These baked red chicken enchiladas are stuffed with a flavorful shredded chicken and cheese mixture, smothered in a rich red enchilada sauce, and finished with a melty cheese topping.
Optional: drizzle with a creamy avocado sauce for a bright, cooling finish.
How to Make Baked Red Chicken Enchiladas
With cooked shredded chicken on hand, follow the steps below to prepare the sauce and assemble the enchiladas.
For the Enchilada Sauce:
- Combine the flour and all spices in a bowl.
- Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the spice-flour mixture and cook 1–2 minutes to bloom the flavors, then stir in the tomato paste.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook 5–7 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it has slightly thickened. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Remove from heat and stir in the apple cider vinegar.
Assembly:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a bowl, combine the shredded chicken with crumbled queso fresco, finely diced onions, grated Parmesan, and about 1/4 cup of the reserved crockpot juices if available. Mix until evenly combined.
- On a large baking sheet lined with foil, arrange 12 corn tortillas in a single layer (they may overlap slightly). Lightly brush both sides of each tortilla with olive oil.
- Bake the tortillas for 4 minutes to soften them and make rolling easier. Remove and stack on a plate.
- Spray a 9″x13″ casserole dish with nonstick spray and spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce across the bottom.
- Spoon about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture into the center of each tortilla, roll, and place seam-side down in the prepared dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the filled tortillas and sprinkle with shredded cheese of your choice.
- Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and, if desired, a drizzle of creamy avocado sauce.
Why add oil to the tortillas?
Brushing the tortillas with a little oil before warming helps them soften quickly and prevents them from becoming overly soggy when baked. It’s an easier alternative to pan-frying each tortilla and keeps the enchiladas slightly separated.
The oil is optional—both versions taste great—but I prefer the texture when tortillas are lightly oiled.
Notes on These Enchiladas
- The red enchilada sauce is adapted from a simple, reliable recipe and has been adjusted slightly for flavor and texture.
- The shredded chicken can be made in a crockpot, Instant Pot, or you can use leftover cooked chicken. The recipe shown yields enough filling for 12 enchiladas and usually leaves extra filling for tacos, salads, nachos, or burritos.
- Adding Parmesan to the filling is a family touch that lends a subtle savory note—optional but tasty.
Make it Lighter
For a lower-fat option:
- Skip or reduce the shredded cheese topping and use the creamy avocado sauce instead for richness.
- Warm the tortillas in the microwave instead of brushing with oil: wrap 6 tortillas in paper towels and microwave 30 seconds, flip, then heat another 15–30 seconds until pliable.
Although there are a number of steps, most of the work is straightforward: make the sauce, mix the filling, soften the tortillas, assemble, and bake. The process is quick once you get started.
Enjoy!
If you try this recipe, please leave a review and star rating in the comments — I’d love to hear how it turned out!
Baked Red Chicken Enchiladas {with a Creamy Avocado Sauce}
Equipment
- Baking dish (9″x13″)
- Crockpot or Instant Pot (optional for the chicken)
- Extra-large sheet pan
Ingredients
Crockpot Shredded Chicken (or any cooked chicken):
- 3 lbs chicken breast
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
Red Enchilada Sauce (enough for 12 enchiladas):
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp flour (all-purpose, whole wheat, or gluten-free blend)
- 1 tbsp ground chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Additional:
- 12 yellow corn tortillas
- 2 tbsp olive oil for brushing
- 2–3 cups shredded cheese, your choice
- 5 oz queso fresco, crumbled (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup finely diced onions
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup reserved crockpot juices (optional)
Optional Toppings:
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Creamy avocado sauce (optional)
Instructions
For the Crockpot Chicken:
- Place chicken breasts in the crockpot, add broth and seasonings, cover, and cook on HIGH for 4 hours.
- Remove chicken to a bowl, add about 1/4 cup of the reserved juices, and shred with two forks.
For the Red Enchilada Sauce:
- Mix the flour with all spices in a bowl.
- Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add the flour-spice mix and cook 1–2 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, then slowly whisk in chicken broth until smooth.
- Simmer 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened, then remove from heat and stir in apple cider vinegar.
Assembly:
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Combine shredded chicken with queso fresco, onions, Parmesan, and reserved juices.
- Lay tortillas on a foil-lined sheet, brush both sides with olive oil, and bake 4 minutes to soften.
- Stack the tortillas, spray a casserole dish with nonstick spray, and spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom.
- Place about 1/4 cup chicken filling in each tortilla, roll, and arrange seam-side down in the dish.
- Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas, top with shredded cheese, and bake 20 minutes uncovered.
- Garnish with cilantro and creamy avocado sauce before serving.
Notes
Vegan Option:
- Make the sauce with vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Use a black bean filling instead of chicken.
- Top with vegan cheese or use avocado sauce alone.
Make it Lighter:
Reduce or omit shredded cheese and use the avocado sauce. Warm tortillas in the microwave wrapped in paper towels (6 at a time) for 30 seconds, flip, then 15–30 seconds until pliable.
Chicken Options:
Use crockpot shredded chicken, leftover chicken, or an Instant Pot method for faster prep.
Recommended Equipment:
- Baking dish (9″x13″)
- Extra-large sheet pan
- Crockpot or Instant Pot
Watch the video to see the full process and get a sense of timing and technique. Happy cooking!
