Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good enchiladas? ›

The most important tip for avoiding soggy enchiladas is to briefly fry your tortillas in hot oil before you fill and roll. This creates a little bit of a barrier so that the tortillas don't soak up too much of the sauce and therefore start to break down.

Traditional enchiladas are made with less sauce but, because the tortillas are coated in sauce, it's more evenly distributed throughout the dish. And, with less sauce, it's less likely your tortillas will sog out and disintegrate.

Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the enchiladas are cooked through and the tortillas are slightly crispy on the outside. Transfer the baking dish to a wire baking rack. Serve. Serve the enchiladas immediately while they're nice and hot and melty, garnished with lots of fresh toppings.

While some recipes use flour tortillas, corn tortillas are traditional — and for good reason — are the better option for enchiladas. Corn tortillas have a distinct flavor that plays a key part of the enchilada experience, compared to flour tortillas, which are more like a blank slate.

I've heard that corn tortillas are more resistant to going soggy than flour ones, but couldn't comment from experience. I do the same, just putting the sauce on the top, although it is helpful to lightly grease the dish that you are cooking the enchiladas in to avoid them sticking.

Heating up the tortillas before you fill them makes every taco recipe that much more savory and delicious, so don't skip this step! Tacos, quesadillas and enchiladas are too delicious for a cold tortilla.

Some recipes suggest spreading a little sauce (½ cup for a 3-quart baking dish) on the bottom of the pan before adding enchiladas. This keeps the tortillas from sticking to the pan or getting tough on the bottom.

Preheat your pan

Try preheating your enchilada pan in the oven before you start cooking. Adding your tortillas intoan already-warm pan instead of a cold one will help them start cooking and getting crispy right away, rather than risking sogginess.

Sturdy yellow corn tortillas hold up better in these enchiladas than more delicate white corn tortillas. The corn tortillas must be softened before they are rolled and baked in the casserole. Frying them gently in a little oil greatly enhances the flavor of the tortillas. Do not use flour tortillas for this recipe.

Or you can omit the flour and instead add a cornstarch slurry (equal parts cornstarch and cold water whisked together) to the sauce once it is simmering to thicken it. Make it creamy: Whisk in 1/2 cup of heavy cream to turn this recipe into a delicious creamy enchilada sauce.

Can you make enchiladas ahead of time or do they get soggy? ›

Make ahead instructions.

Wrap the pan tightly with foil. Then you can either refrigerate the enchiladas for up to 3 days, then bake as directed. Or you can freeze the enchiladas for up to 3 months, then let them thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then bake as directed.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the bean mixture in the center of each warm tortilla. Divide the cheese between the tortillas, reserving 1/4 to sprinkle on top. Roll up tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish. Spoon the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and scatter over the reserved cheese.

Canned sauce is often thin, so making a roux to strengthen it can really help elevate your dish. Once the canned enchilada sauce is mixed in with this agent, adding in some chicken broth makes for some extra hearty flavor too, creating an especially well-rounded dish.