Make-Ahead Chicken Enchiladas Recipe

Instructions

1. 01

   Make ahead

2. 02

   <strong>Prepare the pan and tortillas:</strong> Preheat the oven to 400 F. Pour about 1/3 of the can of enchilada sauce into a 9-by-13-inch casserole pan. (Make sure your pan is also freezer-safe if you plan to freeze the finished dish.) Line the tortillas up crosswise in the pan, folded open like taco shells for easy filling.

3. 03

   <strong>Fill the enchiladas:</strong> Scoop about 1/2 cup of cooked chicken into each tortilla. Divide the diced bell pepper evenly between the tortillas, sprinkling the pieces on top of the chicken. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon shredded cheese over the bell pepper. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon enchilada sauce over the filling.

4. 04

   <strong>Roll and bake:</strong> Starting at one end of the pan, roll the tortillas up so the seamed side of each tortilla is face-down in the pan. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly across the top of the tortillas, then top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cool to room temperature.

5. 05

   <strong>Store the enchiladas:</strong> To keep the enchiladas up to 2 days in the refrigerator, tightly cover the pan with foil before storing. To freeze the enchiladas for up to 3 months, tightly wrap the entire pan with foil, crimping to seal around the edges to prevent freezer burn. Or to freeze smaller portions separately, scoop the enchiladas into individual lidded freezer-safe containers before storing.

6. 06

   How to reheat and serve

7. 07

   <strong>Heat the enchiladas:</strong> If you're feeding the whole family or a crowd, the enchiladas can be reheated directly from the refrigerator or freezer in the casserole dish they were baked in. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Keep the foil on the dish and reheat for 20 to 30 minutes (refrigerated) or 45 minutes (frozen), until the enchiladas are warmed through. If you'd rather reheat individual servings, enchiladas in small microwave-safe containers can be zapped in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes or reheated in a toaster oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

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   <strong>Eat up:</strong> Serve the enchiladas with sour cream, guacamole, and/or salsa.