Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas are a rich, creamy twist on the usual red-sauce enchiladas. We fill flour tortillas with shredded chicken, cream cheese, Mexican-style cheese, cumin, chili powder, and lemon juice, then cover them with a homemade green chile cream sauce before baking.
I think the sauce is what makes this version worth keeping separate from simpler chicken enchiladas. It starts with butter and flour, gets loosened with chicken broth, and finishes with cream cheese and diced green chiles. That gives the enchiladas a creamy coating without relying on canned soup.
One correction from the old post: the original ingredient line said “4-ounce cans of green peppers,” but the method clearly uses them to make a green chile sauce. The matching published version of this formula confirms that the intended ingredient is canned diced green chiles.
What Goes Inside the Tortillas
The filling is deliberately thicker than the sauce. Half of the cream cheese gets mixed with the cooked chicken and 1 cup of shredded cheese, while cumin and chili powder give it a mild Tex-Mex flavor.
The tablespoon of lemon juice sounds small, but it helps brighten a filling that is otherwise very rich. I would keep it rather than leaving it out.
Ingredients
- 8 to 10 flour tortillas
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened and divided in half
- 1 to 2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chiles
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 2 cups shredded Mexican-style cheese, divided
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Fresh cilantro, optional for garnish
Before You Roll the Enchiladas
Soften the cream cheese first. Room-temperature cream cheese mixes into the chicken much more evenly than a cold block.
Use cooked chicken that is not dripping wet. Rotisserie chicken works well, but I would remove excess skin and any pooled juices before shredding it.
Do not overfill the tortillas. Two to three tablespoons of filling per tortilla is enough to make them substantial while still letting them roll and stay closed.
Keep the sauce smooth. Add the broth gradually while whisking the butter-flour mixture. That is much easier than trying to whisk lumps out after all the liquid is already in the pan.
How to Make Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
- In a bowl, combine half of the softened cream cheese, shredded chicken, 1 cup of the Mexican-style cheese, lemon juice, cumin, and chili powder.
- Season the filling lightly with salt and black pepper.
- Spoon about 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling onto each flour tortilla.
- Roll the tortillas and place them seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is smooth and lightly golden.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth.
- Stir in the diced green chiles and the remaining half of the cream cheese.
- Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is smooth and thick enough to lightly coat a spoon.
- Taste and season the sauce with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Pour the green chile cream sauce evenly over the rolled enchiladas.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup shredded cheese over the top.
- Bake for about 23 to 26 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the enchiladas are hot through the center.
- If you want more color, broil briefly at the end while watching closely.
- Let the baking dish rest for about 10 minutes before serving, then garnish with cilantro if you like.
How I Keep the White Sauce from Getting Lumpy
The easiest way is to treat the butter and flour like a simple roux. Cook them together first, then add the broth in a slow stream while whisking. Once the sauce is smooth, the softened cream cheese melts in much more easily.
I also keep the heat moderate. Very high heat can make a dairy-heavy sauce look rough around the edges before the enchiladas even reach the oven.
Make-Ahead Notes
You can prepare the chicken filling ahead and keep it refrigerated. For the best tortilla texture, I prefer assembling the enchiladas closer to baking time rather than letting flour tortillas sit under the sauce overnight.
If you need to get further ahead, roll the filled tortillas, cover the dish, and keep the sauce separate. Pour the sauce over just before baking.
Serving Ideas
These are rich enough that I would keep the sides simple: black beans, corn, a crisp green salad, tomato salsa, or a spoonful of pico de gallo all work well.
For more family dinners, browse my chicken recipes.
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator. Reheat individual enchiladas gently so the chicken stays moist and the cream cheese sauce does not separate from excessive heat.
Common Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. It is one of the easiest ways to get the 3 cups of cooked shredded chicken this recipe needs.
Are these spicy?
They are usually mild, especially with mild canned green chiles. The chili powder adds flavor more than strong heat. Use hotter green chiles if you want more spice.
Why should the enchiladas rest after baking?
The short rest lets the bubbling sauce settle and thicken slightly. The tortillas are easier to lift from the dish without the filling immediately spilling out.
