This Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas Recipe comes loaded with juicy shredded chicken, lots of gooey melted cheese, and a creamy sour cream sauce. They’re super easy to make, taste delicious reheated, and freeze perfectly.

Love enchiladas? Check out my chicken enchiladas, vegetarian enchiladas, or shrimp enchiladas with jalapeño cream sauce.

Large white casserole baking dish filled with sour cream enchiladas smothered in a creamy sour cream and cheese sauce and topped with diced red onion, diced tomatoes, and sliced jalapenos.

Best Ever Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Sour cream chicken enchiladas are my all-time favorite! Super saucy and extra creamy, they’re incredibly easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.

You can prepare these enchiladas ahead of time and freeze them as a quick and convenient family meal for busy weeknights. You can also make them gluten-free with simple ingredient swaps.

With a generous serving size of 9-10 portions, this dish is perfect for a family of 4-5 people. It also makes amazing leftovers and freezes beautifully.

All of the ingredients for sour cream chicken enchiladas recipe presented in individual measuring cups and ramekins.

Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

Butter and Olive oil – Mixed with the flour it makes a roux.
All-purpose flour – Use gluten-free all-purpose flour instead of regular all-purpose flour, if needed. Cornstarch or arrowroot powder are also good gluten-free alternatives.
Salt
Chicken broth – Chicken stock (store-bought or homemade) could be used instead of chicken broth. Veggie broth will also work.
Sour cream – Full-fat sour cream is recommended as it’s less likely to split.
Green chilies – I’ve used a can of diced green chilies. Don’t drain it as the liquid is used for added flavor. Salsa, diced tomatoes, salsa verde, or Ro-tel tomatoes can be used instead of the canned green chilies.
Cheese – Freshly shredded Monterey Jack cheese is a great choice. Pepper Jack cheese, Colby, or sharp cheddar cheese would also work well.
Shredded chicken – Use a leftover whole chicken or rotisserie chicken for added convenience. Cooked ground beef makes a delicious alternative to shredded cooked chicken, but make sure to drain any excess grease so that the filling isn’t overly oily.
Corn tortillas – Yellow or white corn tortillas are traditionally for enchiladas, but you could use flour tortillas instead.

Medium saucepan filled with melted butter, olive oil, and all-purpose flour.

A medium saucepan filled with whisked together melted butter, olive oil, and all-purpose flour (roux).

A medium saucepan filled with whisked together melted butter, olive oil, all-purpose flour, and chicken broth.

What is a Roux?

A roux is a mixture of fat (usually butter) and flour that is used as a thickening agent in cooking. It is a foundational element in many sauces and soups, such as béchamel sauce, gumbo, and gravy. To make a roux, you (typically) cook equal parts fat and flour together over medium heat until they form a smooth paste. The cooking time and color will vary from one recipe to another.

How to Make Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

1. Make the roux: Melt the butter with the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and stir continually for about 1-2 minutes or until the roux is fragrant and golden.

2. Make the sauce: Slowly stir in the chicken (or veggie) broth and whisk continuously for about 5 minutes or until thickened and gently simmering. Add a ladle of the broth into a separate bowl and stir together with the (room temperature) sour cream so that the sour cream doesn’t split. Transfer the sour cream mixture back into the saucepan containing the chicken broth and add the entire can of diced green chilies. Return to a simmer, and whisking often, allow the mixture to thicken for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in one cup of cheese until fully melted.

A small white bowl filled with unmixed sour cream and one cup of the chicken broth/roux mixture.

Small saucepan filled with the thickened roux and chicken broth combination, canned green chilies, and the room temperature sour cream mixture.

Shredded Monterey Jack cheese added to the small saucepan filled with the combined thickened roux and chicken broth combination, canned green chilies, and the room temperature sour cream mixture.

3. Prepare the casserole dish: Spread a ladle of the sauce in the bottom of a 9×13-inch casserole dish and reserve 2 cups of the remaining sauce for later.

4. Combine the chicken and sauce: Stir the shredded chicken into the sauce in the pan and set aside.

A large white baking dish spread with a thin layer of cheesy sour cream and green chili sauce.

Cooked and shredded chicken added to the small saucepan filled with the prepared creamy sour cream cheese sauce with diced green chilies.

5. Warm the tortillas: Heat the tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds on one side. Flip the stack over and heat them for another 15 seconds.

6. Assemble the enchiladas: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, set up an assembly line with warm tortillas in the middle, the creamy chicken on one side, and the casserole dish on the other. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the chicken into the center of a tortilla and sprinkle a little cheese on top. Roll the tortilla up and place it in the dish with the seam facing down. Repeat this entire process until you’ve made 9-10 enchiladas and used most, if not all, of the chicken.

White plate with one corn tortilla topped with shredded chicken in a cheesy sour cream and green chili sauce.

White plate with one corn tortilla topped with shredded chicken in a cheesy sour cream and green chili sauce and shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

White plate with one rolled corn tortilla stuffed with shredded chicken in a cheesy sour cream and green chili sauce.

A large white baking dish filled with rolled corn tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken in a cheesy sour cream and green chili sauce.

A large white baking dish filled with unbaked sour cream enchiladas smothered in a creamy sour cream cheese sauce and topped with shredded Monterey Jack cheese.

A large white baking dish filled with baked sour cream enchiladas smothered in a creamy sour cream and cheese sauce and topped with gooey melted cheese.

7. Top the casserole: Drizzle the reserved sour cream sauce on top of the assembled enchiladas and then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

8. Bake: Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden and bubbly.

9. Cool and serve: Allow the baked enchiladas to cool for 5 minutes and then serve them with sour cream, Pico de Gallo, jalapeño slices, freshly minced cilantro, and lime wedges, if desired.

The Best Way to Prevent Corn Tortillas from Cracking

Add one tablespoon of oil to a large skillet over medium heat. When hot add one corn tortilla. Allow the tortilla to cook for several seconds then flip (with your hands or a spatula), and immediately add your second corn tortilla to the top (creating a two-layer stack). Continue to cook the first tortilla for several more seconds on the other side. This allows the tortillas to share excess oil and prevents them from becoming too greasy. Remove the bottom tortilla to a clean plate and flip the top tortilla so that its “dry” side is now facing down on the skillet. Repeat until all the tortillas have been warmed/browned/oiled, adding additional oil (in small amounts) to the skillet as needed.

You can also soften them in the microwave, but if that isn’t working for you (every brand of tortilla is different) I highly recommend trying this method.

Recipe Tips

Skip the pre-shredded bagged cheese and shred your own. Freshly shredded cheese melts smoother and is less likely to clump together.
To make these enchiladas gluten-free, use gluten-free all-purpose flour when making the roux for the sauce. The rest of the ingredients for this dish are gluten-free, but you should always check the ingredient list (especially for the tortillas).
Easily make this recipe using leftover cooked chicken, rotisserie chicken, or poached chicken. If you prefer something other than chicken, leftover steak, shrimp, or even fish tastes amazing.

What to Serve with Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Here are a few of my family’s favorite side dish recipes to serve with these yummy enchiladas:

Cilantro lime rice and Mexican-style rice are two of my favorites!
Mexican black beans or Instant Pot pinto beans are delicious and easy to make.
Of course, let’s not forget classic sides and toppings, such as sour cream, pico de gallo, salsa, and guacamole.

Storing and Freezing Leftover Chicken Enchiladas

Storage: Transfer leftover enchiladas to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to three to four days. Reheat only the portion you plan to eat in the microwave or oven until heated through.

Freezing: Enchiladas are one of the best recipes to double batch and freeze for later. Prepare the recipe as outlined through step 14 (outlined in the recipe card below). Wrap tightly with plastic wrap followed by foil and freeze for up to 2-3 months. You may thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking or bake from frozen (tented with foil) at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes, or until heated through.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas