• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Good Hearted Woman logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Bread
    • Comfort Food
    • Cooking Basics
    • Condiments
    • German Recipes
    • Main Dishes
    • Salads
    • Seafood
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
    • Sourdough
    • Snacks
    • Sweets
    • 30-Minute Meals
  • Cozy Living
    • Arts & Crafts
    • For Music Lovers
    • Food Holidays
  • US Travel
    • One Day in...
    • Pacific
    • Rocky Mountains
    • Southwest
    • The South
    • Hikes Near & Far
  • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cozy Living
  • Road Trips
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cozy Living
    • Road Trips
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Main Dishes

    Creamy Seafood Enchiladas

    June 21, 2022 • Updated: July 14, 2022 • by Renée B. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Four seafood enchiladas on a long platter, garnished with bay shrimp, cilantro, and cotija. Mango salad on the side.

    Creamy Seafood Enchiladas are made with a rich filling of shrimp, crab, and Monterey Jack, all topped with a decadent Mornay verde cream sauce. These mild, creamy restaurant-inspired enchiladas are perfect for everything from an easy family dinner to a celebratory feast.

    Four creamy seafood enchiladas on a platter, garnished with bay shrimp, cilantro, and cotija. Mango salad on the side.
    Jump to:
    • Why You Will Love this Recipe
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • How to Make Creamy Crab & Shrimp Enchiladas
    • FAQs & Expert Tips
    • More Shrimp & Crab Recipes
    • Creamy Seafood Enchiladas

    Why You Will Love this Recipe

    These shrimp and crab enchiladas are amazing! They are reminiscent of Tex-Mex restaurant seafood enchiladas (think Chevy's in the 1990's), but they are so much better!

    The secret is in the decadently creamy sauce, which is basically a classic Mornay sauce with a generous addition of salsa verde.

    The salsa verde is how you control the heat in this dish. Use a mild green salsa, and you'll have enchiladas mellow enough to delight your Norwegian grandma. If you prefer your enchiladas more fiery, simply use a hotter salsa and/or add a finely chopped jalapeño or three to the filling mix.

    What Goes into this Recipe

    ★ Tortillas : You will need eight medium (6- to 8-inch) flour tortillas. You can use store-bought or homemade tortillas.

    I almost always prefer corn tortillas for all things Tex-Mex, but in the case of these crab and shrimp enchiladas, flour tortillas are a better choice. The flavor blends well with the seafood, and they hold up much better under all that filling and cream sauce.

    For best results, lightly fry flour tortillas before filling them.

    Filling Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    Seafood enchilada ingredients, labeled: imitation crab, bay shrimp, green onions, butter, mushrooms, garlic, green onions, wine.

    ★ Imitation crab: Imitation crab is made from real fish; just not real crab. It is usually made from Alaskan pollack, which is deboned and minced into a paste called surimi. The surimi is then mixed with other ingredients, including both natural and artificial flavors. (If you've ever eaten a California Roll, you've had surimi.)

    Unless you have an unlimited supply of fresh crab, for the purposes of this recipe, imitation crab is the way to go. It is far less expensive than real crab, and lends a slightly sweet undertone to the filling.

    ★ Bay shrimp: Bay shrimp are small, mild tasting shrimp that are harvested from estuaries along the Western coast of North America. You can use any kind of cooked shrimp for this recipe; however, if you use larger shrimp, it is best to chop them up a bit before making the filling.

    Substitutions for Shrimp and Crab: You can use a pound (total) of any combination of cooked fish, scallops, etc., that you have on hand.

    ★ Monterey Jack: Any mild, melty cheese will work. The best substitute is Mexican Oaxaca [pronounced wah-ha-kah], a mellow, buttery cheese that melts like a dream. Mozzarella will also work.

    ★ Mushrooms: You want to use a mildly-flavored mushroom for this recipe, so white button mushrooms work best. Cremini mushrooms, also known as “Baby Bellas,” make a good substitute for button mushrooms.

    ★ Green onions: Green onions are the preferred onion for this recipe. Good substitutes include chives and shallots.

    ★ Wine: Use any dry, sweet or semi-sweet white wine. Apple juice is a good, non-alcoholic substitute. You can also use chicken broth.

    ★ Butter: Use real butter. Margarine won't affect the success or failure of the dish; however, real butter is better.

    ★ Garlic: Use real, fresh garlic. A quarter-teaspoon of garlic powder or granulated garlic may be substituted.

    Cream Sauce Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    The cream sauce is basically a classic Mornay sauce, with the addition of salsa verde.

    Mornay verde cream sauce ingredients, labeled: salsa verde, half & half, Monterey Jack, flour, butter, chicken broth.

    ★ Half & half: We recommend using half & half; however, you can use a 50/50 combination of milk and cream, or even regular milk for the sauce. If you use something lighter than half & half, your sauce will be less rich and robust.

    ★ Salsa verde: Use your favorite salsa verde (i.e., green chili salsa), homemade or store-bought. The amount of heat in your salsa will determine how hot (or not) the cream sauce is.

    ★ Flour: You can use all-purpose flour; however, we strongly recommend using Wondra.

    Wondra, or instant flour, dissolves more quickly than all-purpose flour, and mixes into both hot and cold liquids easily. This makes it particularly useful for making smooth, creamy, lump-free sauces.

    ★ Chicken broth: Use a good quality canned or boxed chicken broth. You can also use homemade chicken stock; however, if it is very hearty, you will want to water it down a little.

    Don't have any chicken broth? Sub in an equal amount of water and one-half to one teaspoon of Better than Bouillon or half a bouillon cube. (In this case, dissolve the bouillon in hot water before adding to the sauce.)

    How to Make Creamy Crab & Shrimp Enchiladas

    Seafood Filling

    Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat.

    Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until they become soft and release their juices; about 4-5 minutes.

    sliced mushrooms and butter in a skillet.

    Add shrimp, imitation crab, green onions, garlic, and wine (or chicken broth). Cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove skillet from heat.

    Skillet with sauteed mushrooms, plus shrimp, crab, and green onions added. Wooden spoon to the side.

    Using a slotted spoon, remove the seafood mixture to a medium mixing bowl, leaving any remaining cooking liquid in the bottom of the skillet. (Don't worry if there isn't any liquid left; but if there is, it will add some great flavor to the sauce.)

    To the seafood mix in the mixing bowl, stir in 1 cup of grated Monterey Jack.

    seafood mix and cheese in a glass mixing bowl.

    Set the seafood mixture aside.

    Mornay Verde Cream Sauce

    In the same skillet, add 4 tablespoons butter to any remaining cooking liquid,a and heat over medium-low until it melts and begins to simmer.b

    Reduce heat to low and sprinkle in ¼ cup flour, whisking constantly as you do.c Whisk and cook the butter and flour together for 1-2 minutes.

    Whisk in half & half and a half-cup of chicken broth all at once. Stir constantly until the sauce becomes just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.d

    four steps for making white sauce: melt butter, bring to simmer, add flour, add half & half.

    Remove sauce from heat. Add the Monterey Jack, plus the salt and pepper. Whisk constantly until the cheese melts completely.

    Once the cheese has completely melted, whisk in the salsa verde.

    adding Jack cheese to white sauce mixture.

    The sauce will be very thick at this point; about the consistency of very pourable nacho cheese. However, if it seems too thick, add a little more chicken broth or water to thin it out.

    Roll & Bake

    Preheat oven to 350°F | 177°C.

    Grease (or spray with non-stick cooking spray) a 11" x 7" glass baking or casserole dish.

    To the seafood mixture, add 1 cup of the prepared sauce and mix to thoroughly incorporate.

    Sauce added to seafood filling mixture in glass mixing bowl.

    Roll a scant ½ cup of the seafood mixture into each tortilla, and place each roll into the baking dish.

    Glass bowl filled with seafood mixture, three rolled tortillas in casserole dish, and seafood mix on a tortilla, ready to roll.

    Pour the remaining cream sauce over the prepared enchiladas. Use the back of a spoon to "frost" the top, making sure to completely cover all the edges.

    The Mornay sauce is supposed to be very thick; however, if the sauce has thickened too much while you prep the enchiladas (i.e., if it becomes gloppy or too thick to pour), add an additional ¼ - ½ cup of chicken broth (or water) to the mixture to thin it out before pouring.

    Tray of rolled enchiladas half covered with white sauce. More sauce in skillet to the side.

    Bake the prepared enchilada casserole uncovered in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.

    Baked seafood enchiladas in a blue casserole dish, garnished with cilantro, green onions, and cotija.

    Garnish as desired with any of the following: sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, bay shrimp, chopped crab, and/or crumbled cotija.

    FAQs & Expert Tips

    How to Make Seafood Chimichangas

    If you would prefer to make chimichangas, it is super easy to do using this enchilada recipe. A chimichanga is basically a deep-fried burrito. You can deep fry if you want to, but oven / air-fryer prep is easier. 

    Use medium-large tortillas, and roll the filling inside the tortillas burrito-style.

    Oven Chimichangas

    Preheat oven to 350°F | 177°C. Heat some canola or olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the filled tortillas in hot oil for 3-4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.

    Bake uncovered on a parchment-lined baking tray for 25 minutes. Serve topped with prepared Mornay verde cream sauce.

    Air-Fryer Chimichangas

    Brush each side of rolled tortilla with canola or olive oil. Place rolls in basket seam-side down. Do not crowd.

    Air fry at 400°F | 205°C for 4 minutes. Flip over and air fry until lightly browned; about 3-4 minutes more. Served topped with prepared Mornay verde cream sauce.

    Can you make seafood enchiladas ahead of time?

    You can make crab and shrimp enchiladas up to a day ahead of time, and refrigerate them until you are ready to bake them.

    To bake, remove the prepared enchiladas from the fridge about an hour before you want to put them in the oven. Cover with foil, and bake at 350°F | 177°C for an hour, uncovering them for the last 20 minutes of baking.

    The internal temperature of the finished casserole should be at least 145°F | 63°C.

    What is Mornay sauce?

    Mornay sauce is a heavy cream sauce with cheese added.

    Made from a béchamel (one of the mother sauces in classic French cooking) Mornay sauce can be made with any melty, semi-firm cheese; in this case, Monterey Jack. (Traditionally, Swiss or Gruyère are used.)

    What to Serve with Seafood Enchiladas

    Light, fresh, and simple to make, Caribbean Mango Salad pairs perfectly with Seafood Enchiladas.

    Four seafood enchiladas on a long platter, garnished with bay shrimp, green onions, and imitation crab. Mango salad on the side.

    More Shrimp & Crab Recipes

    • Hawaiian Garlic Shrimp (Kahuku Truck-style)
    • Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad (Applebee's Copycat Recipe)
    • Pacific NW Dungeness Crab Cakes
    • Shrimp & Grits Pizza

    For more recipes and cozy living tips, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all of the latest updates.

    Four creamy seafood enchiladas on a platter, garnished with bay shrimp, cilantro, and cotija. Mango salad on the side.

    Creamy Seafood Enchiladas

    Creamy Seafood Enchiladas are made with a rich filling of shrimp, crab, and Monterey Jack, all topped with a decadent Mornay verde cream sauce.
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Main
    Cuisine: American, Comfort Food, Tex-Mex
    Prep Time:35 minutes
    Cook Time:40 minutes
    Total Time:1 hour 15 minutes
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 420kcal
    Author: Renee
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • 1 11" x 7" glass baking dish or 9"x13"
    • 1 Enameled Cast Iron Skillet
    • 1 slotted spoon
    • 1 Mixing Bowl
    • 1 wire whisk

    Ingredients

    • 8 medium flour tortillas 6-8 inches; lightly fried
    Seafood Filling
    • 2 tablespoons salted butter
    • ½ pound button mushrooms sliced
    • ½ pound bay shrimp i.e., salad shrimp
    • ½ pound imitation crab broken up into small pieces; or chopped
    • 4 whole green onions thinly sliced
    • 2 cloves garlic minced
    • ¼ cup white wine or chicken broth
    • 1 cup grated Monterey jack or Oaxaca
    Mornay Verde Cream Sauce
    • 4 tablespoons salted butter
    • 4 tablespoons Wondra or all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups half & half
    • ½ cup chicken broth up to 1 cup, as needed
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
    • ½ cup grated Monterey jack or Oaxaca
    • ½ cup salsa verde mild
    Garnish (optional)
    • ⅛ cup fresh cilantro chopped
    • ⅛ cup crumbled cotija cheese
    • ½ green onion thinly sliced

    Instructions

    Seafood Filling

    • Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium heat.
      Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté until they become soft and release their juices; about 4-5 minutes.
    • Add shrimp, imitation crab, green onions, garlic, and wine (or chicken broth). Cook for 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove skillet from heat.
    • Using a slotted spoon, remove the seafood mixture to a medium mixing bowl, leaving any remaining cooking liquid in the bottom of the skillet.
      Don't worry if there isn't any liquid left; but if there is, it will add some great flavor to the sauce.
      To the seafood mix in the mixing bowl, stir in 1 cup of grated Monterey Jack.
      Set the seafood mixture aside.

    Mornay Verde Cream Sauce

    • In the same skillet, add 4 tablespoons butter to any remaining cooking liquid, and heat over medium-low until it melts and begins to simmer.
      Reduce heat to low and sprinkle in ¼ cup flour, whisking constantly as you do. Whisk and cook the butter and flour together for 1-2 minutes.
    • Whisk in half & half and a half-cup of chicken broth all at once.
      Stir constantly until the sauce becomes thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
    • Remove sauce from heat. Add the Monterey Jack, plus the salt and pepper. Whisk constantly until the cheese melts completely.
      Once the cheese has completely melted, whisk in the salsa verde.
    • The sauce will be very thick at this point; about the consistency of very pourable nacho cheese. However, if it seems too thick, add a little more chicken broth or water to thin it out.

    Roll & Bake

    • Preheat oven to 350°F | 177°C.
    • Grease (or spray with non-stick cooking spray) a 11" x 7" glass baking dish.
    • To the seafood mixture, add 1 cup of the prepared sauce and mix to thoroughly incorporate.
      Roll a scant ½ cup of the seafood mixture into each tortilla, and place each roll into the baking dish.
    • Pour the remaining sauce over the prepared enchiladas.
      Use the back of a spoon to "frost" the top, making sure to completely cover all the edges and let it drip down into the cracks and creases.
      Mornay sauce is supposed to be very thick; however, if the sauce has thickened too much while you prep the enchiladas (i.e., if it becomes gloppy or too thick to pour), add an additional ¼ - ½ cup of chicken broth (or water) to the mixture to thin it out before pouring it on the enchiladas.
    • Bake enchilada casserole in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

    Notes

    How to Make Seafood Chimichangas

    If you would prefer to make chimichangas, it is super easy to do using this enchilada recipe. A chimichanga is basically a deep-fried burrito. You can deep fry if you want to, but oven / air-fryer prep is easier. 

    Use medium-large tortillas, and roll the filling inside the tortillas burrito-style.

    Oven Chimichangas

    Preheat oven to 350°F | 177°C. Heat some canola or olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the filled tortillas in hot oil for 3-4 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.

    Bake uncovered on a parchment-lined baking tray for 25 minutes. Serve topped with prepared Mornay verde cream sauce.

    Air-Fryer Chimichangas

    Brush each side of rolled tortilla with canola or olive oil. Place rolls in basket seam-side down. Do not crowd.

    Air fry at 400°F | 205°C for 4 minutes. Flip over and air fry until lightly browned; about 3-4 minutes more. Served topped with prepared Mornay verde cream sauce.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1enchilada | Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1003mg | Potassium: 300mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 784IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 288mg | Iron: 2mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    More Main Dish Recipes

    • Thanksgiving Roast Stuffed Pumpkin
    • Chicken Pillows
    • Easy Spaghetti Pie
    • Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Flipboard

    About Renée B.

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Adorable middle-aged couple in forest setting. (i.e., Me & Mr B)

    Join me & Mr B for the best in home cooking and cozy living - from the beautiful Pacific Northwest and beyond.

    More about us →

    Follow Us

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

    fresh recipes

    • Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries
    • Classic Hot Buttered Rum
    • Cinnamon Roll Wreath (Danish Pastry Ring)
    • Orange Tea Ring (Danish Wreath)
    • Team Colors 7 Layer Dip
    • Orange Spiced Cranberry Sauce

    game day eats

    • Team Colors 7 Layer Dip
    • Crispy Sauerkraut Fritters (Easy Air Fryer Recipe)
    • 20 Best Game Day Food Ideas
    • Sweet & Spicy Grilled Buffalo Wings
    • Cool Buffalo Blue Cheese Dip
    • Roasted Garlic Spinach Artichoke Dip

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Disclaimer
    • Privacy Policy
    • Cookie Statement
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Accessibility Statement

    Follow

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Instagram
    • Twitter

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Meet Me & Mr B

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 The Good Hearted Woman. All rights reserved.

    We Value Your Privacy
    To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}
    We Value Your Privacy
    We use cookies to make this website a better place. Cookies help to provide a more personalized experience and relevant advertising for you, and web analytics for us. To learn more about the different cookies we use, check out our Cookie Policy.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}
    We Value Your Privacy
    To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}
    We Value Your Privacy
    We use cookies to make this website a better place. Cookies help to provide a more personalized experience and relevant advertising for you, and web analytics for us. To learn more about the different cookies we use, check out our Cookie Policy.
    Functional Always active
    The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
    Preferences
    The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
    Statistics
    The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
    Marketing
    The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
    Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
    View preferences
    {title} {title} {title}