I’ve been promising myself to clean out the standalone freezer and for the last couple of weeks I’ve been doing just that (spicy ground beef chili, chicken with vegetables, leftover desserts we couldn’t finish).
We like to buy good deals at the store, but end up with a pretty full freezer and things tend to get lost down toward the bottom of it.
There was leftover rotisserie chicken in there that needed to be used and I’ve been looking at these Creamy Chicken Enchiladas for quite awhile. I had all the ingredients for this easy recipe and decided it would make a nice Saturday combination lunch-dinner.
You’ll know what I mean by the combo meal when you see how rich it is. I lightened it up a little and it was still pretty rich and filling (and delicious, by the way).
There are four ingredients in the filling, then cream and cheese are sprinkled on top. The original recipe called for 2 cups of whipping cream, but I just couldn’t justify doing that, so used part cream, part half-and-half.
You could also use light cream cheese (Neufchatel) to lighten it up just a bit more.
The chicken mixture is simple but delicious, and I loved these homemade enchiladas. They were great right out of the oven with a little salsa drizzled over the top. I think a little chopped cilantro would be good, too!
You probably don’t want to make these Creamy Chicken Enchiladas every week, just because they’re rather rich, but if you find yourself with leftover rotisserie chicken this is a good “use-it-up” recipe!
Update: You may want to serve these fresh out of the oven (or half the recipe), as the flour tortillas tend to get a little soggy when microwaved.
If you’re looking for another great enchilada recipes, one of my favorites is Shrimp and Spinach Enchiladas with Jalapeno Cream Sauce. They’re outstanding!
Adapted from KevinandAmanda.com.
Creamy Chicken Enchiladas (Easy)
Rich and stuffed with cream cheese chicken - topped with cream and cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 can Fire-Roasted Rotel tomatoes, drained
- 1 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
- 2 C cooked, finely chopped chicken
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 10 (6-inch) flour tortillas
- 2 C shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
- 1 C whipping cream
- 3/4 C half-n-half
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9x13" baking dish and one side of a piece of aluminum foil (that will go over enchiladas to bake).
- In a medium pan on medium-low, add Rotel tomatoes and cream cheese and stir together until the cream cheese is melted and all is combined. Add the chopped chicken and cumin and stir to combine. Let cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon 2-3 tablespoons (depending on what size tortilla you are using) of the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla, rolling them up and placing seam-side down in the greased dish. Sprinkle the Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the enchiladas.
- Combine the cream and half-and-half together in a small bowl, then pour evenly over the enchiladas, including the edges. Cover, sprayed-side down, with the aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 7-8 minutes until the top is golden brown. Serve warm.
Notes
Tips and Stuff:
To make these lighter, use light (Neufchatel) cream cheese.
I used Fire Roasted Rotel, but they have many kinds, including a Chipotle flavor which would work great in these enchiladas. Use what you have.
I also used Monterey Jack with jalapenos for a little more kick, but regular is fine.
I used 10, six-inch tortillas and used 2 1/2 to 3 heaping tablespoons of mixture in each. Be generous when filling as there's plenty of filling!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 servingAmount Per Serving: Calories: 581Total Fat: 48gSaturated Fat: 28gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 769mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 26g
Nutrition Values are Approximate
