Delish Sour Cream Enchiladas

This is my very favorite kind of weeknight comfort: soft tortillas wrapped around juicy chicken, swimming in a tangy, creamy sour cream–green chile sauce, then baked until the edges go a little toasty and the cheese goes full melty blanket. It’s cozy without being heavy, mild enough for picky eaters but with just enough zip to make you keep “evening out” the pan with your fork. If you’ve ever had a sad, dry enchilada—nope, not here. These are saucy in the best way.

My little family goes feral (adorably) for this. My husband always cuts himself an outrageously large “tester” piece while I’m still finding the oven mitts, and my kid will pick out one cheese strand at a time like it’s a sport. It’s become our Tuesday night thing—easy, reliable, and good enough that leftovers never make it past Wednesday. I’ve eaten a slice cold at 8 a.m. with coffee. Zero regrets.

How to Make It

Heat your oven to 375°F and butter or spray a 9×13 baking dish. I use rotisserie chicken because I am a simple creature who likes shortcuts—about 3 cups, shredded.

In a skillet, melt butter and sauté a small chopped onion until it’s soft and sweet. Sprinkle in flour to make a quick roux (it’ll look paste-y), then whisk in chicken broth. It’ll go lumpy for a second—keep whisking, it smooths out. Let it bubble until thickened. Pull it off the heat for a minute so the sour cream doesn’t curdle (trust), then stir in sour cream, canned green chiles, a big pinch of salt, cumin, and a little chili powder. Taste. If it tastes “meh,” add a squeeze of lime. Magic.

Warm your tortillas so they don’t crack—microwave wrapped in a damp paper towel or hit a dry skillet 10 seconds per side. Spoon some sauce into the bottom of your dish (thin layer), then build: tortilla + handful of chicken + sprinkle of cheese. Roll, seam down. Repeat until your dish is snugly full. Pour the rest of the sauce over the top (get those edges), shower with more cheese, and bake about 20 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like bronzy cheese, broil 1–2 minutes at the end and watch it like a hawk.

Top with cilantro, extra lime, maybe sliced jalapeños if you like drama. Slice, scoop, inhale.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Cooked chicken: Rotisserie is perfect. Poached or leftover roasted thighs also win. Shred while warm—it pulls easier.
– Sour cream: Full-fat keeps the sauce silky. Light works in a pinch but can break if overheated; stir it off heat.
– Green chiles: Mild canned diced chiles bring flavor, not fire. Want heat? Add a minced jalapeño or use hot chiles.
– Tortillas: 8-inch flour are super forgiving. Corn is classic—just warm in oil or microwave damp so they don’t crack.
– Cheese: Monterey Jack melts dreamily. Pepper Jack for spice; a little sharp cheddar adds bite. Freshly grated = best melt.
– Butter + flour: That quick roux gives body without a canned-soup vibe. Gluten-free? Use a 1:1 GF blend or cornstarch slurry.
– Chicken broth: Low-sodium so you can control salt. If it tastes flat, it probably just needs… salt. Or lime. Or both.
– Cumin & chili powder: Warmth and color. Don’t skip unless you like blandness, which—no judgment, but also… why?

✔Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Sauté onion in butter until soft; sprinkle in flour and cook 1 minute.
3. Whisk in chicken broth; simmer 2–3 minutes until thickened and smooth.
4. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream, green chiles, cumin, chili powder, salt, and a squeeze of lime.
5. Warm tortillas; fill with shredded chicken and a little cheese, roll, and nestle seam-side down in the dish.
6. Pour remaining sauce over, top with cheese, bake 18–22 minutes (broil 1–2 minutes to brown), then garnish and serve.

What to Serve It With

– Cilantro-lime rice or Spanish rice
– Charred corn or a quick cabbage slaw with lime
– Black beans or refried beans (I love black beans with a little garlic and cumin)
– Pico de gallo, avocado slices, and extra lime wedges
– Chips and guac because obviously

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t overheat the sauce after adding sour cream—take it off the burner first to avoid curdling.
– Warm your tortillas or they’ll split and you’ll cry a little (been there).
– Don’t overstuff; medium scoops roll better and soak up sauce without exploding.
– If the sauce seems too thick, whisk in a splash more broth; if too thin, let it bubble 1–2 minutes.
– Broil at the end for golden cheese, but don’t walk away. It goes from perfect to “uh-oh” fast.
– Freezing? Assemble without baking, skip the broil step, wrap tight, and bake from frozen covered until hot.

✔Storage Tips

Fridge: Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F for 15–20 minutes or microwave in bursts so the sauce doesn’t break.
Freezer: Wrap the whole pan tightly (or portion in containers) up to 2 months. Reheat covered until hot and bubbly; remove cover to finish.
Also, yes, cold enchilada bites straight from the dish at 10 p.m. are a thing. Breakfast enchiladas with a fried egg? Absolutely yes.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Vegetarian: Swap chicken for sautéed mushrooms and black beans or roasted veggies (zucchini + peppers are great).
– Turkey or pork: Leftover turkey or carnitas are fantastic here—same amounts.
– Greek yogurt: Use full-fat and stir off heat. It’s tangier and slightly less rich but totally works.
– Spicy version: Add chopped jalapeños, a dash of hot sauce, and pepper jack on top.
– Red sauce remix: Use half sour cream sauce and spoon a little red enchilada sauce between rows for a fun mashup.
– Gluten-free: Use corn tortillas and thicken with cornstarch slurry (1.5 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp cold water) instead of flour.
– Dairy-free-ish: Use a thick cashew cream and your favorite melty DF cheese. Different vibe, still cozy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Sour Cream Enchiladas

Creamy, cheesy chicken enchiladas baked in a tangy sour cream and green chile sauce. Easy weeknight comfort with restaurant-level flavor.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 8 tortilla flour tortillas, 8-inch
• ▢ 2 cup cooked shredded chicken rotisserie works great
• ▢ 1.5 cup sour cream divided
• ▢ 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup (10.5 oz)
• ▢ 1 can diced green chiles (4 oz) mild
• ▢ 2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese divided
• ▢ 0.5 cup yellow onion, finely diced
• ▢ 2 clove garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 tablespoon butter for pan and sautéing
• ▢ 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 0.25 cup fresh cilantro, chopped optional, plus more for garnish
• ▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice optional

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Sauté onion until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Make the sauce: In a bowl whisk together cream of chicken soup, 1.0 cup sour cream, chicken broth, green chiles, cumin, salt, and pepper. Pour into the skillet and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until smooth and slightly thickened.
• Make the filling: In a large bowl combine shredded chicken, sautéed onion and garlic, 0.5 cup of the warm sauce, 1.0 cup cheese, chili powder, cilantro, and lime juice. Mix to coat.
• Warm tortillas in a damp towel in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds until pliable.
• Fill each tortilla with about 0.5 cup chicken mixture. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the prepared dish.
• Pour remaining sauce evenly over the enchiladas. Top with remaining 1.0 cup cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake 8 to 10 minutes more until bubbly and lightly golden. Optional: broil 1 to 2 minutes for extra color.
• Let rest 5 minutes. Garnish with extra cilantro and serve with the remaining 0.0 cup sour cream if desired.

Notes

For a mild sauce, use mild green chiles; for more heat, add a pinch of cayenne or use pepper jack cheese. Leftovers reheat well—cover and warm at 325°F until hot.