The Best Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 4 cupscooked, shredded chicken(rotisserie is fine, no shame, do what works)
• 3 tbspneutral oil
• 2 tbspall-purpose flour
• 3 tbspchili powder
• 1 tspground cumin
• 1 tspgarlic powder
• 1 tspMexican oregano, dried
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 2.5 cupslow-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tspapple cider vinegar
• 1.5 tsp, dividedkosher salt
• 1yellow onion, finely diced
• 3 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 can (4 oz)canned diced green chiles
• 4 ozcream cheese, softened
• 2 cups, dividedMonterey Jack, shredded
• 1 cupsharp cheddar, shredded
• 10small flour tortillas (8-inch)(warm them or they tear, and torn tortillas are a tragedy)
• 1/4 cupMexican crema or sour cream (for serving)
• 1/4 cupfresh cilantro, chopped (for serving)
• 2 limes, wedgedlime wedges (for serving)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish.

2. 2

   Make the sauce: in a medium saucepan over medium heat, warm 3 tbsp oil. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute until lightly toasted. Add chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and oregano. Whisk constantly for 30 seconds — do not let it burn.

3. 3

   Whisk in tomato paste, then slowly stream in the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Add vinegar and 1 tsp salt. Simmer 5-7 minutes, whisking often, until thickened to the consistency of a loose tomato sauce. Taste, adjust salt. Remove from heat.

4. 4

   Make the filling: heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and a pinch of salt, cook 5 minutes until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

5. 5

   In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, sautéed onion, green chiles, cream cheese, 1 cup of the Monterey Jack, and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Stir until evenly coated. Season with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt.

6. 6

   Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce across the bottom of the baking dish.

7. 7

   Warm the tortillas briefly (10 seconds in the microwave under a damp paper towel, or 5 seconds each over a gas flame) so they roll without cracking.

8. 8

   Fill each tortilla with about 1/3 cup of filling. Roll tightly and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat until the dish is packed in a single row.

9. 9

   Pour the remaining sauce over the rolled enchiladas, making sure every tortilla is fully covered — no bare spots. Scatter the remaining Monterey Jack and the cheddar across the top.

10. 10

    Bake uncovered 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and just starting to brown at the edges.

11. 11

    Rest 5 minutes. Drizzle with crema, scatter with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.