These Monterey Chicken Enchiladas are loaded with barbecue chicken, cheese, and tomatoes. This is a quick and easy dinner recipe that your entire family will enjoy.
My family has started to boycott sweets. I'm not sure I know who they are anymore!! I mean seriously, how can you live with me and not like sweets? This is boggling my mind for sure!
Ok, fine. I guess if you have sweets around 24/7, it can get pretty old. I still haven't gotten to that point of not wanting the sweets. Although, I'm pretty sure my jeans would love it if I could join the no sweets train a little more often.
Since the desserts I have been making have been going untouched, I need to get back to creating some more savory dishes. This family of mine insists that Dark Chocolate Layer Cake just doesn't work for dinner. So it's time to find some more dinner recipes that will get devoured.
The past few weeks we have been pretty boring in the dinner department. Sticking to a few basic recipes and some takeout has become the new normal.
Well, no more normal. I get tired of the same main dishes all the time, and it makes me want to create something new and exciting.
Although, ask my husband to tell you about the time I decided to get creative with his taco night. Oh, boy! Don't mess with a hungry hubby and his tacos!
He still insists that taco ring is not tacos, but whatever! I still blame that night for my phobia of making dinner. LOL!
This week I decided to get a little crazy in the kitchen. Usually I just make these easy Chicken Enchiladas or Chicken Ole when I get a Mexican craving, but then every once in a while I get that itch to create a fun and different dinner.
My husband's go to meal at Chili's is their Monterey chicken. He orders it almost every single time we eat there so, I decided to take the flavors from that dinner and give it a slight Mexican twist.
Barbecue chicken, diced tomatoes, green peppers, and cheese make up the easy filling in the tortillas. Barbecue sauce, bacon, and more cheese on top really make this meal delicious.
This is an easy dinner to get on the table quickly if you prep some things ahead of time. You could chop the meats and veggies the night before to save some prep time.
Even better, you could make this entire dish the night before or the morning of, and then refrigerate it until dinner time. Make sure to set it out about 30 minutes before you put it in the oven though.
How to make Monterey Chicken Enchiladas:
- Heat oil in large skillet. Sauté green peppers until soft. (full recipe at bottom of post)
- Add chicken, tomatoes, and barbecue sauce and stir until heated through. Stir in cheese.
- Stir together the rest of the barbecue sauce and some water. Spread half of it in a 9x13 pan.
- Lay out 8 tortillas. Spoon the chicken mixture evenly down the centers of the tortillas.
- Roll up tightly and place side by side in the prepared pan.
- Spoon the rest of the barbecue sauce mixture on top of the enchiladas.
- Sprinkle with bacon and cheese and bake for 20 minutes.
- Serve immediately with green onions and tomatoes.
I may have been holding my breath slightly as I served these chicken enchiladas with diced tomatoes to my family. Who knows what they are going to think when I decide to do a crazy dinner idea!
Thankfully, most of them enjoyed every bite. Only the youngest snubbed his nose, and he doesn't count because he would live on ramen noodles if we let him.
More easy dinner recipes you may like:
- Mexican Chicken Tater Tot Casserole
- Chicken Alfredo Ravioli Lasagna
- Spicy Chicken and Rice Soup
- Fiesta Nacho Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Soup
- Chicken Ole
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Recipe
Monterey Chicken Enchiladas
These Monterey Chicken Enchiladas are full of barbecue chicken, tomatoes, and cheese. Great dinner recipe for busy nights.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 cup diced green pepper
- 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
- 14 ounce can petite diced tomatoes, drained and divided
- 1 cup barbecue sauce, divided
- 2 ½ cups cheddar jack shredded cheese, divided
- ¼ cup water
- 8 - 8 inch flour tortillas
- 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
- 2 green onions, diced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Heat the olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet. Add the green peppers and saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the chicken, 1 cup diced tomatoes, and ½ cup barbecue sauce. Stir together until heated through.
- Add 1 cup of the cheese and stir until melted.
- Stir together the remaining ½ cup barbecue sauce and water. Spread half of this mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.
- Lay the tortillas out on the counter and divide the chicken mixture evenly down the center of the tortillas. Roll them up tightly and place side by side in the prepared pan.
- Spread the remaining thinned barbecue sauce on top of the tortillas. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon evenly over the top, and then top with the remaining cheese.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Broil for the last minute to brown up the top of the cheese, if desired.
- Top with the remaining tomatoes and diced green onions immediately before serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 536Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 1146mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 3gSugar: 14gProtein: 27g
Nutrition facts are an estimate and are not guaranteed to be accurate. If you need special diet advice, please see a registered dietician.
*The post for Monterey Chicken Enchiladas was first published on April 21, 2016. The photos and post were updated and republished on May 14, 2020.
Sandra
Love your blog!
Kate
What kind of bbq sauce?
Jocelyn
I just used what ever we had in our fridge at the time. We usually buy Sweet Baby Rays, so that's probably what I used. I hope you enjoy the enchiladas!
Therese
What size can of petite diced tomatoes were used. Red Gold brand is not available where I live. Thanks!
Jocelyn
I'm sorry about that. I usually put the size can in the recipe too. I'll make sure to fix that right away. The can that I used was a 14 or 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes. I hope you enjoy the meal.
Becky Berg
These were super easy to make. I put two big chicken breasts in the crock pot the day before and cut the meat up the next day. I had 4 cups of meat! These are a keeper and I can't wait to try them next time with a raspberry chiptole barbecue sauce!
Stephanie
Holy moly these suckers were delicious!!!!
Jocelyn
Woo hoo! I'm glad you thought so! Our family loved them too 🙂
Naomi
These look delicious! Can these be frozen? If so, would you bake before freezing? I'm just concerned about them getting too soggy. Maybe just freeze the filling?
Jocelyn
I kind of wondered the same thing about freezing them. Probably just freezing the filling would be better so your tortillas do not get soggy when it thaws.
Megan
When you place this in the oven, do you cover the pan with aluminum foil or no? (sorry if this is a silly question, I have never made enchiladas before)
Jocelyn
I didn't cover the pan with foil when I baked these enchiladas. I hope you enjoy the dinner!
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures
I can never say no to sweets, so I'm impressed with your family! Looks delicious!
Jocelyn
I'm with you on never saying no to sweets. I'm not sure what is going on with my family...wish I could say no more often!
Roxana
This looks like it would quickly become a family favorite! Although I see nothing wrong with cake for dinner either. 😉
Jocelyn
Hahaha! Yes, cake is perfectly acceptable in my mind too!
Maureen Blackburn
Never thought of using barbecue sauce...what a great recipe. I am sure this will be a go to favorite!!!!!
Jocelyn
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Maria
Hi. I've made these before and the tortilla always comes out soggy.. Anyway to fix that or are they suppose to be that way?
Jocelyn
Do you mean you've made regular enchiladas before? Since I just posted this particular recipe, you couldn't have made these just yet. Enchiladas are not supposed to be soggy, but they are not crisp like a burrito either because of the sauce on top. How much sauce did the recipe you use call for on the bottom and top of the enchiladas?
Maria
Yes, regular enchiladas... Not yours. And I would think any amount of sauce would make them soggy? Top or bottom. I'm sure if I used a little and the rest on the side they'd be ok. There so good, but the texture has kept me from making them again. Thanks for the quick response 🙂