Best Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Jump to recipeBest Chicken Enchilada Casserole
I haven’t shared a recipe in ages, but after making the best chicken enchilada casserole EVER last night, I knew I had to break my recipe fast. This was so delicious, and my whole family loved it! If you’re a fan of savory, cheesy, spicy Mexican food, you MUST try this layered chicken enchilada recipe very soon.
I came up with this amazing casserole idea when I was searching for cheap dinner ideas on Pinterest. Several popular Mexican recipes came up under that search, and just looking at them got me craving those unmistakable flavors of enchiladas. I adore soft corn tortillas, and I can’t get enough chili powder or cumin in my diet. Mexican fare is by far my favorite! If you do try this chicken cheese enchilada casserole recipe, please come back and leave a comment letting me know what you think!
*This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you purchase using the links I provided. All opinions are my own.
Taco Chicken Recipe
The most important ingredient that makes this the best chicken enchilada casserole is the chicken, and I made my one and only Mexican chicken for tacos for this dish. Chicken tacos, burritos, or nachos are a huge staple in our dinner repertoire. I also love beef in my Mexican dishes, but we all love chicken, so 9 times out of ten, chicken it is! I am not a huge fan of the chicken at Mexican restaurants…it’s always sort of bland and watery to me. I’ve perfected this taco chicken recipe to suit our tastes, and I LOVE it done this way.
I know you can see that delicious chicken in there! This taco chicken recipe yields flavorful, tender shredded chicken that is perfect for this or any Mexican recipe. If you don’t want the extra step of making Mexican chicken for tacos for this casserole, then you can easily just use some shredded rotisserie chicken. Just mix it with salsa, corn and black beans before layering it into the casserole, and I’m sure it will be (almost) just as good!
Best Red Enchilada Sauce
You need a really good red enchilada sauce to make this recipe perfect. Again, I made my own, and it was super simple. When it comes to homemade enchilada sauce recipes, you won’t find one that’s easier or tastier than my blender enchilada sauce (<<—-click here for the printable recipe!). Definitely give it a try…you won’t be sorry!
If you want to save this step, just make sure you buy the best red enchilada sauce you can find! My recommendation is Las Palmas brand enchilada sauce…it has the most authentic flavor and it’s thicker and richer than a lot of brands. I can’t find it near where I live, which is why I usually make my own, but you can find Las Palmas enchilada sauce on Amazon.
A Simple Mexican Recipe Worth Making
Whether you take the extra steps to make this recipe easier or not, I know you’re going to love the flavor of the best chicken enchilada casserole! Cooking your own chicken and making your own sauce are worth it, but I understand that weeknight cooking doesn’t always allow for that. If it makes you feel any better, this dish definitely lasted my family of four for two nights! I don’t mind taking a few extra steps on something that I can cook once and eat twice, ya know?
Yep, that means tonight is “repeats” night! So to me, tonight, this is a very simple Mexican recipe. We are about to heat up this luscious chicken cheese enchilada casserole and my favorite yellow rice (also leftover), making for an easy night for me! I know the enchilada casserole will be even better tonight, now that it’s had time to sit and get all married and junk. I can’t WAIT! You don’t have to wait anymore either, because here’s the recipe!
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Taco Chicken, or 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken mixed with 1 cup of salsa
- 1 Can corn, drained
- 1 Can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 Cups shredded monterey jack cheese
- 1 Cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 12-14 Soft corn tortillas
- Good red enchilada sauce, or one recipe Blender Enchilada Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix the taco chicken, black beans and corn together.
- Lightly spray a 13” x 9” casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Spoon a small amount of Blender Enchilada sauce into the bottom of the dish and spread it around.
- Put down a layer of tortillas to cover the bottom.
- Cover that with half of the chicken mixture, then do another layer of tortillas.
- Cover the tortillas with Blender enchilada sauce, then half the cheese.
- Repeat layers, finishing with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes; allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Garnish with sour cream, avocado, fresh cilantro, or whatever floats your boat!
ENJOY!
X,O,X,O Martie
May 25, 2017 @ 1:11 pm
It has never once occurred to me to make my own enchilada sauce. What is wrong with me?
May 25, 2017 @ 5:43 pm
Well, now ya know! 😃