A popular Mexican dish called enchiladas is made with tortillas rolled around a tasty filling and covered in sauce. If you want your enchiladas to taste even better, use juicy, flavorful chicken breast as the filling. But make sure you cook the chicken breast the right way to get the right texture and taste.
In this article, I’ll provide a step-by-step guide to cooking chicken breast for enchiladas, along with tips and tricks for maximum flavor and ease. Whether you’re a beginner cook or enchilada aficionado, you’ll learn the ideal techniques to make your chicken enchiladas amazing every time.
Why Choose Chicken Breast for Enchiladas
Chicken breast is a healthy and versatile meat that goes great in enchiladas. Here are some of the reasons why you should use chicken breast as your filling:
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Tender and juicy: When cooked right, chicken breast has a soft, juicy texture that goes well with the crunchy tortilla shell.
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Mild flavor Chicken has a delicate mildly sweet flavor that allows the spices sauce and other enchilada ingredients to shine.
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Nutritious: Chicken breast is lower in fat and calories compared to fattier cuts like thighs. It packs lean protein, B vitamins and other nutrients.
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Budget-friendly: Chicken breast is an affordable protein option accessible to most budgets.
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Kid-friendly: The mild taste and soft texture of chicken breast appeals to young palates.
Prepping the Chicken Breast
Getting your chicken breast ready to cook makes sure it’s tender and full of flavor. Here are some tips:
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Trim excess fat: Use a sharp knife to remove any large pieces of fat from the breasts. A little fat is okay, but trimming helps prevent tough, rubbery pieces.
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Pound to even thickness: Place chicken breasts between pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and gently pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/2 inch thick. This promotes even cooking.
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Season generously: Rub chicken all over with olive oil then sprinkle on spices like cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Massage seasonings into the meat.
How to Cook Chicken Breast for Enchiladas
Now let’s explore some easy methods for cooking chicken breast to use in your enchiladas.
Poaching
Poaching gently cooks the chicken in simmering liquid, ensuring it stays moist and tender.
You’ll need:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
- 1⁄2 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
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In a medium pot, combine broth, onion, garlic and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
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Add chicken breasts and spoon some liquid over to submerge.
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Cover and poach at a gentle simmer for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through (165°F internal temperature).
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Remove chicken and allow to cool slightly before shredding.
Baking
Baking chicken produces a lightly browned exterior while keeping the meat moist.
You’ll need:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
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Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
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Brush chicken all over with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
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Arrange chicken on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until browned and cooked through.
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Let rest 5 minutes before shredding chicken.
Sautéing
Sautéing in a bit of oil results in delicious caramelized flavor.
You’ll need:
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
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Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
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Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and cook 4-5 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.
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Transfer chicken to a cutting board to rest 5 minutes before shredding.
Shredding the Chicken
Once cooked, shredding the chicken into bite-size pieces is easy. Here’s how:
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Allow chicken to cool slightly so it’s easier to handle.
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Using two forks, pull chicken apart into thin shreds.
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Continue shredding until all chicken is in small shreds.
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Alternatively, you can shred in a stand mixer on low speed using the paddle attachment.
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For extra flavor, shred chicken then toss with 1-2 tbsp of your favorite enchilada sauce.
Assemble Your Enchiladas
Now for the fun part – rolling your enchiladas! Follow these steps:
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Warm corn or flour tortillas to make them pliable.
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Place a few tbsp shredded chicken down the center of the tortilla.
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Top with shredded cheese, sautéed veggies, etc.
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Roll up tortilla around filling and place seam-side down in baking dish.
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Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.
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Cover enchiladas with sauce and extra cheese.
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Bake at 350°F until hot and bubbly, 20-25 minutes.
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Garnish with avocado, cilantro, etc. Enjoy!
Cooking Chicken Breast to Perfection
Cooking chicken breast for enchiladas doesn’t have to be difficult. With proper seasoning, generous cooking times and the right shredding technique, you’ll have tender, flavorful chicken for your enchiladas.
The key is using a thermometer and cooking to an internal temp of 165°F. Be sure to let chicken rest before shredding so the juices can redistribute. Sautéing, baking or poaching all yield delicious results.
Now that you know how to cook chicken breast for enchiladas, it’s time to whip up a batch! Feel free to experiment with different fillings and sauce styles. Just remember – properly cooked chicken is the key to success.
How To Make Chicken Enchiladas
- We start our enchiladas with garlic, red bell pepper, and yellow onion. Pulse them in a food processor instead of just cutting them up and cooking them down in a pan. This will make sure that all of your vegetables are chopped up finely and evenly.
- Cumin: There are already a lot of flavors here, so just add a little cumin to season the vegetables.
- The Sauce: This recipe for homemade enchilada sauce is a great way to make it. Putting it together only takes twenty minutes and really makes these enchiladas taste extra good. But if you’re in a hurry, you can use store-bought instead.
- Crushed Tomatoes: Our sauce is smooth, and a can of crushed tomatoes gives these enchiladas an extra tangy and sweet taste.
- Chicken: I cook and shred the chicken breasts ahead of time to make these enchiladas even easier. This is a great meal to make ahead of time. Once the chicken is done cooking, put it in a container that won’t let air in and put it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it, up to 5 days. Read our guide on how to shred chicken to learn everything you need to know.
- Cilantro: Adding fresh cilantro is always a good idea, and it works great here. It adds flavor to our chicken filling and looks great on top.
- Cheese: I like to mix cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses in this dish. You can use either one, but two kinds of cheese make the dish taste twice as good. I really think that shredding your cheese right before using it will give it the best melty texture.
- Tortillas: I like corn tortillas better than flour tortillas because they taste better and are more traditional. You can use flour tortillas instead if you’d like. No matter what kind of tortillas you use, make sure to warm them up a bit before you fill them. This will bring the tortillas together and make them easier to roll.
- Toppings: I like to serve these enchiladas with fresh cilantro, lime, and sour cream, but feel free to try other things. You can add sliced avocado to make it creamier or your favorite hot sauce to make it spicier.
After preheating our oven, we’ll first cook down our veggies. After coarsely chopping your garlic, bell pepper, and onion, add them to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
Once finely chopped, set aside while you heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion-pepper-garlic mixture and cook until softened (making sure to stir occasionally). Pour in the cumin and mix it in well with the vegetables. Then cook for another minute or two, until the vegetables smell good.
You can then add the crushed tomatoes and either homemade (my favorite) or store-bought enchilada sauce to the pan. Cook over medium-low heat. Cook while stirring until warmed through, then reserve ¾ cup of the sauce mixture to later top the enchiladas.
Now we can work on our filling. The chicken, cilantro, half of the cheddar, half of the Monterey Jack, and 1 cup of the sauce mixture should all be put in a bowl. Toss everything together to fully combine, then season to taste with salt.
Don’t worry—we aren’t forgetting about what’s left of the sauce. Spread what’s remaining of the sauce in the bottom of your baking dish. Now we can move onto my favorite part: filling the tortillas. First, it’s important to slightly warm your tortillas to make them more pliable while rolling—we don’t want any breakage. Spoon about ⅔ cup of the chicken mixture into the center of your tortilla, then roll up the tortilla and arrange them seam-side down on top of the sauce in your baking dish.
Then, repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas, placing them next to each tortilla to form a row along the length of the dish. Once your row is complete, spread your reserved sauce mixture on top of the tortillas, then add your remaining cups of cheese.
Now, we can bake! Add them to the oven, and bake the enchiladas until the cheese is bubbling and melted. Once melty and incredible, top them however you please! I love fresh cilantro, sour cream, and lime wedges, but you do you.
The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.
- All about enchiladas. Enchiladas started out as a Mexican street food: just rolled tortillas dipped in chili sauce. As Mexican immigrants, known as Tejanos, came to Texas, they brought their food traditions with them. Over time, they changed them to make Tex-Mex food that we love today. While these enchiladas aren’t quite Tex-Mex, they are still in the middle. If you ask anyone, they might not be authentic, but they’re quick, easy, filling, and tasty.
- Filling variations. If you want more than just these classic chicken enchiladas, we have a lot more for you. For those who don’t want chicken, our vegetarian or green chili white bean enchiladas are great options. If you’d rather have meat, you can also try our beef enchiladas.
How to Cook Chicken for Enchiladas | Kitchen Basics by MOMables
FAQ
How long to boil chicken breast for shredding?
Simmer chicken breasts for 8 to 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C). This will make them ready to shred. The exact time depends on the size of the chicken breasts and whether they are bone-in or boneless.
How to cook boneless chicken breast without drying it out?
chicken in, 1/4 cup of water to stop it drying out. Cover with foil . Bake at 200C for min 20 minutes. use a casserole dish if you don’t like foil. Oct 18, 2023.
Do I bake chicken enchiladas covered or uncovered?
Most enchiladas are baked and covered with foil until heated through.May 28, 2022
How do you cook shredded chicken for chicken enchiladas?
Mexican food fans know that you can make shredded chicken for chicken enchiladas in a number of ways, such as by boiling whole chickens, simmering boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a slow cooker, or even using a rotisserie chicken from the deli to get long strands of juicy, flavorful meat.
How do you cook chicken breast for enchiladas?
The best method for cooking chicken breasts for enchiladas is to poach them. This involves simmering the chicken breasts in a flavorful liquid until they are cooked through and tender. Poaching helps to retain the moisture in the chicken, ensuring it stays juicy when used in the enchiladas. How long should I poach the chicken breasts?.
How often do you make chicken enchiladas?
Twice a month I make chicken enchiladas, lasagna-style. It’s a regular with us because assembly is easy and my whole family gives it a thumbs-up.