Oi. This white sauce. I think possibly these White Chicken Enchiladas have knocked the classic off its pedestal!
It’s Sunday night here in Sydney and I swore I was going to be healthy this week – starting from tonight. I had salad for dinner and I am munching on carrot sticks as I write this post.
So I have to tell you, it is absolute, complete and utter torture writing up this recipe and looking at these photos. Describing to you how delicious this is, trying not to remember every creamy bite, the golden bubbly cheese, the juicy chicken, that sauce….that white sauce….
Ugh. Someone help me. This “health kick” isn’t going to last beyond tomorrow morning at this rate. I feel my resolve weakening rapidly.
Months and months and months ago, a reader sent me a recipe for White Chicken Enchiladas. I must admit, I had my doubts. A sauce made with a sour cream base? Really?
The minute I made it, I fell in love. As I do, I became obsessed and made it multiple times within a very short space of time, adding my own touch.
The sauce. Seriously. I’m obsessed! The sour cream adds a subtle tang to cut through what would otherwise be a very heavy sauce, akin to the white sauce in rich French gratins. I also like to add fresh or canned jalapeños to it which adds a touch of zing and freshness.
I like to throw in corn and scallions for the filling. It fills it out more so it’s not just chicken, and also adds a touch of freshness into an otherwise very rich dish. Feel free to substitute it with whatever vegetables you had on hand – anything diced works!
I’ve even made a vegetarian version of this (gasp, shock horror!). Regular readers will know that meat-free isn’t really my “thing”. But this White Sauce is so good, I knew that a vegetarian version would rock. And indeed it did! I used a mix of black beans, corn and other diced vegetables, and oh boy. I promise you, I did NOT miss meat. 🙂
However, having said that, my favourite is this chicken version. Hence why I’m sharing this with you today.
This is easy to make and it’s great for make ahead too! I like to prepare the Enchiladas but keep the sauce separate. Then on the night of, I pour the sauce over, scatter over cheese and pop it in the oven.
Dinner’s up! – Nagi x
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White Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
White Sauce
- 2 1/2 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 2 tbsp finely chopped jalapeños OR canned green chilies (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp salt + pepper
Enchiladas
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used poached chicken breast)
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions
- Salt and pepper
- 2 cups grated cheese (Note 1)
- 8 to rtillas (flour or corn)
Instructions
White Sauce
- Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet. Add flour and cook for 1 minute.
- Add milk, whisk until thickened - about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add sour cream and chicken broth. Whisk and cook for 2 minutes - it should thicken slightly. Stir through cumin, jalapeños, salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Enchiladas
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Mix together 1/4 cup White Sauce, chicken, corn, scallions, 1 cup of grated cheese, salt and pepper.
- Pop the tortillas in the microwave for 15 seconds to warm through (so they don't crack when rolled up).
- Divide filling between tortillas, and roll them up like a cigar.
- Smear 2 tbsp of White Sauce in baking dish. Place enchiladas in the dish, seam side down. Pour over remaining White Sauce, scatter with remaining cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until bubbly and golden. Serve hot!
- Optional: Serve Pico de Gallo to top it or serve it on the side. I added avocado to my base Pico de Gallo Recipe.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
If you enjoyed this, then my Beef Enchiladas are a must try!
My husband emailed me this recipe. We used to make something similar that used canned cream soup, but we’ve banned the stuff from our house. Hubby has been looking for a recipe that uses real food and not processed ingredients. We made this tonight and it was a hit. I used canned chilies and took your advice by dividing them between the sauce and chicken mixture. I used 8 inch tortillas, so I only got five enchiladas. Served it with a spinach salad. Definitely making this again.
When I tasted the sauce I thought that it would make a good soup base. It would need to be thinned a bit, and then the chicken and corn added….white chicken enchilada soup.
WOO HOO! So glad you enjoyed this Annette, thank you for taking the time to come back and let me know!! PS We are on the same wave….I’ve shared a White Chicken Enchilada Soup too! https://www.recipetineats.com/white-enchilada-soup-with-chicken-or-turkey/
Do you think i could do theses as a freezer meal?
You sure can! 🙂
Nagi, I LOVE this recipe and I’ve made it now almost a dozen times. My only tweak is that I double the corn (personal preference). I usually make double batches — because, hey, it is SUCH an EASY recipe! — and I freeze the second batch. I let it cool and I cut it into serving sizes, securely wrap each piece in cellophane/Saran, and then Ziploc all the pieces flat in my freezer. I can grab out one piece at a time to bring to work for lunch or heat up for a friend who stops over unexpectedly for dinner; I just sprinkle a few drops of water on it and microwave on a covered dish. It saves/reheats like this so beautifully.
Ooohhh! I am SO GLAD you love this as much as I do Mimi!! It’s so delish, isn’t it? ❤️ That white sauce is everything!!! N xx
SO GREAT, had a little trouble with the white sauce but that will just take practice on my part. The boyfriend loved them and I did too, deff adding this to my recipe book. I put the chicken and a cup of salsa in the crockpot overnight and made them in the morning, worked out great. Can you double that white sauce?
YAY! So happy you loved it! 🙂 YES you can double the sauce! You can never have too much of this gorgeous sauce!! N x
Hi Nagi!
I just made these tonight for the first time and boy were you right about that sauce…delicious!
Another fantastic recipe that I will add to our regular rotation. Thank you so much for continuing to
help my family eat well. I would be lost without your recipes!
I’m SO GLAD Nina! Thank you for coming back to let me know! <3
Another DELICIOUS recipe! I made just a few tweaks…I used homemade corn tortillas that wouldn’t roll up good without breaking, so I made an enchilada lasagna instead 🙂 And I forgot to buy scallions, so I threw some minced onion in there..still very good! And I used a Mexican blend of grated cheese…yummy!!! Thanks again for your awesomeness 🙂
OOH!! Enchilada lasagna – I love it!! I’m so glad you loved it, thank you so much for coming back to let me know!! N x
This looks so creamy and delicious! Definitely in the mood for enchiladas now 🙂
Thanks Sabrina! I’m ALWAYS in the mood for enchiladas!!! 🙂
I made this tonight Nagi! I had chicken thawing and had no clue what to make! I used sharp cheddar and colby jack-(the cheese I had on hand 🙂 ) but was hoping I had some pepper jack in the freezer- which would be fabulous for this dish. I used a jalapeno- that I needed to use! HA! BUT if I had a can of chilis, which I usually have in the pantry ( shopping this weekend!) I would have used instead. You CANNOT beat the taste of canned diced chilis and I am shocked you do not have them! Only ingredient I DID not have were the scallions so I used a small shallot in it’s place and it tasted great. It definitely needs some sort of onion. We added our almost depleted heirloom tomatoes from our garden, which added a sweet taste and cilantro. NOW that I have written a book, THANK YOU- lol- for posting- everyone loved it! It is a Nagi keeper. Lisa, from smoky (from all the fires!) Portland.
Yay yay yay! I’m SO GLAD you loved it!! After all the chat about canned green chilis, I went hunting for them and I think I may have found an online source I can order them from! So I’m going to make these AGAIN next week! So glad you loved it!! Fires? I hope you are ok?? N x
You will love the canned chili’s. I do not use a lot of canned items (except- broth, some soups, beans) BUT these little cans are delicious! Smoky, a little heat, but not hot and the sauce they are in adds a little something also! I always have at least two on hand, I have used in guacamole!
Yes Oregon and Washington are in forest fire nightmare. The hottest summer in decades. Last week end Portland was smoke filled from the fires, miles away, it was hard to breathe! BUT it is RAINING!! and we need it.
THANK YOU again Nagi for what you give to us- I do not know what I would do without your recipes and humor! I can not wait to see your new picture/food book 🙂 EVERYONE comments on your beautiful pictures, they are gorgeous but the recipes WORK, so you have a double whammy!
From foodie Portland, Lisa x
Woah! That sounds really scary. I hope you are staying in doors or using a face mask if you go outside? And thank you for your lovely message Lisa!! I honestly cannot tell you how happy it makes me to think of families making my recipes in their homes on the other side of the world – just like you! N xx
I am a bit partial to sour cream. By “a bit” I mean “a lot”. Nice looking recipe!
Sour cream or yoghurt. ALWAYS in my fridge!! <3
Hi Nagi! I’m the lucky one! Knowing you gives me great pleasure and sharing food is always what I have done! Even though we have never met I consider you a good friend! You are a good, kind person. Thank you, my friend! 🙂
Right back at you Dorothy! <3
Ooh, lovely – just went to the pantry and I’ve some chilli and jalapeno tortilla in there – and sour cream and chook thigh in the fridge; you must have been round to help me out! Thank you 🙂
It’s just meant to be!! I do hope you love it! 🙂
Nagi! saw these yesterday and Pinterest and had to check out the recipe! I am so intrigued by the sour cream base! totally going to try this one!
I know, it sounds odd doesn’t it? I wasn’t sure when I first saw this recipe but I’m so glad I tried it, it really is fantastic! I’ve made it about 6 times in the last few months ever since I got the recipe from a reader!! 🙂
Carrots sticks, really? All that chewing is just burning more calories… LOL Thank goodness and hopefully you have a little bit of this delicious white chicken enchiladas dish left over to tie your over to your next real meal. A long time ago I used to make a white sauced one with seafood but must try that with chicken, my boys would love this!. Sharing and pinning, sending smoke signals..
*Ears perk up* Seafood? Seafood Enchiladas? Seriously? Gosh, your boys are SO lucky to have you as their mum!!
My wife makes a very similar recipe. They are awesome. Yours are prettier though I have to admit. Just don’t tell her I said that.
I burst out into laughter!!! Now now, don’t be disloyal!! Anyway, taste is much more important than looks and I bet hers are incredible. 🙂 Love to know what she does differently to my recipe! N x
I finally got her to look at your recipe. She hasn’t made them in quite awhile. The only difference is she doesn’t make the white sauce that goes inside. Instead she just used more cheese. Then we top it with whatever we wanted. Sour cream or Salsa or guacamole. They were never dry (not that I noticed anyway) but I think I want to try it your way and see how it goes. Thanks for reviving this recipe for me. It’s on the menu for this coming week. 🙂
Sounds pretty similar actually! Except more cheese…I mean, you can’t go wrong with more cheese!! N x
OK I couldn’t wait. Made these tonight. Everyone loved them. The sauce really adds a lot. And the scallions are a great addition as well. This is definitely a keeper. Pretty fast and easy to make for weeknights too. Thanks again.
YAY! So glad you loved it!! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know! N x
Oooooh! I think that both versions sound fantastic! Can’t wait to try! 🙂
I hope you do!! Sooooo delish! 🙂
And the list (of things I MUST try) just got longer – yes this white sauce certainly sounds great – thanks Nagi!
Ha ha! I had to giggle. I have a mini whiteboard on my fridge. You should SEE how long the “things to make” list is – ridiculous!! 🙂
I start every day determined to eat healthy but by the end of it… well I’m always disappointed in myself!
This recipe is perfect, I am a HUGE fan of enchiladas and i like how these are a “white” version with that scrumptious-sounding sauce instead of the standard red sauce. Pinning!
Same here. I am constantly berating myself for lack of discipline! 😉
Nagi, this looks crazy delicious, you are making me so hungry right now with this amazing dish! I’ve pinned this so I could make it soon. Your recipes never disappoint!
Aw, thank you so much!! I get hungry looking at this photo too 🙂
Wow, these look absolutely amazing . I have been thinking about making white enchiladas a lot lately. I believe I will be making this recipe and soon!
Oooh, I hope you do!! 🙂
Oh Nagi I have 8, yes 8, chicken breast in my freezer, this morning I had 10, but I cooked 2. We eat a lot of white chicken here, and recipes like this that are covered in cheese are very welcome 🙂 pinning, my husband will love it!
Ha! That’s pretty much right, with this much cheese on it, you can’t really go wrong with anything!! 🙂
I too have been trying to eat better. I did really well… for about 3 days. Then I fell off the wagon to a garlicky ricotta pizza. Though if I had this sitting in front of me, I wouldn’t last more than 5 minutes. I LOVE the sour cream base of this white sauce – in fact, any time I eat enchiladas I smoother it with sour cream anyway, so this is perrrfect!
*Ears Perk Up* Garlic Ricotta Pizza? Interesting flavor combo – why is it I’ve never had ricotta pizza before? She who constantly buys 2lb tubs of ricotta because it’s such good value!!