Go Back
–+ servings
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Ancho Chicken Enchiladas

This Ancho Chicken Enchiladas recipe is easy to make, full of big flavor, nice and cheesy and filled with chicken and beans, and perfect for Cinco de Mayo or anytime you're feeling like Mexican food!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: casserole, chicken
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

Enchilada Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or vegetable oil or any other neutral oil)
  • 1 small white onion peeled and diced
  • 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts diced into small 1/2-inch pieces (*or see substitution below for using pre-cooked shredded chicken)
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
  • 1 (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans rinsed and drained
  • 8 large flour tortillas
  • 3 cups Mexican-blend shredded cheese
  • 1 batch Ancho Enchilada Sauce (see below)
  • chopped fresh cilantro for topping

Ancho Enchilada Sauce Recipe:

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or vegetable oil or any other neutral oil)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose or gluten-free flour
  • 4 tablespoons ancho chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Instructions

To Make The Enchiladas:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.  Prepare your enchilada sauce.
  • In large saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add diced chicken and green chiles, and season with salt and pepper.  Saute for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the chicken is cooked through.  Remove from heat and set aside.
  • To assemble the enchiladas, set up an assembly line including: tortillas, enchilada sauce, beans, chicken mixture, and cheese. Lay out a tortilla, and spread two tablespoons of sauce over the surface of the tortilla.  Add beans in a line down the middle of the tortilla, then add in a spoonful of the chicken mixture, then sprinkle with 1/3 cup cheese. Roll up tortilla and place in a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.  Then spread the remaining enchilada sauce on top of the tortillas, and sprinkle on the remaining shredded cheese.
  • Bake uncovered for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and serve immediately, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro if desired.

To Make The Ancho Enchilada Sauce:

  • Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and whisk together over the heat for one minute. Stir in the remaining seasonings (chili powder through oregano). Then gradually add in the stock, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until slightly thickened.
  • Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 3 days.  (I like to use mason jars or Weck jars to store this sauce.)

Notes

*If you are using pre-cooked chicken, just leave it out of the saute and cook the onion and green chiles for 1 additional minute (instead of 6-8).  Once you remove the onion and green chiles from the heat, stir in the chicken (which should be shredded or chopped into bite-sized pieces).