Turn chicken enchiladas into an easy dinner with this Skillet Enchiladas recipe. It is perfect for busy weeknights or even meal prep.
30 minutes
Minimal prep
You’ll Learn: The technique for juicy shredded chicken
Worth It: It’s a satisfying, protein-forward option that actually keeps you full
Bonus: Easy to tailor to common diets
Turn your favorite enchiladas into a simple skillet meal
I love the flavor of chicken enchiladas, but rolling each one individually can take extra time that I do not usually have on busy weeknights. This simple skillet meal packs all of the flavor of enchiladas, but in just about 30 minutes.
Just prepare shredded chicken and mix it with some onions, green chilies, beans and red enchilada sauce. Then, top it with some tortilla strips and shredded cheese.
Finally, bake it all in the oven to melt the cheese and you are left with a delicious and satisfying one pan meal.
These skillet enchiladas are perfect for weeknight dinners or even meal prep. I like to portion this out into 4 servings in containers and then reheat for a quick lunch each day.
Kitchen tools
- Small sauce pan
- Oven safe skillet
- Two forks for shredding the chicken
- Sharp knife and cutting board for the tortilla strips
- Can opener
Serving Suggestions
The wonderful thing about this chicken enchilada skillet recipe is that it is a full meal in one pan! So you really do not need to serve anything else with it.
I like to garnish the skillet with fresh cilantro or green onion, salsa and sour cream. I always look for a fresh pico de gallo because I think the taste of the fresh tomatoes nicely compliments the skillet. Top this dish with some guacamole or fresh avocado for some extra fiber.
If you want to add some extra veggies to this meal, serve it with a simple green salad. I would use this copycat chipotle vinaigrette recipe as a dressing.
Ingredients
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Small corn tortillas
- Oil
- White onion
- Diced green chillies
- Black beans
- Red enchilada sauce
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend
Save yourself time with this shortcut
Instead of preparing shredded chicken from the raw chicken breasts, you can buy a rotisserie chicken and shred or cube the breast meat. Continue the recipe with that shredded chicken.
You can also buy premade shredded chicken at different grocery stores. Costco has the best price that I have seen.
Ingredient substitutions
Feel free to swap the small corn tortillas for flour tortillas if you prefer them. You could even use hard tortilla chips for a crispy crust instead of a soft one.
If you use all corn tortillas, this recipe is gluten free just be sure to check the ingredients in your enchilada sauce. You can use a green enchilada sauce or mole in place of the red enchilada sauce.
To make this recipe dairy free, use a dairy free cheese in place of the shredded cheese. Add extra protein by using Greek yogurt as a topping instead of sour cream.
You can use kidney or pinto beans in place of the black beans or a blend of several different beans. You could also add corn kernels to this enchilada skillet recipe.
If you are not a fan of chicken, you can use ground beef or ground turkey instead. Just brown the ground meat after you saute the onions and green chillies.
How to make skillet enchiladas
Step 1: Preheat oven and poach chicken
To begin, preheat oven to 350F. Then, place chicken breasts in a sauce pan and fill with water.
Bring the pot to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for 14 minutes, remove the chicken breasts from the pot and allow to cool.
When it has cooled slightly, shred the chicken with 2 forks.
Step 2: Saute Onion and green chiles
Then, slice the corn tortillas into strips and then cut each strip in half. Set aside. Drain and rinse black beans.
Next, heat oil in a large oven safe skillet over medium heat and saute the onion and green chiles in the oil until the onions are soft about 3-4 minutes.
Step 3: simmer, top with tortillas and bake
Add the black beans, shredded chicken and enchilada sauce to the skillet and toss to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and mix the cut up tortillas into the skillet and top with the shredded cheese.
Place in the oven and bake at 350F for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Storage, reheating, and freezing
Allow the skillet to cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refridgerator for up to 4 days.
I prefer to store this enchilada skillet in the fridge in individual portions so they are easier to reheat. I like to warm leftovers in the oven at 250F for about 20 minutes or until warmed through.
If you want to store this skillet in the freezer, I reccomend preparing the base and then transferring it to a freezer safe container. Top with the tortillas and cheese, but do not bake it.
Cover and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Cook directly from frozen at 325F for 60 minutes.
Check out these other one skillet recipes
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
You can find the full recipe below. If you make this recipe, please rate and review it in the comments, or share it with me on Instagram!
Email Recipe for Later
Recipe
Skillet Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 small corn tortillas
- 1 tbsp oil
- ½ white onion diced
- 1 4oz can of diced green chiles
- Salt and pepper
- 1 15oz can of black beans
- 1 12oz bottle red enchilada sauce
- 1.5 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Place chicken breasts in a sauce pan and fill with water. Bring the pot to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for 14 minutes, remove the chicken breasts from the pot and allow to cool. When it has cooled slightly, shred the chicken with 2 forks.
- Slice the corn tortillas into strips and then cut each strip in half. Set aside. Drain and rinse black beans.
- Heat oil in a large oven safe skillet over medium heat and saute the onion and green chiles in the oil until the onions are soft about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the black beans, shredded chicken and enchilada sauce to the skillet and toss to combine. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and mix the cut up tortillas into the skillet and top with the shredded cheese.
- Place in the oven and bake at 350F for 5-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
Recipe Notes
- If you use all corn tortillas, this recipe is gluten free just be sure to check the ingredients in your enchilada sauce
- You can use a green enchilada sauce or mole in place of the red enchilada sauce
- To make this recipe dairy free, use a dairy free cheese in place of the shredded cheese
- You can use kidney or pinto beans in place of the black beans
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
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