Chipotle Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

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A one-pan meal that will win over everyone at the table!! These chicken and cheese enchiladas are our new go-to winter comfort meal, packed with smoky chipotle chili powder, cumin, and oregano for that distinctive cozy, warming flavor. Soft flour tortillas generously stuffed with shredded rotisserie chicken, creamy cottage cheese and melty cheddar cheese make a dreamy enchilada combo. Then everything gets coated in a bold chipotle enchilada sauce. 

The end result, a melty, bubbly cozy dish that looks impressive. It’s super easy to make, but shhh! No one will know and the secret is safe here because we love a simple elegant dinner. Serve for a chill night with friends or for holiday dinner! 

Why You’ll Love These Chipotle Chicken Enchiladas

• They’re the ultimate cozy dinner! The warming spices of the chipotle sauce and hot cheesy stuffed tortillas can’t be more comforting. They’re going to become your go-to winter meal. They’re perfect for the cold-weather season.
• Super easy! Enchiladas are super easy to whip up and don’t require many ingredients. A lot of the flavor comes from the spices. You can make these in just about any 45 minutes. Perfect for a weeknight!
• Packed with protein! These are a great way to get some extra protein in before the end of the day. Each enchilada is stuffed with mixture of shredded chicken and cottage cheese, which packs in the protein in each bite.

How to Make Chipotle Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas: Step by Step

Step 1. Make chipotle enchilada sauce.

Chipotle enchilada sauce adds so much flavor to this dish. And the best part is, it doesn’t take much time to make. 

Start by making a roux – a mixture of equal parts flour and butter. A roux is going to act as a thickener to the sauce. In a pan over medium heat, whisk together butter and flour until it thickens and clumps. Next add in the rest of the ingredients – spices, chicken broth, tomato paste and vinegar. Let the sauce simmer for about 4-5 minutes to thicken.

Step 2. Sauté onions and mix together filling.

In a separate pan, sauté onions until soft. 

Once the onions are soft and transleucent, you can mix together the rest of the filling. Pour the onions, shredded rotisserie chicken and cottage cheese in a bowl and mix together until combined.  

Step 3. Assemble enchiladas.

This is the fun part! Start by spreading a thin layer of sauce at the bottom of your baking dish. This will help add moisture to the bottom of the pan while cooking.

Fill each flour tortilla with 2-3 tablespoons of filling. Tightly roll each tortilla and place in a single layer in the baking dish. You will likely be able to fill one large or two medium sized dishes.

Evenly pour the enchilada sauce over the top op of the enchiladas and sprinkle the top with cheese.

Step 4. Bake and enjoy!

Bake in a preheated oven at 350ºF for about 20-30 minutes. The sauce should be bubbly and the cheese on top is melted. 

Tips for Making Enchiladas

• Don’t over stuff enchiladas. Make sure you can roll the tortillas without filling coming out the sides. If you overstuff, you run the risk of the enchiladas tearing.
• Spread some sauce at the bottom of the pan before filling with enchiladas. This will add moisture and sauce to the dish. It will also stop the tortillas from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
• Homemade sauce is better. Making homemade sauce doesn’t take much extra effort and the flavors are so much brighter and fresher than canned enchilada sauce.
• Broil for about 3-5 minutes at the end to make cheese on top bubbly and browned. It can also make the edges of the tortillas a bit crispy and yummy!

Can I Use Corn Tortillas instead of Flour Tortillas? 

Definitely! Make sure to warm them in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften them. That way they don’t crack when you roll them up.

Easiest way to shred chicken!

Remove the warm deboned meat from the rotisserie chicken and put it in a bowl. Using a hand mixer on low speed, mix the chicken until all pieces are shredded. The more you mix, the thinner the shred. 

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