Chicken Enchiladas With Tomato Cream Sauce

This recipe was first published October 2009 and has been updated in October 2020.

Why This Recipe Works

Can you ever go wrong with Mexican Food? It’s perfect weather for a hearty Mexican casserole in the form of this baked creamy chicken enchiladas casserole. Your hungry family will love this creamy chicken enchiladas with red sauce. Let’s take a look.

This recipe comes with impressive credentials as it’s an adaptation of a Rick Bayless recipe. His expertise lies in the fact that he has spent a few years living in Mexico and brings us fresh, delicious creations inspired by authentic Mexican cuisine. 

Along with it’s pedigree, this recipe has everything you want in an enchilada casserole:

Gather Your Ingredients For Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

• Roasted Chile Peppers Chile peppers are a staple in Mexican Cuisine. And more than likely they’re roasted to bring a hint of smoky flavor and that “just right” spicy heat.
• Mexican Crema A creamy tangy Mexican condiment that’s thicker and richer than American Sour Cream. It’s higher in fat so it doesn’t curdle as easy which makes it a perfect choice for stirring into hot soups and creamy sauces, like this tomato cream sauce for this recipe. It puts the “creamy” into this chicken enchilada recipe.
• Fresh Tomatoes When in season, sweet juicy fresh tomatoes will take this recipe over the top.
• Chicken Breast Roasted to perfection, juicy, tender and shredded, chicken breast makes this a healthier option when making enchiladas.
• White Cheese Enchiladas would be enchiladas without that ooey-gooey melty cheese factor. For this recipe we’re using a white melting cheese.

Ingredient Swaps

• Chicken: Roast boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Shredded rotisserie chicken, both white and dark meat, also works well here. Grilled chicken is an excellent choice, bringing a smoky flavor to the recipe.
• Canned Tomatoes: If fresh tomatoes are not in season, please don’t turn to those sad hot-house tomatoes that we find in our markets during the winter. Canned tomatoes make a good choice. San Marzano tomatoes are an excellent choice. No need to drain them, and no need to roast them with the peppers.
• Oil: The recipe calls for olive oil to saute the onions. Lard or bacon fat is even better here. More flavor.
• Melting Cheese: Not all cheeses are good for melting. For this recipe choose Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or my favorite, Muenster. A good quality Mexican melting cheese is a great choice. Choose Chihuahua, Quesadilla, or Asadero. All can be found in well stocked produce section.
• Vegetable Broth: You can substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth. If you’re in a pinch, and all you have is beef broth, you can substitute one for the other, but there will be subtle changes in the flavor and color of the finished dish. But it will still taste great.

I’ve always said, that if someone makes homemade enchiladas for you, it means they love you. The process can be tedious but the flavor outcome, incredible. Who can resist a savory sauce and lots of cheese.

For The Roasted Shredded Chicken Breast

• Generously brush three boneless skinless chicken breast halves with olive oil and roast for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees. 
• While the chicken is roasting, start the tomato cream sauce.
• Cool the chicken and shred the meat.  Set aside.
• Grate two cups of cheese.  Set aside. Muenster or Pepper Jack works well here also.

Tomato Cream Sauce

• Place about 15 medium sized tomatoes and 3-4 chile peppers on a baking sheet.  Use any combination of chile peppers that you like. Jalapeno, Poblano, Anaheim, Hatch or Mirasol.
• Broil in oven about 5 inches from heat for five minutes. 
• I would suggest when in season, use fresh tomatoes. If using canned tomatoes you won’t need to roast them.
• When you start to see charred spots, turn the tomatoes and peppers over and broil another 5 minutes. 
• Remove from oven and cool. 
• Working over the same baking sheet, remove skins and cores from the tomatoes and remove skins from the peppers. 

Place tomatoes and peppers along with the juices from the baking sheet into a food processor and puree until smooth.

• In a Dutch oven saute one chopped onion in olive oil until tender, about 7 minutes. 
• Turn up heat to medium high and add pureed tomato/chili mixture to onion.
• Add chicken broth. 
• Partially cover and simmer for 15 minutes. 
• When done, the texture of the sauce should be soupy.  If the sauce is too thick add a little more broth. 
• Stir in ½ Cup of Mexican crema, set aside and keep warm. You’re ready to prep the corn tortillas to make this creamy chicken enchilada recipe.

Prepare the Corn Tortillas

How do you keep corn tortillas from breaking? You simply can’t take a corn tortilla out of the package and use it to make tacos or enchiladas. You’ve got to soften the tortillas by warming them. Only then can they be rolled into enchiladas or folded for tacos.

An easy way to heat corn tortillas is to spray them with oil and baking them. The oil creates a slight barrier which will help them soak up a little bit of the sauce but not too much to make them soggy.

A soggy or mushy enchilada will surely break your heart.

On a baking sheet, place 12 oiled corn tortillas.  Bake for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with a towel to keep warm.

Roll Those Creamy Enchiladas

Spoon ½ of the tomato cream sauce into a casserole baking pan.  Working fast, so tortillas don’t cool, place shredded chicken inside a warm tortilla and roll.

Start placing enchiladas seam side down into the sauce.

• Using all of the available pan space, use your imagination on spacing the enchiladas to fit.
• Spoon the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.

• Sprinkle with grated cheese. 
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until bubbly and cheese just starts to brown.

You’ve got yourself some creamy chicken enchiladas with a red sauce that’s beautifully creamy.

Garnish baked enchiladas with fresh sweet onion rings, cilantro and rings of sliced jalapeno.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce

I hope you give this baked chicken enchilada with red sauce recipe a try, and if you do, please give the recipe a star rating and scroll down a leave a comment about your experience with the recipe. I love hearing from my readers.

And if you have a favorite chicken enchilada recipe, let me know I’d love to give it a try.