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If you’re looking for a creamy white chicken enchilada recipe made entirely from scratch (no canned soup, no mystery ingredients) you’re in the right place.

With tender shredded chicken, a homemade white sauce, and a generous layer of melted cheese, these enchiladas are everything you want in a comforting family dinner. They’re easy to prep in advance so you can bake them when you’re ready to eat.

Cheesy baked chicken enchiladas with white sauce in glass dish.
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Here’s Why This White Chicken Enchilada Recipe Works

No mystery ingredients. The sauce starts with a classic roux, not a can of soup or a bunch of preservatives. It’s the same sauce we use in our crab enchiladas.

Melty cheese blend. Monterey Jack melts smooth, cheddar sharpens things up, and pepper Jack gives it a mild kick.

Flexible and not fussy. Use flour or corn tortillas, swap in rotisserie chicken or leftovers, and adjust the spice to suit your crowd. The recipe holds up, even with small tweaks.

Make-ahead friendly. You can assemble it early, stash it in the fridge, and bake when it works for you. It’s just as good the next day, and the leftovers reheat well.

Close-up of creamy chicken enchilada with green chile being cut with a fork.

Recipe Tips

Use pre-cooked chicken. Rotisserie or leftovers work great and cut prep time in half.

Warm the tortillas first. It makes them flexible and way easier to roll without cracking.

Skip the bagged cheese (if you can). Pre-shredded works in a pinch, but freshly grated melts smoother and has better flavor.

Whisk like you mean it. For a smooth sauce, add the broth slowly and keep whisking. If it clumps, pause and smooth it out before adding more broth.

Taste the filling. Chipotle has a sneaky build. Start with two peppers or ½ teaspoon powder, then dial it up if you want more heat.

Close-up of chicken enchiladas with sour cream sauce in a casserole dish.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

If you’re looking for a from-scratch dinner that’s rich, comforting, and full of real flavor, these baked white chicken enchiladas deliver. The filling is flexible and it’s easy to make ahead for a stress-free mealtime. It’s a solid, reliable recipe you’ll come back to any time you want something hearty and homemade.

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Cheesy baked chicken enchiladas with white sauce in glass dish.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
4.94 from 16 votes

White Chicken Enchiladas

By Pat Nyswonger
White chicken enchiladas that are spiced up with chipotle and green peppers then smothered in a creamy white enchilada sauce.

If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.

Servings: 8 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • ½ red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 to 3 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder)*
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, grated
  • ½ cup pepper jack cheese, grated
  • ½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
  • 8 tortillas, flour, or corn

For the White Enchilada Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat an oven-proof 9×13 casserole dish with non-stick spray.
  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper. Cook until the onion is translucent.
  • Remove from the heat and add the green chiles, chicken, cumin, oregano, chipotle, and salt. Toss to combine and set aside.
  • In a medium-size bowl combine the three types of grated cheese. Reserve one cup of shredded cheese and mix the remainder into the chicken mixture. Toss to combine well.
  • Place ½ to ¾ of a cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place in the casserole dish, seam side down.

Make The White Enchilada Sauce

  • Melt the butter in a skillet or saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. It will look like a paste.
  • Slowly drizzle in the broth, whisking constantly. Continue whisking until smooth, bubbly, and slightly thick.
  • Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Stir in the cumin, salt, and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat whisk in the sour cream then stir in the cheese.
  • Pour the creamy sauce over the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly on top.

Notes

If you use canned chipotle peppers, do not use the whole can. The recipe only needs 2 to 3 peppers from the can. You can freeze the rest of the peppers.
Poblano option: You can swap the canned green chiles for roasted poblano peppers.
For an extra smoky flavor, add a tablespoon of adobo sauce from the can of chipotle peppers to the chicken mixture.
If you like your food extra spicy, you can use an extra chipotle pepper from the can or use an extra 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of chipotle powder.
For the creamy enchilada sauce: When you add the broth to the flour and butter mixture, pour slowly and whisk constantly. If it starts to get lumpy, stop adding the broth and whisk until it smooths out then begin pouring the broth again.
Make-ahead instructions: You can prep the enchiladas up to the point of baking, cover the dish tightly, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Add a few extra minutes to the bake time if going straight from the fridge.
Freezing and reheating: Assemble the enchiladas, cover well, and freeze unbaked for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen. Add 15–20 minutes to the bake time and cover loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly. Leftovers reheat well in the oven or microwave.
Looking for more from-scratch enchiladas? Check out our chicken mole enchiladas.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 441kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 26g, Saturated Fat: 12g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 535mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Two cheesy baked chicken enchiladas with white sauce and herbs on a plate.

This recipe was originally posted on April 29, 2015. We updated the photos and did some housekeeping. One of the original photos is below

Slice of creamy enchilada casserole on plate, garnished with cilantro.

About Pat Nyswonger

Pat Nyswonger is a self-taught home cook with years of experience creating from-scratch meals for family and friends. As a wife, mother of four, and grandmother to seventeen, she understands the value of recipes that bring people together. Her kitchen has always been the heart of her home, where she enjoys developing flavorful, approachable dishes that home cooks of any level can make and enjoy.

Read More About Me

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4.94 from 16 votes (16 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. John@Kitchen Riffs says:

    Love enchiladas! And chicken and green chile is such a terrific combo. This looks wonderful — thanks so much.

    Reply
    1. Pat says:

      Thanks, John…. 🙂

      Reply