This easy Chicken Skillet Enchiladas might be the BEST skillet dinner you’ll ever make. This twist on traditional chicken enchiladas is super quick to make but is still big on flavor and has lots of cheesy goodness! Cook this dish tonight – your family will thank you!
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Growing up in Texas, it’s impossible to not love enchiladas. More often than not, we both find ourselves craving the classic Tex-Mex enchiladas we love so much. Rolling enchiladas can be time consuming for an easy dinner, so we decided it was time to shake things up a little bit. Here’s why you’ll fall in love with this version!
- So Easy: While still keeping all the delicious traditional flavors that make enchiladas, we sped up the process so dinner is ready with a whole lot less work! Trust us, if you love enchiladas like we do, you’re going to be obsessed with this simple skillet dinner! The best part? No rolling your enchiladas!
- Family-Friendly: This recipe really has it all. It’s kid approved and it’s big enough to feed the whole family. Next time you’re craving Tex-Mex, make this chicken skillet enchiladas for dinner instead of going out to eat. You’ll not only save money – you’ll discover a new go-to weeknight dinner!
- Inexpensive: Food costs are always something we keep an eye on, and we love recipes that focus on simple inexpensive ingredients. Even better, you’ll probably find most, if not all, of these ingredients already in your fridge or pantry!
If you loved this easy chicken enchiladas recipe, you’ll love some of our other Mexican-inspired dishes. Check out our popular instant pot taco soup, easy crockpot Mexican chicken, and our kid favorite walking tacos!
What You’ll Need
There are a handful of ingredients you will need to make these easy chicken enchiladas, but a good number of them are seasonings. Don’t get intimidated by the longer list, a lot of the ingredients are pantry staples! Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Olive Oil
- Onion & Garlic
- Rotel: We used mild so the kids could enjoy dinner too, but the hot one will really up the heat if you like things spicy!
- Pinto Beans: Be sure to rinse and drain them.
- Red Enchilada Sauce
- Cooked and Shredded Chicken: Grab a rotisserie chicken to speed things up!
- Mexican Cheese
- Corn Tortillas: You do not want to use flour tortillas, they will become very soggy. We used 6-inch sized corn tortillas for best results.
- Seasonings: We’ll be using cumin, chili powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Toppings (Optional): Totally optional, but really yummy toppings can include sliced avocado, guacamole, fresh herbs, sour cream, lime juice, salsa, or your favorite hot sauce.
How to Make Chicken Skillet Enchiladas
Traditional chicken enchiladas are messy and take awhile to make because of that pesky rolling step. These skillet enchiladas couldn’t be easier! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed instructions.
- Tortillas: Cut your tortillas in half and then slice them into 4-5 strips.
- Sauté: Cook the onions for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Once things are starting to smell amazing, add the seasonings and stir to combine.
- Combine: Add the Rotel, beans, enchilada sauce, and chicken and stir everything together. Fold in half the cheese and tortilla strips.
- Bake: Cover the cast iron skillet with foil and bake for 20 minutes in your preheated oven. Remove the foil, then add the rest of the cheese on top. Cook for another 10 minutes until the cheese is melty and the skillet is bubbling at the edges.
- Cool and Enjoy: Let the skillet sit for at least 5 minutes before serving. The skillet enchiladas will be VERY hot. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Tips and Variation Ideas
Here are a few tips and variations to make this twist on chicken enchiladas turn out amazing.
- Spice It Up: You can turn up the heat with this chicken enchiladas recipe in so many ways! Add some freshly sliced jalapenos (either as a garnish or add them at the same time as the onion), grab the hot version of Rotel, add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, or drizzle some hot sauce on top!
- Enchilada Sauce: You can use homemade or store bought – either options are great! If using store bought, we have found we really like the Frontera Red Chile Enchilada Sauce. We think it has great flavor and is delicious straight from the store.
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas are really critical for this chicken enchiladas recipe. It might be tempting to use flour tortillas – especially if that’s what you have in your pantry – but you won’t be happy with the results. Unfortunately, flour tortillas just don’t hold up as well and they get a bit soggy.
What to Serve With Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken skillet enchiladas are really a complete meal all on their own – especially when you add lots of delicious toppings! But if you’re looking for something to round out a meal, we recommend focusing on the classics. Some chips with fresh corn salsa and guacamole would be great! We’re also huge fans of including a side of Mexican corn salad. Enjoy!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Skillet enchiladas make great leftovers. Here’s how to store and reheat them.
- Refrigerate: Place any leftovers in an air tight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: You can reheat chicken enchiladas in the microwave or the oven depending on how much time you have. If you have the time, we recommend using the oven with a minute under the broiler!
- Freeze: Freeze individual portions in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
FAQs
In an airtight container in the fridge, these chicken skillet enchiladas will stay fresh for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to reheat your leftovers, just pop it in the microwave! Or, for best results, place the enchiladas back in the oven and bake for just a few minutes.
Absolutely! You can prep this Enchilada Skillet up to 24 hours ahead. We put it all together, except the cheese on top, and store it in the fridge with foil or plastic wrap wrapped tightly on top. Before baking, remove from the fridge and let warm on the counter for about 30 minutes. Then bake as directed. You may need an extra 10 minutes of baking time.
No, you can also use a casserole dish. An oven safe skillet, like a cast iron skillet, is easy because it makes this meal a one-pot dinner. You start it on the stove and move it straight to the oven. However, if you don’t have an oven safe skillet, you can also use a casserole dish. A deep 9×9 baking dish will work or even a standard 9×13 casserole dish. If you are using a 9×13 sized casserole dish, you may need to cook these for about 5 minutes less.
More Easy Enchiladas Recipes
Chicken Skillet Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 10 oz can Rotel, do not drain
- 1 16 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 16 oz red enchilada sauce
- 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese, divided
- 8 corn tortillas, cut in half and then sliced into strips
Optional Toppings:
- Sour Cream
- Guacamole or Avocado
- Cilantro
- Salsa or Hot Sauce
- Jalapeños
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- In a 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes, until softened and becoming translucent. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add cumin, chili powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper and stir to combine. Then add Rotel, pinto beans and enchilada sauce and stir till well combined.
- Fold in cooked and shredded chicken, 1 cup cheese and corn tortilla strips. Cover cast iron with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove foil and add cheese on top and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and enchilada skillet is bubbling at the edges.Step 6. Let sit for 5 minutes and then serve with desired toppings!
Has anyone tried it without the tortillas to make it gluten free?
Hi Gaga! This recipe uses corn tortillas which are gluten free! Just make sure you get a gluten free enchilada sauce and you should be good to go!
This was absolutely delicious. My whole family devoured it, thank you for the recipe. I used flour tortillas bc that’s what we had and it was awesome.