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freshly baked 4 ingredient chicken enchilada casserole in a white casserole dish.
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4.50 from 1141 votes

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Layered like a lasagna, this extra cheesy, spicy, super tasty 4-ingredient Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a cinch to make! It’s a popular Mexican dish that makes a fantastic weeknight make-ahead meal that you can just pop in the oven!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicken enchilada casserole, enchilada, enchilada casserole
Servings: 4
Calories: 623kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut each chicken breast in about 3 pieces, so that it cooks faster and put it in a small pot. Pour enchilada sauce over it and cook covered on low to medium heat until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. No water is needed, the chicken will cook in the Enchilada sauce. Make sure you stir occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.
    process shots showing how to make chicken enchilada casserole.
  • Remove chicken from the pot and shred with two forks.
    process shots showing how to make chicken enchilada casserole.
  • Preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Start layering the casserole. Start with about ¼ cup of the leftover enchilada sauce over the bottom of a 8x8-inch square baking dish. Place 2 tortillas on the bottom, cutting them in half if needed to fit. Top with ⅓ of the chicken and ⅓ from the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese and repeat starting with 2 more tortillas, then chicken, sauce, cheese. Repeat with last layer with the remaining ingredients, tortillas, chicken, sauce and cheese. You should end of with 3 layers of each ingredient.
    process shots showing how to make chicken enchilada casserole.
  • Transfer the casserole dish to the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes uncovered, until bubbly and cheese has melted and started to brown on top.
    process shots showing how to make chicken enchilada casserole.
  • Garnish with some chopped green onions or cilantro if preferred and serve warm.

Video

Notes

  1. Make your own enchilada sauce using my recipe.
  2. I've made this casserole with both flour tortillas and corn tortillas. For a true Mexican inspired casserole I recommend using corn tortillas, however flour tortillas work as well. If you use flour tortillas, your casserole can be a bit soggier than if using corn tortillas.
  3. Stir the chicken. Make sure to stir the chicken from time to time as it’s cooking in the enchilada sauce to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
  4. Use a big enough dish. Keep in mind that the casserole is going to bubble as it cooks. So if your baking dish can barely hold all the ingredients it’s going to make a mess in your oven.
  5. Remove the spice. If you don’t like spicy food you can use a mild enchilada sauce. But you can also mix regular enchilada sauce with tomato puree to dilute the spice until you are happy with it. 
  6. Leftover chicken enchilada casserole will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat the leftovers, just put them in the microwave for about 4 minutes on medium power or in the oven at 350°F (177°C) for about 10 minutes. 
  7. You can also store this enchilada casserole in the freezer for up to 3 months. Then reheat the leftovers in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes while still frozen. However, the time may differ depending on how much you reheat.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 623kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 1832mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1348IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 704mg | Iron: 3mg