With this quick and easy recipe, you can have dinner on the table for the whole family in less than an hour! See more of my favorite Chicken Casserole Recipes here! Chicken Enchilada Casserole is the ultimate easy one-dish recipe when you’re craving chicken enchiladas. Our family is always up for Mexican dishes, and this is one of our favorites. You can customize this recipe by adding some heat or choosing your favorite toppings. It’s a great recipe for adding more veggies to meals for the kids! Casserole recipes are so great for making a filling meal on a busy weeknight or for prepping meals ahead of time. This easy chicken enchilada casserole also freezes well AND you can make it ahead of time, so it really ticks all my boxes! If you prefer them rolled traditionally, check out my Easy Chicken Enchiladas recipe! For other easy Mexican one-dish recipes check out my Taco Casserole, my Mexican Shepherd’s Pie, this super quick Dorito Taco Salad, and my Classic Three Bean Chili!
Ingredients Needed:
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Canned tomatoes: they will make the base of the red enchilada sauce, I use canned tomatoes with no added salt. Seasoning: garlic powder and onion powder add depth of flavor, while cumin, dried oregano, salt, and chipotle powder bring the Mexican flavors. You can use smoked paprika instead of chipotle powder if you have it on hand instead. Sugar: brown sugar will balance out the acidity of the tomatoes
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Oil: you’ll need some to lightly grease the casserole dish, and some to sauté the vegetables. You can use canola oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil. Yellow onion and green bell pepper: onion and bell peppers are staples in my Mexican cooking, feel free to use red onions or red bell peppers if you prefer. This is also a great place to bump up the veggies! Feel free to add in whatever you’ve got in the fridge. Chicken: I use boneless, skinless, chicken breasts here as they are the easiest to shred without having bones in the way – you can use leftover shredded chicken or turkey if you have it! Tortillas: flour or corn tortillas will work well, use whichever you prefer. Cheese: I use shredded Monterey Jack cheese, but you could also use a Mexican cheese mix or even mozzarella. Garnish: pico de gallo, salsa, sour cream, fresh cilantro, fresh parsley, chopped green onions, lime wedges, etc. for garnish as desired.
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole
This Chicken Enchilada Casserole is easy to make! Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
Tips and Notes
Use leftover meat. This recipe is great for leftover shredded chicken or turkey. Simply cook the sauce with the vegetables for a few minutes, then add the meat to heat through and continue with the recipe as normal. Check out some more shredded chicken recipes here. Make this casserole ahead of time. This recipe is so great for making ahead. You can make the casserole up until the baking point and store it in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Simply take it out of the fridge and have it at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking it as per the instructions below. Saving time. Use store bought red enchilada sauce, or pre-shredded cooked chicken if you prefer.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole Variations
Add more veggies. Casseroles are a great way to add more veggies to mealtimes. Add sweet corn, extra peppers, spinach, celery, or zucchini to make it even more filling and nutritious. Add protein. You can add protein to this casserole by adding black beans or red kidney beans. Use different flavored tomatoes. I use canned tomatoes with no added salt, but you could use tomatoes with green chiles, or tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro for an added citrus flavor. Add heat. Spice it up by adding in some diced jalapenos, chili powder, or hot sauce.
Serving Suggestions
While chicken enchilada casserole is quite filling, you can make it into a fuller meal or make it go further by adding some side dishes. Tortilla chips are always a great side to Mexican dishes. Serve your tortilla chips with my Homemade Salsa Recipe or even in this fresh Taco Dip! Bread is a great side dish for casseroles too. Try my Garlic Bread, Garlic & Herb Dinner Rolls, or these Homemade Breadsticks. Alternatively, you can make Loaded Enchilada Fries, by adding spoons of this casserole on top of my Air Fryer French Fries! If you love loaded fries, then try my Loaded Nacho Fries too!
More One-Pot Dinner Recipes To Try
Perfect Instant Pot Pot Roast Recipe (the BEST gravy!)
Slow Cooker Baked Ziti Recipe
Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs and Noodles
BEST Hamburger Helper Recipe
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