Description
This Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a flavorful, layered Mexican-inspired dish featuring shredded chicken, black beans, green chiles, cheese, and a homemade enchilada sauce. It’s perfect for a comforting dinner, baked to cheesy perfection and served with fresh toppings like cilantro, avocado, and sour cream.
Ingredients
Scale
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
Casserole
- 1-2 tablespoons avocado oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 20 ounces red enchilada sauce
- 3 cups shredded chicken, cooked and seasoned
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles, undrained
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 8 (6-inch) flour or corn tortillas
- 3 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (e.g., Cheddar, Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack)
For Serving
- Sour cream
- Tortilla chips
- Garnishes: cilantro, diced tomatoes, avocados, jalapenos, red onions
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350° F to prepare for baking the casserole.
- Prepare Seasonings and Ingredients: Combine onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, dried oregano, and chili powder in a small bowl and set aside. Measure out all other ingredients to have them ready. If your chicken is not already seasoned, add salt and pepper to taste.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Mix Filling: Reduce heat to medium-low and add shredded chicken along with the combined seasonings. Toss to coat evenly. Stir in black beans, diced green chiles, lime juice, hot sauce, honey, and chopped cilantro. Heat mixture through for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
- Prepare Casserole Base: Spread ¼ cup of enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish to create a thin layer.
- Arrange Tortillas: Cut each tortilla in half. Line the casserole dish walls with 6 tortilla halves, flat edges aligned with the dish sides, and place 2 halves in the middle, forming a base layer.
- Add Filling and Cheese: Spread half of the chicken filling over the tortillas in the casserole dish. Drizzle 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the filling, then sprinkle 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese on top.
- Repeat Layers: Repeat the layering process with the remaining tortillas, the rest of the chicken filling, another 1 cup of enchilada sauce, and the remaining cheese.
- Bake Covered: Cover the casserole dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and cheese to melt.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the foil and bake uncovered for an additional 15 minutes until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish the casserole with extra chopped cilantro and other desired toppings like diced tomatoes, avocado slices, jalapenos, and red onions. Serve with sour cream and tortilla chips to scoop up the flavorful filling.
Notes
- To make shredded chicken, simmer 2 chicken breasts at a gentle bubble for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Let rest 5-10 minutes, then shred with forks.
- Use homemade enchilada sauce for best flavor, but store-bought works as well.
- Shredding your own cheese from blocks (such as Pepper Jack and Cheddar) improves melting and texture compared to pre-shredded cheese.
- Additional toppings such as corn, guacamole, salsa, refried beans, green onions, bell peppers, and lime wedges can enhance the casserole experience.
- You can add up to ¼ cup heavy cream or half and half to the enchilada sauce for a creamier texture.
- Prepare the filling and shred cheese ahead of time for easy assembly later. Store components separately and assemble before baking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
