the cheese is golden.
Step 10: Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving. I know the waiting is torture but if you don’t wait, the whole thing will slide apart into a messy (albeit delicious) pile.
Tips for Quick White Chicken Enchiladas
After making these white chicken enchiladas casserole way too many times to count, here’s what I’ve learned:
The sauce will seem thin at first but it thickens as it bakes, so don’t panic. I made extra-thick sauce once because I was worried and it turned out like glue. Not good.
This white chicken enchiladas with rotisserie chicken recipe is PERFECT for meal prep. You can assemble the whole thing, cover it tightly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Just add an extra 10 minutes to the covered baking time if you’re putting it in straight from the fridge.
Want to make it spicier? Use pepper jack cheese instead of Monterey Jack, or add some diced jalapeños to the filling. My brother does this and swears it’s better. I’m team mild though because I have wimpy taste buds.
For a green chile white chicken enchiladas vibe, you can substitute some of the chicken broth with salsa verde. I’ve done half and half and it’s really good—adds this tangy brightness.
Leftovers reheat AMAZINGLY well. I actually think these are better the next day after all the flavors have had time to hang out together. Just cover and microwave for 2-3 minutes.
If you want to freeze these, assemble everything but don’t bake. Wrap tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight then bake as directed.
Why This White Chicken Enchiladas Family Meal Rules
These creamy chicken enchiladas bake have become our default dinner when we have people over. They’re impressive-looking but actually pretty simple, they feed a crowd, and literally everyone likes them. Even my picky 8-year-old who “doesn’t like Mexican food” (her words, not mine) will eat two servings.
Plus you can customize them for different preferences. My husband likes to add black beans to his portion. My daughter wants extra cheese (always). I sometimes throw in some corn for texture. Everyone’s happy.
What I love most about this creamy white chicken enchiladas recipe is that it’s one of those dishes that feels fancy but doesn’t require any special skills. If you can make a basic white sauce (and trust me, if I can do it, anyone can), you can make these.
They’re also way cheaper than going out for Mexican food. A rotisserie chicken is like $5, the other ingredients are pantry staples, and you get enough to feed 6-8 people. Can’t beat that.
My Final Thoughts
So yeah, if you’re looking for a comfort food dinner that actually delivers on the comfort part, make these. They’re creamy, cheesy, satisfying, and the kind of meal that makes everyone gather around the table asking for seconds.
People keep requesting these for potlucks and family gatherings, which I’m taking as a sign that I finally got the recipe right after those initial disasters. My mother-in-law even asked for the recipe last Thanksgiving, which is basically the highest compliment possible.
Let me know if you try this! And seriously, tell me what you put in yours because I’m always looking for new variations. My current favorite add-in is sautéed mushrooms but my family thinks I’m weird for that. 😊
Happy cooking (and may your sauce be perfectly creamy)!
