These Instant Pot chicken enchiladas are positively loaded with seared corn, pico de gallo, 2 sauces and creamy, melty cheese! They can be as spicy as you like, they’re easy to make ahead and take only 45 minutes to cook, mix, roll and serve!
When it comes to Tex-Mex recipes, I want all the flavors! Sour cream? Yes! Extra hot sauce? Yes! And YES I know the guacamole’s extra! I don’t care, I want it all, and I find that most chicken enchilada recipes leave me wanting a bit more. I want more zing, more texture, more cheese, more spice – and I want the chicken to be more tender. This recipe has it all!
A Little Enchilada History
Although this recipe includes a number of authentically Mexican ingredients, this is not an authentic Mexican enchilada recipe. The original recipe dates back to Aztec times, and they were originally made with only corn tortillas, dipped in a chili sauce and served with no fillings. Now, there are lots of different varieties found in Mexico that are distinguished by their sauces, fillings and preparation.
For example, some are made with a red sauces, green sauces, mole sauces, chili sauces, white sauces – even sauces like béchamel which is used in Swiss and French cuisine. They’re often filled with meats, different kinds of peppers, beans and even fried eggs.
Some are rolled and baked, some are fried and some are stacked in layers. If you would like a specific example of an authentic Mexican enchilada recipe, take a look at Esteban Castillo’s recipe from chicanoeats.com.
Why This Recipe is Special
It’s a great make-ahead meal – simply prep the ingredients, roll them up and refrigerate. When you’re ready to serve, just sprinkle with cheese and sauce, bake for 20-25 minutes and devour.
They can be frozen and served up to 3 months later – You can make enchiladas, freeze them and they’re almost as good as fresh! Simply cover them with plastic wrap or place them in a pyrex with a lid and freeze. (Reheating instructions in the “Common Questions” below).
The Instant Pot makes that chicken SO tender – Believe me. You’ll see. That chicken will shred like butter when it’s done.
Ingredient Notes
red enchilada sauce – I like the Old El Paso brand.
pico de gallo – If you can’t find pre-made pico de gallo in your food store, it’s simply diced tomato, white onion, jalapeño and cilantro.
fresh corn – I prefer using fresh corn to canned corn because it hasn’t been marinating in corn juice, so it browns in the pan much better.
tortillas – I used flour tortillas in this recipe, but you can use corn tortillas just as well.
Monterey Pepper Jack cheese – Traditionally, queso blanco is used on enchiladas, but I love Monterey Pepper Jack because it melts so deliciously and is easier to find in my local stores. I also like to sprinkle my enchiladas with crumbled queso arrocero. It’s a raw milk cheese that has a more sharp, strong taste than queso blanco. It’s a harder cheese and just needs to be chopped with a knife into crumbles.
tequila salsa – I like my enchiladas saucy, and I love the flavor of tequila salsa, so I combine it with the enchilada sauce. If you can’t find this particular brand (or a tequila salsa) just use your favorite flavorful kind.
chicken breasts – 2 chicken breasts will make 4 big enchiladas.
spices – I didn’t include cayenne pepper in my list above because it’s optional, just if you want to give your enchiladas a spicy kick. I like my enchiladas spicy so I give the chicken a good sprinkle of cayenne.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Add 2 chicken breasts and ¾ cups water to an Instant Pot. Give them a nice sprinkle of garlic powder, chipotle chili powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper (optional – if you want to make it spicy). Keep the spices handy because you’ll re-spice the chicken when it’s done cooking.
2. Close the lid and make sure the steam release valve is DISENGAGED, so that it does not release steam as it cooks. Set the Instant Pot to PRESSURE COOK for 15 minutes.
3. While the pot is building pressure and cooking the chicken, cut the kernels off of 1 fresh ear of corn, add 1 tsp. olive oil to a sauté pan and sauté kernels over HIGH heat. Don’t move the corn at all for about 3 minutes. This will create a lovely char on one side. Then, use a spatula to mix it in the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. NOTE: It’s a good idea to use a spatter screen over your pan so that the corn doesn’t pop and jump out. If you don’t have one, use a vented lid. You can leave it in the pan until your chicken is done.
4. Grate 1 cup of Monterey Pepper Jack cheese and set aside.
5. Once the chicken is done, carefully press the release valve and allow the pot to de-pressurize and release steam.
6. Remove chicken onto a cutting board, and use 2 forks to shred it.
7. Pour out the water in the pot, and place the chicken back in. Give it another nice sprinkle with spices and mix. (You can also use a mixing bowl for this, but I like to use the pot… less dishes to do).
8. Add ¼ cup pico de gallo, 5 oz. (half a can) red enchilada sauce, charred corn, and ¼ cup tequila salsa. Mix thoroughly.
9. Preheat oven to 350 F. (175 C.) Grease an 8” x 8” pyrex dish with either cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil and lay 1 of 4 tortillas on a surface. Add a nice amount of the chicken mixture in the center with a little sprinkle of cheese (saving most for sprinkling on top). Tightly roll the enchilada.
10. Place them seam-side down in the baking dish and pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over them. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve fresh out of the oven. To cook and reheat later, simply wait till the dish is cool enough to refrigerate, and place plastic wrap on top. To reheat, simply cook again at 350 F. (175 C.) for 20 minutes.
Common Questions
You can use shredded rotisserie chicken, or simply boil chicken breasts in water until a meat thermometer reads 165 F. (74 C.) in the thickest part (about 15 minutes). Then remove chicken, shred and follow the rest of the directions using a large mixing bowl. The chicken won’t be quite as tender as with the Instant Pot, but it will still be tasty.
All that moisture from the sauce may be too much for your tortillas, especially if you use corn tortillas. Flour tortillas seem to be more durable. If you want to fortify them a little more, however, briefly fry them in oil in a frying pan before you roll them.
Yes, if you’re doubling this recipe, you can stack chicken in the Instant Pot and they will cook just as well. You don’t have to double the amount of water though. Just use a full cup of water if you’re using 4 chicken breasts.
Yes! Simply make them, cover them securely with plastic wrap or a lid and freeze. To reheat, remove plastic wrap or lid and bake at 350 F. (175 C.) for 25-30 minutes. To prevent the cheese from being overcooked, cover with tin foil for 20 minutes, uncover and continue to bake for 5-10 minutes more.
A Few Tips
1. If you want to prep these ahead of time, you can get everything ready a whole day ahead of baking – cooking the chicken, mixing, rolling and placing them in a pyrex with plastic wrap on top. But wait to pour the enchilada sauce and sprinkle the cheese on top just before baking.
2. When placing the chicken mixture into the tortillas, make sure not to spread it all the way to the edges. Leave about an inch so the filling doesn’t spill out when rolled and placed in the pyrex.
3. Side dishes that go well with enchiladas are, obviously, Mexican rice and beans, but I like to serve esquites (Mexican corn salad). It’s incredible! If I do this though, I just leave the corn out of the enchiladas, themselves. I also love to serve a fancy cucumber margarita too!
4. Here are a few more enchilada fillings and toppings:
- refried beans
- black beans
- guacamole
- green chilis
- sour cream
- rice
- diced bell pepper
- sautéed garlic
- chopped cilantro
- a spritz of lime
- crumbled queso blanco or queso arrocero
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A Little More Delicious Inspiration
Loaded Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- sauté pan
- spatula
- cutting board
- cheese grater
- 2 forks
- mixing spoon
- 8” x 8” pyrex baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 ear fresh corn
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 cup Monterey Pepper Jack cheese
- ¼ cup pico de gallo
- 10 oz. red enchilada sauce
- ¼ cup tequila salsa – or your favorite, flavorful salsa
- 4 flour tortillas – or corn
- ¾ cup water
- garlic powder – 2 big sprinkles
- chipotle chili powder – 2 big sprinkles
- onion powder – 2 big sprinkles
- smoked paprika – 2 big sprinkles
- cayenne pepper (optional) – 2 big sprinkles
- oil, butter or cooking spray – for greasing the Pyrex
Instructions
- Add 2 chicken breasts and ¾ cups water to an Instant Pot. Give them a nice sprinkle of garlic powder, chipotle chili powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper (optional – if you want to make it spicy). Keep the spices handy because you’ll re-spice the chicken when it’s done cooking.
- Close the lid and make sure the steam release valve is DISENGAGED, so that it does not release steam as it cooks. Set the Instant Pot to PRESSURE COOK for 15 minutes.
- While the pot is building pressure and cooking the chicken, cut the kernels off of 1 fresh ear of corn, add 1 tsp. olive oil to a sauté pan and sauté kernels over HIGH heat. Don’t move the corn at all for about 3 minutes. This will create a lovely char on one side. Then, use a spatula to mix it in the pan and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. NOTE: It’s a good idea to use a spatter screen over your pan so that the corn doesn’t pop and jump out. If you don’t have one, use a vented lid. You can leave it in the pan until your chicken is done.
- Grate 1 cup of Monterey Pepper Jack cheese and set aside. Once the chicken is done, carefully press the release valve and allow pot to de-pressurize and release steam.
- Remove chicken onto a cutting board, and use 2 forks to shred it. Pour out the water in the pot, and place the chicken back in. Give it another nice sprinkle with spices and mix. Add ¼ cup pico de gallo, 5 oz. (half a can) red enchilada sauce, charred corn and ¼ cup tequila salsa. Mix thoroughly.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. (175 C.) Grease an 8” x 8” pyrex dish with either cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil and lay 1 of 4 tortillas on a surface. Add a nice amount of the chicken mixture in the center with a little sprinkle of cheese (saving most for sprinkling on top). Tightly roll the enchilada.
- Place them seam-side down in the baking dish and pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over them. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve fresh out of the oven. To cook and reheat later, simply wait till the dish is cool enough to refrigerate, and place plastic wrap on top. To reheat, simply cook again at 350 F. (175 C.) for 20 minutes.
Tom W.
I made these last night using leftover rotisserie chicken and they came out great.
The grilled corn was fantastic! I’ll definitely be using this ingredient in some other recipes.
I couldn’t find any tequila salsa here in my area in New Hampshire so I’ll have to keep my eye out for this in my travels (more fun) or order online (too easy).
Thanks for the recipe!
Genevieve Morrison
So glad you liked it! Thank you for the sweet comment!