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Jalapeño Popper Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Jalapeño popper chicken enchiladas with a creamy white sauce and oozing cream cheese filling—baked until bubbly and golden. This easy enchilada bake combines shredded chicken, pickled jalapeños, cheddar, and Monterey jack for stuffed, spicy Tex-Mex enchiladas.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken filling
  • 3 cup cooked chicken, shredded
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 0.5 cup pickled jalapeños
  • 0.5 cup sharp cheddar, shredded divided; reserve some for topping
Enchiladas
  • 8 flour tortillas
White sauce
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp flour
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
  • salt to taste
Topping
  • 0.5 cup sharp cheddar, shredded remaining cheddar for the top
  • 1 jalapeños extra jalapeños for topping (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and assemble
  1. Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 9x13 baking dish with a light coating so the enchiladas don’t stick.
  2. Mix the shredded chicken, softened cream cheese, pickled jalapeños, and 1/2 cup cheddar until combined and creamy.
  3. Lay out flour tortillas, divide filling among them, roll up, and place seam-side down in the prepared baking dish.
Make the white sauce
  1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute until smooth and lightly cooked.
  3. Gradually add chicken broth while whisking, then continue whisking until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, garlic powder, salt, and Monterey jack until fully melted and smooth.
Bake and serve
  1. Pour the white sauce over the enchiladas so they’re evenly covered.
  2. Top with the remaining cheddar and scatter jalapeño rounds on top for a jalapeño-forward finish.
  3. Bake 25–30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
  4. Serve immediately while the cream cheese filling is hot and gooey.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, make sure the cream cheese is fully softened before mixing and whisk the sauce until it thickens before removing from heat. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because the sauce can separate after thawing. For a lighter option, swap sour cream for plain Greek yogurt and use reduced-fat Monterey jack and cheddar.