Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas feature corn tortillas rolled up with juicy, shredded chicken and melty cheese; they're topped with a tangy, irresistibly creamy white sauce speckled with sauteéd jalapeños, and baked until bubbly in casserole form! Free of any canned soup, you'll find this easy, homemade Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce almost too good to be true. Almost.

Serve these enchiladas with an extra drizzle of sour cream, a side of pico de gallo, a generous scoop of guacamole, or a simple sprinkle of fresh cilantro for a Mexican dinner idea the whole family will love!

ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

The ingredients for Homemade Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce are very simple, as is the process. In addition to a homemade sauce (more details on that to follow), you'll need cooked and shredded chicken, grated Monterrey Jack Cheese, and corn tortillas.

CHICKEN OPTIONS

When it comes to the chicken for Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas...you've got options! Feel free to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted chicken, or oven-baked chicken breasts. As long as you can shred it into bite-sized pieces, it can go into your enchiladas.

CHEESE OPTIONS

Monterrey Jack is the perfect cheese for Sour Cream Enchiladas. It's mild enough to allow other flavors to shine through, while still contributing that melty, cheesy texture we all know and love to the dish. However, if you'd prefer, you could sub in Cheddar (white or yellow), or Colby Jack cheese.

Freshly grated cheese is best, but if you don't have the time, use a good, quality, pre-shredded cheese.

ABOUT SOUR CREAM ENCHILADA SAUCE

Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce is a creamy, tangy sauce with a flavor boost thanks to fresh jalapeños, cilantro, and a simple mix of seasoning.

INGREDIENTS FOR SOUR CREAM ENCHILADA SAUCE:

• Jalapeños
• Shallot
• Flour
• Chicken Broth
• Cilantro
• Sour Cream
• Seasoning: Kosher salt, Garlic Powder, and Paprika

NO CANNED CHILIS AND HERE'S WHY...

While convenient, canned green chiles have a tendency to leave behind a metallic taste, especially when used in a white sauce like say...Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce? Fresh jalapeños are a much better option to add great chile flavor and a boost of savoriness to your sauce. Best of all, they are easy to find, easy to work with, and bear no metallic aftertaste. 

When deseeded, fresh jalapeños have a very mild heat level and will not make your sauce too spicy. You'll find jalapeños not only lend a great deal of flavor to your Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce but provide piquant, smoky chile undertones as well. 

UNSALTED BROTH FOR SODIUM CONTROL

This is a chicken broth-based sauce, and you'll want to be sure you purchase unsalted chicken broth so you have complete control over the sodium level of your Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas. If you accidentally grab the wrong package or already have regular chicken broth on hand, you can still use it, but you'll need to cut the salt from this recipe and add it to taste instead.

WHY FLOUR?

This Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce calls for no canned condensed soups. Rather, it is made completely from scratch -- and you will taste the difference. The flour is a necessary component as it will serve as a thickener for the sauce, enabling it to reach a perfect creamy consistency.

HOW TO MAKE SOUR CREAM CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Before you begin making the sauce, try to get a little prep work out of the way. First things first -- don't forget to preheat the oven. Next, have your chicken cooked and cheese shredded. This will help to streamline the cooking and assembly process. 

1. Make the Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce on the stovetop.
2. Combine the filling ingredients.
3. Warm tortillas, add the filling, and roll.
4. Pour the sauce over the top, sprinkle with cheese, and bake!

If this is your kind of recipe, be sure to check out our Green Enchiladas as well!

HOW TO MAKE SOUR CREAM ENCHILADA SAUCE

Sour Cream Enchilada Sauce begins on the stovetop with diced jalaepeños and a shallot. In a large pan, sauté the vegetables until they are cooked through.

Then sprinkle over the flour. You'll stir the flour until it evenly coats the vegetables. Then, add the chicken broth...but not so fast. Literally.

Rather than adding the broth all at once, add the chicken broth a splash at a time and whisk after each addition. This method ensures there are no lumps in your sauce! As soon as the mixture begins to resemble pudding, it's safe to add the remaining broth all at once, along with the minced cilantro. Then, whisk to combine and allow it to simmer.

After a few minutes of bubbling, the sauce will have thickened and you'll remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sour cream and spices.

TIP FOR ROLLING CORN TORTILLAS

If corn tortillas are too dry, they'll break in the midst of trying to roll them. Frustrating business, right? Fret not -- there is a simple solution.

To make corn tortillas more pliable, wrap a stack of about six corn tortillas in damp paper towels. Then, microwave them on a plate for 45 seconds to 1 minute. When you pull the tortillas out, they will be steaming (so be careful), but they'll also be bendy and perfectly pliable for stuffing.

STORING AND FREEZING ENCHILADAS

According to the FDA's Food Storage Chart, if you're graced with any leftovers, you can store your enchiladas in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, or freeze them for up to 4-6 months. 

5 MORE MEXICAN DINNERS YOU’LL LOVE

• Chicken Enchiladas Verde features corn tortillas rolled with shredded chicken and Monterrey Jack cheese, topped with a generous serving of Verde Sauce, and baked until bubbly!
• Steak Quesadillas are an easy, crowd-pleasing dinner loaded with flavor thanks to quick-cooking, taco-seasoned steak strips, melty Monterrey Jack cheese, and sauteed onions and peppers.
• Tex-Mex Beef Enchiladas features a flavorful enchilada gravy, a taco-seasoned ground beef, and melty cheese!
• Crock-pot Chicken Tacos is the perfect easy dinner idea for busy families and weeknight dinners. Cooked low and slow, this Mexican chicken picks up on every ounce of yummy the slow cooker has to offer. Shred, roll in a tortilla, and enjoy! 
• Homemade Beef Chimichangas are loaded with a savory ground beef filling and topped with a quick and easy stovetop queso! Tips for frying to perfection and more!