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.
Carole says
always put chopped sweet yellow onion in my cheese enchiladas…I will try this tonight,, If you live in Texas , get some HEB frozen spanish rice on the side…perfect!
Rose says
Love this recipe! I, too, found out last night, after 12 yrs. my husband just learned to like corned beef & cabbage. I’m Irish. Bless his heart. He also says ‘thank you’ after every meal. I made a change to this recipe: flour tortillas (don’t like corn) and added Mexican rice with the cheese before rolling up. What a crowd pleaser!!! Thanks for a great recipe!!!
Karly says
Isn’t it sweet when they thank you for dinner even though they could barely choke it down? Haha!
Your changes sound great!
Leah says
I was wondering if these could be frozen?
Karly says
@Leah,
I would think so, though I haven’t tried it myself.
Erin @ Table for 7 says
This is the best recipe ever Karly! They look delicious 🙂
Pandora says
How much cheese do you add to each tortilla?
Karly says
@Pandora,
I didn’t measure it out. 1 1/2 cups cheese divided by 10 tortillas. You really can’t mess this up.
Michelle @My California Kitchen says
I’m always looking for easy ways to use leftover chili! This recipe looks so yummy and comforting.
Katie says
I loove casseroles! Without them my family would starve to death. My hubby also does not dig leftovers which to me is ridic! I , on the other hand will finish off leftovers waaay past its expiration. I am not wasting food gosh darn it!
Adding this to our casserole line up 🙂
Cherie says
Liz thanks for that tip – will be trying it
Karly you made me laugh – my dh doesn’t usually have dinner here [works all the time] but when he does he would never complain, always thanks me for dinner. I can tell what he likes only by how much he eats – he’s always a careful eater [desk job] so when he keeps going back for more I know he’s loving it LOL
We’re not much of a casserole family [unless you count lasagna and baked ziti LOL – italian NY here] but I can certainly empathize with the ‘you’ve never said you don’t like it and here I am making it for years!’ thing 😉
Liz says
Hi Karly and Lori ! Lori asked for a tip to help with making her corn tortillas more pliable and easier to handle. I used to do it the old fashioned way in a skillet with hot oil, but had a light bulb turn on one day and instead, I get a microwave safe plate and lay a paper towel on it. Then I get a corn tortilla and spray both sides with Pam. Then lay another tortilla on it and just spray the top. Continue until you spray the tops of the remaining tortilla. Cover with another paper towel. Now microwave on HIgh for one minute. Voila !! Soft , pliable, hot enough to melt cheese ! Just watch your fingers it is hot ! Or wait a bit and then handle them..
Karly says
@Liz,
This makes me want a microwave! 🙂 Great tip!
Carole says
buy a tortilla warmer for the microwave….it’s a hard round container with a lid…one minute on high and 5 tortillas are soft and warm..could not live without this item in Texas..lol
Lori in NC says
These look delicious. Do you have any tips for working with the corn tortillas? Mine always break when I try to roll them, and get crumbly and dry.
Karly says
@Lori in NC,
Do you heat them before rolling? I always heat a small skillet over medium heat and add them to the skillet one by one. Sometimes I spray with non-stick spray before adding them, but it’s usually not even needed. Then you just heat until warm, flip and warm the other side, and then they are soft and pliable. It’s about 30 seconds per tortilla. 🙂
Liz says
@Lori in NC, Hi Lori ! Liz Maresh here. I left a tip for you under Karly’s tip. It is the fastest and best way to get all your tortillas prepped for enchiladas I have ever come up with !
Lori in NC says
@Liz, and Karly – thanks for the tips. I have tried heating them, but I’ll have to give it another shot – these look too good to skip.
Chelsea @chelseasmessyapron says
I love everything about these enchiladas – best comfort food ever right here! Pinned 🙂
Linda says
Do you mean 1 1/2 tablespoons of cr cheese per tortilla? These sound awesome. My dad told my mom he didn’t like meatloaf after many years. She continued to make it. They were married for over 50 years.
Linda
Trish - Mom On Timeout says
Holy heck YES! This recipe is just genius – we always have leftover chili and I hate serving it the same way over and over. Love this Karly! Pinned 🙂
Heather @ My Overflowing Cuph says
These look incredible! We eat a lot of enchiladas in our home, but this looks like such a fun twist. I love the idea of the chili and the cream cheese. Thanks so much – pinning now.
Jan P. says
Coffee out the nose! I laughed so hard my coworkers knew I had something hilarious in front of me. Thanks for a real day brightner.