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Using shredded chicken, plenty of vegetables and a tomato-based sauce, roll these easy Chicken Enchiladas into a Mexican-style family dinner win. Follow this recipe for both the oven method and how to cook these in the air fryer too.
I discovered this dish when I had leftover roast chicken to use up, and now it’s my most-made dinner whenever there’s cooked chicken in the fridge.
Chicken Enchiladas are also a much requested meal in my house, so I make it quite often on the weekends too (Mexican always works so well on a Saturday night), so if I am cooking the chicken especially for this, I double up and make a second batch for the freezer for another day.
My Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas works well as a chuck-it-all-in time saving meal, but taking the time to roll the wraps and bake them in the oven or air fryer gives a more authentic feel.
(Hack: Sometimes if I have more time earlier in the day I do all the prep, then all that’s left to do at dinner time is bake them.)
Why you’ll love this recipe
⭐️ Packed full of veggies and tastes SO good
⭐️ Freezes well for dinner another day
⭐️ Simple store cupboard ingredients
Reader Comment:
“My entire family enjoyed this – a rarity! It will definitely be added to my go to list. So easy to adjust for fussy eaters too. I’m the only one who likes black beans and sweetcorn so I separated a portion of the chicken mix for myself before wrapping in the tortilla. Thank you Sarah 😊”- Nicky Peverett
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What to serve with Chicken Enchiladas
When I make this at the weekend, I serve it with tortilla chips and all the dips (guacamole, sour cream and salsa) and sometimes a Mexican Salad.
If it’s a midweek meal, it’s probably just some microwave pouch rice or Coleslaw if there’s some in the fridge!
Oven or Air Fryer?
The only real difference is the time they take to cook as the prep time is the same for both.
They’re about 5-10 minutes in the air fryer and 15-20 in the oven.
I tend to make these in the oven the most because I need the time to get everything else ready, but if it’s a quick midweek dinner, I go for the air fryer instead.
Chicken options
⭐️ Buy ready-cooked chicken (or a rotisserie chicken) from the supermarket.
⭐️ Cook it yourself in the oven (20-25 minutes until it’s cooked through).
⭐️ Cook in the air fryer (you can use my air fryer chicken method, with or without the seasonings.)
⭐️ Use your own leftover cooked chicken from another day.
Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients
- Chicken – We’re using about 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts for this but see my top tips above on cooked chicken options.
- For the sauce – Sunflower oil, onion, garlic granules, paprika, cumin, oregano, chilli powder, passata, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Tortilla wraps – I like to use corn wraps as they taste more authentic but sometimes these are hard to find in the larger size. Really you can use whichever you prefer.
- To build the enchiladas: Sweetcorn, black beans, grated cheese.
How to make Chicken Enchiladas
1. Cook your chicken as per the optional methods above, then make the sauce. First, cook the onions, then add the spices, as per the full recipe below.
2. Add the passata and stir well, then remove 2 spoonfuls and put aside for underneath the tortillas when baking.
3. Add the other filling ingredients in, stir everything together and cook for a further 5 minutes until hot.
4. Lay the tortillas out and share the mixture evenly between them. Add a little sauce and cheese, then cook as per the recipe below.
TO OVEN BAKE:
Bake for about 15-20 minutes in preheated oven at 180℃ fan/200℃/400F/Gas Mark 6, until the inside of the enchiladas is hot and the cheese has melted.
TO AIR FRYER BAKE:
Bake for about 5-10 minutes in preheated air fryer at 180℃ fan/200℃/400F/Gas Mark 6, until the inside of the enchiladas is hot and the cheese has melted.
Substitutions
- Black beans – You can substitute these with any other cooked, canned, drained beans. For example, kidney beans. The flavours are only slightly different.
Leftovers
In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully before serving or eat cold.
In the freezer
Chicken Enchiladas freeze really well for an even quicker meal on busy evenings. Just cover well and freeze before baking.
The tortilla wraps can go a little bit softer than when cooked on the same day. This isn’t the end of the world, but if you do want to avoid this, just freeze the sauce/filling and then assemble the defrosted filling with fresh wraps on the day you want to serve them.
More enchilada recipes…
Slow Cooker Beef
Slow Cooker Beef Enchiladas
Slow Cooker
Veggie Enchiladas {Slow Cooker Fakeaways}
Family Dinner Ideas
Beef Enchiladas {Easy Cheesy Recipe!}
FAQs
You can use whichever kind you prefer in your family: wholemeal, etc. I like corn tortillas as I think they go really well with the flavours and taste slightly more like the real thing.
I’d say it’s low to medium spice, and so suitable for most children. You can adjust the amount of spice by using less or more chilli powder. You could also add chopped chillies on top before serving if you want some extra spice!
Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.
Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).
Chicken Enchiladas Recipe {Oven & Air Fryer}
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 650 g (1.4 lb) Chicken breasts, See notes
For the sauce:
- 2 tsp Sunflower oil
- 1 Onion, Peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tsp Garlic granules
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 1 tsp Mild chilli powder
- 680 g (1.5 lb) Passata
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
To build the enchiladas:
- 325 g (12 oz) Tinned sweetcorn, Drained (or frozen if you prefer)
- 400 g (14 oz) Black beans, Drained and rinsed
- 8 Tortilla wraps, See notes
- 100 g (4 oz) Grated cheese
Instructions
- Make the sauce: Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, garlic, paprika, cumin, oregano and chilli powder. Season well with salt and pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes on a low heat until the onions are almost cooked through, coloured and fragrant.
- Add in the passata and heated through. Remove 2 large spoonfuls of the sauce to a bowl and put to one side (this is for underneath and on top of the rolled tortillas).
- Add in the cooked chicken, beans and sweetcorn and mix well. Cook for another 5 minutes until hot.
- Preheat the oven or air fryer to 180℃ fan/200℃/Gas Mark 6/350F.
- Put half of the reserved sauce on the base of a baking dish/air fryer tray.
- Build the tortilla wraps: Lay the tortillas out and share the mixture evenly between them.
- Roll each tortilla up and place on top of the thin layer of sauce, being sure that the open end is at the bottom, so the weight of the tortilla keeps them shut.
- Spoon the remaining sauce over the top and sprinkle on the cheese.
To oven bake:
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes until the inside of the enchiladas is hot and the cheese has melted.
To air fryer bake:
- Bake for about 5-10 minutes until the inside of the enchiladas is hot and the cheese has melted.
Did you make this recipe? Click here to let us know how it went and give it a ⭐️ rating! Your feedback helps us to make more recipes you really want.
Notes
- Buy ready-cooked chicken (or a rotisserie chicken) from the supermarket.
- Cook it yourself in the oven (20-25 minutes until it’s cooked through).
- Cook in the air fryer (you can use my air fryer chicken method, with or without the seasonings).
- Use your own leftover cooked chicken from another day.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutritional values are per portion unless otherwise stated.
This post was originally published on July 19th, 2018. It was updated on July 30th, 2025 to add additional tips and step-by-step videos.
This post was originally published on July 30, 2025 and updated later to make improvements.
This went down so well with my kids and their friends last weekend. They’re already asking when we can have it again. We’re all gluten free, just used corn tortillas 😃
These look delicious, I am going to make them for my family. Please can you let me know how long do they take to cook from frozen? Thank you!
The tortilla wraps can go a little bit softer than when cooked on the same day. This isn’t the end of the world, but if you do want to avoid this, just freeze the sauce/filling and then assemble the defrosted filling with fresh wraps on the day you want to serve them and cook as per recipe timings.
My entire family enjoyed this – a rarity! It will definitely be added to my go to list. So easy to adjust for fussy eaters too. I’m the only one who likes black beans and sweetcorn so I separated a portion of the chicken mix for myself before wrapping in the tortilla. Thank you Sarah 😊
What size of baking dish do you use for the oven?
My daughters (age 8) new favourite meal.
Didn’t use already cooked chicken, just sliced up a few chicken breasts and cooked along with the peppers and onion. 😊
Really easy to make. I left out the chilli powder as my offspring won’t eat anything spicy. Still a nice flavour. Easy to make a vegetarian and meat option at the same time.
These have become a firm family favourite. The Red Leicester cheese was brilliant now a family staple for melted cheese recipes.
Made these tonight for the first time. We loved them. Never shredded chicken for enchaladas before. Game changer. Thank you.
Oh fab, so pleased they went down well Helen!
Made these tonight – family loved them !
I made these tonight for the first time and my fussy children ate it all and asked for seconds!