Air Fryer Enchiladas

Indulge in a delightful air fryer enchiladas recipe, combining the convenience of air frying with the rich flavours of traditional chicken enchiladas—a quick and easy twist on a classic recipe.

I love enchiladas. 

The kids don’t. 

Actually I think one of them would, and the other would without cheese. But they definitely prefer tacos and fajitas when it comes to Mexican food. I think it’s because they like adding ingredients and making a bit of a mess. 

Well, who doesn’t?

So enchiladas have become a bit of a date night dinner for us. 

Which makes air fryer enchiladas perfect. It’s a smaller portion, with mini wraps, so perfect for two, and in the air fryer, they are ready in 5-10 minutes, so we can prep them while the kids are getting ready for bed and they’re ready to enjoy as soon as we want. 

Brilliant!

Air Fryer Cheese Enchiladas are delicious, and I highly recommend them!

Why I Love Air Fryer Enchiladas

Air Fryer Chicken Enchiladas are fabulous because:

• The prep is familiar if you’ve made enchiladas before, but you can get golden cheese in around 5 minutes in the air fryer, saving lots of time. 
• Some air fryer recipes struggle with grated cheese – it blows about. The sauce on enchiladas means that this isn’t an issue when you air fry enchiladas. 
• They are absolutely delicious. 
• For a big meal, this recipe serves two, but it would serve three with salads and sides.

Ingredients For Air Fryer Enchiladas

For Enchiladas in air fryer (UK), I use:

Cooking Spray – Or olive oil.

Chicken Breasts

Red Onion

Bell Peppers – I tend to use red and yellow peppers; any are fine, though. 

Cheddar Cheese 

Mini Tortilla Wraps – My air fryer basket is square, so I use an 8-inch square (ish) tin. Big wraps don’t fit, so I use mini ones that fit well. You want to fill the tray as much as possible, so if your basket and tin are different sizes, you might have to use different wraps.

Enchilada Sauce – I use homemade red enchilada sauce. It’s just right for these enchiladas, and there are no leftovers. You can use store-bought sauce or a different recipe instead if you want to. 

You’ll Also Need

As well as the ingredients for air fryer chicken enchiladas, you’ll also need:

• Chopping board and sharp knife to prepare the ingredients. 
• Large, non-stick frying pan. 
• A tin that fits and is suitable for use in the air fryer. Anything that you can use in the oven and fits will do. I don’t have a square tin that fits, so I’m using these disposable foil trays until I find one. (Affiliate link)
• Cheesegrater – unless you buy shredded cheese. 
• I recommend using a food thermometer to make sure your chicken is 75 degrees C or more before serving. (Affiliate link)

How to Make Air Fryer Enchiladas– Step-by-Step Instructions

Full, easy-to-follow instructions and quantities are available in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One

Liberally mist a large, non-stick frying pan with cooking spray. You can use any flameproof cooking pan or dish. 

Step Two

Warm over medium heat on the hob. 

Step Three

Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes, stirring often. If you like your onions crunchy, don’t fry for as long. 

Step Four

Add the chicken and fry for 5-10 minutes until browned, stirring often. When you air fry enchiladas, they don’t bake for as long as they would in the oven, so it’s essential that the chicken is cooked through before it goes into the air fryer. 

Step Five

Stir in the peppers. I like my peppers crunchy, so I stir in and move on. You can fry them for longer if you want them to be softer. 

Step Six

Add half of the enchilada sauce and half of the cheese. 

Step Seven

Stir well. 

Step Eight

Bring to a simmer. 

Cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Reduce the temperature if necessary. 

Step Nine

Preheat the air fryer to 200 degrees and set for 8 minutes. 

Step Ten

Cut a large piece of chicken in half to ensure it is cooked through. If necessary, cook for a little longer. 

Step Eleven

Remove the pan from the heat. 

Step Twelve

Spoon the filling evenly into six mini wraps, wrap tightly, and place (opening down) in a tight row in a dish or tray suitable for use in your air fryer. 

I have a habit of overfilling some and then having a few bits of pepper in the last one! Try to be even with a few bits of everything in each wrap. 

You don’t have to tuck the ends in. They can be left open. 

Step Thirteen

Spoon the remaining sauce on top of the wraps and spread until they are covered. Try not to leave any wrap naked. 

Step Fourteen

Sprinkle evenly with grated cheese.

Step Fifteen

Cook in the preheated air fryer for 5-8 minutes until the cheese is golden.

Serving Suggestions

We usually just serve our enchiladas with salad, coleslaw and a sour cream dip. 

Dips like salsa and guacamole are great, too. 

You could also serve with sides like potato wedges, corn on the cob, spicy rice or chips. 

Variations

There are a few things that you can do differently when you make easy air fryer enchiladas. 

Use Store-Bought Enchilada Sauce

I love homemade enchilada sauce. It’s easy and just right for air fryer enchiladas. 

But you can swap for store-bought instead if you prefer.  Another option is using green enchilada sauce. 

Add Beans

Air fried enchiladas with beans added would be great. Any kind would work, really, but I’m partial to Butterbeans, and black beans are popular. 

If you add a tin of beans, reduce the chicken or peppers. 

Use Different Cheese 

Mozzarella is an excellent option because it melts really well, but you can use anything you like as long as it melts. 

Leftovers

This isn’t a large portion of enchiladas, so we never have any left.

If you do, I recommend reheating it in the oven or microwave so they don’t end up too crispy and using a food thermometer to make sure the chicken is piping hot before serving. 

Storage 

Store leftover air fryer enchiladas in a sealed tub or covered bowl in the fridge for 1-2 days. 

FAQ

Other Recipes 

If you like this air fryer enchiladas recipe, you might also want to try:

• Chicken and Mushroom Pie (Air Fryer Recipe)
• Air Fryer Lasagne
• Crispy Chicken Wraps
• Air Fryer Loaded Potato Skins
• Air Fryer Mac and Cheese
• Cottage Pie (Air Fryer Recipe)
• Air Fryer Fish Pie
• Air Fryer Chilli
• Chicken and Chorizo Pasta Bake (Air Fryer Version) 
• Chicken Tikka Wraps
• Air-Fried Corned Beef Hash
• Air Fryer Chicken Fajitas

Recipe Card

Print

Save this recipe for later!