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Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

Robyn Stone

Updated Jun 14, 2023

This easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole recipe is everything you love about enchiladas made into this crispy, cheesy, and delicious crowd-favorite casserole! On the table in 30 minutes and great to make ahead!

Cheese covered chicken and tortillas are topped with fresh cilantro and sour cream in this enchilada casserole // addapinch.com - 1

Scrumptious Tex-Mex classics like tacos and enchiladas are favorites in my family, and this flavorful Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a great twist on my delicious chicken enchiladas . Quick and easy, this casserole has layers of crispy tortillas, chicken, homemade enchilada sauce, cheese, and tasty toppings to create this dish that’s always a hit.

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole
What to serve with this recipe
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions
Other Quick and Easy Chicken Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole

White baking dish with chicken enchilada casserole topped with fresh cilantro and sour cream // addapinch.com - 2

Chicken Enchilada Casserole Ingredients

Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.

To make this easy, favorite recipe, you will need the following:

Olive oil or butter . Use a bit in a skillet to crisp the tortillas. You can omit it if you wish. You can also substitute the olive oil with butter or your favorite oil.
Tortillas – You can use soft flour or corn tortillas. I prefer to use medium size tortillas so that more surface of the casserole is covered. You can also cut larger tortillas so that they fit the casserole dish.
Chicken – Baked chicken , Instant Pot Chicken , or leftover rotisserie chicken, cooked and shredded. To meal prep, I like to have my Easy Shredded Chicken prepped in the refrigerator.
Stone House Seasoning
Enchilada Sauce – use my easy homemade blender enchilada sauce or store-bought.
Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt – Use your choice based on your personal preference.
Cheese – Use a blend of mild to medium cheddar (instead of sharp) and Monterey Jack cheese for a creamy, mild blend that melts well. I prefer to grate blocks of cheese myself.
Cilantro – This is optional, but chopped fresh cilantro on top of the casserole before serving is delicious. You can also use chopped green onions or fresh parsley for extra flavor.
Optional additional ingredients – beans (black beans or pinto beans), diced tomatoes, lettuce

Step-by-Step Instructions

Crispy flour tortillas on a baking sheet // addapinch.com - 3

Crisp the tortillas. You’ll begin by quickly crisping your tortillas in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Use the oil or butter of your choice to help the tortillas crisp even more fully. Once each tortilla is crisp, use tongs and transfer it to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Repeat until all of your tortillas are ready.

White baking dish layered with enchilada sauce, tortillas, chicken and sour cream // addapinch.com - 4

Begin layering ingredients. Pour 1/2 cup of your enchilada sauce into a 9×13 baking dish. Layer in two of your crispy tortillas, add a bit more enchilada sauce, then half of your chicken, and dollops of your sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Layered ingredients of chicken, tortillas, cheese and sour cream on top of enchilada sauce // addapinch.com - 5

Add cheese. Top with half of your cheese mixture.

Two grated cheeses top chicken, tortillas, enchilada sauce and sour cream // addapinch.com - 6

Continue layering. Repeat with a second layer, ending with the cheese mixture.

White dish with garnished chicken enchilada casserole // addapinch.com - 7

Bake. Then bake the casserole in the oven until the cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Top with cilantro, if desired.

Serve . Slice the casserole into portions and serve.

What to serve with this recipe

For a full meal, we love to serve this chicken enchilada casserole recipe with:

Cilantro Lime Rice
Guacamole
Restaurant-Style Salsa

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

To make ahead . Simply assemble the casserole as instructed without baking. Wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days until ready to bake. When ready to bake, remove the wrap and bake as instructed. Serve warm.

To store leftovers. Wrap the cooled casserole well or place it in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To freeze . Wrap the uncooked or cooled casserole well or store in an airtight container and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven until warm.

Other Quick and Easy Chicken Recipes

Here are a few other quick and easy chicken recipes that I think you’ll love.

Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Salad Recipe

White Chicken Chili

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Fajita Nachos

Closeup of melted cheeses, sour cream, tortillas and chicken garnished with cilantro. // addapinch.com - 8

You quickly crisp the tortillas for about 8-10 seconds on each side in a medium skillet set over medium heat using the oil or butter of your choice. This helps to keep the tortillas from absorbing moisture and adds delicious flavor and crisp texture to your enchilada casserole.

A blend of medium cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese are best. The combination gives the best flavor, and the use of medium cheddar cheese is preferred over sharp cheddar for a better melting cheese blend and a milder taste for your enchilada casserole.

Here’s my Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe. I hope you love it!

Ingredients

▢ olive oil
▢ 6 tortillas
▢ 4 chicken breasts , cooked and shredded
▢ 1 teaspoon Stone House Seasoning
▢ 2 cups enchilada sauce
▢ 1 cup sour cream
▢ 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
▢ 1 cup grated monterey jack cheese
▢ cilantro , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º F.
Drizzle olive oil into bottom of 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add a tortilla, one at a time, to the skillet. Cook until crisp on each side and place onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Set aside.
Mix together the shredded chicken and the Stone House Seasoning. Set aside.
Spread about 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Place 3 tortillas on top of the enchilada sauce, overlapping them slightly at the edges to make all 3 tortillas fit lengthwise. Ladle on additional enchilada sauce, about 1/2 cup. Layer on chicken mixture, making sure to spread mixture evenly over tortillas and enchilada sauce. Top with large dollops of sour cream. Sprinkle on a little of both cheeses.
Repeat layering with more tortillas, enchilada sauce, chicken, sour cream, and end with cheeses. Bake in oven until cheeses have melted, about 20 minutes. Topped with chopped cilantro (optional) and serve.

Notes

Additional Optional Ingredients

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions

Nutrition

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Enjoy! Robyn xo