This stacked Chicken Enchilada Casserole recipe is easy to make, and it will be on your table in 50 minutes! It’s some serious comfort food that your entire family will love.
The Chicken Enchilada Casserole costs about $9.76 to make and serves 8 people. That is just $1.22 per serving. Serve it alongside this Easy Mexican Rice and Restaurant Style Refried Beans for a complete meal where you feel like you are eating out!
Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe
Everyone loves enchiladas, but we do not always have the time to roll them up individually. This recipe gives you everything you love about enchiladas with half the prep-time.
This Chicken Enchilada Casserole is layered in cheesy, spicy, tortilla goodness instead of rolled. You get the classic enchilada taste and the comfort and ease of a casserole all in one.
In fact, this Chicken Enchilada Casserole is so easy you can use your extra time to whip up some Horchata to go with it!
RELATED: Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas | Beef Enchiladas
What are the best tortillas to use for enchiladas?
Traditionally, enchiladas are made with corn tortillas. However, you can definitely use flour instead. Whichever is your preference will work just fine. For this recipe, I prefer to use flour tortillas.
What kind of cheese do Mexican restaurants use in enchiladas?
A Mexican cheese blend is the type of cheese most often used in restaurants. It melts well and goes perfectly with the other flavors in the dish. This is the type of cheese I use in this recipe as well.
What is the best-canned enchilada sauce?
Both Rosarita Mild Enchilada Sauce and Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce get high marks from consumers. I personally enjoy the taste of Rosarita the best. If you want to make it from scratch, I have a great Homemade Enchilada Sauce recipe.
How to make Chicken Enchilada Casserole:
STEPS ONE AND TWO: First, preheat the oven and then prepare a baking dish with cooking spray. Set the dish aside.Next, using a large bowl, stir together the enchilada sauce and the salsa. Set aside one cup of the sauce mixture to use later. Evenly spread ½ cup of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
STEPS THREE AND FOUR: Then stir the beans, corn, and chicken into the large bowl of enchilada sauce. Layer tortillas on top of the enchilada sauce in the pan.
STEPS FIVE AND SIX: Layer the meat mixture, cheese, and tortillas. Top with cheese after the layering is complete. Finally, bake for twenty minutes with foil on. Bake for another five to ten minutes after removing the foil. Let sit for five minutes before serving.
How much will this recipe cost to make:
RECIPE COST: $9.76
PER SERVING COST: $1.22
NOTE: The recipe prices are calculated by using grocery store websites. The actual cost of the recipe will vary depending on what ingredients you already have.
- 3 cups shredded chicken – $1.18
- 1 can red enchilada sauce – $2.78
- 1 cup salsa – $0.38
- 12 corn tortillas – $0.72
- 1 can black beans – $0.86
- 1 can pinto beans – $1.00
- 3 cups Mexican cheese blend – $1.86
- 1 can corn – $0.98
More Mexican recipes:
- Picadillo Tacos
- Carne Asada Street Tacos
- One-Pot Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Cheesy Green Chile Cornbread
- Best Guacamole Recipe
- Slow Cooker Salsa
- Stovetop Chicken Fajitas
- Crock Pot Green Chile Pinto Beans
- Mexican Spinach Dip
- Queso Blanco Dip
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- mixing bowl
- wooden spoon
- cutting board
- chef's knife
- strainer
Ingredients
- 19 ounces red enchilada sauce mild or hot
- 1 cup chunky salsa mild or hot
- 15 ozs canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ozs pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 12 (6 inches) corn tortillas cut in half
- 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
- Tomatoes
- Green onions
- Olives
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Cilantro
Instructions
PREP OVEN AND PAN:
- Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly spray a 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
PREP FILLING:
- In a large bowl, stir together enchilada sauce and salsa. Reserve 1 cup of the sauce mixture.
- Evenly spread 1⁄2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Stir black beans, pinto beans, chicken, and corn into the sauce mixture.
ASSEMBLE ENCHILADAS:
- Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a layer of cut tortillas.
- Cover with one-third of the chicken mixture.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese over the chicken mixture.
- Repeat with another layer of tortillas, chicken mixture, and then 1 cup of shredded cheese.
- Add the remaining tortillas and the reserved 1 cup sauce mixture, and then more cheese.
- Lightly spray a piece of foil to prevent the cheese from sticking, and cover the baking dish.
BAKE:
- Bake covered for 20 minutes. Then, uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- Remove from casserole from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes before serving.
SERVE:
- Serve with your favorite toppings.
Notes
- Ground beef can also be used instead of chicken. Brown ground beef on the stove until no pink remains and use it in the recipe.
- Feel free to use any variety of beans that you would like.
Nutrition
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One of our favorite dinners to make! Super easy to put together and so flavorful!
Same, I love how easy these are!
We love enchiladas. And LOVED your chicken version. So flavorful and perfectly seasoned.
So easy and delicious! Hoping it freezes well for work-lunch portions!
I rendered the skin in the chicken thighs until crispy chopped it up and sprinkled on top of casserole for added texture. Yummy
Sounds delicious!