Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Sour Cream

This cheesy chicken enchilada casserole is an easy dinner with just 10 minutes of prep! You’ll love the layers of corn tortillas, tender rotisserie chicken, shredded Mexican cheese, and zesty green chiles in a sour cream and green enchilada sauce. It’s a simple meal that’s bursting with Tex-Mex flavor! Garnish the casserole with your favorite fresh toppings, and serve it alongside tortilla chips, salsa, homemade guacamole, or a bowl of corn and black bean salad.

Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole

When you’re craving a pan of creamy chicken enchiladas, but you’re not particularly interested in rolling, stuffing, and laboring in the kitchen, then this quick, shortcut dish is just the solution. You get all of the flavor of your favorite chicken enchiladas in a creamy green chile sauce — minus the work! Skip a trip to the local Mexican restaurant, cozy up in your jammies at home, and feast on this easy fiesta.

What is an Enchilada?

A traditional enchilada is a corn tortilla that’s rolled around a filling of meat, potatoes, beans, vegetables, or cheese, and covered with a savory sauce. Enchiladas originated in Mexico and are popular throughout the southwestern United States. You can find my favorite sour cream chicken enchilada recipe here, but today we’re making a twist on the classic dish by turning chicken enchiladas into a cheesy layered Mexican casserole!

Ingredients for a Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for an easy chicken enchilada casserole. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Chicken: the base of the casserole filling. You’ll need cooked, shredded or diced meat, so a store-bought rotisserie chicken comes in really handy! If you prefer to cook your own chicken at home for this dish, see my notes below.
• Green enchilada sauce: we’re using a green chile enchilada sauce here, but you can also use red enchilada sauce. This version is flavorful, but mild — perfect for serving to a family or to picky little ones.
• Chopped green chiles: another way to add great flavor to the filling.
• Sour cream: use full-fat sour cream at room temperature for the best flavor and creamy texture.
• Grated cheese: I like a Mexican blend that includes Monterey Jack, cheddar cheese, asadero, and queso cheeses, but plain grated cheddar also works.
• Corn tortillas: a key component to every enchilada recipe, these form the layers in the casserole.

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole

You only need about 10 minutes to assemble this creamy chicken enchilada casserole, and then the oven does the work!

1. Spread ¼ cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a greased 2-quart baking dish. Set aside.
2. Stir together shredded chicken, chopped green chiles, ½ cup of the enchilada sauce, all of the sour cream, and ½ cup of the cheese.
3. Place tortillas in the bottom of the prepared dish, tearing or overlapping them as necessary to cover the bottom.
4. Top with half of the chicken mixture. Repeat layers one more time.
5. Drizzle with enchilada sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
6. Cover with foil and bake in a 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes.
7. Remove the cover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes (until the cheese melts and the casserole is hot and bubbly).

What to Serve with Chicken Enchilada Casserole?

This easy casserole goes well with any of these sides:

• Refried Beans or Ranch-Style Beans
• Black Bean and Corn Salad
• Tortilla chips with salsa, guacamole, or queso
• Easy Pico de Gallo
• Rice
• Simple green salad
• Broccoli and Cheese

Add Toppings!

While my kids like it straight out of the oven, I prefer to pile my plate high with plenty of extra toppings. Serve the chicken casserole with any of these:

• Avocado or guacamole;
• Salsa or pico de gallo;
• Sour cream (or Greek yogurt);
• Green onion, chives, or fresh cilantro;
• Jalapeno peppers;
• Sliced black olives;
• Sliced radishes;
• Chopped fresh tomatoes;
• Lime wedges;
• Quick pickled red onions or minced red onion.

Make Ahead

Take advantage of shortcuts by using store-bought rotisserie chicken meat that you pull or chop in advance, or leftover grilled or roasted chicken from a previous meal.

Place the prepared chicken in an airtight storage container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. With the chicken already cooked and chopped, it’s really just a matter of layering your ingredients in your prepared dish and popping it in the oven. So simple!!!

You can also assemble the enchilada casserole in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Allow the dish to come to room temperature before baking.

Storage

Leftover enchilada casserole will stay fresh in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

How to Reheat

Refrigerated leftovers can be reheated in the microwave on high power for 1-2 minutes (or until the individual serving reaches the desired temperature). To reheat a larger casserole in the oven, cover loosely with foil and warm in a 350°F oven until heated through (about 20 minutes).

How to Freeze

Assemble the casserole as instructed, cover tightly with foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw the dish in the refrigerator overnight and allow to come to room temperature on the counter before it goes in the oven.

Recipe Variations

• The enchilada sauce gives this dish great flavor, but you can easily substitute with an equal amount of red or green salsa (“salsa verde”).
• For even more flavor, add spices like smoky ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, or minced fresh garlic to the chicken mixture.
• Swap out the chicken and use 2 cups of pulled pork, 1 lb. of cooked ground beef, or 1 lb. of cooked ground turkey instead.
• Add a can of corn (drained), black beans (drained and rinsed), diced onion, or green bell pepper to the filling. Use the base recipe and jazz it up with as many spices and “extras” as you like. If using firm fresh vegetables, such as bell peppers or onions, you’ll want to sauté the veggies in a large skillet before adding them to the filling.
• Corn tortillas are more authentic for enchiladas, but you can substitute with flour tortillas if you prefer.
• Use different types of cheese. Try just monterey jack cheese, just cheddar cheese, or use Colby or Pepper Jack.

Tips for the Best Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

• If you prefer to cook your own chicken at home, boil about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs (if you like the dark meat) until cooked through, about 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, chop or pull the chicken. You’ll need a total of about 2 cups shredded. I find that 1 lb. of chicken breasts yields about 2 cups of pulled chicken, but there’s some flexibility here — it doesn’t need to be exact.
• To serve a larger family, double all of the ingredients and bake the casserole in a 9 x 13-inch dish.
• The corn tortillas will soften as they combine with the chicken and sauce. That’s normal! The longer the dish sits, the softer the tortillas will be. If you like them a bit more firm, assemble the casserole just before baking.
• Make it a healthy chicken enchilada casserole! The corn tortillas are made with whole grains, the chicken is a lean protein, and you can use reduced-fat cheese and sour cream if that’s your preference. Pile on plenty of veggies, too! Good options include shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, onions, tomatoes, avocado, and salsa.

More Enchilada Recipes to Try

• Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole {Just 4 Ingredients}
• Easy Chicken Enchiladas
• Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Easy Beef Enchilada Casserole
• Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
• Easy Beef Enchiladas

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 25 minutes minutes

Total: 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 301 kcal

This cheesy and creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole is an easy dinner recipe that the whole family will love!

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups (about 12 ounces) diced or shredded cooked chicken (such as the meat from a rotisserie chicken)
• 1 cup green enchilada sauce, divided
• 1 (4.5 ounce) can chopped green chiles
• ½ cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
• 8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• Optional garnish: sliced radishes, sour cream, sliced green onion or red onion, diced tomatoes, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, sliced olives, diced avocado or guacamole

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• Spread ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce in a thin layer in the bottom of the dish.
• In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, chopped green chiles, ½ cup of the enchilada sauce, all of the sour cream, and about half of the cheese (½ cup). Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Place 4 of the tortillas in the bottom of the prepared dish, tearing or overlapping them as necessary to cover the bottom.
• Top with half of the chicken mixture. Repeat with another layer of tortillas, and then another layer of the remaining chicken mixture.
• Drizzle with remaining ¼ cup enchilada sauce; sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of cheese. Cover with foil.
• Bake until heated through, about 20-25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5-10 more minutes, until cheese is nicely melted on top. Garnish with optional toppings.

Notes

• If you prefer to cook your own chicken at home, boil about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs (if you like the dark meat) until cooked through, about 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, chop or pull the chicken. You’ll need a total of about 2 cups shredded. I find that 1 lb. of chicken breasts yields about 2 cups of pulled chicken, but there’s some flexibility here — it doesn’t need to be exact.
• To serve a larger family, double all of the ingredients and bake the casserole in a 9 x 13-inch dish.
• The corn tortillas will soften as they combine with the chicken and sauce. That’s normal! The longer the dish sits, the softer the tortillas will be. If you like them a bit more firm, assemble the casserole just before baking.
• Make it a healthy chicken enchilada casserole! The corn tortillas are made with whole grains, the chicken is a lean protein, and you can use reduced-fat cheese and sour cream if that’s your preference. Pile on plenty of veggies, too! Good options include shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, onions, tomatoes, avocado, and salsa.
• The enchilada sauce gives this dish great flavor, but you can easily substitute with an equal amount of red or green salsa (“salsa verde”).
• For even more flavor, add spices like smoky ground cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, or minced fresh garlic to the chicken mixture.
• Swap out the chicken and use 2 cups of pulled pork, 1 lb. of cooked ground beef, or 1 lb. of cooked ground turkey instead.
• Add a can of corn (drained), black beans (drained and rinsed), diced onion, or green bell pepper to the filling. Use the base recipe and jazz it up with as many spices and “extras” as you like. If using firm fresh vegetables, such as bell peppers or onions, you’ll want to sauté the veggies in a large skillet before adding them to the filling.
• Corn tortillas are more authentic for enchiladas, but you can substitute with flour tortillas if you prefer.
• Use different types of cheese. Try just monterey jack cheese, just cheddar cheese, or use Colby or Pepper Jack.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the casseroleCalories: 301kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 30gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 103mgSodium: 752mgPotassium: 243mgFiber: 1gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 779IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 226mgIron: 1mg

Keyword: Chicken Enchilada Casserole, chicken enchiladas casserole, creamy chicken enchilada casserole, green chicken enchilada casserole

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex

Author: Blair Lonergan

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This recipe was originally published in December, 2019. It was updated in May, 2022.