Simple ingredients are layered together to create this substantial Mexican-inspired Chicken Enchilada Casserole.
I sometimes refer to this quick and easy casserole dish as “shortcut enchiladas” because that is precisely what it is. Instead of filling and rolling a pile of tortillas one-by-one, everything is layered together in a baking dish and baked casserole-style.
The list of ingredients is what you would expect – tortillas, chicken, enchilada sauce, and, of course, lots and lots of cheese!
To increase the convenience factor, I totally recommend you make use of a store-bought rotisserie chicken – the ultimate kitchen timesaver.
This is one substantial casserole which makes it a great choice for a potluck or for the gang that shows up to watch the next big game. But it’s also an excellent choice when you just need to feed the hungry folks in your house at dinner time. Any leftovers will reheat beautifully.
You need quite a bit of chicken so grab the meatiest bird you can find. The roti chickens at Costco are the most substantial and least expensive I’ve seen anywhere.
You can absolutely cook your own chicken if you prefer, but when you can pick up one of these Costco birds for less than the cost of the uncooked version, it’s hard to resist them.
Remove the skin and cut the chicken it into bite-size pieces. You’ll need about 3-1/2 to 4 cups of chicken for this recipe so use it all, both the breast and thigh meat.
The canned goods consist of black beans and mild red enchilada sauce. I love these Bush’s Seasoned Recipe Black Beans. Even after I lightly rinse and drain them, I feel they have a bit more flavor than the traditional variety. Use what you can find.
Pour about 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce into a deep 13″ x 9″ baking dish. You just need enough to lightly coat the bottom of the dish.
I’m using soft taco size (8″) flour tortillas that I’ve cut in half. Place them in the pan with the cut edges facing out to hit flush against the side of the pan. Place two more halves down the center to fill the void.
Then, add a drizzle of sauce and 1/3 of the chicken. Don’t go crazy adding sauce in the layers. You need to reserve the bulk of it to pour over the top of the casserole and it will slice and serve more neatly if the layers are not loaded with sauce.
Next, add 1/3 of the black beans, about 1 cup of shredded cheese and some sliced green onions. I used a blend of freshly shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack, my go-to Mexican food cheese blend.
Now, repeat those layers two more times. You can see here about how much sauce I’m putting between layers.
Place the remaining tortilla halves over the last chicken layer and then pour the remaining sauce over the top, fully saturating the tortillas. Cover the dish tightly with foil and place it in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until heated through.
Remove the foil, top the heated casserole with the shredded cheese and place it back in the oven, uncovered, for an additional 5 or 10 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Remove from the oven and get your toppings ready.
Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining green onion, a little cilantro, and sliced black olives. See how neatly it serves up?
Garnish individual servings with sour cream, if you’d like… I LIKE! You could go nuts here and add whatever you’d like – salsa, guacamole… you get the picture.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 28-ounce can mild red enchilada sauce
- 12 8" soft taco sized flour tortillas, halved
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 5 green onions, chopped
- 3-1/2 to 4 cups fully cooked, chopped chicken (I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
- 3 cups shredded cheddar/Monterey Jack blend
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 small can sliced black olives, drained
- sour cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Pour about 3/4 cup enchilada sauce in a 13" x 9" baking dish and spread it around until the bottom of the dish is coated. Place halved tortillas over sauce with straight cut edges hitting flush against the sides of the pan, then fill the center with two more tortilla halves (you will use 3 total tortillas, or 6 halves, per layer).
- Drizzle tortillas with about 1/4 cup enchilada sauce. You don't need to fully coat them, just a drizzle. Add 1/3 of the chicken, 1/3 of the black beans, 1/4 of the chopped green onions, and about 3/4 cup shredded cheese.
- Repeat with a second layer of tortillas, a drizzle of enchilada sauce, another 1/3 of the chicken, 1/3 of the beans, 1/4 of the green onions, and 3/4 cup cheese.
- Repeat one more time, ending with a fourth layer of tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce over the top of the final layer of tortillas, fully saturating them.Cover the dish with foil and place in the preheated oven. After 30 minutes, remove the foil and sprinkle the top of the casserole evenly with the remaining cheese. Bake, uncovered, for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese has melted.
- Remove from oven and garnish with cilantro, remaining green onions, and olives. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
- Garnish individual servings with a dollop of sour cream.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
This looks great! Could you use ground beef or turkey instead of chicken? Just thinking of what I already have at home 🙂
Made this last night. Used bone in skinless thighs that I pre-boiled and shreaded. I used a colby/jack mix and in my last layer added a can of chopped green chilis. Made it for my foodie 96 year old grandmother that i am staying with for a bit while she gets back on her feet from an accident. She asked for seconds and the recipie!!! This rarely happens and I cook for her often when I visit and every day right now! I would like to know calories per serving.
I made this yesterday, it is DELISH! I am always looking for recipes, one dish meals, as I do it on Sunday, then have it for lunch all week. I will make this again and again 🙂 i look forward to trying some of your other recipes ..
I’m so glad you liked it, Monica!
Hi!! Great recipe. Just got thru making the enchilada’s. The taste was spot on, I did make one change I used 6″ corn tortillas instead of 8″ flour(I like the flavor of the corn). They came out to me a little mushy(may I add no fault to You), is there any advice that You could give to help firm up the corn tortillas a little?
Just found Your site Great Place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tom
Hi Tom. That’s why I always choose to go with flour but I totally get it, I love the flavor of corn tortillas too. I think it might help to give them a light toasting in a skillet with a little vegetable oil before the layering to just slightly crisp them up first. That’s what I do when making enchiladas with corn tortillas so it seems it might work in this casserole dish. Thanks so much for your comment and welcome! 🙂
I bought chicken stir fry strips and cooked them in a wok with enchilada sauce, green chilies, seasoning salt and pepper. I also added green chilies to the casserole.
Sounds delicious, Alanna!
Can you make this up slightly ahead of baking or will it turn mushy? Like 2 hours?? Thank you!
I love the way that you cut the tortillas, it make so much sense.
Thanks, Margo. Every now and then I have a good idea 🙂
Valerie, this looks so tasty. I usually use corn tortillas in this type of layered casserole, but flour tortillas lend a softer, more lush texture. Great dish for an easy, satisfying dinner. 🙂
This is so my kind of convenience food! Do you ever make it with corn tortillas instead?
My kids always preferred enchiladas made with flour tortillas so that’s always how I made this casserole. I know many others do use corn tortillas in similar recipes so I think it’s worth a try! Thanks, Laura 🙂
That looks so good, I can almost smell it!
There’s just something so comforting and delicious as a big casserole of Mexican goodness! This looks, and I sure tastes, amazing!
I love easy casserole dishes that use ingredients you can find at the supermarket like rotisserie chicken. Thanks for sharing!