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Instant Pot Chipotle Ranch Chicken Enchiladas

2 chicken enchiladas on a white plate with avocados and tomatoes

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5 from 3 reviews

The best Chicken Enchiladas you’ll ever have!  Slightly smoky, super creamy, and cooked up quickly in the Instant Pot.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ pounds chicken breast (about 2 large chicken breasts)
  • ½ cup salsa verde or green enchilada sauce (see note) 
  • Juice of 1 lime (note: zest first and reserve)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 13 tablespoons of adobo sauce from a can of chipotles peppers in adobo sauce (see note)
  • 1 cup ranch dressing, your favorite brand or the homemade version below
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (4 oz) can mild green chiles, drained
  • 1 cup corn, frozen or canned
  • 1 cup diced roasted red bell peppers from a jar (or 1 fresh red bell pepper chopped)
  • 810 (7 inch) whole wheat flour tortillas
  • 1 ½2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese or Quesadilla cheese

For serving: diced fresh tomato, diced avocado or guacamole, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, and sour cream

Homemade Ranch (may substitute with 1 cup of your favorite ranch dressing)

  • 1 cup sour cream (not light)
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon dill
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper

Instructions

  1. Cut each chicken breast lengthwise into 3 or 4 pieces.  Place in pressure cooker pot.  
  2. In this order, add enchilada sauce, lime juice, spices, then adobo sauce.
  3. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position.  Cook at high pressure for 7 minutes.  
  4. While chicken is cooking, make ranch sauce by whisking together sour cream, lime zest, and spices.  
  5. When pressure cooking is complete, turn pressure cooker off and use a natural release.  If in a hurry, release pressure after 10 minutes.  
  6. Remove chicken to a plate and shred with 2 forks.
  7. Add homemade or store bought ranch to the pressure cooker pot and whisk to combine well.  Reserve 1 ¼ cups of the sauce and set aside.  
  8. To the remaining sauce in the pot, add chicken, corn, black beans, red bell peppers, and can of green chiles; stir.
  9. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  10. Pour ¼ cup of reserved sauce into a 9×13 or larger casserole dish.
  11. Lay out 8-10 tortillas.   Scoop about ½ cup of chicken mixture onto each tortilla.  Top with desired amount of cheese and roll tight. Place in casserole dish.
  12. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with desired amount of cheese.
  13. Bake at 350°F for 20-30 minutes until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbling.  Note: Don’t let it bubble too aggressively or the sour cream might separate.
  14. Add desired toppings and serve.

Notes

  • One tablespoon of the adobo sauce from the can of chipotles will not be spicy, three has a pleasant amount of heat.  For even more spice, chop the chipotle peppers from the can and add them to the chicken mixture.
  • I prefer to make my own ranch so I can control the ingredients in it, but feel free to swap with your favorite brand to save a step.
  • I much prefer wheat tortillas because they don’t tear like corn tortillas do.  Corn tortillas will still be delicious, but they might be a tad messy to serve.
  • I prefer Salsa Verde over green enchilada sauce because the ingredients are better and it has more flavor.  
  • If you prefer a more simple enchilada, you can fold it up with just the chicken and leave out the corn, beans, etc.  
  • Enchiladas can be made ahead, but be aware that the tortillas will get a bit soggy.  To remedy this, assemble all of the enchiladas and place them in the casserole dish. Do not pour the sauce on yet.  When ready to bake, pour sauce over top and add cheese. Bake until browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes.