This Chicken Enchilada Casserole recipe is everything you love about chicken enchiladas…stacked into delicious layers instead of rolled up. Easy to customize and always so delicious!
Friends, have you tried my favorite chicken enchilada casserole recipe yet?
I first shared it on the blog about four years ago, as a stackable casserole riff on my favorite chicken enchilada recipe. And in the years since, it has continued to be a regular in my rotation, as well as a total fave with family and friends. It’s made with my favorite easy homemade enchilada sauce, which automatically bumps any enchilada recipe up a mega notch. It’s easy to customize with any of your favorite enchilada fillings. It makes a big batch, making this the perfect casserole to make for a party, or taking to a friend in need, or just having extras for leftovers. It’s made with corn tortillas and is naturally gluten-free. And it is downright delicious.
I’ve tweaked and updated the recipe a tad on my own over the years. So today, I thought I would bump this chicken enchilada bake back to the top of the blog and give it a quick refresh with some new photos and recipe tweaks. Because in case you’ve never tried it…it’s time. :)
Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe | 1-Minute Video
My Favorite Homemade Enchilada Sauce Recipe:
Alright, before we get to the full ingredient list, a quick word about the homemade enchilada sauce included in the recipe. In my opinion, it’s simply the best. It’s irresistibly delicious, and made in the New Mexican tradition (without tomatoes, which I love). It calls for a simply ingredient list that you likely already have in your pantry. And it’s absolutely worth the extra 5 minutes of prep time (plus 20 or so minutes simmering on the stove, which you can multitask) that it requires to make. Thousands of readers have made it and agree — it’s a total keeper!
That said, if you’re absolutely in a hurry, you can sub in some store-bought green or red enchilada sauce instead. But I’d urge you to go homemade if you can. The sauce is the main seasoning in this recipe, and makes all the difference.
Here’s my full post about how to make enchilada sauce. (*Also, be sure to note that this casserole requires a double batch of this sauce!)
Chicken Enchilada Casserole Ingredients:
As I mentioned above, the ingredient list for this recipe is super-flexible, so feel free to add in any of your favorite fillings for chicken enchiladas. I like to use:
- Cooked chicken: Either from my recipe for baked chicken breasts, or I often just shred a rotisserie chicken.
- Veggies: The recipe below uses a quick blend of onion, red bell pepper, diced green chiles and corn. But feel free to add any other favorite veggies to the sauté.
- Beans: Two cans of your faves. I like to use one can of black beans, one can of pinto.
- Enchilada sauce: Homemade or store-bought.
- Corn tortillas: We’ll cut them in half, in order to help them layer a bit more evenly.
- Shredded cheese: Any kind of Mexican blend, Monterrey Jack or Pepperjack will do.
- Toppings: Chopped fresh cilantro, diced red onion, thinly-sliced green onion, diced avocado, sour cream, extra cheese…whatever sounds good to you.
How To Make Stacked Chicken Enchiladas:
To make this chicken enchilada casserole, simply:
- Cook your filling: Sauté the onion and bell pepper until soft. Then stir in the green chiles, beans, corn, chicken and enchilada sauce until combined. This will be your main filling.
- Stack your layers: In this order: enchilada sauce, tortillas, chicken filling, cheese, tortillas, chicken filling, cheese, tortillas, chicken, enchilada sauce and cheese.
- Bake: Covered for 20 minutes, then uncovered for another 10 until the cheese is melted.
- Garnish: Sprinkle on any of your desired toppings. (I vote the more, the merrier for sure.)
- Serve warm: Or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (The leftovers are fantastic!)
Possible Variations:
Looking to mix things up? Feel free to:
- use a different protein: cooked beef, pork, or shrimp would all be delicious in this recipe (or you could nix the meat entirely)
- add more veggies: as mentioned above, extra veggies/greens would be delicious in this recipe, either sautéed or roasted
- nix the cheese: I’ve made this recipe dairy-free multiple times in the past, and didn’t even miss the cheese with all of the other great flavors/textures happening here
Mexican Side Dish and Drink Ideas:
Let’s make this a meal! Some classic Mexican recipes to go with this chicken enchilada bake could include:
Or as always, feel free to check out our Mexican recipe archives here on the blog for more inspiration.
Love Enchiladas? Check Out These Recipes Too!
- The Best Chicken Enchiladas EVER
- BBQ Chicken Enchiladas
- Ancho Chicken Enchiladas
- Beef Enchiladas
- Turkey Enchiladas
- Crab and Avocado Enchiladas
- Breakfast Enchiladas
- Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas
- Vegan Enchiladas
- Easy Enchilada Cups
- Chicken Enchilada Nachos
Enjoy, everyone!
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
- 1 large red bell pepper, cored and diced
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
- 2 (15 ounce) cans beans, rinsed and drained (I used one can pinto, one can black beans)
- 1 (8 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
- 3 cups (about 1.5 pounds) shredded or diced cooked chicken
- 3 cups red enchilada sauce, homemade or store-bought, divided
- 12 corn tortillas, halved
- 3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack or Mexican blend cheese
- toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, diced red onion, thinly-sliced green onion and/or diced avocado
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F. Mist a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
- Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté for 6-7 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the diced green chiles, beans, corn, chicken and 2 cups enchilada sauce, and stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Pour about 1/2 cup of the remaining enchilada sauce in the baking dish, and spread until the bottom of the dish is evenly coated. Top with a layer of about 8 tortilla halves, so that the entire dish is covered. Top evenly with 1/3 of the chicken mixture, followed by 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, chicken mixture, and cheese. Followed by a final layer of tortillas, chicken mixture, the remaining 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce, and cheese.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil, then bake for 20 minutes.
- Remove pan and remove aluminum foil. Uncover and bake for 10 more minutes, until the cheese is thoroughly melted.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm, garnished with your desired toppings.
Notes
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
My husband and I really like this recipe! The two of us have worked through most of the 9×13 pan in about three days (dinner once and a few lunches). I made it slightly different than posted because I was trying to use up what I had in my fridge. This recipe is so versatile and I love that I can change things up to suit our tastes.
I made a double batch of your enchilada sauce (but used only half the chili powder to keep the heat down). I used chicken fat in place of the oil and homemade chicken stock + water for the broth. I also added a bit of diced yellow onion (needed to use it up!). For the stack, I made only two layers, since three would have been overflowing in my 9×13! I used a mix of black beans and pintos instead of just black, along with the corn, chicken, cheese and green onions. I also added some leftover rice that had been made with turkey stock instead of water. Yum! I had a bunch of chicken and beans leftover since I only did 2/3 layers. This was good plain AND topped with avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, etc. We’ll make this often. Thanks!
Thanks Jenna, we’re so happy this was a hit with you and your husband! And thank you for sharing your take on it, it sounds wonderful! :)
this has been my favourite dish to make since finding it on Pinterest. I’ve made it for many friends and it’s always gone! I also use the receipt for homemade enchilada sauce. That is so yummy too!
Thanks Karley, we’re so happy you and your friends like it! :)
I made this dish last night with the enchilada sauce. It was simply AMAZING!! I just raced home from running errands to eat the last of the leftovers but sadly just missed them as my husband ate them minutes before I pulled in the driveway. Bummer!! I’ll be making more of your recipes. Yum!
Thanks Jenn, that’s so great to hear! : ) We’re very happy you and your husband enjoyed them (but sorry he didn’t leave you any leftovers!)
2 things to say about this. 1). MAKE the homemade red enchilada sauce. It was so easy and so savory & delicious! And make a double batch if you’re making it for these stacked enchiladas. I used 3T of the chili powder & the heat was just right. 2). Loved this recipe, husband LOVED it and I bet it’s even better tomorrow! Wouldn’t be the same without the black beans or the corn. Delicious!!
Thank you Laurie, we really appreciate that, and are so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks also for sharing your tips. :)
Wow! We have had challenges going gluten free since our daughter was diagnosed with Celiac’s at the age of 18. This recipe is awesome and super easy! My family loves Mexican food and it seems so time consuming and expensive to make. I’m not a huge fan but am fast becoming one with this recipe! We ate leftover’s for the first time in years! Thank you so much for making me a beliver & hero!
That’s wonderful to hear, Kim, we’re so glad this recipe is a hit with your family, and especially with your daughter!
The trick to using corn tortillas in enchiladas is to flash fry them in oil for 10 or 15 seconds, dunk in enchilada sauce, and then stuff and roll.
Awesome, we appreciate you sharing!
This is in the oven now and I can’t wait to eat it!!
We hope you liked it, Allison! : )
Easy Chix Enchiladas
These received the highest praise from my 16-year-old son: the best enchiladas you’ve ever made! Thanks for a winner.
Thank you, Maryellen, that is indeed high praise! : )
I have a question. I made this in 2 smaller pans so I can freeze it. Do I freeze the 2nd pan b4 or after I bake it?
Hi Regina! I would assemble them without the sauce and cheese, then cover them tightly with foil, and put in the freezer. When you’re ready to bake them, remove the foil, top with the sauce and cheese, re-cover with the foil, and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. Then remove the foil and bake for about 15-20 minutes until bubbling and golden brown (with the cheese melted completely). I hope this helps!