Honey Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake.

Honey Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake. Made in one skillet with shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, cheesy tortillas, and a fresh charred corn salad piled on top. These are the shortcut enchiladas for busy nights, and we think they’re even better than traditional enchiladas. The tortillas get a little crispy on top, while everything underneath stays saucy and cheesy. It’s delicious!

After the long weekend and a rainy day, I have fully settled into my fall happy place. This is my favorite time of year, and I can feel that fall excitement building more and more every day. The light is changing, and the nights are maybe getting cooler? It’s definitely still hot in Miami (and Texas), but suddenly all I want are cozy dinners at home and weekends with family and friends.

In my fairy-tale fall world, those weekends include apple picking, batches of my homemade apple cider, and coming home to something delicious cooking away in the kitchen. This year especially, I have such a strong desire to lean into all of it.

During the week, when school nights are filled with sports, work is busy, and life is wonderfully full, I rely heavily on sheet pan dinners, my crockpot, and one-skillet recipes. If I don’t have to stand in the kitchen and tediously roll up enchiladas on a Wednesday night, I am all about it.

Skillet enchiladas are what I turn to time and time again. My family actually thinks they’re better than traditional enchiladas. With more sauce and the chicken cooked directly in that spicy enchilada sauce, you get so much added flavor. And I always love to leave a few of the tortillas peeking out of the sauce. They get these crispy, cheesy edges, and there is nothing better.

We love these!

Here are the Details

Ingredients

• onion
• chicken breasts
• smoked paprika
• chipotle peppers in adobo
• red enchilada sauce
• diced green chiles
• honey
• corn or flour tortillas
• Mexican cheese

Grilled Honey Jalapeño Corn Salad

• olive oil
• lime juice
• honey
• jalapeño
• garlic
• grilled or charred corn
• avocados
• fresh cilantro
• sliced pepperoncini

Serving

• plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
• crumbled Cotija cheese

The Steps

Step 1: Cook the chicken

This is all done in one skillet, which is why I love this recipe so much for weeknights.

Add the onion, chicken, smoked paprika, chipotle peppers, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and a little water to a large oven-safe skillet. Let everything simmer together until the chicken is cooked through and easy to shred.

Shred the chicken right in the sauce with two forks, then let everything simmer uncovered for a few minutes to thicken the sauce. Stir in the honey at the very end.

Tip: Start with two tablespoons of chipotle and add more if you like things spicy. The honey helps balance the smoky heat without making the enchiladas overly sweet.

Step 2: Add the cheesy tortillas

This part was inspired by my brother Brendan. When he makes enchiladas at home, he fills his tortillas with cheese, and I love that idea.

Instead of simply layering plain tortillas over the chicken, add a little cheese to each tortilla, fold them over, and arrange them on top of the saucy chicken. Then sprinkle more cheese over everything.

I like to leave some of the tortillas sticking up and out of the sauce. Those exposed edges get crispy in the oven, while the tortillas underneath stay soft, saucy, and cheesy. It gives you the best of both.

Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the tortilla edges are crisp.

Step 3: Make the grilled honey jalapeño corn salad

While the enchiladas bake, make the corn salad.

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, honey, jalapeño, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Add the charred corn, avocado, cilantro, and thinly sliced pepperoncini, then gently toss everything together.

Tip: Try to keep the corn kernels big, tight, and plump when you slice them from the cob. I love having those bigger pieces of sweet corn throughout the salad.

If you have a gas stove, you can char the corn right over the flame, turning it until lightly blistered. A grill or broiler works great too.

Step 4: Put it all together

As soon as the skillet comes out of the oven, spoon the fresh corn salad right over the warm, cheesy enchiladas.

I love the contrast here. You have the spicy, saucy chicken and crispy, cheesy tortillas underneath, then the fresh sweet corn, creamy avocado, lime, and jalapeño on top.

Finish with crumbled Cotija, very thinly sliced pickled red onions, and Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Serving ideas:

This really is a full dinner on its own, which is another reason I love it for a busy night. But if you’re feeding a bigger group, serve it with cilantro rice, tortilla chips and guacamole, or a simple green salad.

For my family, I’d put the skillet right in the center of the table with extra corn salad, Cotija, pickled onions, avocado, and sour cream on the side. Everyone can add what they love.

And definitely save those crispy, cheesy tortilla edges for yourself. They’re the best part.