This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Chunks of roasted chicken, sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, gooey cheese, and sweet onions combine in BBQ Chicken Enchiladas.
Served sliced on a plate or scooped up with tortilla chips, the whole family cheers when these enchiladas are on the table.
Leftover BBQ Chicken
I made these BBQ Chicken Enchiladas for the first time almost 10 years ago when a craving for saucy Barbecue Chicken hit right about the same time my oldest son asked if we could make these Cheesy Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas again.
This recipe was the result of those two cravings meeting in the middle and using the ingredients on hand in my house at the time.
I make any number of recipes with Leftover BBQ Chicken. From BBQ Chicken Stuffed Potatoes to BBQ Chicken Nachos, there really isn’t a wrong way to use up leftover chicken.
That salad sounded just crazy enough when I initially imagined it, I had to try it and I am so glad I did!
Cheddar BBQ Chicken Oven Tacos and these Spicy BBQ Chicken Quesadillas are a couple more quick and easy meals that you’re sure to enjoy.
I laughed that night as we were eating because my whole family was impressed with the way I used what was on hand.
Trust me when I say that we’ve had some far less successful “throw the meal together with what’s on hand” kind of dinners. Fortunately, we all wound up really enjoying this meal.
I’ve made BBQ Chicken Enchiladas countless times since that first dinner. From the spicy sauce to the sweet onions and the tender chicken pieces covered in cheese, everything about these enchiladas makes me grin.
BBQ Chicken Enchiladas
If you’re lucky enough to have some leftover chicken in the house, you can have these enchiladas in the oven with minimal effort for dinner tonight.
- leftover chicken
- onion
- sweet and spicy barbeque sauce
- red or green chile enchilada sauce
- shredded cheese
- tortillas
Tips For Making Enchiladas
When I’m making enchiladas casserole-style, I slice the tortillas into wedges before layering them into the dish.
This makes each serving easier to eat, with a great balance of flavors and textures in each bite, and it prevents any giant chunks of tortilla from making their way to your fork.
Kitchen Tip: I use this knife and this baking pan to make this recipe.
COOK’S NOTE: I typically use a homemade barbecue sauce or Sweet Baby Ray’s to make this recipe. One reader messaged to tell me that the sauce she used was way too strong for this dish.
Take care that the barbecue sauce you use when making this won’t be too strong if you get a really saucy bite.
If you don’t happen to have leftover BBQ chicken on hand, any pre-cooked chicken will work in this recipe. Just chop it up and toss it with a bit of bbq sauce.
If you’re looking for more great enchiladas to try, these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas can be made in just 30 minutes.
These Cali Alfredo Enchiladas, Black Bean and Sweet Potato Enchiladas, and Turkey Avocado Enchiladas are all on my list to try soon.
If you’re lucky enough to have leftover pulled pork in the house, these Pulled Pork Red Chile Enchiladas are always a hit.
Tender chunks of chicken and vegetables are simmered together underneath a buttery, flaky biscuit topping to make this chicken pot pie casserole.
BBQ Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 3 cups leftover BBQ chicken about 3 breasts or 4 thighs chopped into 1/2” pieces
- ½ cup caramelized onions chopped small, or 1 large onion sautéed until translucent and lightly browned
- 1½ cups favorite sweet and spicy barbeque sauce I used this homemade bbq sauce
- 1½ cups red or green chile enchilada sauce I used green chile sauce
- 16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded, about 3-4 cups total
- 6-8 white corn tortillas flour tortillas would work as well, sliced into wedges as pictured below.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir together the enchilada sauce and the barbecue sauce and set aside. In the bottom of a 9×13 dish, place about ¼ cup of the sauce and then layer with tortillas.
- Layer about half of the chicken over the tortillas and top with a couple tablespoons of the onions. Sprinkle with about 1/4 of the cheese and layer again with tortillas. Pour about 1/3 of the sauce over the tortillas, just enough to flavor and coat them.
- Repeat the layers again with the chicken, onions, cheese and tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the dish and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the layers are almost bubbling. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes or so until the dish is bubbling. Let rest at least 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 6/7/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 7/18/22}
Sounds delish. I bet that the sweet spicy flavor of the BBQ sauce makes a nice replacement for enchilada sauce. Yum!
Mary you did it again! This looks scrumptious! I have chicken enchiladas on the list to make soon too. I found a recipe for homemade enchilada sauce to try but really like this BBQ sauce idea. Very nice!
Oh wow, that looks soooo good. I would love to have a big plate of that right now… I don't care that it's only 5:30 in the morning!
I'm in love! This is kind of like an enchilada lasagna, and I love it because I always have trouble rolling my tortillas for enchiladas, they crack and fall apart on me. I also like this because it gives me another option for using homemade tortillas, which you inspired me to make. They are too small to roll, but would be perfect for this.
This sounds really good! What a great idea to use leftover chicken!
that looks delicious! I just made a ton of onion jam…guess what I'm making this weekend?
Note to self: Make bbq chicken. And enchiladas.
There's never so much as a scrap of BBQ chicken left over here. Not even when I cook a pound per person.
The last picture really makes my mouth water! Delicious looking piece of tastefullness!!
THIS is my kind of dinner! Looks mouth watering…
Sounds delicious, full of flavor.
Look absolutely tempting and delicious!
Ummm yeah, I want that RIGHT NOW!!!! I will be making this.
I love to eat caramelized onion with literally anything! Now that we have BBQ chicken with it, it’s just amazing!!
Looked up a recipe to use my leftover bbq chicken and tried this one since I had all of the ingredient on hand. I was very pleased with how easy it was and delicious!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the enchiladas!
This is amazing! Made the recipe with a few additions. Added garlic when caramelizing the onions, and added that to the chicken with some green chilis, jalapeños and cilantro. So so good!
I’m thrilled you’re enjoying the enchiladas, Megan!
I’m trying it with a bit of pepper jack cheese as well! Wish me luck!
You’re going to love it, Kaitlyn!
I don’t know what I did wrong but we could not eat this. The BBQ sauce was so strong, it overpowered the dish! I would probably cut the bbq sauce down quite a bit.
Oh man, Jules, that’s such a bummer! I’m guessing the BBQ sauce really was too strong for the dish. Do you recall which sauce you used? I’ve only ever tried this with a homemade sauce or Sweet Baby Ray’s. I’ll make a note of that in the recipe. Sorry about that!
I had a couple of cups of leftover BBQ sauce that was perfect for this recipe. I used 1.25 lb cooked chicken and shredded it myself (boiled the chicken with bouillon). I served the enchiladas with Rice-a-Roni Mexican rice. It’s just me and my husband, so what are your thoughts on freezing some leftovers, and do you have any advice on reheating? Thank you for this recipe; it was a creative way for me to use up BBQ sauce, and I had never made enchiladas before.
I typically freeze leftover enchiladas in individual containers and thaw in the refrigerator prior to reheating in the microwave, Sharyn.
Made the Chicken Refried Beans Casserole tonight…pretty tasty.
This looks good, especially since my family loves when I cook up a big batch of BBQ Chicken in the Instant Pot. I’m thinking of adding baked beans, since you had refried beans in the original. I’m giving it 4stars before making it based on the other casserole and because it’s quick and easy, great for summertime.
Love that! Thank you.