Lazy Enchiladas are my ultimate weeknight rescue. Ever get home just done—with zero energy left, and the kids hungry (or roommates giving you that look)? You need something FAST. Not complicated. The kind of dinner that basically makes itself while you change into sweatpants. That’s exactly where these lazy enchiladas save the day. You can even use frozen taquitos if your fridge is basically empty. Trust me, people love ’em, picky eaters included.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
So, hear me out—these enchiladas are the real definition of “lazy genius.” They’re a five-star restaurant level in terms of weeknight effort. Throw together a handful of ingredients, slide the tray in the oven, and bam—dinner practically cooks itself. Most nights, I’m chasing groceries around the fridge, or let’s be honest, praying I remembered to take something out.
But with Lazy Enchiladas, you don’t need to do anything special. Use leftover rotisserie chicken, or even that bag of frozen taquitos nobody seemed excited about last week. Besides, cleanup’s a breeze—one pan, very little mess, and extra points if you use foil (I do, always). You can add extra cheese, salsa, or not—this is your rodeo. The flexibility here is a real game changer. Oh, and these reheat beautifully, making lunch the next day something to look forward to.
Can You Make This Ahead of Time?
Let’s be real. Planning ahead is not my strong suit. But yes, you absolutely can make these lazy enchiladas in advance. One of my favorite tricks: assemble everything the night before, cover with foil and pop it in the fridge. The next day, just bake as directed (you might need to tack on 5 extra minutes if it’s going straight from the fridge).
Sometimes I even double the recipe and freeze half. Reheating is easy—cover with foil and warm up in a medium oven till bubbly again. Bonus: they don’t taste “leftover-y.” If you meal prep, thank me later. My neighbor makes a batch on Sunday for her lunches, and swears she never gets tired of ’em.
“Honestly, I made these lazy enchiladas one afternoon in, like, 10 minutes—and my family thought I’d worked some magic. Zero leftovers in sight!” – Tina J., Dallas
How to Make This Gluten and Dairy Free
Got food allergies or just skipping gluten and dairy? Easy adjustments. I had a friend over last week who can’t touch gluten, so I used gluten free tortillas (they’re everywhere now, thank goodness) and made my own enchilada sauce—some canned sauces may have flour or hidden dairy, so check the label or do a quick homemade version.
For a dairy free fix, just skip the cheese or use a dairy free brand. There are a couple of shredded plant-based “cheeses” that melt up just fine. Also, make sure frozen taquitos are gluten free; there are a few good brands out there. Even with all these changes, the dish still tastes like comfort food. Sometimes I’ll add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast for extra flavor, too. My take? Lazy enchiladas are so forgiving, you can swap in just about anything, and nobody’ll be the wiser.
