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!
I just wanted to say thank you for this great recipe! I have tweaked it after making it a few times: less tortilla layers, more chicken, and then I added a layer of brussel sprouts and a layer of zucchini. I love the sauce! I drizzle it on the chicken before covering it with zucchini and cheese, as well as layering it on the bottom and the top. Thanks again!
You’re so very welcome Peggy! We’re happy to hear you enjoyed these, and we think the brussels sprouts and zucchini sound like wonderful additions! :)
Hi Ali,
Thanks for your fantastic recipes, were off in May on another RVroad trip from L.A. to Rocky Mountains then back down into the USA again for 6wks and i will be using some of your recipes while on the road. Were a couple of crazy Aussies that love our road trips across your great country, meeting and hearing about the lives of the laid back friendly people in the out of way places, plus tasting the unique foods from every state we visit.
Cheers,
Vonny.
We just made this tonight and enjoyed it, however next time I will sauté the veggies together to soften them a little and make more of the enchilada sauce. I added some red onion, tomato, and olives on the top.
We’re glad to hear you enjoyed this Jenn! :)
This is a very VERY good recipe. I made the enchilada sauce as well. I did double the sauce recipe as I thought it needed it. It was delicious!
Thanks Dian, we’re so glad you enjoyed it! :)
I have been looking for a killer enchilada casserole for years. I do believe I finally found it. Can’t wait to make it! As a fellow Kansas Citianite (is that a word?!), I LOVE your blog. I don’t know how food bloggers do it. You make thousands of entrees, appetizers, sides, breads, desserts, and more, and then photograph everything. Then you write about it. Sheesh. It takes a lot of hard work and I admire all of you for your amazing talent and dedication.
Take care;)
Thanks Jana, we hope you love it! And thanks for your sweet words about the blog, we’re so happy you’re here! :)
Hi there! I have made this multiple times and ADORE this recipe! My mom is getting surgery this week, and I want to make this to bring over as an easy “pop in the oven” meal. Do you think it’s best to make in advance (maybe 24 hours or so), and pop in the oven and take over and THEN cook? Or cook…put in the oven and then re-heat at her house?
Would love your thoughts!! And again, huge fan of your recipes!
Hey Callie, we’re so happy you’re a fan of the recipe! :) And yes, you can definitely bake these ahead of time, let them cool completely, and refrigerate until you’re ready to reheat. You can reheat them in a 350 degree oven (covered with foil), for around 15 or 20 minutes or so (just check them, as they may need longer to heat all the way through again). Alternatively you could just assemble them, then refrigerate until you’re ready to bake (you would just need to bake them longer, since they’ll be chilled). We think either way would work fine – we hope your mom heals quickly and that she enjoys the enchiladas! :)
This was really good! I made the sauce, but I think I messed it up a bit. I used beef stock and burned it a little bit lol. I added a little bit of store bought sauce just to make the amount needed. Everyone love it. My 3 year old had THREE helpings!
We’re so happy you and your family enjoyed this recipe (despite the burnt sauce)! :D
Made this for dinner tonight. Cut a slice and topped with sour cream. So delicious!!
We’re so happy you liked it Gina, thanks for giving the recipe a try!
Do you think this could be frozen? Without the avo and cilantro?
Yes, definitely Esther! We hope you enjoy!
We have decided to have a Mexican Feast instead of the traditional Turkey Feat this year for Thanksgiving……because I too am so thankful for Mexican food!! I will be making this dish instead of enchiladas! I.Cannot. Wait!!
That sounds perfect and so fun Lorrie! WE hope you have a blast, and that you and your friends/family love these! :)