If you’ve ever made chicken enchiladas, you know that there’s usually quite a bit of leftover.
So what do you do with it?
Here are some quick and easy ideas for using up your leftovers.
Let’s take a look.
Add them to a quesadilla
Adding your leftover chicken enchiladas to a quesadilla is an easy way to turn high-carb tortillas into a quick, healthy dinner.
This is most often done with leftover burritos, but it works for any kind of chicken enchiladas.
To do this, simply lay a tortilla flat on a cutting board.
Spread leftover chicken enchiladas onto the bottom half of the tortilla.
Add some shredded cheese to the top, and fold over to close it up into a quesadilla shape.
Heat your pan over medium heat until hot.
Add a light coating of oil or butter, then cook the quesadilla until it’s golden brown on both sides.
Enchiladas suizas
This is a dish that isn’t made with tortillas, but it ends up tasting like enchiladas.
To make them, you’ll need to saute onion in some oil until soft, then add garlic and ground cumin.
Once that’s cooked for a minute, you can throw in your favorite salsa (I recommend either a green or red tomato salsa).
Throw a cup of chicken broth in and cook until the sauce has reduced.
Now that your sauce is done, set up a bowl with:
- Leftover shredded chicken (you can use canned if you want)
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Sour cream
Just lay out some soft corn tortillas on a plate and add about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture to each one.
Roll them up and place them in a baking dish, seam side down.
Pour your sauce over the rolled enchiladas and top with cheese and sour cream (if you want).
Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and hot throughout.
Mexican chicken salad
Making a Mexican chicken salad is one of the easiest ways to use up leftover chicken enchiladas.
All you have to do is add your shredded chicken, salsa, and cheddar cheese to a bowl with some lettuce.
If you have avocado, tomato, or onion available, feel free to add those in as well.
For a dressing, you can mix some ranch or vinaigrette with a bit of salsa to make a creamy dressing.
I usually make the salad on a tortilla for easy transport, but it’s great on its own as well.
Chicken enchilada nachos
Nachos are another delicious way to use up leftover chicken enchiladas.
You can make your own tortilla chips by frying corn tortillas and cutting them into triangles.
Top the chips with leftover Mexican chicken, cheese sauce (see recipe here ), and some sour cream.
Add any other of your favorite nacho toppings such as olives, red onion, cilantro, or jalapenos.
Enchilada casserole
This is a great way to get all of the deliciousness of enchiladas in an easy-to-serve casserole dish.
You can make your own corn tortillas by frying them and cutting them into triangles, or you can use store-bought tortilla chips if you want to save time.
Simply layer cheese, chicken enchiladas (with sauce if you like), and tortillas in a baking dish.
You can top it with cheese or sour cream if you want to add some more texture.
Bake at 350F for 20 minutes until the casserole is hot and bubbly throughout.
Make tacos with the leftovers
Tacos are another simple way to use up leftover Mexican chicken.
To make them, all you need to do is heat some corn tortillas in a dry pan over medium heat.
Add your chicken mixture (with or without sauce), shredded cheese, and your favorite taco toppings such as sour cream, salsa, avocado pieces, onion, cilantro, etc.
Use them for burritos or chimichangas
If you want to use up Mexican chicken enchiladas for breakfast, this is a great option.
Warm up some tortillas and spread a few refried beans in the middle.
Fill the tortilla with leftover chicken and cheese sauce if you have it available.
Fold them into burrito shapes then warm them up in a pan or in the microwave for a quick, delicious breakfast or brunch.
Serve them over rice or pasta
If you’re looking for a way to use up leftover Mexican chicken enchiladas and don’t want to make anything too complicated, this is a good option.
Just heat up some sauce (if you have it) and pour it over your leftover enchiladas.
Top with cheese if desired and serve with rice or pasta on the side.
Can I freeze leftover chicken enchiladas?
Yes, leftover chicken enchiladas can be frozen.
To do this, you’ll need to make sure the leftover is not too wet (you don’t want them to become soggy when they defrost).
Here are some tips to help you freeze Mexican chicken enchiladas: Before freezing them, let the enchiladas cool down completely.
Separate the enchiladas with plastic wrap between each one so that they don’t stick together.
Wrap them tightly in cling wrap or aluminum foil before putting them in your freezer bag (this will prevent freezer burn).
They will last around 3 months in the freezer.
How do I reheat chicken enchiladas?
There are a few different ways to reheat leftover enchiladas.
You can heat them up in the oven or microwave if you want to speed things along, but we think that heating them up in a pan is the best option.
Can I make chicken enchilada soup with the leftovers?
Yes, you can make a delicious enchilada soup with your leftover chicken enchiladas.
Start by sauteing some onion and garlic in a large pot.
Add veggie or chicken broth then add in any other veggies that you like such as carrots, corn, green beans, etc.
Bring to a boil before adding tomatoes (crushed or diced), enchilada sauce, and tortilla chips.
Stir in shredded chicken then simmer for about 10 minutes before adding any spices you like (salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, etc).
Serve with your favorite enchilada toppings such as sour cream, cheese, or guacamole.
What’s a good recipe for chicken enchilada casserole?
For a tasty chicken enchilada casserole, try this recipe:
Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9×13-inch casserole dish.
Fill each tortilla with about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture then roll into a tube shape.
Place in the baking dish then top them with more sauce or cheese if desired.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the casserole is bubbling and the sauce has browned a bit.
Top with any remaining enchilada toppings, then serve.
Is it safe to eat reheated chicken enchiladas?
Yes, it is safe to eat reheated chicken enchiladas.
However, if your enchiladas were refrigerated after cooking, they may not taste as good as they did when they first came out of the oven.
Storing them in the freezer will make them last longer but you may notice a difference in taste.
How long does it take to cook chicken enchiladas in the oven?
It takes about 30 minutes or so for chicken enchiladas to be cooked all the way through in an oven.
How long will cooked chicken enchiladas last in the fridge?
It will depend on the type of enchilada you used and how long your leftover chicken enchilada was in the fridge before it went into the enchiladas.
If you’re using a corn tortilla, we’d recommend serving them within 24 hours (with rice and beans if desired).
Otherwise, try to eat them within 3 days maximum for your safety.
Can you eat chicken enchiladas cold?
It’s not recommended to eat cold chicken enchiladas as they taste better when heated up.
Conclusion
There you have it – some delicious and easy ways to use up leftover Mexican chicken enchiladas.
These recipes are so simple and they give you a lot of creative freedom with what ingredients and flavors you want to combine for your meals.