Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Hands holding a white baking dish with sour cream chicken enchiladas casserole

Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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

Course Dinner

Cuisine Mexican, Tex-Mex

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

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 301kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

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.

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