When Stacie suggested we change up our skillet enchilada game by adding buffalo sauce, I was all ears. Enchiladas are one of my favorite Mexican dishes and I also love the tangy heat of anything buffalo sauce flavored, so it seemed like a natural mashup. With lots of input from our entire team, this version of one of our most popular weeknight dinners was born.
I love that it comes together fast and, since it’s made entirely in one skillet, there are no baking dishes to scrub clean. There’s also no rolling of filled tortillas and trying to keep them seam side down while the chaos of life with hungry teens and pets plays out all around at dinner time.
This recipe was created in partnership with Primal Kitchen.
Recipe Highlights
Everyone loves a one skillet dish and this one promises to deliver in terms of flavor and satisfaction. Here are a few reasons why I’m so excited about this recipe:
- With minimal prep time it’s ready and on the table in 30 minutes
- Using precooked chicken such as rotisserie chicken or leftovers speeds up the process and means one less step and fewer dishes for you
- It’s ridiculously flavorful. Think cheesy enchiladas meets perfectly spiced Buffalo chicken anything. I love to sprinkle mine with a little crumbled blue cheese but a drizzle of ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing will also knock this meal out of the park
- You only need one skillet so clean-up is a breeze
What You’ll Need
Here is everything you need to make this easy weeknight dinner or weekend meal prep dish:
- Cooking oil and spray
- Diced zucchini
- Diced bell pepper
- Green onions
- Cooked, shredded chicken
- Buffalo sauce – this one is a team favorite but you can also make your own
- Chili powder
- Ground cumin
- Garlic powder
- Diced green chiles – found in the international aisle of your grocery store in mild or hot
- Red enchilada sauce – may use canned or jarred sauce or make your own
- Pinto beans – canned and drained are quick and easy. May sub black beans if desired
- Monterey Jack cheese – May sub cheddar cheese
- Corn tortillas – May sub flour tortillas but we liked the flavor and texture of corn best when testing this recipe
- Optional toppings for serving – ranch dressing, green onions, cilantro, crumbled blue cheese.
How To Make Skillet Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas
- Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray generously with cooking spray. When the skillet is hot add the oil, zucchini, bell pepper, and onions and cook until slightly softened.
- Add the shredded chicken, ⅔ cup buffalo sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, green chilis, enchilada sauce, and beans. Give it a stir and cook until heated through.
- Stir in 1 cup of shredded cheese then gently fold in the corn tortilla pieces.
- Reduce the heat and sprinkle the tortillas and chicken mixture with the remaining cheese. Cover and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and the enchiladas are hot and bubbly. Place the skillet under the broiler for a few minutes to crisp up the tortillas a bit, if desired
- Serve topped with a drizzle of ranch and buffalo sauce, sliced green onions, diced avocado, and/or blue cheese crumbles.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving
Cook once, repurpose twice (or more!)
Using leftover cooked chicken or a rotisserie chicken helps get this meal on the table fast. We love to make a batch of shredded chicken breasts or a whole chicken on the weekend to use in recipes throughout the week.
Video: making buffalo chicken enchilada skillet
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Easy Buffalo Chicken Enchiladas
On the table and ready to devoured in just 30 minutes, this flavor-packed mash-up of Buffalo chicken and enchiladas hits the spot every time.
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium zucchini, diced (1 ½-2 cups)
- 1 medium red or orange bell pepper, diced (1-1 ½ cup)
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced, white/light green and dark parts separated
- 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (12 ounces)
- ⅔ cup Primal Kitchen Original Buffalo Sauce, plus 1-3 tablespoons more for serving (or homemade)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 (4-oz) can diced green chiles
- 1 ¼ cups (10-ounce can) red enchilada sauce (or homemade)
- 1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (1 ½ cups)
- 1 ¾ cups shredded Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese blend, divided
- 6 corn tortillas, cut into 6 wedges
- Optional toppings for serving: ranch dressing, green onions, cilantro, crumbled blue cheese.
Instructions
- Place a large skillet (or lidded cast iron casserole dish) over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray then add the olive oil, zucchini, bell pepper, and white and light green parts of the onions. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until soft.
- Add the shredded chicken, ⅔ cup buffalo sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, green chiles, enchilada sauce, and beans. Stir and cook for 5-8 minutes until heated through.
- Stir in 1 cup shredded cheese then gently fold in the corn tortilla pieces until evenly coated.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle with the remaining ¾ cup cheese, place the lid on top of skillet and let cook for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Optional step: Place skillet in the oven and broil for 3-4 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned.
- Serve topped with a drizzle of ranch and buffalo sauce, dark parts of green onions, sliced or diced avocado, and/or blue cheese crumbles (optional)
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Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 404
- Fat: 20 g
- (Sat Fat: 6 g)
- Sodium: 1100 mg
- Carbohydrate: 30 g
- (Fiber: 6 g
- Sugar: 4 g)
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 59 mg
Dietary
Don’t forget the ranch!
I’m not normally a big fan of Buffalo sauce but I love this dish. The sauce does pack a bit of heat but adding a drizzle of homemade ranch dressing helps tame it down. It’s incredibly filling and the leftovers make an easy reheat-and-each lunch for busy days.
How To Store
Store any leftover enchiladas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave on high heat for 60-90 seconds or until heated through. You can also reheat in a glass or metal baking dish in a preheated 350℉ oven or toaster oven for 12-15 minutes until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use a grain-free tortilla such as Siete in place of the corn tortillas. The texture will be slightly different but it’s still delicious.
Using corn tortillas and enchilada sauce that is free of wheat or malt will make this dish gluten-free. While it’s always best to check the label for gluten-containing ingredients, as of this writing Siete, Hatch, Frontera, and Sky Valley produce certified gluten-free sauces. Old El Paso brand enchilada sauce does not contain gluten but is not certified gluten-free. You can also make your own homemade enchilada sauce using just a handful of pantry staples.
To make this chicken enchilada skillet less spicy use mild enchilada sauce and mild buffalo sauce. To make it spicier, use an enchilada sauce that’s labeled ‘hot’ or ‘spicy’ and this hot buffalo sauce (or you can add a splash of hot sauce to your plate when serving if you don’t want to make the entire recipe spicier.
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Perfect meal prep recipe! Quick and easy yummy topped with avocado.
Thank you, Jessica! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe!
Would love to try this but the sodium level is pretty high. What can I adjust to lower this
Hi Lana, most of the sodium is coming from the buffalo sauce and the enchilada sauce. To reduce sodium, you could find low-sodium versions of these or make your own.