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Hands holding a dish of easy chicken enchilada casserole on a wooden dinner table.
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4.85 from 13 votes

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

With just 4 basic ingredients you can have a healthy and easy chicken enchilada casserole ready to go in the oven -- with only 10 minutes of prep time!
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Chicken Enchilada Casserole, chicken enchilada casserole recipe, easy chicken enchilada casserole, Healthy Chicken Enchiladas, layered chicken enchilada casserole
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 262kcal
Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (about 12 ounces) diced or shredded cooked chicken (such as the meat from a rotisserie chicken)
  • 1 ¾ cups enchilada sauce, divided
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese, divided
  • 8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
  • Optional garnish: 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, ¾ cup of the enchilada sauce, and about half of the cheese (½ cup).
  • 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 and drizzle with ¼ cup of enchilada sauce. Repeat layers one more time.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining ½ cup of cheese, and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes (until cheese melted and casserole is hot and bubbly).
  • Garnish with optional toppings and serve.

Notes

  • If you prefer to cook your own chicken at home, boil about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs 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 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 taco sauce or your favorite salsa.
  • 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 chopped green chilies to the filling. Use the base recipe and jazz it up with as many spices and "extras" as you like.
  • 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, just cheddar cheese, or use Colby or Pepper Jack.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the casserole | Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1158mg | Potassium: 207mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 900IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 2mg