Best Make Ahead Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas Recipes

MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in chicken, pimentos, and cream cheese. Season with salt and set aside.
• Heat 1/8 inch oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Use tongs to dip 1 tortilla into the hot oil just until it blisters and turns limp, about 3 seconds; do not fry until firm or crisp. Continue with remaining tortillas, stacking them on a plate between paper towels when heated.
• Spoon about 1/3 cup filling down the center of each tortilla, then roll to enclose. Place enchiladas, seam-side down, in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Remove enchiladas from the refrigerator. Spoon cream over top and sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.
• Bake, covered, in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake until hot and bubbly, about 15 minutes longer.

MAKE AHEAD CHEESE ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Mix Monterey jack cheese, cheddar cheese, onion, sour cream, parsley, salt and pepper; Set aside.
• Combine tomato sauce, water, green pepper, chili powder, oregano, cumin and garlic and heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes; Pour into a 9-inch ungreased pie pan.
• Dip each tortilla into sauce to coat both sides.
• Spoon about 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture onto each tortilla.
• Roll tortilla around filling.
• Arrange the rolled tortillas seam-side down in a 13 x 7 inch baking dish.
• Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas.
• Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheddar cheese.
• Bake uncovered at 350°F for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbling.
• Garnish with sour cream and sliced black olives.
• **NOTE: After sprinkling with cheese, you may cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours then bake uncovered in 350°F oven for 35 minutes.

MAKE-AHEAD CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Steps:

• Do ahead: Make the enchiladas.
• Prepare the pan and tortillas: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees 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.
• Fill the enchiladas: 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.
• Roll and bake: 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 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Cool to room temperature.
• Store the enchiladas: 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.