These Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas are filled with pulled chicken, peppers and corn then topped with an easy enchilada sauce and cheese.
Ingredients and substitutions
Chicken
- Olive oil – or any neutral cooking oil such as canola oil.
- Chicken breasts – you can also try using boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Taco seasoning – make your own using 1 tbsp. chili powder, 1 tsp. cumin, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 tsp. paprika, ½ tsp. dried oregano, ½ tsp. onion powder, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic is best but jarred minced garlic will work too.
- Chicken broth – vegetable broth would be the best substitute here.
- Lime juice – use fresh or bottled lime juice. In a pinch, lemon juice can be used.
- Red pepper – swap out for another bell pepper colour of your choice like yellow or orange pepper.
- Red onion – white or yellow onion will work but will have a milder flavour.
- Corn – use fresh, canned or defrosted frozen corn. If you’re not a fan of corn, leave it out altogether.
Enchilada sauce
- Can crushed tomatoes
- Taco seasoning – see substitution notes above.
- Chicken broth – see substitution notes above.
- Brown sugar – replace with 1 tbsp. butter or leave this out altogether.
- Garlic – see substitution notes above.
Enchilada assembly
- Flour tortillas – you’ll need to use large-sized tortillas. Use a gluten-free version if you prefer.
- Shredded cheddar cheese – use another cheese of your choice like Monterey Jack.
Topping ideas
- Cilantro – chopped green onions would make a nice garnish.
- Sour cream – fresh or jarred salsa would be yummy if you’re not a fan of sour cream.
- Lime wedges – leave these out altogether if you don’t have any on hand.
- Avocado – guacamole would also be good here.
How to make chicken enchiladas in the Instant Pot
- Cook the chicken ingredients on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- Shred the chicken.
- Add in the veggies.
- Make the enchilada sauce.
- Assemble your enchiladas.
- Bake and then serve!
What to serve with chicken enchiladas
These Instant Pot enchiladas are pretty filling, so you don’t need much for a side dish. Here are some lighter options to go with your meal:
- Refried beans
- Cabbage slaw or tossed salad
- Black beans and rice
- Mexican street corn
- Sautéed or grilled vegetables
- Mexican-style cornbread
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken enchiladas typically consist of shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, and veggies like corn and red pepper, all rolled into flour tortillas and topped with melted cheese. For this recipe, I used a homemade enchilada sauce instead of a canned sauce to make them a bit healthier.
If you want your enchiladas to be super crispy, you can fry the flour tortillas in a bit of oil on the stovetop before adding the sauce and chicken mixture. This will prevent the tortillas from soaking up too much sauce. Keep in mind that frying to tortillas beforehand will increase the calorie count.
This chicken enchiladas recipe has 487 calories per serving.
Storing and reheating
Store leftover chicken enchiladas in an airtight container. They will last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
You can reheat individual portions in the microwave or in the oven until warmed through. I suggest poking the top of the enchiladas a few times with a fork to help everything heat more evenly.
If you’ll be reheating several portions at once, place in an oven-safe dish and reheat in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes at 300° Fahrenheit.
Can you freeze enchiladas?
Yes! Let the enchiladas cool, then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat, transfer the container to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, then reheat in the microwave one or two at a time.
You can also reheat your enchiladas in the oven for about 25 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit. Cover the pan with foil to keep them moist, then remove for the last 5 minutes so the tops can get crispy again.
To reheat straight from the freezer, cook as directed above but extend the times. Start with 30 minutes covered, then another 10-15 minutes after removing the foil.
More Instant Pot Mexican recipes
Meal prep tools for this recipe
- Grab some glass meal prep bowls if you plan on turning these enchiladas into leftovers.
- I get all my free-range chicken from Butcher Box, conveniently delivered to me frozen.
- Get a meat thermometer to make sure your chicken is cooked through.
- Use these Ziploc bag holders if you’re marinating the chicken then freezing it.
- Freeze this recipe in glass microwave-safe bowls up to 3 months.
Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 cup corn
Enchilada sauce
- 1 (796mL) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Enchilada assembly
- 6 flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Topping ideas
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Sour cream
- Lime wedges
- Avocado
- Lime wedges
Instructions
Chicken
- Add all ingredients for chicken to Instant Pot in the order in which they are listed above, except for red pepper, red onion and corn. Place lid on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to seal. Press the pressure cook button and set to high, then cook for 5 minutes. Instant Pot will take about 5-10 minutes to come to pressure then pressure cook for 5 minutes.
- Do a quick release of the pressure on the Instant Pot by flicking the switch at the top with a spoon. Open the lid when pressure gauge has dropped and the lid opens easily.
- Remove chicken and shred with two forks, then add back to pot and toss with seasonings. Mix in corn, red pepper and red onion, then remove from Instant Pot and set aside.
Enchilada sauce
- Next, make the enchilada sauce, and preheat the oven to 400 F in the meantime. Turn Instant Pot to saute mode, then add in add ingredients, bringing sauce to a boil and cooking for 5 minutes. Turn Instant Pot off.
Enchilada assembly
- Add flour tortillas to a 9×13 baking dish. Add a little bit of sauce in the bottom of the dish, then add chicken mixture and roll up in each flour tortilla, placing seam side down. Cover with the rest of the sauce, then top with cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- Remove from oven and then add any desired toppings. Serve and enjoy!
