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These Baked Red Chicken Enchiladas are filled with a delicious shredded chicken-cheese mixture, then slathered with the BEST Red Enchilada Sauce, and topped with a blend of cheeses.
As an option, you can drizzle our Creamy Avocado Sauce on top!
How to Make Baked Red Chicken Enchiladas
Once you have your cooked chicken ready, follow these steps below:
For the Enchilada Sauce:
- Combine the flour and all of the spices in a bowl.
- Pre-heat a large saucepan on medium heat, with the olive oil. Once it's hot, add spice mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add in tomato sauce and stir.
- Slowly add in chicken broth, whisking each time.
- Bring to a simmer, and cook 5-7 minutes or until slightly thickened, whisking every couple minutes.
(It will get thicker as it cools).
- Turn off heat, and mix in the apple cider vinegar.
Assembly:
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F. To the bowl of shredded chicken add: queso fresco, onions, and parmesan cheese. Mix until well combined.
- On a large baking sheet lined with foil, place 12 corn tortillas in one layer on the tray (they may overlap slighlty). Brush each tortilla lightly on both sides with olive oil.
- Bake the tortillas for 4 minutes (this help soften them for easy rolling).
- Remove from oven, and stack tortillas onto one plate.
- Spray a casserole baking dish with non-stick cooking oil. Pour a thin layer of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Take ¼ cup of the chicken filling and place into center of a corn tortilla.
- Roll the tortilla, and place it seam-side down onto the prepared casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered.
- Garnish with Creamy Avocado Sauce (if using) and cilantro!
Why add oil to the tortillas?
Baking the tortillas with a bit of oil is much easier then pan frying each one individually to soften them!
The oil is optional, but I like how it keeps the enchiladas from getting to mushy/soggy and they stay a bit more separate. I've tried them both with and without oil, and both ways have the same great flavor!
A Few Notes on the Baked Red Chicken Enchiladas
- The Red Enchilada Sauce recipe was adapted from Cookie & Kate, and has been our favorite so far, with just a few minor adjustments.
- The Crockpot Shredded Chicken is adapted from The Salty Marshmallow, and I love how easy it is to prepare with just a few simple ingredients. But, you can also try out our 3-Ingredient Crockpot Chicken Taco Meat for an added flavor boost! Or use up any leftover chicken you have. 🙂
- This recipe makes a tray of 12 enchiladas. You will have extra chicken filling, which you can use for other meals such as tacos, salads, nachos, burritos, etc. Or just make a double batch of enchilada sauce and make additional enchiladas.
- The addition of Parmesan cheese may sound strange, but it’s something my mom use to put in her enchiladas and we always liked the flavor it gave them. 🙂
Make it Skinny!
If you would like a healthier low-fat option:
- Reduce or eliminate the shredded cheese on top, and just use the Creamy Avocado Sauce drizzled on top.
- Warm the tortillas (without oil) in the microwave. Simply wrap the tortillas in paper towels and place in the microwave (6 at a time). Heat them for 30 seconds, then flip and heat another 15-30 seconds, just until they are pliable.
It may look like a lot of steps while reading it, because it's all made from scratch! But, if you watch the video you will get a better idea of how easy these are to make!
Enjoy! 🙂
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Baked Red Chicken Enchiladas {with a Creamy Avocado Sauce}
These enchiladas are filled with a delicious shredded chicken-cheese mixture, then slathered with a tasty enchilada sauce, and topped with a blend of cheeses. As an option, you can drizzle our Creamy Avocado Sauce on top!
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Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours 25 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 12 enchiladas
Ingredients
Crockpot Shredded Chicken (or any cooked chicken will work):
- 3 lbs chicken breast
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
Red Enchilada Sauce (enough for a tray of 12 enchiladas):
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoon flour whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and gluten-free flour blends all work!
- 1 tablespoon ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Additional:
- 12 yellow corn tortillas
- 2 tablespoon olive oil for brushing
- 2-3 cups shredded cheese of your choice
- 5 oz queso fresco crumbled (about 1 full cup)
- ½ cup onions finely diced
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese grated
- ¼ cup Crockpot Chicken reserved juices
Optional Toppings:
- fresh cilantro, chopped
- Creamy Avocado Sauce
Instructions
For the Crockpot Chicken:
- Place the chicen breast in the crockpot.
- Add all other ingredients on top, and close the lid. Cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
- Remove the chicken breast from the crockpot and place in a large bowl.
- Add ¼ of leftover crockpot juices in with the chicken.
- Shred the chicken with two forks.
For the Red Enchilada Sauce:
- Combine the flour and all of the spices in a bowl.
- Pre-heat a large saucepan on medium heat, with the olive oil. Once it's hot, add spice mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add tomato paste, and slowly add in chicken broth, whisking each time.
- Bring to a simmer, and cook 5-7 minutes or until slightly thickened. (It will get thicker as it cools).
- Turn off heat, and mix in the apple cider vinegar.
Assembly:
- Pre-heat oven to 400°F.
- To the bowl of shredded chicken add: queso fresco, onions, and parmesan cheese. Mix until well combined.
- On a large baking sheet lined with foil, place 12 corn tortillas in one layer on the tray (they may overlap slighlty). Brush each tortilla lightly on both sides with the 2 tablespoon olive oil.
- Bake the tortillas for 4 minutes (this help soften them for easy rolling).
- Remove from oven, and stack tortillas onto one plate.
- Spray a casserole baking dish with non-stick cooking oil.
- Pour a thin layer of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Take ¼ cup of the chicken filling and place into center of a corn tortilla. Roll the tortilla, and place it seam-side down onto the prepared casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Pour the remaining of the sauce over the top of the enchiladas, then top with shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, uncovered.
- Garnish with cilantro and Creamy Avocado Sauce!
Video
Notes
Vegan Option:
You can make these into vegan enchiladas with just a few adjustments!- Make the sauce using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Use a black bean filling instead of the chicken.
- Use vegan cheese, or just use the Creamy Avocado Sauce alone on top.
Make it Skinny!
If you would like a healthier option, you can reduce or omit the shredded cheese on top, and just use the Creamy Avocado Sauce drizzled on top. Also, you can just warm the tortillas (without oil) in the microwave. Simply wrap the tortillas in paper towels and place in the microwave (6 at a time). Heat them for 30 seconds, then flip and heat another 15-30 seconds, just until they are pliable.Chicken:
You can use the Crockpot Shredded Chicken recipe, leftover chicken, or try our 3-Ingredient Crockpot Chicken Taco Meat for an added flavor boost! Need chicken cooked faster? Try our 30-Minute Instant Pot Chicken Taco Meat recipe!Recommended Equipment:
(click on the item if you need to order) Tried this recipe?Mention @thatsdeelicious or tag #thatsdeelicious!
Watch the VIDEO on how to make Baked Red Chicken Enchiladas. Make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Cooking Channel so that you never miss a recipe video! 🙂
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