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These, my friends, are the best chicken enchiladas topped with fresh homemade salsa, hmm! And they’re so easy to make!
I love Mexican food (even though I’m Ukrainian)! But growing up in the States, I know how good Tex-Mex food should taste.
These Instant Pot chicken enchiladas make an absolutely delicious dinner!
What’s not to love about the pressure-cooked, tender, shredded chicken spiced with a rich homemade salsa, then rolled up and baked until crispy? Not to mention all of that melty cheese that gets smothered over the top of the crispy pan-baked enciladads!
For busy moms, it’s probably one of the easiest enchilada recipes! Prep time is minimal thanks to the Instant Pot, and the enchiladas bake in a casserole dish. That’s pretty hands-off and amazing in my book!
And if you didn’t know, salsa chicken is a pretty versatile chicken! You can serve it in tacos, rice bowls, nachos, salads, and leftovers make great freezer chicken burritos!
This means you can simply make the salsa chicken filling and serve it any way you want with the homemade cheese sauce. If you’re gluten-free, just skip the flour tortillas and use potato starch to thicken the cheese sauce!
Salsa Chicken Enchiladas
I got this Instant Pot chicken enchilada recipe from a good friend. We both love to cook, and have six children (busy moms to say the least)! Mind you, we both homeschool and need to feed our families 3x a day!
So, when I say easy, I really emphasize it. Mexican food is often a go-to in our rotation of meals, because it’s simple, high in protein (often chicken or beans), and frugal.
These chicken enchiladas are just that! They are also the way my friend Monica makes her chicken enchiladas lately. I’ve picked up on the New Mexican tradition. Her inspiration was to use salsa chicken, but to make it in the Instant Pot instead. It cooks chicken in a fraction of the time this way.
I love her amazing melted cheese sauce that is better than any white queso dip I’ve tried! Sometimes, I stir in jalapeno relish into the cheese sauce for a chili-flavored nacho sauce!
Needless to say, this very same salsa chicken enchilada filling has been served to crowds and at church taco bars because it’s simple and delicious!
My Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Tips
Now, if you’re wondering how to make Instant Pot chicken enchiladas without them getting too soggy, I have some tips for you!
I really just use the Instant Pot to cook the chicken. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you can poach the chicken in a saucepan!
The key to preventing soggy enchiladas is to use a slotted spoon to drain some of the excess liquid when scooping the chicken filling into tortillas. I also bake the chicken enchiladas uncovered so that the flour tortillas get crispy and golden brown.
Then I’ll top the crisp enchiladas with the melted cheese sauce midway through baking. This makes a huge difference!
Mise en PlaceEverything You Need! :
Equipment:
- 6-quart Instant Pot
- Large Casserole Pan
- Slotted Spoon
- Hand Mixer (to shred the chicken)
- Small saucepan to make the Queso sauce
- Wire whisk
Ingredients:
- Enchiladas- I find that 2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts work perfectly. It’s just enough to fill ten medium 8-inch flour tortillas.
- Salsa- I like to use my canned salsa recipe to cook the chicken. I’ll then add taco seasoning for more flavor. For the topping, I prefer my fresh salsa recipe (so good from canned tomatoes)!
- White Queso Cheese Sauce- is basically a bechamel sauce, only Tex-Mex style, with American cheese slices added.
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas:
- First, add 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot (this prevents the burn signal from turning on).
- Clean the chicken breasts and get those in the Instant Pot with the salsa and taco seasoning. Typically, three medium chicken breasts are equivalent to two pounds.
- Pressure cook the chicken at high pressure for 20 minutes. Then depressurize for 10 minutes. While the chicken is still hot, beat the chicken in the Instant Pot using a hand blender to easily shred the chicken meat.
- Fill each flour tortilla (ten total) with 1/2 cup of the salsa chicken. I use a slotted spoon to drain some of the juices. Roll up and place into a large greased baking dish. Spray the tops with cooking spray.
- Bake uncovered @400°F for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make the white cheese sauce and then top it over the enchiladas and bake for 10 more minutes. Serve with homemade salsa, scrumptious!
American Swiss singles are the best melting cheese for Mexican-style Queso. I like to pick it up at Aldi. It melts seamlessly into the bechamel and makes a velvety, creamy cheese sauce, perfect for smothering enchiladas! It’s also the same melted Queso (cheese) flavor served at Mexican restaurants.
Helpful Tips
- For filling variation, you could add 8 oz of grated Colby cheese or a 16 oz can of refried beans when rolling the enchiladas.
- Keep the melted cheese sauce warm so that it doesn’t thicken when pouring over the enchiladas. I usually set it on low on my stove.
- Don’t heat your cheese sauce over high heat. This usually scorches the bottom and makes brown specks in the white Queso sauce (not appealing).
- You need to be quick when making a Béchamel sauce; unwrap and prep the American Swiss singles beforehand.
- To make jalapeño relish, blend 4 cloves of garlic, 7 large jalapeños, 1/4 cup of onion, 1/2 T of honey, 3/4 tsp of salt, and 2 T of apple cider vinegar. I use an immersion blender. It’s amazing added to the Queso sauce, for added heat.
- Don’t have an Instant Pot? Poach the chicken and salsa in a saucepan, covered, for 20 minutes. Or in the slow cooker on low for 6 hours.
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Instant Pot Chicken Enchiladas with White Cheese Sauce
Equipment
- large baking pan, (16×11)
- 1 hand mixer, (to shred the chicken)
- 1 saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, (3 medium)
- 15 oz salsa, (about 1 3/4 cup)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp homemade taco seasoning, (or half of a packet)
- 1/4 cup water
- 10 medium flour tortillas, (8-inch tortillas work perfectly)
- toppings as desired salsa, jalapeno relish or guacamole
White Cheese Sauce:
- 2 Tbsp Pure Irish butter
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 12 oz American Swiss cheese singles , (the whole pack from Aldi)
Instructions
- Add 1/4 cup of water to the bottom of the Instant Pot insert. Top with three chicken breasts, 1 1/2 Tbsp taco seasoning, and 15 oz salsa.
- Pressure cook the chicken on high pressure, for 20 minutes. Then depressurize for 10 minutes.
- While the chicken is still hot, beat the chicken (in the salsa) using a hand mixer until it's shredded.
- Fill each tortilla with 1/2 cup of the shredded salsa chicken, using a slotted spoon to drain off any excess liquid. Roll up and arrange into a lightly greased 16×11 pan.
- Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, uncovered.
- Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce by melting 2 Tbsp butter in a small 1.5-quart saucepan. Whisk in 2 Tbsp flour and gradually add 2 cups of milk, whisking constantly. Heat through, then add the American Swiss cheese slices. I melt about 3 slices of cheese at a time until all the cheese is melted. Whisk constantly over medium heat.
- Pour 2 1/2 cups of the melted cheese sauce over the enchiladas, then continue baking for 10 more minutes. Serve with fresh salsa if desired. Scrumptious!
Notes
- Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free tortillas and use potato starch to thicken the cheese sauce in place of the flour.
- If you don’t own a hand mixer, you can shred the chicken with a meat chopper or with two forks.
- Don’t have an Instant Pot? Poach the chicken in the salsa and taco seasoning in a medium saucepan, covered for 20-30 minutes.
- Bake the enchiladas uncovered for them to get crispy and golden brown.
- You will have some leftover cheese sauce; use it to dip tortilla chips.
Nutrition (per serving)
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