How to Make Chicken Enchiladas With Canned Sauce

Top enchiladas with a spicy sauce.

Enchiladas, which originated in Mexico, are tortillas rolled tightly around a variety of fillings, such as chicken, shredded beef, beans, seafood, cheese and sauteed vegetables. The savory dish is traditionally covered with a spicy tomato paste and chili pepper-based sauce and baked in an oven. Depending on your tastes, you can choose sauce made with either red or green chilies. To save time in the kitchen, make chicken enchiladas from scratch, and top them with convenient canned sauce.

Things You'll Need

• Large nonstick skillet
• Olive oil
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Salt, pepper and cumin to taste
• Platter
• One white onion, chopped
• One green bell pepper, chopped
• 13-inch by 9-inch by 2-inch glass baking dish
• Three 10-ounce cans enchilada sauce
• Twelve 6-inch flour or corn tortillas
• 3 cups of shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

1. Cover the bottom of a nonstick skillet with olive oil and warm it over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook them for approximately seven minutes on each side, or until their juices run clear. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and cumin to taste.

2. Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and place them on a platter to cool. Use two forks to pull apart and shred the chicken breast meat.

3. Saute the onion and green pepper in the skillet over medium heat. Place the shredded chicken back into the skillet and use tongs to toss the ingredients together.

4. Coat the bottom of the baking dish with canned enchilada sauce.

5. Spoon 1/4 cup of the chicken and vegetable mixture into the center of each corn or flour tortilla. Roll the tortillas tightly and place them into the baking dish, seam-side down. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

6. Top the enchiladas with the remaining canned sauce. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese over the enchiladas.

7. Bake the enchiladas on the oven's center rack for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling.

Tips & Warnings

• Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F when checked with an instant-read food thermometer. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat.

• Serve the enchiladas topped with fresh cilantro and sour cream.

• Use pot holders when removing the baking dish from the oven to avoid burning your hands.

References

• Food Network: Chicken Enchiladas
• Epicurious: Chicken Enchiladas