Trust Me…The BBQ Sauce Works!
Yes, this recipe was totally inspired by the nostalgic BBQ chicken pizza we all used to love in the 90s. But as it turns out, BBQ sauce really does pair surprisingly well with chicken enchiladas. ♡
The sauce ends up striking this irresistible sweet-meets-savory balance, thanks to the smoky BBQ paired with red enchilada sauce. Add in tender shredded chicken, hearty black beans, and plenty of melty cheese, and every bite ends up tasting like peak comfort food. Every time I’ve served these to friends, there’s this moment of skepticism…followed by clean plates and requests for the recipe ’round the table. I’m telling you, everyone always loves these enchiladas!
Even better, this is one of those easy weeknight dinners that comes together quickly and can be prepped ahead if needed. Serve it with a chips and my favorite guacamole and a simple green salad, and you’ve got a memorable dinner all ready to go. Let’s make some enchiladas!
Recipe Tips
Here are a few simple tips to help these enchiladas turn out extra delicious:
- Add a squeeze of lime before serving. It brightens everything up and balances the richness of the sauce.
- Warm your tortillas if needed. If they feel stiff, a quick 10–15 seconds in the microwave makes them easier to roll without tearing.
- Taste your sauce before using. BBQ sauces vary a lot in sweetness and smokiness, so adjust with a pinch of salt or splash more enchilada sauce if needed.
- Reserve a little cheese for the top layer. That final cheesy blanket is what gives you those golden, bubbly edges. YUM.
- Let them rest before serving. Just 5 minutes helps everything set up so they don’t fall apart when you scoop the out.
Variations To Try
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how flexible it is. Feel free to try any of these easy twists:
- Add jalapeños to the filling or on top for a spicier kick.
- Add corn for a little sweetness and extra texture.
- Swap pinto beans for black beans or whatever legumes you prefer.
- Add sautéed bell peppers to the filling for extra veggies and color.
- Make it creamy by stirring a few spoonfuls of sour cream or cream cheese into the filling.
- Swap flour tortillas for corn tortillas for a more traditional enchilada feel.
More Chicken Enchilada Recipes To Try!
BBQ Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 3 –4 cups shredded rotisserie or cooked chicken
- fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (8-count) large flour tortillas
- 3 cups shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
- 1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, thinly sliced red onion, sliced avocado
Instructions
- Prep the oven. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Make the filling. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the shredded chicken, green chiles, and black beans. Season with about 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste). Cook for 2–3 minutes, just until everything is warmed through. Remove from heat.
- Make the sauce. In a bowl, whisk together the enchilada sauce and BBQ sauce until smooth.
- Assemble. Spread about 1/2 cup of the sauce evenly over the bottom of the baking dish. Lay out a tortilla and spoon 2 tablespoons sauce over the surface. Add about 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Top and bake. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are lightly golden.
- Serve. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with cilantro and red onion, if desired, and enjoy!!
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
These are AH-MAY-ZING. I used Sweet Baby Ray’s and your homemade enchilada sauce and the combination is utterly spectacular. Shredded chicken (from your slow-cooker shredded chicken recipe) worked great and everything else was exactly as written. This will go in my permanent rotation!
Ohhh soooo good! I would add two cans of diced green chilies for some spice!
OMG! These were so good and amazing. After I made these my husband was so impressed he not only did the dishes but he went down on me later. Highly reccomend!!
This was phenomena! I’m a big fan of adding BBQ sauce in recipes where you would not expect it. I MAY have been guilty of adding more cheese before rolling them up. Otherwise I followed the recipe exactly. They were even better the next day!
I made these this weekend for my boyfriend and I….he was ecstatic to come home from work and find these waiting for him. I even made the barbecue sauce…and then spilled half of it all over my white counter :( So easy and delicious!! We froze the leftovers and pulled them out for dinner this week. DELISH!
We’re so happy you guys enjoyed these, Meg!
After making the “BEST Chicken Enchiladas” I had to try another recipe from your site and since I fell in love with the enchilada sauce I figured I better try these. And I really wanted to try your BBQ sauce. First of all the BBQ sauce is my favorite of all time (I added a tsp of cayenne and it was the perfect spice for me). I live in Oregon now but I lived in Texas for a few years and I attended a number of BBQ competitions and restaurants while I was there. I can’t wait to use this BBQ sauce again soon in another recipe. All that said the final product was amazing! So flavorful and delicious. I could probably eat it once a week as a staple and never get tired of it. I was sad I only had room in my tummy for one but I’ll get it for leftovers tonight :-). If you’re into enchiladas and BBQ this is a must to try! And I highly recommend making the enchilada sauce and BBQ sauce linked on the page. I wonder what recipe I should try next!
Thanks for sharing with us, Kate — we’re so happy you loved the sauce and the enchiladas! :)
I just made these tonight-this is my second night in a row trying your wonderful recipes. I used a Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce (my fave), and this was absolutely delicious. I’m from Texas where a love of BBQ and Tex-Mex is in our genes! This is a new family fave! Thank you!
That makes us so happy Chelsea, thanks for sharing! We’re glad you loved these. :)
Crazy delicious! There hasn’t been one recipe of yours that hasn’t been fabulous. Thank you for giving life to my family’s dinner plates. =)
Thank you, Erica!
looks yummy and would love to make this tonight! I didn’t see the alternative instructions if you are using shredded cooked chicken. Did I miss it? Thank you!
Hey Michele! You can just stir the cooked shredded chicken (it should be about 3-4 cups) along with the black beans and corn. Hope you enjoy! : )
I don’t see anything regarding the pre-cooked chicken? I’m just going to add it as suggested with the other items but not cook as long. (I pre-cook my chicken and shred it in a crock-pot.)