It’s Tuesday, the gang is all coming over, and you need a great Mexican dish that can satisfy everyone. So, get the sombreros out, because Creamy Chicken Enchilada Bake will ring the dinner bell and get the party started! Tender, shredded chicken is rolled up in a soft tortilla, topped with a flavorful, chile-sour cream sauce, loads of Monterey Jack cheese, and baked until golden-brown. Creamy Chicken Enchilada Bake is the perfect dish for a perfect Tuesday night… or any night!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more, to taste, for greasing the baking dishes
- 3 pounds chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 serrano chiles, seeds and stems removed, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped, plus more, whole leaves, to taste, for garnish
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- cayenne, to taste
- 1 (11-ounce) can tomatillos, drained
- 24 corn tortillas
- 2 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, grated
- 1 medium onion, diced
- lime wedges, to taste, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 -Use the extra butter to lightly grease two 9×13-inch baking dishes.
Step 3 -In a large bowl, add the chicken breasts, the salt, the black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and toss to combine.
Step 4 -In a large cast-iron skillet, add the seasoned chicken breasts and bake until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes.
Step 5 -Place the cast-iron skillet on a wire rack and let the chicken breasts cool.
Step 6 -Shred the cooled chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
Step 7 -In a large pot over medium-low heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter.
Step 8 -Add the chiles to the melted butter and cook until they are soft, about 4 minutes.
Step 9 -Add the garlic to the chiles and cook, about 1 minute.
Step 10 -Add the flour to the garlic-chile mixture and stir to combine, then cook, about 1 minute.
Step 11 -Add the chicken broth to the chile mixture and cook, while whisking, until the sauce has thickened, about 6 minutes.
Step 12 -Add the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the cilantro, the cumin, and the cayenne to the sauce and stir to combine.
Step 13 -In a blender, add the sauce and the tomatillos and purée until it is smooth.
Step 14 -Pour 1 cup of the purée in the bottom of each of the prepared baking dishes.
Step 15 -In a large skillet over medium heat, add the remaining olive oil and cook the tortillas, in batches, until they are soft, about 1 minute per side.
Step 16 -Add 1/4 cup of the shredded chicken, 1 tablespoon of the cheese, and 1 teaspoon of the diced onions to each of the warmed tortillas.
Step 17 -Tightly roll up each of the filled tortillas and place them, seam-side down, in the prepared baking dishes.
Step 18 -Cover the enchiladas with the remaining purée and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Step 19 -Bake the enchiladas until the top is lightly browned, about 25 minutes.
Step 20 -Garnish with the extra cilantro and the lime wedges and serve.
