Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Sometimes I’m in the mood for an easy, cheesy family favorite casserole, and this chicken enchilada one is always on my radar! It can be made in advance, is perfect for leftovers and is also easily customizable. So, are you in?
This version calls for layered whole wheat tortillas with chicken, pinto beans, peppers, sweet corn and red enchilada sauce, but here are some suggestions on how to change things up to keep things interesting and meet your taste preferences:
- Try corn tortillas instead of whole wheat
- Try black beans or omit the beans if you’re not a bean fan
- Sub in lean ground turkey, chicken or beef instead of shredded chicken
- Use just beans and leave out the meat (I’d go for 3 cans total)
- Try different veggies or add more like more bell peppers, spinach or zucchini
- Use green enchilada sauce instead of red, or make your own!
- Try my homemade taco seasoning to reduce the amount of sodium in the recipe (the packets generally have A LOT of salt!)
- Alter the amount of jalapeno you add based on how spicy you like things
And it’s as easy as that! Make your filling, layer it with your choice of tortillas and cheese, bake it and finish it off with your favorite toppings! I like to use guacamole or avocado, lots of salsa and Greek yogurt as my toppings because they add heart-healthy fats, vitamins and minerals and even more protein. There are so many options, I just know you’ll love it!
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Prep Time: 10-15 mins
- Cook Time: 30-35 mins
- Total Time: 40-50 mins
- Yield: Serves 12 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-Style
Description
Easy chicken and bean enchilada casseroles layered with whole wheat tortillas, enchilada sauce and cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and diced
- 1 medium bell pepper, seeded and diced
- ½ medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 1 cup frozen sweet corn
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning*
- 2 (15-ounce) cans black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
- 4-ounce can diced green chilies
- 3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken (from about 1-pound boneless skinless)
- 2 (10-ounce) cans red enchilada sauce
- 8 whole wheat tortillas
- 1 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheeses
- Toppings: Guacamole or diced avocado, sliced green onion, salsa or plain Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet to medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and jalapeno and sauté 5-7 minutes or until soft. Stir in the frozen corn and taco seasoning and sauté an additional 1-2 minutes or until the corn is no longer frozen.
- Add the beans, green chilies, chicken and one can of the enchilada sauce and bring to a simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Line two of the tortillas in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Scoop a spoonful of the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas and spread into an even layer. Sprinkle with a few tablespoons of the cheese. Repeat 3 more layers, then finish the top layer with an even layer of the remaining can of enchilada sauce, the remaining chicken mixture and cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes or until cheese is golden and bubbly. Let sit 5-10 minutes, then slice into 12 squares and serve with desired toppings.
Notes
Cooking Tip: Use prepared rotisserie chicken.
Cooking Tip: Make your own taco seasoning with 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for heat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 of recipe
- Calories: 370
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 543mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 9g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 57mg
Keywords: enchiladas, enchilada casserole, taco seasoning