gluten free buffalo chicken enchiladas (one pan, 40 minutes)
buffalo chicken pizza vibes in enchilada form and SO much easier than you think!
I had been thinking about buffalo chicken pizza all week. Like genuinely could not get it out of my head. When I was in college after a night out we would always order buffalo chicken pizza or a buffalo chicken sandwiches and for some reason this week that craving hit hard. Fletcher was already asleep, Andrew was working late, and I had corn tortillas in the house but no pizza crust. So buffalo chicken enchiladas it was and honestly I think I like this version even better.
This is the kind of dinner that sounds complicated but comes together in one pan in about 40 minutes. I made the pan fried chicken and the enchiladas in the exact same pan so there is literally one pan to wash at the end of the night. The high protein ranch on top is made in a blender in about 60 seconds and takes this whole thing completely over the edge. This recipe is gluten free as long as you use gluten free corn tortillas and check your buffalo sauce and ranch seasoning labels before you start. Sweet Baby Ray’s buffalo sauce is what I used and it works perfectly here!
Make It Even Easier | Busy Mom Shortcuts
Use a rotisserie chicken instead of pan frying your own. This is the single biggest time saver in the whole recipe. Just shred the chicken, mix it with the buffalo sauce and ranch, and you skip the cooking step entirely. Perfect for a first-timer or anyone short on time!
Warm your corn tortillas before rolling. Pop them in the microwave for 15 to 25 seconds or in the oven for 1 to 3 minutes before you try to roll them. Warm tortillas are SO much more flexible and will not crack or split when you fold them around the filling!
Use the same pan for everything. I made the chicken in my favorite stainless steel pan and then rolled the enchiladas right into the same pan to bake. One pan, one cleanup. Drizzle a little of the high protein ranch on the bottom of the pan first so nothing sticks!
Blend the high protein ranch in 60 seconds. Throw all the ingredients in a blender, blend for a few seconds, and done. If it is too thick to drizzle just add 2 tablespoons of water and blend again until it is the consistency you want!
Cook Smarter, Not Harder
Pan fry the chicken until browned on both sides and always check with a meat thermometer. You are looking for 165 degrees internal temperature for poultry. Do not rely on color alone. The outside can look done before the inside is fully cooked. Once it hits 165 remove it from the pan, let it cool for a few minutes, then shred it on your cutting board using two forks. When the chicken is warm and fully cooked it shreds SO easily. It does not need to be finely shredded, just enough to stuff the tortillas!
Caramelize the red onion in the same pan while the chicken cooks. The onion goes in with the chicken and as everything cooks it gets soft, slightly sweet, and deeply golden. That caramelized onion mixed into the shredded chicken filling is one of the best parts of this whole recipe!
Put half the cheese inside the filling and half on top. This gives you melty cheese running through every bite of filling AND that gorgeous browned bubbly cheese on top. You are looking for the cheese on top to be fully melted and browned and the edges of the corn tortillas to be golden and slightly crispy when it comes out of the oven!
If the buffalo sauce is too spicy, mix it with a little ranch inside the chicken mixture to mellow it out. You get all the flavor with a little less heat and it is still SO delicious!
Make It Your Own
Always check your corn tortilla label. I used Mission white corn tortillas which are labeled gluten free. Many corn tortillas are made in facilities that also process wheat so the label check is essential for celiac safety!
Check your buffalo sauce and ranch seasoning labels before using them. I use Sweet Baby Ray’s buffalo sauce and it is clearly labeled gluten free. Ranch seasoning blends can contain hidden gluten so always confirm yours is certified gluten free before it goes in!
Want to make this dairy free? Use dairy free shredded cheddar, dairy free yogurt, and skip the cottage cheese in the ranch. Just note that without the Greek yogurt and cottage cheese the ranch will not be high protein but it will still taste great. You can also skip the blue cheese on top or swap in dairy free feta or tofu crumbles instead!
Not a fan of blue cheese? Totally fine to skip it! The high protein ranch on top is more than enough. Dairy free feta or tofu crumbles make a great topping swap if you still want that creamy salty finish!
Want to make this with ground chicken instead of shredded? Absolutely! Just brown it in the pan, season it the same way, mix in the buffalo sauce and ranch, and roll it into the tortillas. Same great flavor, slightly different texture!
Can’t handle much heat? Use less buffalo sauce or mix it with ranch to mellow it out. Start with 1/4 cup of buffalo sauce and taste before adding more!
gluten free buffalo chicken enchiladas
gluten free | nut free | high protein
serves 4 (2 to 3 enchiladas each) | prep 20 min | bake 20 min | one pan
Ingredients
For the enchiladas:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 red onion, sliced
3 tbsp ranch seasoning, labeled certified gluten free
2 tbsp minced green onions
Garlic salt, pepper, and garlic to taste
1/2 cup Sweet Baby Ray’s buffalo sauce (labeled gluten free)
1/4 cup high protein ranch (recipe below)
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
7 to 10 Mission white corn tortillas (labeled gluten free)
Drizzle of olive oil
Shredded iceberg lettuce and blue cheese for topping
For the high protein ranch:
1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup cottage cheese
2 to 3 tbsp ranch seasoning, labeled certified gluten free
3 green onions
2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 avocado
Directions
Make the high protein ranch first. Add 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup cottage cheese, 2 to 3 tbsp ranch seasoning, 3 green onions, 2 tbsp garlic powder, and 1/2 avocado to a blender. Blend for a few seconds until smooth and pourable. If it is too thick add 2 tablespoons of water and blend again. Set aside.
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large oven safe stainless steel pan over medium heat. Add 1 lb chicken breasts and 1 red onion, sliced to the pan. Season the chicken with 3 tbsp ranch seasoning, 2 tbsp minced green onions, garlic salt, pepper, and garlic. Cook until browned on both sides and fully cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
Remove the chicken from the pan and let it cool for a few minutes. Shred using two forks on your cutting board. It does not need to be finely shredded, just enough to stuff the tortillas.
In a bowl combine the shredded chicken, caramelized onions, 1/2 cup buffalo sauce, 1/4 cup high protein ranch, and 3/4 cup shredded cheddar. Mix well.
Warm 7 to 10 corn tortillas in the microwave for 15 to 25 seconds or in the oven for 1 to 3 minutes until flexible and easy to roll.
Drizzle a little high protein ranch on the bottom of the same pan to prevent sticking. Fill each tortilla with a generous scoop of the chicken mixture, roll tightly, and place seam side down in the pan.
Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup shredded cheddar over the top of the enchiladas.
Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and browned and the edges of the tortillas are golden and slightly crispy.
Top with shredded iceberg lettuce, a drizzle of remaining high protein ranch, and blue cheese. Serve immediately!
For Your Little Ones
This one was too spicy for Fletcher so he skipped it! But it is SO easy to make a few toddler friendly plain rolls alongside the regular batch. Just fill 2 to 3 tortillas with plain shredded chicken and a little cheese before adding the buffalo sauce to the rest of the mixture and bake them in a different pan. Skip all the sauces for little ones and let them dip in plain ranch on the side. Simple and completely toddler friendly!
Make It, Save It, Reheat It
In the fridge, store in an airtight container for up to 2 to 3 days. This makes a great next day lunch, just microwave it and add fresh shredded lettuce on top right before eating!
To freeze, store in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat, bake in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed through, heat in a pan on the stovetop, or microwave for individual portions. Always add the fresh lettuce and ranch drizzle after reheating so everything stays crispy and fresh!
The high protein ranch keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Make a big batch and use it as a dip, salad dressing, or drizzle all week!
More Easy Gluten Free Dinners You’ll Love
If you loved this one here are a few more easy gluten free dinners perfect for a weeknight in!
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Buffalo chicken pizza or buffalo chicken enchiladas: which side are you on?! Drop it in the comments because I genuinely want to know and I am already planning which one to make next!
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