White Enchilada Sauce

This white enchilada sauce is creamy, flavorful and extremely easy to make. If you need a good reason to make Mexican food for dinner tonight, this delicious creamy sauce is it.

White Enchilada Sauce Recipe

When dinner time includes Mexican food, I'm always reaching for recipes like ground beef tacos, rotisserie chicken enchiladas and this delicious white enchilada sauce. There's no shortage of yummy Mexican recipes in this house!

Creamy chicken enchiladas are the ultimate comfort food dinner. So, having the perfect sauce to cover the top of the enchiladas is just a must. This simple recipe always turns out amazing!

Traditional enchiladas don't have a a creamy white sauce, but this Tex-Mex twist is irresistibly good. I mean, there's a reason it's such a popular dish! The incredible flavor of green chiles and tangy bite of sour cream melds together to make the best sauce.

The whole family is going to love this great recipe for that yummy fiesta you're planning! Even the picky eaters love a creamy and hearty sauce on top of their favorite chicken enchilada recipe. What's not to love?

Why You'll Love this Recipe

You can have a wonderful dinner with this perfect sauce recipe. So much better than your typical chicken enchiladas:

• It only takes a few minutes to make this sauce, so it won't add much of any prep time into cooking dinner. Quick and simple recipes are always a plus for busy evenings.
• Making your own enchilada sauce is the best way to know exactly what is in it. Many canned sauces you can find at the grocery store have added preservatives and other unnecessary ingredients. When you make your own, you can feel good about what you are eating!
• Homemade enchilada sauce can be used in a variety of different recipes, not just enchiladas! It's a very versatile recipe. Mix it into shredded chicken for enchiladas, top creamy white chicken enchiladas with it, and use it in tons of other ways!

Ingredients

You only need six basic ingredients to make this recipe. So simple and you may already have some of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge! Here is everything that you will need:

• diced onion
• butter
• all purpose flour
• broth
• sour cream
• green chiles

Substitutions and Variations

You can use a gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute, such as King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour, to make this recipe without gluten. 

Feel free to try out a dairy free butter and dairy free sour cream! I have not tried it, so if it works out be sure to leave me a comment and let me know how it turns out.

Chicken broth and beef broth will both work in this creamy and flavorful sauce. Use whatever you have on hand.

Change up the flavor a bit by using fire roasted green chiles instead of the regular one. You can also add extra flavor by mixing in some tasty things like green onions, fresh cilantro, black pepper and maybe even spicy cheese like pepper jack cheese.

You can make this sauce extra creamy with some cream cheese, just keep in mind that it will likely need a bit more liquid to be a pourable consistency.

​Sour cream can be replaced with plain Greek yogurt if you prefer. Their flavors and textures are quite similar, so it will be a 1:1 substitute in this yummy and creamy sauce recipe.

How to Make White Enchilada Sauce

Ready to make one of my favorite toppings ever? Then follow these step by step instructions to make the best white enchilada sauce:

Begin by melting butter in a pan over medium heat, then sauté the diced onions until fragrant and translucent.

Once the onions are translucent, add in the all purpose flour and coat the onions.

Then pour in the chicken broth, add sour cream and dump in the canned green chilies. Bring the mixture to simmer, being careful not to boil.

When the sauce has thickened up, pour two tablespoons of it into the bottom of the baking dish you plan to bake the easy enchiladas in. Then pour the remainder of the sauce over the top.

Bake your easy white chicken enchiladas with creamy sauce according to instructions. Enjoy!

How to Store White Enchilada Sauce

Transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also store leftover enchiladas with sauce, they just may be a bit soggy after reheating. However, to store those leftovers that already have sauce, wrap the baking dish in aluminum foil or transfer the enchiladas to an airtight container and refrigerate for a few days.

To reheat sauce, scoop it into a pot on the stovetop until it warms and has an easily pourable consistency.

What to Make with White Enchiladas

Delicious side dishes like Mexican rice, refried beans, and Mexican fruit salad are all perfect to serve with your favorite enchiladas. A simple side of Instant Pot rice would be yummy too.

This creamy sauce is great with more things than just enchiladas. It would be perfect on a Mexican tostada and even with chicken fajitas. You could even adapt these chicken enchilada sliders and use white sauce instead of red sauce.

Go for a it of Mexican fusion and use this sauce in a Mexican lasagna. Yum!

Tips for Success

Make your Mexican fiesta absolutely perfect! Check out these simple tips for this easy recipe so that you sauce is the best that it can be:

• While I highly recommend making homemade enchiladas to top with this sour cream sauce, you can actually even make it to spruce up frozen enchiladas! Frozen meals often don't have much flavor, so adding this creamy enchilada sauce to the top of the tortillas can make it so much better.
• If you are using this sauce on top of enchiladas, be sure to pour it over the soft tortillas before topping with Mexican cheese blend. Adding the shredded cheese before the sauce can end up making the sauce just slide right off the enchiladas.
• Don't let the onions sit with coated in flour for too long or the flour will begin to burn. Keep the sauce on medium heat to medium-high heat so that it doesn't boil!

FAQ

More Mexican Inspired Recipes

• Easy Guacamole
• Mexican Cauliflower Rice
• Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
• Mexican Meatball Soup
• Best Taco Seasoning