Honey Lime Chicken or Pork Enchiladas
If you’ve never had these lifechangingly good honey lime chicken enchiladas, you are missing out! So simple to make, and delicious!
To say this honey lime chicken recipe has stood the test of time is a serious understatement! It has been a family favorite for over ten years and I don’t see that changing any time soon.
If your life has been without this delectable honey lime combo for enchiladas (or burritos, salads, etc), I hate to say it, but you’ve definitely been missing out. Not only are these probably some of the easiest enchiladas you’ll ever make, there really isn’t another enchilada recipe like them in terms of one-of-a-kind deliciousness.
Over the years, I’ve barely adapted this recipe. The original is just too good! But I have included a few steps and notes below to highlight a few simple ingredient substitutions that can make it even easier.
For instance
Green enchilada sauce vs green salsa. What’s the difference, really? Well, green enchilada sauce is often thicker than salsa with a deeper, roasted flavor. The good news, I’ve made this recipe countless times with either enchilada sauce OR salsa verde (green salsa). And both are delicious and amazing and life changing and wonderful. Basically, don’t stress too much about interchanging the two.
Shredded chicken. This recipe is a bit unusual in the fact that the marinade actually starts with cooked, shredded chicken. You might be thinking “Mel, you’ve finally lost your marbles” but I promise it works! The chicken is infused with that amazing honey, lime, chili combo, and it only needs about 30 minutes marinating time (although it does taste even better if you can let the chicken hang out of several hours).
A rotisserie chicken is perfect for this recipe. Or, this is my go-to stovetop cooked, shredded chicken recipe. Often, I just throw chicken breasts in the Instant Pot with 1 cup broth, salt and pepper, and cook on high pressure for 8-12 minutes (discard extra cooking liquid).
We like to add a few extra toppings to our honey lime chicken enchiladas for amped up yumminess. Chopped tomatoes, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, extra lime wedges. But you can leave them plain and simple, too.
Oh! Also, the creamy topping. I don’t want to forget this note. After the enchiladas are assembled and in the pan, they get a smothering of sorts from the green enchilada sauce + leftover marinade (don’t forget this! Flavor!) + cream, sour cream or half and half. This gives a creamy oomph to the enchiladas that is to-die for.
However! Again, after making this meal so.many.times over the last decade, there have been many instances where I’ve left out the creaminess in the topping altogether and just combined the green enchilada sauce with the leftover marinade to spread on top of the enchiladas. And then loaded on the cheese, of course. I’m not one to leave cheese out of anything.
Basically this recipe is pretty adaptable…and so incredibly easy! It pains me to think that some of you newcomers to my blog may have been living without this tried-and-true honey lime chicken enchilada recipe. It took the world by storm when I shared it over ten years ago, but I think it’s time for a comeback.
Also, remember that the honey lime meat mixture (which is super delicious with shredded pork, too) is amazing as enchiladas – but also crazy good made into burritos (smothered – yum!) or as a topping for a salad.
With this creamy cilantro lime dressing? Holy cow, best salad ever.
What To Serve With This:
Confetti Rice and Bean Salad, Grilled Corn Salad, or Guacamole Salad
Fresh fruit
Tortilla Chips/Salsa or Cornbread
Honey Lime Chicken {or Pork} Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons honey
- 5 to 6 tablespoons lime juice, 2 to 3 large limes
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon black pepper, I use coarsely ground
- 2 pounds chicken, cooked and shredded – about 4 cups total (see note)
- 8 to 10 (6 to 8-inch) flour or corn tortillas
- 4 cups about 1 pound shredded Monterey jack cheese, (or a combo of cheddar and Monterey Jack)
- 16 ounces green enchilada sauce (see note)
- 1 cup heavy cream, sour cream, or half-and-half
- Additional Toppings, optional: sour cream, chopped tomatoes, extra lime wedges, avocado, chopped cilantro
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place the shredded chicken in a resealable bag or other covered container. Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss until the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.
- Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour about 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan.
- Fill flour tortillas with chicken (save the leftover marinade!) and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the leftover marinade and the the cream (or sour cream/half-and-half).
- Spread sauce evenly on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes until brown and crispy on top. Serve with chopped tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, extra lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and/or avocado.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe originally published March 2008; updated April 2019 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.
Recipe Source: long ago adapted from The Sister’s Cafe
207 Comments on “Honey Lime Chicken or Pork Enchiladas”
I felt like I needed to come and leave a review for this recipe. I have made it for over 20 meal trains (new moms, sick or injured friends, grieving families), and EVERY time the person texts me asking for the recipe. I love how easy it is to make, and get excited when people choose it because it makes enough for my family to eat a tray too! I love all your recipes, but his is definitely the one that gets made the most.
Love hearing that, Brittany! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. You’re amazing for taking so many meals to friends/families in need!
Looking for recommendations for the best/favorite store bought green enchilada sauce to use for this recipe. Thank you!
Hi Janie, I prefer using the salsa verde from Trader Joe’s or the Herdez brand (from my local grocery store).
I have been making this recipe for over a year now, and my family LOVES it! I have made it for a lot of different parties and everyone always wants the recipe. It is a family favorite!! Thanks Mel!!!
My family had this for Mother’s day Dinner and my younger nephew who is 1 loved it. My sister did a great job on it and I am enjoying it again for my lunch at work. Thanks for a great recipe.
Very excited to try these tonight. However, I used shredded pork and the marinade was soaked up completely. I then did another batch of marinade to add to the pork and it was instantly soaked up. There definitely won’t be any to add to the sauce.
These are on my new favorites list. We devoured them and will be used again in the future for sure. There hasn’t been one recipe I have tried that I don’t like. All so yummy!
Do you have any thoughts on subbing out the honey for maple syrup? I have a friend who we swap freezer meals, but her hubby is allergic to honey!
I froze it after baking and it reheated beautifully!
Did you try it with maple syrup, Emily? I haven’t tried it so I hesitate to recommend it – it will change the flavor significantly.
Hi Emily,
I saw something called vegan honey that is made with apple juice. There are simple recipes for it, and/or it can be bought or ordered from your local grocery store, usually. I hope this helps.
I’m so excited to try this. I’m going to make some for all my ministering sisters to freeze and use during the busy Christmas season. If I want to freeze it, should I wait to add the creamy topping until it has already baked for an hour?
I don’t think you’d need to wait to add it.
Holy Moly! I don’t know if I did something wrong or we’re just wimps, but the chili powder in this almost killed us all. No one in my family could finish it – so so spicy. I do want to try it again with maybe half the chili powder. The flavor was good – just too hot for us.
Hey Amy – what brand of chili powder did you use? Different brands vary vastly in spicy/heat levels.
I used greek yogurt in place of the cream/sour cream, plus a can of black beans, and my picky husband loved them! They really did have a great flavor.
I finally made these tonight after having the recipe printed out for 3 1/2 years , and the whole family enjoyed them! I used chicken cooked in the Instant Pot and your green enchilada sauce recipe; I did not mix the sauce with any cream, sour cream, or half-and-half and thought the amount of sauce and flavor were fantastic! Thank you!
Thanks for the review!
These were SO GOOD. So good I attempted to make them twice in one week. I say attempted because I had just finished discovering that the corn tortillas I bought from TJ’s were not up to the task when the chicken fell on the kitchen floor. It was a very, very, sad moment, especially for my mouth. Your rotisserie hack might be insane but it is also genius. Thank you!
Oh, that is so sad!!
Didn’t realize this would also be so quick to make! definitely adding to my list to make frequently!
I made these tonight and I had no marinade left. I checked the amount a few times. How much marinade is usually left over?
I already had shredded chicken so I measured for 4 cups. I am not sure what I did wrong, but no marinade was left over.
It’s usually not very much – sometimes I just get a few tablespoons.
I usually love your recipes but this one just didn’t work for me. It was just too sweet.
Sorry you didn’t love this one, Julie!
The second time I made this, I added extra lime, less honey and a can of green chili peppers. It did the trick for me! Not as sweet, and had a nice little kick. Truly the BEST enchiladas I’ve ever made! Recipes are just guidelines… you get to be the chef and tweak it to your liking!
This recipe is fantastic. I used salsa verde. I have to say that you are the most reliable food blogger out there! I bounce around finding recipes on the internet, but every time I try one of your recipes it’s a winner. All of my ‘go to’ recipes are yours … thanks – you rock!
That means so much to me, thank you, Dee!!
We have been using this recipe for years! I just made it for the hundredth time and thought to comment. This is the most flavorful, heavenly enchilada recipe! For sure the most requested recipe from 5 kids (12 and under)! Anyway for anyone who is doubting, just try it. You’ll never look back. Thanks mel 🙂
So happy about this, Molly! Thank you!
Amazing! Loved these!
Thanks, Rachel!!
These were SO GOOD
Glad you loved them, Becki!
I have been making this since the day you posted it the first time. It has always been a true love of ours! I always make my green salsa/enchilada sauce fresh, but have done the canned version as well! Both are delicious, but the fresh is not as sweet. Maybe the canned has sugar added? Anyway, I am making this again tomorrow because it’s a GREAT take in meal to those who need a meal. And super super easy to double or triple haha
Made these will pulled pork. Flavor explosion in my mouth. Definitely will make again!
Yay, thanks Rachel!
Made these last night. Fantastic.
So glad to hear it – thanks, Rus!
I mistakenly thought that I had every enchilada recipe that I ever needed…then I made these. WOW! They are so different from my other favorite recipes that while it won’t replace them, it definitely has a place beside them. I added a sautéed onion and a can of black beans, but otherwise, made it as stated. They are not too spicy and two out of three kids declared them, “Yummy!” And the third is currently 3 1/2 and basically if it isn’t fruit or junk food he isn’t interested…so don’t let his opinion sway you. I am excited to have a new flavor profile in a much loved food. Thank you for re-posting these so that I took notice.
Haha, I’ve had many of those 3 1/2 year olds cycle through my house! 🙂 So happy you loved these!
Omgosh! Ridiculously delicious! Made as per recipe and it’s a top notch winner
Thanks, Jan!
Is it possible to 1/2 the recipe?
Yes!
Have you ever used canned chicken for the chicken before?
I haven’t, sorry!
We’ve been making these for years! They also work really great with whole wheat tortillas and Greek yogurt in place of the cream! There is so much flavor it all works great together!
We have been making these for years and my family loves them. I haven’t tried the cream in the sauce before. I will have to try that next time.
I can’t even wait to make these for supper tonight!
I had just discovered this recipe over the weekend and made these! Super delicious. I used half mild green enchilada sauce and half roasted salsa verde (Herdez medium). The salsa verde has a pretty good kick to it – but it was a good combo! Ate leftovers twice and I think they only got better with time.
Can you bottle the homemade green enchilada sauce?
I haven’t tried it – I’m not sure it would be safe for canning.
Delicious! Subtle sweet taste. All 4 kids (under 10) ate it up! I used sour cream instead of heavy cream in the sauce and it was so yummy!
This recipe is PHENOMENAL!!! Someone made it and delivered it to us while our little one was in the NICU, and it quickly became a weekly meal in the following weeks. I’ve continued to both prep this regularly and have brought it as a meal to other families with rave reviews as well!!!
We have made this A MANY of times! It is a favorite for everyone. We usually use a half pepper jack/Monterrey blend. We also cut the chicken into tiny cubes instead of shred. Absolutely fantastic!
This recipe is fantastic in everyway. Make it now, you’ll thank Mel later.
We love this, though tweaked a bit. Super yummy and tastes like something you’d get at Cafe Rio!
As written, it was (for us) too saucy, kind of soupy, so it was hard to get crispy on the top and the flavor was masked by so much cheese, plus we wanted some veggies to make it a whole meal.
To make things perfect, we use 8 oz frozen diced green & red peppers + 8 oz frozen diced onions– sauteed in a skillet on medium high until onions caramelized & peppers are tender & slightly browned, 1 lb of shredded pork, then just a sprinkle of cheese in the middle of each tortilla, saving most of the cheese for the top (about 8-10 oz total of the cheese).
For the sauce, just one 10 oz can of enchilada sauce + 2/3 cup heavy cream.
Heavenly results that are always gobbled up!
After making this at least half a dozen times more, I’ve kept my above alterations the same except now I reduce the leftover marinade by 2/3rds on the stovetop (you could also do it on Saute in an IP) and have gone back to a full cup of cream (I really like the shelf stable cream from Trader Joe’s– super easy plus you don’t have to refrigerate for cooking recipes, just when you need to whip it).
One of our favorite, favorite meals!
This is one of our family favorites. So very easy and so tasty. The recipe seems so simple but the flavors are really special. I have used chicken and pork. When using chicken I prefer a cut of meat with a bit more fat in it so it doesn’t dry out. Thighs are phenomenal in this recipe. Pork is always a winner with this dish!
I have been craving this recipe! I’ve made it once and can’t stop thinking about it! Making it tomorrow night!
Great recipe… for those who haven’t tried it, the result is more moist and better with half and half or cream instead of sour cream. Thanks for posting!
Made this last night for the first time and it will go into regular rotation! Your site is fairly new to me and I am having fun looking through your recipe index and planning our next couple of weeks of meals from your archive. Thanks so much!
My wife and I have been married for 6 months now and every single month, we have this recipe at least once, sometimes more. We made it for some friends as well and they couldn’t stop talking about it. My wife likes this recipe so much, when another dinner offer was made the night we were supposed to have this, she turned it down so we could eat our favorite enchiladas!
So happy to hear this, Kris! This meal is a hit at our house too but it’s been a long time since I’ve made it. Thanks for the reminder!
I want to make this recipe this weekend and I want to use pork. What liquid do you add to the crockpot with pork?
Thank you,
Jen
I usually still add chicken broth.
Are salsa verde and green enchilada sauce interchangeable? Your text on the Creamy Green Enchiladas makes it seem so. Wondering if salsa would work on these too?
They aren’t the same thing but I often use them interchangeably.
Just as an FYI for anyone else, I liked them better with the enchilada sauce. Salsa was too tart.
Just as an FYI for anyone else, I liked them better with the enchilada sauce. Salsa was too tart.
So yummy! I wish the note about onions and garlic was in the actual recipe. I wanted to add those, but forgot.
Will be making again for sure!!
I did something I have never done before. I made this recipe for a dinner with a friend without trying it out first. Was I worried? A little. I looked over the list of ingredients, read all of the comments, and figured that I could make it work. The result? One of the best meals I have ever made. My husband and his friend were happy with the results – each having second and third helpings. I made your green enchilada sauce to go with it and not only was it super easy, but it was tastier than anything I’ve had out of a can. Thank you for saving the day and making me look like I’m a chef 😉
We love these! My sister in law adds a spoonful of rice cooked in chicken broth and a scoop of pinto beans the the middle along with a spoonful of the sauce you put on top. It’s yummy too, makes them bigger and more filling if you have a lot of people to fed. I love your website I use it about 90% of the time for my meals over the past year that I discovered it.
These were too good for something so easy. I used leftover frozen shredded pork shoulder. Subbed salsa verde for ench sauce, used about 12oz mixed cheeses, used 1/4c sour cream with 3/4c half and half, and added a little cumin and chicken bouillion to the sauce mix. Served with avocado and salsa. Husband raved. If time allows I love to mix a bunch of sautéed peppers and onions into enchiladas like these, but you can’t beat the flavor in these puppies for a quick meal.
This is a recipe that goes places. I have gotten it into several people’s rotating menu plans: my mom’s, mine, my picky friend serves it for company all the time. Plus, i served it to my brother-in-law and he put it in their meal plan and they only rotate like 7 meals. In other words, this is a winner recipe! Just be prepared for a sweet enchilada (but honey is in the name, obviously)
These are a favorite in our house. I have made them for freezer meal swaps and feel like I “win” the swap every time. 🙂
I saw that you cook the pork in the crockpot first and then use the shredded meat. Do you think that would work with the chicken? Would you put the honey/lime/chili powder in with it or add it after?
Sarah – Yes, I cook my chicken in the crockpot all the time – but at least for these enchiladas, I add the honey/lime mixture after the chicken has cooked and been shredded.
You have freezer meal swaps?!?! Is that…. exactly what it sounds like? ;’D I wanna do that! What a great idea.
Hi Mel,
Excited to make these. Wanted to let you know the link to this recipe on your weekly menu is broke. Still can get here by using the search for recipes though. Thanks for all the yummy dinner ideas!
Ann – Thank you for the heads up. I fixed the link.
Hey Mel- if you make these with pork, what kind of cut do you get? Does it matter?
Heather – I usually use a pork roast that I’ve slow cooked in the crockpot but others have used pork tenderloin or even pork chops. I think it’s pretty versatile!
Mel these were delicious!! Perfect use of some cooked chicken breasts in my freezer! I had some roasted green chile in my freezer too and was not feeling like running to the grocery store for enchilada sauce- your blog to the rescue again! SO glad I looked up and found your homemade enchilada sauce recipe- it was divine! Simple and delicious all around- thanks!
We had some pesky leftover pork chops that I was trying to jazz up and wow, did this do the trick! They started out as a step up from shoe leather and after dicing them up to soak in this marinade and then fantastic green sauce combo, I came out looking like a rock star. Thanks Mel! This was a serious winner!
Hi Melanie,
I’m planning on making these and I thought I would try using rotisserie chicken. Since the marinade is put on cooked chicken I thought it might still work. What do you think? Also, about how many cups of chicken do you think you end up using?
Hi Karen – I think a rotisserie chicken would work just fine. I’d probably use 2-3 cups chicken.
Thank you for the many wonderful recipes. You make me feel like as rock star in the kitchen. My husband and all who taste your recipes love them and can’t stop talking about them. Thank you!!!!
Another MKC winner! I was a l title short on chicken (leftover costco rotisserie yum) so I added a can of black beans. Wonderful!
these were so good. I’m going to make again but with shredded pork. Such a keeper And very easy.
Mel ~ I realize I’ve posted about this recipe already…we do love it. I just wanted to mention that your note about adding an onion and/or garlic is now gone…not that it is critical to the recipe but I do think it makes a very nice addition. I also think if you do add this that making a bit more marinade might be worthwhile since the onion/chicken mixture will soak up most of it. This is a great recipe and I’m keeping it handy for Cinco de Mayo!
Yum! Will have to make these very soon!
Made this last night for a small, casual dinner party, big hit! I made a few modifications becasue we do like things with a little kick (sprinkled about 1/8 t cayenne into marinade and cut 2 T honey out). Sauteed a small onion with 2 cloves garlic to add to chicken mixture. Finally, did a mixture of reduced fat sour cream (1/2 c) with 1/4 c half and half for sauce and added 2 T hot sauce to this for the sauce. Amazing! The only thing I would change is to maybe make a little extra marinade next time. There wasn’t much left to mix in with the sauce as the chicken seemed to soak a lot of it up. It was still excellent. Thanks for another great recipe and it was simple to boot!
Melanie – I’ve never tried that but I definitely think it would sub fine.
Have you ever tried using half & half for the sauce instead of cream? I’m going to make your chicken gnocchi soup this week as well as these enchiladas (again!) and I wondered if I could use the fat free half & half for both–?
These were so good my husband actually thought they were take-out from our favorite Mexican place–we fought over the leftovers!
I made these AGAIN and have commented before and just may comment every time that I make them to say thanks love your blog these are awesome!
These taste amazing. A hit in our house. Thanks!
I was looking for ideas for our Cinco de Mayo dinner at home and I immediately went to your website because I know I’ll find a great recipe that will be easy to prepare and that my family will enjoy. True enough, I found this recipe and paired it with your Mexican rice. So delicious! The honey lime and chili were a great flavor combination. Plus my kids helped me with filling the tortilla with the chicken and cheese. We had fun preparing this and eating it too! Thank you Melanie! =)
Just made this tonight for Cinco de Mayo, and can I just say MMMMMMMMMMMMM! The kids scarfed it, the husband totally went to town, and I loved it – great recipe! I made it with sour cream, and the sauce was perfect!
Rachel – I’ve never frozen these after baking so to be honest, I’m not sure how they would fare but if the first time they turned out soggy, it’s worth a try. The other option is to freeze them without pouring the sauce on top and whip up the sauce right before baking the frozen enchiladas (pouring on top during baking). Good luck!
I made thesea few weeks ago and then again today. I make 2 8×8 pans since we have a small family. Last time I baked one and froze the other, and when I baked the frozen one (like 4 days later, I couldn’t wait any longer) they came out all soggy. This time I made 2 pans again but baked both of them. Can I freeze it after baking it? I found this on another site and asked but they never responded.
I tried making theis with a block of cream cheese instead of the cream. I just put the chicken in a saute pan and melted the cream cheese into it. Also added some carmelized onions. Holy cow! This was a winner!
Boy, oh boy! These are FANTASTIC! I made them a month ago for a family get-together and everyone raved. I actually used a rotisserie chicken and was very pleased with the results. I’m making them again tonight and cannot wait to dig in! Thanks Mel!
Yum! I made these but tweaked them just a bit. I cooked the chicken in the marinade in my slow cooker for 3 hours and it was so tender from the “low and slow” and the lime juice. Then I shredded the chicken, and followed the rest of the directions exactly. They were amazing. The chicken was sweet from the honey and tart from the lime and so tender… How did I just discover this blog?! 🙂
Karen – I’ve never tried that substitution so quite honestly, I don’t know how it would work. Let me know if you try it – sorry I’m not more help!
Can I substitute a jar of green salsa instead of green enchilada sauce or will it mess up the recipe? Can’t wait to try these!
I made this last night and subbed greek yogurt for the heavy cream. They were delicious! My husband loved them too. Can’t wait for leftovers!
Brenda, I haven’t used the green taco sauce but I’d say give it a go and see how it turns out!
Mel, I couldn’t find green enchilada sauce at my market. I ended up buying Ortega mild green taco sauce. Not too sure about this… will that work???
Someone brought me dinner a few weeks ago and it was these enchiladas. I loved them so much that I decided to make them. Now I’m hispanic and quite frankly, an enchilada snob. But these were fantastic! I’d dare say they were my favorite enchiladas ever, and that’s a high compliment! These are going to be a weekly staple at our house. I’m counting down the minutes until I can eat the leftovers for lunch that are sitting in my fridge.
Made these for dinner last night and my husband said the BEST yet enchiladas. I’ve made your red sauce and green. All delicious! Shrimp ones are on the menu next!
Hi Ashley – I’ve subbed the green salsa verde (Herdez brand) with great results so if you can’t find the green enchilada sauce you can use that. I think it’s pretty much the same thing.
Mel I have never cooked with green enchilada sauce and I did not see any at the store today. Is green salsa verde the same thing??
I’ve had this recipe saved in my favorites for over a year, finally made them last night. I am kicking myself for putting this recipe off for so long! SO DELICIOUS! The whole family loved it, including the two dogs 🙂 I added a bit of diced red onion and chopped cilantro to the filling. Making again next week.
I made these tonight, and WOW!! The best enchiladas I’ve ever made!!! I’ve tried so many enchilada recipes & this has instantly topped the Best list!! I used lemon instead of lime because that’s what I had, and I added a can of diced green chiles to the marinade. Delicious!!! Thank you!!!
I have been meaning to make these forever. Last night I finally did. What was I waiting for? These will definitely appear on our table often. Even my pickiest eaters ate these up! I’m excited to have the left overs for lunch.
How long can you freeze the enchiladas for?
Christina – probably about 1-2 months.
if you want homemade green enchilada sauce to go with this… this is THE recipe:
http://www.food.com/recipe/el-charro-cafe-green-enchilada-sauce-55478
I love these enchiladas, from the sisters. I haven’t tried it with cream yet, but it’s hard to imagine it any better than it was! (Can’t think of a time when cream or sour cream made something worse though… 🙂
I thought I would try these with green sauce first, so I had my husband buy some just for this recipe. It was delicious! We both love it! I still might try them with red sauce sometime, just to see the difference in taste. But I will definitely make these again! I feel like I’m eating out at a fancy Mexican restaurant, but at a cheaper price (making these at home). 🙂
Hi Rebecca – red enchilada sauce will definitely change the flavor of these but if you prefer it, I think it is worth a try. Let me know how it goes if you try it! Glad you loved the other recipes.
Hello! This is my first comment on your website. 🙂 I was just browsing recipes and came across this enchilada recipe. It sounds SO good! I had one question though … do you think red enchilada sauce would be fine to use? My husband and I don’t like the canned red enchilada sauce anymore (we used to get canned all the time). We use the packets that you mix with tomato paste and water. I was just wondering if it would be fine to use red sauce rather than green. I definitely want to make these soon! I’ve already tried three recipes and loved them all! — Baked Oatmeal, Oatmeal Pancakes, and the White Bean and Tuna Salad. All were delicious! I’m planning to make a lot more recipes from your site. 🙂
Mel
Made these for dinner tonight, the guys loved them. Nothing better then hitting one out of the park for dinner. Thanks for sharing.
Made these last night as a take-in as well as some for my family. I’m not sure how the other people felt about them, but we loved them! I added extra lime juice based on the comments—also an onion and a few gloves of garlic to the enchilada sauce.
I’ll hold onto this recipe and make it again!
I made these last night, and while they were yummy, I think I did something wrong. I had way too much sauce and not enough chicken. I did about 1 lb of chicken and was only able to make about 6 enchiladas (and I didn’t even fill them very full). I had lots of extra sauce left over and it was so soupy I thought about serving the enchiladas in a bowl. Any ideas?? Any suggestions would be much appreciated as I would love to try making these again!
Ashley – I’m not sure what went wrong, to be honest. It sounds like next time you might want to up the chicken to 2 pounds if you had a lot of extra sauce. I’ve been making these so long that I usually just eyeball the chicken and maybe I use more than the 1 pound called for. I’ll have to weigh it exactly next time.
Just tried this for dinner tonight and it is definitely my new favorite, my husband rated it 10/10 (he rates anything so I can remember which ones to make again), and even my super picky 2 year old ate them and said they were good! It’s a keeper here! Thanks!
This is my new favorite meal. Seriously, these were absolutely delicious. I am super picky when it comes to enchiladas but these surpassed my expectations after the first bite. Wow. Thanks for sharing!!!
I made these for dinner tonight and we loved them! They are going in my “keeper” book! Thanks for yet another wonderful recipe.
I just discovered your wonderful blog! my oh my, SO many tasty dishes on here I will definitely be trying out! This one I’ll be making tomorrow night for my son’s birthday dinner. 🙂
I have one question: do you think rice would be good to put in these, kind of as a “filler”, or not?
Thank you!
I feel a bit silly for asking… but what IS enchilada sauce? Is it something I can buy in the store? Are there different kinds?
I bookmarked this recipe about a year ago. I am so sad that I haven’t made it until last night. It’s amazing! What a neat and new twist on enchiladas. Can’t wait to eat the leftovers for lunch!
We made these enchiladas to feed 100 hungry missionaries and got rave reviews! Thanks!!
These have become an absolute family favorite in our house! I first saw the recipe at The Sisters Cafe but LOVE your addition of cream to the sauce. To make the prep easier with our family of six, I toss chicken breasts in the slow cooker with the marinade and let them cook all day. The chicken is so tender and at dinnertime, I only need to fill the tortillas, top with the sauce and bake. YUM! Thank you!
Mel–Just made these for dinner to night and they were SO yummy! I don’t think that I’ve tried a recipe of yours yet that hasn’t been delicious and well received by my family. Because I didn’t have more than about 20 minutes to marinate the chicken in the honey and lime juice, I was concerned that it might not have the time to impart enough flavor. I worried for nothing though, as they came out great with fantastic flavor. Thanks again for yet another great recipe and for taking the time that you do, to share your recipes with us. You rock! 😉
Love these enchiladas. I’ve shared the recipe with my sisters and they all love them too. Just one question – do you have a tried and true recipe to cook a pork roast in a crockpot to make pulled pork to use in these? That was a wordy question. I tried another recipe, but the pork turned out too sweet and kind of ruined the marinade taste. Just wondering.
Love your blog!
Angela – a great way to cook up a pork roast in the slow cooker is to follow the recipe here but at the end don’t add the bbq sauce. Just cook the pork in the slow cooker and then shred it to use as you like! Hope that helps!
I finally made these (I’ve been on a cooking hiatus..its STILL too hot! 96 degrees yesterday!) about a week ago, and they are G-O-O-D..I had high expectations for these after reading others’ comments and after trying your shrimp enchiladas, and I wasn’t disappointed at all! I made them with whole wheat tortillas, and added sauteed onions and garlic like you mentioned, and they made it perfect. I’m sure once the weather finally cools down, I’ll be trying a lot more of your recipes.
Kimiko – so glad you liked these, despite the heat you are still experiencing! Thanks for letting me know!
These enchies are by far my family’s favorite recipe! I’m not the biggest enchie lover with red sauce, but this recipe makes an appearance at least once every month, I may even say once every 3 weeks! Thanks for giving me my husband’s favorite meal!
Thanks, Kelli! I’m not a fan of red sauce enchiladas either which is why we love these, too.
These enchiladas are SO SO SO good. The best I have ever had. I made them 2 weeks ago and am already making them again tonight! Pretty easy too!
Courtney – we love this one, too! Glad it was a hit!
Love these! I even forgot the heavy cream and they were fantastic. The honey/lime adds such an interesting flavor that makes you just want to keep eating them! Just like you, I take my enchiladas very seriously and these are a new favorite. I can’t think of the last time I made dinner that I wasn’t using one of your recipes for some component of the meal!
Reyna – you are my biggest fan. I swear. Your comments swell my ego, so you better be careful. I’m glad you liked these enchies. They are such a family favorite of ours. I don’t remake many meals but these definitely make a monthly appearance at our table.
Melanie-
Two questions: If I made these ahead of time, would they keep in the fridge well? If so, how long?
And, you mentioned freezing them. Does this work well even with the heavy cream in the sauce?
These enchiladas are fabulous–they’ve made me famous in certain circles. Thanks so much for all of your recipes!
Amber – I’ve successfully made these a day in advance and they’ve been fine. Freezing works, although the texture changes slightly due to the cream – it doesn’t affect the outcome majorly and they will still taste great.
YUMMY YUMMY IN MY TUMMY!!! These were SOOOO good!! I think I’ve gained 5-8lbs making all these dinners every night and eating waaayyy too many helpings!
Melissa – sorry for the five pounds…but I’m sure glad the recipe was worth it! Thanks for letting me know.
Mmmmmmmmmmmm! I used a rotisserie chicken, I did 1 Tbs less of honey and one more of lime…if I were to do it over again I would have done even more lime. Thanks, this was de-lish!
Kristi – glad these worked out great for you! Thanks for letting me know.
I made these last night and this was the first time… after one bite… my husband said, “Wow! These are fantastic!” THAT HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE!! Usually I have to ask him if he likes it and he’ll just say, “yeah.” THANK YOU!! This will save us from going out to eat so much! These were simple and so so delicious. I was worried about all the honey, but it was so delicious. I put some in a small baking dish and froze them for next week! I also used sour cream instead of the heavy cream, and added sauted onion and garlic like you said and it was great! Thank you! It made me feel so great that my husband was so happy with the meal.
The Three Amigos – that’s HIGH praise from your husband and you completely deserve it. I’m glad it was rave reviews all around for these enchiladas. Thanks for letting me know!
Wife of Rob – thanks for the comment! I’m so glad that you and your sister like these…they are definitely some of our family’s favorites. Thanks for taking the time to comment and let me know!
These were DIVINE! I am out of town at my sister in law’s house…she just introduced me to your website. She made these for us Friday night and I am a BELIEVER! The flavors were great. My husband is going to LOVE these when I get home!
I was wondering if anyone had made these with corn tortillas and I saw that BKS/Sally did. I mistakenly bought corn instead of flour, but they turned out great and my husband loved them. He is alot like the other husbands…he doesn’t necessarily like “sweet” with his meal. I was able to get about 13 enchiladas in the pan with the smaller tortillas.
Oops, BKS is really Sally. (Forgot to sign out from other id)
Jenn – I’m glad you liked the recipe but sorry your husband wasn’t sold on the sweetness! I miss Wisconsin (used to live there) and the cheese options…
I made these tonight and they were delicious. I can’t wait to make them again because I shared with friends and all I could think was, “Man, I wish I could have seconds.” 🙂
I’m so glad you like it! Your modifications sound yummy! The original recipe was much drier so i almost doubled the sauce. I like the idea of extra lime juice though – and the cream sounds like it would be fun to try. Thanks for the great ideas!
Those look delicious!
I love enchiladas! I’ll definitely have to try these. The lime, honey, and chili powder sounds great!
AmISparky – these do make great leftovers, you are right! Thanks for letting me know they turned out – it means a lot when people take the time to check back in and let me know. Thanks!
I’m not that particular about my enchiladas, and these sound like ones that I would love!!!
My friend introduced me to your website and we decided to try these enchiladas. Oh my YUM, YUM, YUM-O!!! Hands down the best I’ve ever had. I actually ate one and a half which I never do! The resulting stomach ache was worth it!! I will be making these again very soon!
Shanna – I’m so glad you liked this recipe! Sorry it’s taken me so long to respond to your comment. This is one of my family’s favorites and your comment has reminded me I need to make it again soon.
Wow this recipe was amazing! I made it for my husband today. I just made an 8×8 size bc it was just the 2 of us and he polished it off. He even went as far to say that it is probably his favorite meal now. I’m so glad bc it was easy to make too! He loves spicy food so I added cayenne pepper in with the chili powder. It was perfect! I know anything I make from your blog will be a hit. Thanks again for sharing your recipes. 🙂
I tried these tonight and they were insanely good. Thanks for the recipe. I followed your instructions and thought about trying the garlic and onions, but it was just too tempting to keep it simple the way you made it. So easy and so delicious!
Jen – so glad you tried and liked the enchiladas! Thank you for commenting back and letting me know. They are one of our family favorites, too!
I’m making these for dinner tonight. I’m pretty sure my husband will die from joy. I will let you know 🙂
Just wanted to say thanks for the recipe. I’ve had these on my “to try list” for a while and I finally made them. I loved how easy they were and I loved the flavor combo. My hubby really liked them too. We couldn’t wait to eat the leftovers and can’t wait to make them again! Love your blog. Thanks.
Ok, I will expect an AI comment next time 🙂I triple loved the enchiladas. I ate the last of the leftovers today, in fact. The only problem (and I worried about this going in) is that my husband thought they were too sweet. He’s picky about sweet food if it’s not a dessert. Do you think I could just use less honey, or will that mess it all up? Should I add something else? More lime? Just curious about your thoughts.
Yummy!! At first I wouldn’t tell if this recipe was was sweet or savory. I love the honey lime and chili powder combo!
Melody – great tip on the corn tortillas and the amount it made. I’m glad you liked the recipe and that the corn tortillas worked out for you!
Jan – so very glad this was a hit with you and your husband. Thanks for letting me know!
Yummy – I love enchiladas. All the flavors sound like they’d go together terrifically.
Your enchiladas look awesome.I just made some lower fat chicken and cheese enchiladas and put them on my blog. Actually I’ve made them quite a bit, they are great. Come take a look if you have a chance and let me know what you think.http://cookingquest.wordpress.com
Jennie – I’ve been wondering how this would be with lemon juice. Thanks for being the guinea pig and trying it! And for letting me know. So glad you liked it.
I made these last Sunday and I LOVED them! They are my new favorite enchilada recipe too! And they are so easy…Thanks!
The BEST! I made the enchiladas the other night and I think my husband has a new love. The leftovers are wonderful too. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
Danielle – glad you liked these. They are a favorite at our house, too!
These sound sooo good. I’ll have to make them soon. By the way, I did make the waffles and will be posting back to you soon. They were awesome!
I was serious when I said these were next on the docket. I enjoyed them. My husband wasn’t so convinced about the sweetness. I thought is was a great combination–lime, honey, and chili powder. The thing that I like most about these is that I found a great brand of Monterey Jack cheese here that I will be using in more recipes!! Gotta love Wisconsin!Thanks for the recipe!
Brynnly – you are really sweet. Thank you for your kind words. I am so, so glad you liked the enchiladas…what’s funny is I think we made them the exact same day! My husband loves them, too…I bet the cayenne pepper was a delicious addition. Thank you for commenting!
I will absolutely try these again with less honey for my picky husband….will let you know how it goes.
Ali – oh, I’m so glad you enjoyed these! I think I could eat them every day and still love them. Thanks for letting me know!
Made these tonight and they were sooo yummy! Thanks for yet another favorite!!
Anonymous (all three!) – thanks for the comments. They made me smile. Glad you liked these enchiladas.
Mmmm.. enchiladas! I love enchiladas. Been looking for THEE recipe for while. I definitely starred this to try soon! Thanks!
Made these tonight and they were yummy! I din’t even do a trial run and served them to company. Thanks!
I made these twice in the last week and a half for Christmas get togethers and they were a HUGE hit! I increased the lime a little and the second time I made them, I used corn tortillas instead of flour. Everyone definitely preferred the corn and now all the cooks at both parties are fans of your blog, lol! Thanks for posting such great recipes and pictures. 🙂
Sally – thanks for checking in and letting me know! I bet they would be delicious with the corn tortillas – and I’ve also increased the lime the last few times I’ve made them and really liked the result.
Annette – thanks for commenting and letting me know you liked these! I agree on the sauce – so yummy we fight over what’s left.
My boyfriend asks me to make your shrimp enchiladas all the time, so I had to try these. They were amazing! They were both sweet & spicy! I’m only making these 2 versions of enchiladas from now on. Thanks again!
Hi Adrienne – thanks for letting me know you liked these! I’m making them this week (they appear often in our dinner line-up), too.
I am intrigued by the honey lime…sounds wonderful.
Anonymous – hey, you definitely need to take the title of Enchilada Goddess (which made me chuckle) and run with it. I’m glad that both enchiladas have showed you off well, especially since it sounds like you did a bit of revamping to suit your needs. That’s great!
These are a party in the mouth.
This site is my new secret weapon. Made the shrimp enchiladas a few weeks ago and these chicken ones last nite for dinner parties. Insane success – people think I am Enchilada Goddess now — all thanks to you! Not telling anyone where the recipes came from! — Oh and didn’t have time to marinate the chicken so just sauteed chix in the honey, lime, with onion, garlic, little dos equis and lots of cayenne pepper – turned out amazing.
Hi Melanie,
I just made this last night and we all loved it! I followed your recipe with just one change … I had a ton of lemons so I marinaded the chicken with that instead of lime – tasted great!
I loved your idea to mix the enchilada sauce with sour cream (or cream), I love creamy enchiladas, but my husband hates anything with cream of soup so this was the perfect recipe for us – it will be our new go-to recipe for enchiladas. thank you! I’ve tried about 12 or so of your recipes and we’ve loved them all.
These are seriously the best, we love them!
Hey Mel! Hope things are going great with Ty…you will probably be reading this comment at 2am when you are up feeding him. We made these enchilada’s again tonight, and as always, we loved them. We only use light cream, and I’m sure they would be even better with heavy, but Kylie can’t justify the extra calories ;). We always double the marinade – it is great. This time we followed your suggestion and added sauteed onion and garlic. I would add garlic to cheerios if possible, so I definately liked the results. Love you!
Just made the honey lime chicken enchiladas tonight and they were great! The honey made the chicken a little too sweet, so I think I might reduce the honey and maybe add more lime juice like I read in a previous post. The sauce was excellent with the heavy cream and green enchilada sauce my family and I kept wanting to spoon more over our enchiladas. They were Yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
The enchiladas are amazing. We use extra lime and honey. They are so cheesey. YUM!
I’ve been wanting to make this one for awhile, and finally did tonight. It was DELICIOUS! My husband raved about it! It was such a snap to prepare too – I will be making this over and over I’m sure – YUM!
I saw this recipe on the news the other day, and the girl cooking it linked your blog to the recipe. All the cooking-moms owe you big time.