Our Instant Pot chicken enchiladas recipe will help you cook delicious meat rolls in no time at all.
Despite the daunting cooking steps, it’s hard not to think of these chewy, meaty, delicious cheesy rolls even when they can take up to an hour. However, if you have an Instant Pot lying around, we’ll show you how to save a lot of time.
Or, follow what’s been traditionally done with our regular version.
Are Our Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas Healthy?
Even without our modifications, enchiladas are a wholesome dish with loads of lean meat. Still, the dish can be made healthier, and here’s how we did it.
First, we refrained from using too much salt and cheese as they are both primary sources of sodium and saturated fat. These are natural-existing nutrients in lots of our foods, which experts recommend we should cut back on.
As our idea of a healthy diet also involves calorie restriction, we made sure each portion isn’t too big nor too small. It can still be fulfilling while adhering to our guidelines.
As a result, each serving of this Instant Pot chicken enchiladas recipe yields 503 calories, 7.1 g saturated fats, and 572 mg sodium; appropriate amounts for a healthy main dish.
Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken breast is our choice of protein for today’s recipe. It’s easy to shred, packs the most proteins compared to other cuts, and has little to no fat.
In terms of cheese and salt, we use the maximum amount possible to maintain the dish’s authenticity but keep the nutritional profile sound. Enchiladas are often made with cheddar, but some mozzarella brings a more attractive blend of colors and extra stringiness to the dish.
The rest of the staple flavors come from Mexican spices and other ingredients, which we use in abundance for optimum flavor:
- Garlic and onion powders: using these two spices saves you from spending 10 minutes by the pan caramelizing fresh aromatics. They add strong, deep fragrances, suitable for such a robust food.
- Cumin: it yields a warm fragrance that Mexican dishes aren’t the same without. You’ll see this spice in almost every Mexican recipe.
- Tomato sauce: it lends the meat tons of flavors and aromas from many dried herbs. We recommend you make some fresh with our recipe or try to find unsalted tomato sauce.
- Chicken broth: like tomato sauce, we make one our own to control the sodium level. It comprises roasted bones, celery, carrots, onions, and bay leaf, all simmered for 1 hour. You can replace it with any unsalted stock.
- Chili powder, paprika, and black pepper: the ‘heat’ components that also give the dish an appetizing red hue. You can adjust these according to your preference.
- Oregano: a staple herb used frequently in Mexican cuisine. It complements meat dishes nicely.
- Lime juice and brown sugar: some citrusy tartness and sweetness to strike a balance in flavor. Lime is used frequently in Mexican cooking to brighten up the taste of heavy dishes like Enchiladas.
Can You Use Flour Tortillas for Enchiladas?
The fact that we use it might answer this question — yes, you can. Their pliable texture makes rolling super easy.
Corn tortillas work fine as well, but unlike flour, they’re rather stiff and more difficult to work with. They need to be softened before use.
How to Soften Corn Tortillas for Enchiladas
Place a damp paper towel on top of the tortillas. They’ll absorb moisture gradually and become pliable by the time you need them.
How to Cook Chicken for Enchiladas in the Instant Pot
There are three main stages: cook the chicken, wrap the chicken in tortillas, and bake with sauce and cheese. The Instant Pot can speed up the first step, tenderizing the chicken and allowing it to absorb the flavors better.
Here’s what the first stage looks like:
Sauté the aromatics.
Sear the chicken with the seasonings.
Pressure-cook the chicken with the sauce and broth.
Shred the chicken and mix with the sauce.
The rest is really straightforward:
Make the rolls.
Arrange them into a baking dish and bake.
Garnish and enjoy!
For the best result, please follow the ingredient measurements strictly. We have them all listed at the bottom, in the Instant Pot chicken Enchiladas recipe card.
How to Store and Reheat Enchiladas?
You can place the whole baking dish in the fridge and cover it, or keep the leftovers in a smaller container to save space. It will last for 5 days.
To reheat, bake at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
Can You Freeze Enchiladas?
Yes, and they will keep for up to 3 months with their texture uncompromised when reheated. Airtight containers are typically used, but removing them can be rather difficult as they’ll stick. Ziploc bags or biodegradable plastic bags are better options.
To reheat, place the rolls in a suitable baking dish and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes.
Side Dishes for Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas
A fresh, tangy salad like Pico de Gallo cuts right through the enchiladas’ richness and robust flavors. It’s simple to make as well: just finely chopped veg tossed with lime juice and herbs.
Finally, we ease the salad’s tang with our sweet beverage: watermelon cucumber juice. It’s especially thirst-quenching on hot days, and tastes best served over ice.
Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas Recipe
Our Instant Pot chicken Enchiladas recipe recreates the rich, meaty rolls and cuts away half of the waiting time. The result is both delicious and healthy.
- cook TIME 30 mins
- prep TIME 5 mins
- total TIME 35 mins
- COURSE Main Course
- CUISINE Mexican
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 503 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 0.5 tbspolive oil
- 1 ozonions (about 1/4 medium, chopped)
- 18 ozskinless boneless chicken breasts (each sliced lengthwise into 4 pieces)
- 1 tbsplime juice
- 1 tspbrown sugar
- 1 tspgarlic powder
- 1 tsponion powder
- 1 tsppaprika
- 0.5 tspchili powder
- 0.5 tspblack pepper
- 0.5 tspsalt
- 0.5 tsporegano
- 0.5 tspcumin
- 2 tspall-purpose flour
- 1 cuphomemade tomato sauce
- 0.5 cupunsalted chicken broth
- 8 6-inch corn tortilla
- 2.5 ozcheddar (shredded)
- 2 ozmozzarella (shredded)
- 0.5 ozjalapeño (finely chopped)
- 2 tbspscallion (chopped)
- 2 tbspparsley (chopped)
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Select 'sauté' on your Instant Pot and heat 1/2 tbsp olive oil. Add 1 oz chopped onions and stir to cook for about 30 seconds/
Add 18 oz chicken along with the seasonings: 1 tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp flour, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp oregano, and 1/2 tsp cumin. Stir to incorporate, then leave it to sear for 4 minutes (2 on each side).
Pour in 1 cup tomato sauce, 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth, and close the lid. Seal the steaming vent, select 'stew/meat', adjust the timer to 7 minutes, and let the machine run.
When it beeps, place a kitchen rug onto the steam handle, turn it to 'venting', and wait for the steam to completely escape. Open the lid, take the chicken out, shred it with two forks, then add it back into the pot and stir well.
Mix the cheeses together (2 1/2 oz cheddar and 2 oz mozzarella) in a bowl, and save about 1 oz of the mixture for sprinkling on top. Divide the remaining cheese and the cooked chicken (leave excess sauce behind) into 8 parts. Place each part in the middle of each tortilla, spread it out on the middle line, roll tightly, and arrange all seam-side down into a fitting baking dish.
There should be sauce left in the pot; collect it and pour it on top. Brush it evenly across the surface, then sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Arrange 0.5 oz jalapeño and sprinkle 2 tbsp parsley, 2 tbsps scallion on top. Let cool and enjoy.
NUTRITION
Luna Regina
Founder
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Nutrition Reviewer