Chicken enchilada skillet is a flavorful mix of shredded chicken with a spiced red enchilada sauce that’s covered in tortilla wedges and cheese and baked until bubbly and browned.
We have been on an enchilada kick around here!
Recently I shared my cream cheese chicken enchiladas and salsa verde chicken enchiladas.
And we adore our go-to chicken enchiladas as well as sweet potato and black bean enchiladas, which are crazy good and perfect for a vegetarian version.
Today, we’re deconstructing.
Chicken enchilada skillet is a flavorful mix of shredded chicken with a spiced red enchilada sauce that’s covered in tortilla wedges and cheese and then baked until bubbly and browned.
It’s just a handful of ingredients and comes together in about 30 minutes. Perfect weeknight dinner eats!
We devour this every time I make it.
Bonus, this dish looks simply gorgeous when you pull it out of the oven.
You’ll definitely be feasting with your eyes first!
OK, let’s get cooking so you can enjoy this too!
Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make chicken enchiladas skillet. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
- Chicken: The chicken for this recipe needs to be cooked, so please plan accordingly. You can use a rotisserie chicken from the store or some Instant Pot shredded chicken or crockpot shredded chicken.
- Enchilada sauce: I use my homemade enchilada sauce, which is easy and SO flavorful, but you can definitely substitute store-bought. You’ll need 1 (16-ounce size) can.
- Adobo sauce: The adobo sauce comes from a can of chipotles in adobo. You’ll just be using part of the sauce, so you can save and reserve the rest of the sauce and chipotles for another use. (Tip: You can freeze it in Souper Cubes trays.)
- Tortillas: You need small corn tortillas for this recipe (not flour tortillas like you might usually use to roll up enchiladas). We’re cutting them into wedges to mix into the skillet and top the skillet with.
- Cheese: I love the flavor - and ease - of some shredded Mexican blend cheese from the bag. However, you could also use Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese or a combination of the two.
Like it spicy?
You can add a diced jalapeño when you sauté the onion or you can opt for Pepper Jack for your cheese. You can also substitute cayenne for the black pepper.
Or you can just drizzle some hot sauce or sriracha on top of the chicken skillet enchiladas when serving. (I do this so my kids can have it not spicy and I can add a little kick just to mine.)
OK, let’s get ready to serve this up!
I strongly encourage you to have a side dish or two to go with this meal.
Normally, enchiladas are really filling on their own and we maybe just do a side salad.
This enchilada skillet is a lot less hearty than a full pan of enchiladas, so you do need something to round out the dinner.
Serving Ideas:
- Rice and beans would be a great side dish. Or this confetti brown rice.
- A side salad - we love a good bagged salad - would be great as well for some green veggies.
- Avocado salad is always a good idea.
- Or even this hearty and delicious Mexican coleslaw would be a great fit.
OK, let’s finish these off so we can eat!
Here are a few ideas for possible toppings. Mix and match your favorites.
Topping Ideas:
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Sliced green onions or chives
- Sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Lime wedges
- Hot sauce or sriracha
So much yum.
Finally, let’s talk about what to do with any leftovers you might have.
(Caveat, we never do because it’s the perfect amount for 4 people.)
Once cooled, store the leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat in individual servings in the microwave. Start with 1 minute, then check and add additional time as needed to get it hot.
I do not recommend freezing leftovers because the tortilla wedges will get soggy and won’t stand up well to freezing and thawing.
There you have it! Another fun twist for enchilada night!
Happy cooking and enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Chicken Enchilada Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 16 oz. red enchilada sauce
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce)
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 8 (6 inch) corn tortillas, cut into 6 wedges, divided
- 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a large oven-proof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until slightly softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 more minute.
- Add the enchilada sauce, adobo sauce, cumin and salt to the skillet and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and combine until well coated and warmed through, about 2 minutes.
- Reserve 12 of the tortilla wedges for later. Add the remaining tortilla wedges and ¾ cup of the shredded cheese to the chicken mixture in the skillet and stir to combine. Make sure the tortillas get evenly distributed.
- Layer the remaining, reserved 12 tortilla wedges on top of the skillet. Use a brush or spoon to add some sauce from the skillet to the tops of the tortilla wedges. Sprinkle with the remaining ¾ cup of shredded cheese.
- Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake at 425 for 15 minutes, until cheese is melted and browned on top.
- Carefully remove the skillet from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Add desired toppings and enjoy!
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