Skillet enchilada chicken is the perfect easy and delicious recipe for busy weeknights. With just a few ingredients, you can make this one pan skillet main dish in no time. It has all of the great flavor from classic enchiladas, just none of the hassle.
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What Exactly is Skillet Enchilada Chicken
Skillet chicken enchiladas is grilled or sautΓ©ed chicken breasts that has been seasoned with a blend of classic Mexican spices. Then, the chicken breasts get sliced and smothered with your favorite canned enchilada sauce and topped with lots and lots of cheese.
Serve this easy chicken dish with a tasty mexican rice, black beans, or a crispy salad with avocado ranch dressing. Its the perfect easy weeknight meal AND a popular family favorite.
Check Out These Simple Ingredients
This list is the reason I love this recipe. The handful of ingredients are so simple and I always have them on hand.
- 3-4 chicken breasts
- spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cumin
- 15 ounce can red enchilada sauce
- 2-3 cups shredded cheese - monterey jack is a great option but you can also use cheddar cheese, pepper jack, or a mexican cheese blend
Favorite Toppings that are optional but a good idea:
- sour cream
- diced avocado
- fresh cilantro
- green onions
- olives
- lime wedges
- tortilla strips
You can also serve this recipe withΒ corn tortillas or flour tortillas. It's a quicker version of chicken enchiladas and is super tasty served in warm tortillas. If you are gluten free like me, I prefer no tortilla and have this easy chicken enchilada skillet with a big pile of rice for a great gluten free chicken enchilada dinner.Β
Helpful Supplies
There's not much. Mostly a 12-inch cast iron skillet and your pellet grill. A Traeger Grill is my favorite appliance for easy start up and use.
I guess a cutting board and sharp knife. Plus a can opener. It's the easiest recipe ever.
How to Make This Chicken Enchilada Skillet Recipe on a Pellet Grill
By making this on a Traeger Pellet Grill, we have an easy 30 minute meal with hardly any clean up.
- Preheat your pellet grill to 375ΛF. Allow it to preheat for 15 minutes with the lid closed.
- While the grill preheats, season the chicken breasts with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cumin. (you can also use your favorite taco seasoning if desired)
- When the pellet grill is hot and the chicken is ready, lay the chicken breasts directly on the grill grates and cook for 10 minutes with the lid closed.
- After 10 minutes, flip the chicken and cook for an additional 10 minutes with the lid closed.
- While the chicken cooks on the grill, prepare the cheese and enchilada sauce.
- After the chicken has finished cooking, remove it from the grill to a cutting board. Slice the cooked chicken breasts on a bias against the grain.
- Take a large cast iron skillet and pour a layer of red enchilada sauce in the bottom on the pan for an even layer. Add the sliced chicken and cover it with the rest of the sauce.
- Top the saucy chicken with the shredded cheese and return in to the grill. Cook it for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove and serve with your favorite toppings.
How to Make this Enchilada Chicken on the Stove and Finish in the Oven
My very good friend Judy does not have a grill and asked if she could make this on her stove. The answer is YES, of course you can!
- First, season the chicken breasts.
- Preheat your oven to 375F.
- Then, preheat a large oven safe skillet to medium-high heat.
- Once the skillet or pan is hot, add some avocado oil or olive oil. Swirl that around so the pan is evenly coated and then add the chicken breasts.
- Cook the chicken in the pan like this for 10-15 minutes. Flip the chicken as necessary and lower the heat if needed.
- After the chicken has cooked, remove it from the heat and turn off the stove. Slice the chicken for easier serving or leave whole if you prefer.
- In the same skillet or a baking dish, pour the enchilada sauce over the chicken and generously top with shredded cheese.
- Place the skillet in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove from the oven serve with your favorite side dish.
Great Side Dishes For This Easy Chicken Enchiladas Skillet
If you love Mexican food as much as I do, you will have no shortage of great side dishes for this easy weeknight dinner. With all of the great flavors of traditional enchiladas, an easy side dish brings this whole recipe together.
- Mexican rice - if you have a recipe that you love to make, go for it! If not, try this roasted bell peppers and poblano rice. It combines poblano, red bell pepper, sweet corn, chicken stock and saffron for a wonderfully flavorful rice dish.
- Black Beans and corn- another go-to recipe when I am short on time
- Pinto Beans
- Salad with Avocado Ranch dressing
- Elote Corn - I'll take this any day of the week
Saving, Reheating, and Using Leftover Enchilada Chicken
Great news! Since we are not wrapping the filling with tortillas, we don't have to worry about soggy leftovers. Just transfer the extra chicken and sauce to an airtight container. When you are hungry the next day, reheat the leftover chicken in the microwave for 2 minutes on medium heat.
Another option and my favorite, repurpose the leftover chicken into something new. You can shred the chicken with the sauce and use it for a fantastic quesadilla filling. If you work from home, this is a go-to easy lunch to break up your day.
Enchilada Chicken Recipe Modifications
Green Enchilada Sauce is a great swap for the red sauce. Green sauce with extra green chiles and melted cheese adds a bright zing that goes so well with chicken.
Make it extra spicy by adding cayenne pepper to the seasoning mix or add hot sauce to the enchilada sauce you pour over the chicken.
Use shredded chicken from the grocery store if you need to cut the cook time in half. Just layer store-bought rotisserie chicken with the sauce and cheese. Heat it up the oven or grill for 10-15 minutes and you have a main dish ready.
Add some veggies to the chicken and sauce if you want. Good options include yellow onion, green bell pepper, or green chilies.
Homemade enchilada sauce- if you have your own enchilada sauce recipe, by all means, use it!
More of my Favorite Enchilada and Mexican Recipes
Chicken Skillet Enchiladas Recipe Card
Skillet Enchilada Chicken
Equipment
- Traeger Grill or other pellet smoker
- cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 15 ounce canned enchilada sauce
- 8 ounce Monterey Jack cheese block
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or other neutral cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ΒΌ teaspoon black pepper
- Β½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Β½ teaspoon onion powder
- Β½ teaspoon cumin
- Β½ teaspoon chili powder
Instructions
- Begin by preheating your pellet grill to 375ΛF. Allow it to preheat for 15 minutes with the lid closed.
- While the grill preheats, coat the chicken breasts with avocado oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and cumin. (you can also use your favorite taco seasoning if desired)
- When the pellet grill is hot and the chicken is ready, lay the chicken breasts directly on the grill grates and cook for 10 minutes with the lid closed.
- After 10 minutes, flip the chicken and cook for an additional 10 minutes with the lid closed.
- While the chicken cooks on the grill, prepare the cheese and enchilada sauce.
- After the chicken has finished cooking, remove it from the grill to a cutting board. Slice the cooked chicken breasts on a bias against the grain.
- Take a large cast iron skillet and pour a layer of red enchilada sauce in the bottom on the pan for an even layer. Add the sliced chicken and cover it with the rest of the sauce.
- Top the saucy chicken with the shredded cheese and return in to the grill. Cook it for 10-15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Remove and serve with your favorite toppings.
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