This post may contain affiliate links. Read disclosure policy
Melty cheese and hearty chili make the perfect Tex-Mex Chili Cheese Enchiladas! This recipe is E.A.S.Y. and perfect for a busy weeknight. Start with canned or leftover chili and dinner is ready in 30 minutes!
Melty cheese + spicy chili just belong together!
Putting That Leftover Chili To Good Use!
My family is pretty iffy about leftovers. Sometimes they’ll disappear the next day, other times I’m begging people to just eat what we have in the fridge and to quit asking me to cook something new. 😉
One thing that always gets eaten without complaint is leftover chili, especially when I turn it into these Chili Cheese Enchiladas. However, I can confirm that these are totally delicious with a can of chili as well. <— Works just fine, tastes great, is super easy.
The great thing about these is that you can make them as spicy as you want by doctoring up the chili or using a spicy or mild cheese.
Be sure to use corn tortillas here. It gives this a chili and cornbread vibe, but with cheese enchilada twist. Honestly, I’m kind of obsessed.
♥ Quick & Easy Chili Recipe:
No leftover chili and too fancy for the canned stuff? No problem!
Brown a pound of ground beef and drain the grease.
Stir in one packet of chili seasoning and cook until the beef is coated and fragrant.
Stir in 30 ounces of canned tomato sauce and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
That’s it – the perfect topping for these chili cheese enchiladas. Of course, you can add in a can of beans or cook some onions and peppers with the beef, but this is a quick and dirty chili recipe and it’s delicious.
Ingredient Notes:
Chili – Our Instant Pot Turkey Chili is a huge favorite around here, but this keto chili (no beans!), a can of chili, or that recipe for chili above will be great in these enchiladas.
Cheese – You’ll need cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and shredded Monterey jack cheese. You can use any blend of cheese here that you like if you have a preference. Some good options are pepper jack which adds a bit of spice and white American cheese which melts really nicely.
Enchilada Sauce – I’m personally obsessed with Trader Joe’s enchilada sauce, but any can of enchilada sauce will be just fine.
Tortillas – We prefer corn tortillas for this recipe. They soak up the liquid nicely and the flavor pairs well with the chili.
Toppings – We keep it simple with sliced jalapeno and minced onion, but feel free to add what you like and omit what you don’t.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Chili Cheese Enchiladas:
Heat the chili and cream cheese together to combine. Pour the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 7×11 baking dish while it heats.
Warm the tortillas to make them soft and pliable. Wrap them in a damp paper towel and microwave them for 20-30 seconds.
Combine the shredded cheese and place it evenly down the center of each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and place seam side down in the baking dish.
Spread the chili over the top and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Top with sliced jalapenos and diced onion and then bake it until hot and melty.
Serving Suggestions:
There’s all kinds of good sides and appetizers to serve with these enchiladas! We love Mexican and Tex-Mex recipes and have a few good options that would go well with these enchiladas:
Helpful Tip!
Freezing & Storage Instructions:
If you’ve got leftovers you can keep them stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
These enchiladas can also be frozen for up to a few months. Let them cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe container. Allow to thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the oven or microwave.
Chili Cheese Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 cup prepared chili canned or leftovers
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- 1/4 cup enchilada sauce
- 10 corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
- 1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
- sliced jalapeno and diced onion for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pour the enchilada sauce into the bottom of an 7×11 baking dish and swish the pan around to lightly coat the bottom with the sauce.
- Heat the chili and cream cheese together and stir to combine. When the chili is hot and the cream cheese is melted, remove from the heat.
- Place the tortillas on a microwave safe plate, cover with a damp paper towel, and microwave for 30 seconds. The tortillas should be warm and pliable.
- Combine the cheese in a small bowl.
- Place the tortillas on a clean surface and arrange cheese evenly down the center of each tortilla, reserving around 1/2 cup of cheese to top the enchiladas. Roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish.
- Spread the chili over the top and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Sprinkle with sliced jalapenos and diced onion, if desired.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted. Let sit for 5 minutes before using a small spatula to remove from the pan and serve.
Jennifer says
This was such a hit with both the adults and teenagers in our household that it has become part of our regular rotation. It’s easy to double or even triple the recipe, so it’s also our go-to when we have friends over (who rave about it as well). Flexible, quick, easy, and delicious – perfect. Thank you for the great recipe!
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you all enjoy it! Thanks for the review, Jennifer!
Erin says
This whole post made me laugh out loud. Your husband sounds exactly like me. I do not love casseroles and hate the thought of having to eat leftovers which is probably why I don’t love casseroles. This has been on my list to try for a bit and we finally have leftover chili so this is dinner tonight. I simply love enchiladas which is why I’m excited for the leftovers. Will post an update after dinner but I don’t know how you could not like this recipe if you already like all the components.
Karly says
Hope you loved these, Erin!
Erin says
We did love it. I removed most of the liquid from the chili and added it to the enchilada filling. All my enchilada sauce is frozen in 1-2 cup bags so I just mixed some leftover tomato paste and water with the chili liquid and some chili powder and cumin to use as the sauce over them. Turned out great. I did add too much liquid so they were a tad bit soggy. Will keep on my list for leftover chili! Thanks!
Sue Hancock says
I don’t know about the cream cheese! It that really needed? It seems that it would cut down on the heat and add ‘sweet’.
Karly says
Hi Sue! The cream cheese makes the chili more creamy and mellow, but doesn’t add any sweetness. You can leave it out if you prefer.