Description
This Chicken Enchilada Casserole is an easy, cheesy, and flavorful Mexican-inspired comfort food made with layers of shredded chicken, black beans, enchilada sauce, tortillas, and melted cheese. It delivers all the classic enchilada flavor without the hassle of rolling each one, making it a perfect weeknight dinner or crowd-pleasing meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, undrained
- 20 oz red enchilada sauce
- 8 (6-inch) flour or corn tortillas, halved
- 3 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (Pepper Jack and Cheddar)
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- ½ teaspoon each: onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, dried oregano, chili powder
- 1–2 tablespoons avocado oil (or olive oil)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Optional toppings: sour cream, diced tomatoes, avocado, jalapeños, red onions, tortilla chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Combine all seasonings in a small bowl and set aside.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for another minute.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add shredded chicken, seasonings, black beans, green chiles, lime juice, hot sauce, honey, and chopped cilantro. Stir to combine and heat through for 2 minutes.
- Spread a thin layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Arrange halved tortillas to cover the bottom.
- Top with half the chicken mixture, drizzle 1 cup of enchilada sauce over it, and sprinkle 1½ cups of cheese.
- Repeat the layers with the remaining tortillas, chicken mixture, enchilada sauce, and cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Garnish with cilantro, avocado, tomatoes, jalapeños, or other desired toppings. Serve warm with sour cream and tortilla chips.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for quick preparation.
- Freshly shredded cheese melts creamier than pre-shredded varieties.
- Add ¼ cup of heavy cream to the enchilada sauce for a richer texture.
- To make ahead, assemble the casserole a day in advance and refrigerate until baking.
- Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican, American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 421
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 1529mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 6g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Keywords: Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Mexican chicken casserole, enchilada bake, cheesy chicken recipe, easy weeknight dinner, Tex-Mex comfort food