From the oven to the table, this hot, sauce-y, bubbly Chicken Enchilada Casserole loaded with chicken, black beans and melt-y cheese is easy, tasty and bakes in 25 minutes.
So, here's the deal. I must admit that I love the idea of meal prepping but in reality I'm inconsistent and that's okay. Certain weeks I have good intentions on planning ahead by spending a couple hours cutting this and roasting that but unfortunately it just doesn't always happen and that's when I turn to meals like this easy chicken enchilada casserole.
Luckily, I had some left over grilled chicken breast from the other day in my fridge and the other chicken enchilada casserole ingredients in my pantry.
If you do not have any leftover chicken, grab a rotisserie chicken from Costco, Sprouts, Albertsons, Ralphs or your favorite local grocery store and you're well on your way to making a delicious, easy, and stress-free weeknight dinner.
On the other hand, if you're making the chicken yourself. Season some boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs really well with a minimum of kosher salt and black pepper. I also love using a Cajun spice blend seasoning. Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil in a skillet and place over medium high heat and sear both sides of the chicken until no longer pink and the internal temperature has reach 165 degrees F.
Ingredient List
- Chicken (grilled, baked, or rotisserie)
- White Corn tortillas
- Red enchilada sauce (store bought or homemade)
- Black beans (store bought or homemade)
- Mozzarella cheese (or cheese blend)
- Cilantro for garnish (optional)
Essentials
- Cast iron skillet (or oven-safe baking dish)
- Can opener
- Knife or kitchen shears for cutting chicken breast into cubes
How to make chicken enchilada casserole
Chicken
If you have already prepared chicken, either shred it up or cut it into cubes as I did using chicken breast and set aside.
Enchilada Sauce
When using canned enchilada sauce from the grocery store, I always "doctor it up", so it tastes even better and less spicy.
I started doing this when my son was younger as he always complained about the sauce being too spicy. I can't remember where I read this Pro-tip, but it worked like a charm.
- Add 2 tbsp of cooking oil to a skillet and place of medium high heat
- Add 2 tbsp of flour to the skillet and cook for a few minutes
- Whisk in 1 cup of chicken broth and 1 large can of your favorite enchilada sauce
- Allow the enchilada sauce to simmer for about 5 minutes
Black Beans
Open a can of black beans and drain all the liquid reserving the black beans.
How to Assemble
- Place about ¼ cup of enchilada sauce to the bottom of the skillet or casserole dish
- Add a layer of tortillas and more enchilada sauce
- Add a layer of black beans and chicken
- Add a layer of shredded cheese
- Add a layer of tortillas
- Another layer of enchilada sauce
- Another layer of black beans and chicken
- Another layer of shredded cheese
- Add the 3rd layer of tortillas
- Another layer of enchilada sauce
- Top with more shredded cheese
- Place in a preheated 400 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the cheese is nice and bubbly
- Garnish with cilantro (optional) and enjoy
What to serve with enchiladas
This chicken enchilada casserole recipe is great on its own of course also feel free to top with a dollop of guacamole, sour cream, or spoon over fresh salsa or pico de gallo.
Serve alongside:
- A fresh green salad
- A Mexican salad
- Black beans
- Refried beans
Can you make ahead
You can absolutely make chicken enchilada casserole ahead. All you need to do is to make sure all the chicken, tortillas, cheese, and enchilada sauce or at least at room temperature.
Grab your skillet or baking dish and begin layering then wrap securely with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
The next day remove the casserole from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Remove the plastic wrap and place in a preheated 400 degree oven and bake until the cheese is nice and bubbly.
Tips
- My number 1 tip when it comes to baking casserole dishes like this is to grate the cheese yourself. It melts beautifully unlike pre-shredded cheese which has a preservative that prevents the cheese from clumping which also means that the cheese doesn't melt well.
- Store bought rotisserie chicken is definitely a time-saver or plan ahead and make a double batch of baked or grilled chicken.
- You can use either yellow or white corn tortillas. I've always preferred white corn over yellow corn.
- Do not use corn tortillas that are labeled 'thin' I find that these do not hold up very well against the enchilada sauce. In my opinion.
- No need to preheat the corn tortillas for this dish. You can use the tortillas straight from the package.
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Thanks for visiting,
~Cree
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Equipment
- Skillet, Casserole Dish, or other Oven Safe Dish
- Box grater for grating cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked chicken breast (cooked chicken thighs work well too, or rotisserie chicken)
- 16 white corn tortillas (or yellow although I prefer white corn)
- 4 cups mozzarella cheese (or other cheese blend - do not use pre-packaged shredded cheese)
- 14.5 oz canned black beans (my favorite brand is Gyro or use homemade black beans)
Red Enchilada Sauce
- 1-½ cups enchilada sauce
- 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp grape-seed oil (or other cooking oil)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Prep Ingredients
- Shred chicken or cut into cubes. Set aside.
- Using a box grater, grate cheese. Set aside.
- Drain black beans by discarding the liquid and reserving the beans. Set aside.
Prep Enchilada Sauce
- Add cooking oil to a skillet and place over medium high heat. Add flour and whisk for a few minutes. Whisk in chicken broth then whisk in enchilada sauce and let simmer for 5 minutes.
How to Assemble
- Place about ¼ cup of enchilada sauce to the bottom of the skillet or casserole dish
- Add a layer of tortillas and more enchilada sauce
- Add a layer of black beans and chicken
- Add a layer of shredded cheese
- Add a layer of tortillas
- Add another layer of enchilada sauce and REPEAT layering
- After 3rd layer of tortillas and another layer of enchilada sauce then top with more shredded cheese.
- Place in oven to bake for 25 minutes or until cheese is bubbling
- Garnish with cilantro (optional).
- Serve hot and enjoy
Notes
- My number 1 tip when it comes to baking casserole dishes like this is to grate the cheese yourself. It melts beautifully unlike pre-shredded cheese which has a preservative that prevents the cheese from clumping which also means that the cheese doesn't melt well.
- Store bought rotisserie chicken is definitely a time-saver or plan ahead and make a double batch of baked or grilled chicken.
- You can use either yellow or white corn tortillas. I've always preferred white corn over yellow corn.
- Do not use corn tortillas that are labeled 'thin' I find that these do not hold up very well against the enchilada sauce. In my opinion.
- No need to preheat the corn tortillas for this dish. You can use the tortillas straight from the package.
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