Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas!
Chicken - Dinner

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas

Last updated on February 23, 2019 by Liza Hawkins

This shop about making a simple meal (with loads of cheese!) during the busy fall season has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #NaturallyCheesy #CollectiveBias

I don’t know about you, but fall around here is BUSY with getting back into the swing of school schedules and the associated after-school activities.

Dinners that can be made and/or reheated quickly are a must.

As are meals that taste super yummy, and that also can be delicious lunch leftovers for yours truly.

Because, of course.

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas!

We love enchiladas over here (and tacos and fajitas, too, for that matter).

They’re so easy to make, and they freeze and reheat beautifully—which is a nice change from the traditional bake/freeze casserole dishes.

This particular recipe was developed by way of a fluke. I didn’t mean to make an enchilada barbecue sauce…it just kind of happened. In a really good way.

Maybe it was the brown sugar. Or perhaps the splash of vinegar. Regardless, yum!

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas!

Even with its homemade “barbecue enchilada sauce,” these are a breeze to whip up, so don’t let that scare you. (Though, half a bottle of barbecue sauce mixed with a can of enchilada sauce would produce a similar result, I suppose.)

After searing a couple of chicken breasts in olive oil, I let them rest before slicing them up into bite sized pieces.

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas!

While they were resting, I sauteed onions and garlic in the pan juices, seasoning with a little salt and pepper. And in a medium sauce pan, I combined crushed tomatoes, water, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and a splash of apple cider vinegar together and let them simmer for a bit.

I added some of the sauce to the onions and garlic, along with the sliced chicken and its juices, and let them bubble together for another few minutes.

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas!

And then I added a handful of shredded cheese, and stirred it all together. Mmmm…

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas!

After spooning a little sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish, I added some of the chicken mixture to a small tortilla (and some more cheese—why not?!), rolled it up, and placed it seam-side down. Then I repeated the process until the casserole was full and the chicken mixture was gone.

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas!

Then, after spreading a little more sauce on top, and sprinkling a heavy layer of MORE CHEESE, I baked it until everything got melty and delicious—about 20 minutes.

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas!

Yummmmm…

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas!

I like to serve ours with a side of refried beans (yes, canned) and rice that’s been seasoned with salt, garlic powder and green onions.

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas
Yield: 2-4

Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 6 small flour tortillas
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 green onions, diced

For the sauce

  • 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup water or chicken broth

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Add the olive oil to a large skillet and heat it over medium-high.
  • Once the skillet is hot, season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and garlic powder and then place them in the skillet. Cook them for 4 minutes per side, and the remove them to a plate to rest.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, and then add the onions and garlic to the skillet. Stir them occasionally while you make the sauce.
  • For the sauce, over medium heat, pour the crushed tomatoes into a medium sauce pan and whisk in the brown sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic powder and water. Bring it to a simmer and let it cook while you finish up the skillet mixture.
  • Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and then add it to the onion mixture, giving it a good stir to incorporate. Pour 1 cup of the sauce mixture into the skillet, and let the mixture continue simmering for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Pour 1/4 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish (small oval or 9x9 square would work, too) and spread it evenly. Add about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture into the middle of a tortilla, add a sprinkle of cheese, and then roll it up. Lay the tortilla seam-side down in the casserole dish, and then repeat with the other tortillas. Spread another cup of sauce on top, followed by the remaining shredded cheese.
  • Bake the cheesy barbecue chicken enchiladas for 15 minutes, covered, and then remove the cover and continue letting it bake for another 5 minutes.
  • Serve with rice and refried beans, and garnish with green onions.
  • Notes

    If you end up with leftover chicken mixture once you've filled all the tortillas, just spread it on top, and then add rest of the sauce and cheese!


    I’ve considered making this same dish with sliced skirt steak and Kraft Natural Slice Swiss or Provolone cheese, with a Béchamel sauce instead of enchilada sauce. Could be a fun, tasty twist on this recipe!

    Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas!

    Click here for a digital coupon from Walmart that’ll get you $0.55 off Philadelphia 2-pack and $0.75 off 16oz Shreds through Sept. 14, 2015. Then, stop by your local Walmart where you can find either Kraft Natural variety in the cheese isle, like this one in my town:

    Kraft Natural Shreds at Walmart

    Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. 

    Hi, I'm Liza — a self-proclaimed word-nerd who loves getting lost in whimsical stories and epic movies. I have laid-back, practical attitude towards life and am always on the hunt for good eats, easy recipes, binge-worthy shows, relaxing road trip destinations, the perfect fizzy gin cocktail, and time to finish my novel!

    One comment on “Cheesy Barbecue Chicken Enchiladas

    1. YUM! This looks like a delicious meal idea. With our busy Fall schedule, I need meal ideas that reheat well so we’ll have to give this a try. Thanks for sharing! #client

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