Easy Smoked Chicken Enchiladas (No Smoker Required)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Easy and no smoker required: It’s easy to make and doesn’t require any complicated techniques, you can use smoked chicken breast or just regular and you’ll still get a smoked flavor thanks to the smoky enchilada sauce. 

• Comfort food: Enchiladas are an all-time favorite comfort food, and this recipe provides a unique twist to a classic dish.

• Feeds a crowd: Smoked Chicken Enchiladas are a real crowd-pleaser, and this recipe can feed a large group of people with minimal effort, making it perfect for family dinners, potlucks, or parties.

Ingredient Notes

No-salt-added tomato sauce: By choosing the no-salt-added variety, you can control the sodium content to your liking. 

Chipotle pepper in adobo sauce: This is one of the ingredients that add a spicy and smoky flavor to the dish. You can buy these in the international aisle at the grocery store, and they typically come in a can or jar. 

Chicken stock: Make sure to buy a flavorful stock that has a deep rich color. Kitchen Basics will forever be my favorite brand. 

Shredded chicken: You can use shredded smoked chicken, but you can also use regular shredded chicken and rely on the chipotle pepper in adobo sauce and liquid smoke to provide the smoke flavor. If you want to use smoked chicken and you need a tutorial, head over to the Grilling Dad’s tutorials on how to smoke chicken breasts or a whole chicken.

Black beans: Black beans add a nutty and earthy flavor to the dish and provide a good source of fiber and protein. You can sub in pinto or refried beans if you prefer. 

Corn: You can use fresh, frozen, or canned corn with good results. 

Liquid smoke: This is the second of the two special ingredients that will give the enchilada sauce a smoked flavor. You can find it at most grocery stores, or you can buy it direct from Amazon. 

Soft tortillas (flour or corn): Flour tortillas will be more pliable than corn tortillas. Whatever type of tortilla you end up using, warm them up in advance to make them more pliable before you roll in the filling. This is especially important for corn tortillas. 

Shredded cheese: Any type of shredded cheese can be used in this recipe, but Mexican cheese blend, sharp cheddar cheese, or pepper jack cheese are all great choices.

*The full ingredient list with measurements is provided in the recipe card below. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Add the spices, tomato sauce, stock, and chipotle pepper to a blender and blend until completely smooth. 

Step 2: Toss the chicken, beans, and corn with the liquid smoke, half of the cheese, and about ⅓ of the sauce. 

Step 3: Add a scoop of the mixture in the center of each tortilla shell and roll up. Place the filled tortilla seam side down. Pour the rest of the sauce over top of the enchiladas and then top off with the rest of the shredded cheese.

Step 4: Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve immediately topped with all of your favorite enchilada toppings!

Storage and Reheating

Leftovers: You can store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days wrapped up tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap. 

• Reheating leftovers: You can reheat individual portions in 30 second increments in the microwave.

Freezing: After topping the enchiladas with the sauce and cheese and before baking, you can freeze the enchiladas for up to 3 months. Make sure you wrap the baking dish tightly to prevent freezer burn. 

• Reheating from frozen: Thaw in the fridge the night before and bake per the instructions. If you want to go straight from the freezer to oven, bake covered for 45-50 minutes, uncover, and bake for additional 10-15 minutes or until warmed through the middle. 

Expert Tips

• Warm up the tortillas prior to rolling them with the filling to make them more pliable. 

• Add a few dashes of hot sauce when you mix up the filling if you like an extra spicy kick. 

• If you have cooked chicken that is not yet shredded, add the it to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer and turn it to low. You’ll have perfectly shredded chicken in about 30 seconds. 

• If you want extra creamy and cheesy enchiladas, add a few dallops of softened cream cheese or sour cream to the chicken mixture before filling the tortillas.

FAQ

What is liquid smoke? Is liquid smoke safe to consume?

Liquid smoke is made from the condensation of smoke from burning wood. Some may be concerned about the potentially harmful compounds present in smoke. Liquid smoke goes through a filtration process to remove these compounds. The levels of these compounds in liquid smoke are generally considered to be very low and could be considered safer than consuming meat that has been smoked traditionally. 

In addition, liquid smoke is used in very small amounts in recipes (there’s only 1 teaspoon for the entire pan of enchiladas) and found in many commercial BBQ sauce products. It is not intended to be consumed in large quantities. A little goes a very long way.

Can I make a batch of Smoked Chicken Enchiladas in advance?

Sure! I’ve included some tips for how to make in advance, freeze, and reheat in the Storage and Reheating section of this post.