Loaded Easy Chicken Enchiladas Casserole
Loaded Easy Chicken Enchiladas Casserole has all of your favorite ingredients layered into a delicious crowd-pleasing comfort food dish.
If you love Chicken Enchiladas like we do, this casserole version is a time saver without sacrificing one ounce of flavor.
This week’s College Cooking recipe is a great weeknight meal. It comes together pretty quickly and it’s just as good leftover the next day.
If you’re looking to feed a game-day crowd, this casserole style is perfect for that too!
The Enchiladas Ingredients
- Enchiladas Sauce – Homemade is always better, but you can sub your favorite jar variety.
- Tortillas – I used 7″ flour tortillas, but you can use any size you like.
- Chicken – Rotisserie chicken is a nice shortcut. You can count on it being moist and super flavorful! However, you can cook chicken breasts in a crockpot or instant pot as well.
- Beans – I used refried beans in this casserole but you can use black beans or pinto beans.
- Peppers – To give this dish it’s classic Mexican taste, add mild diced chiles, jalapeno, or poblano peppers. Or use them all for great bold flavor.
- Corn – I love using fire roasted corn, but frozen or even canned works fine in this recipe.
- Cheese – Don’t skimp on the shredded cheese. Monterey Jack, Cheddar, Pepperjack all work great in enchiladas.
- Extras – I had salsa on hand and fresh cilantro so I included both. I served the casserole with extra cheese, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro and sour cream.
Recipe Tips
- Here’s a link to our Homemade Enchiladas Sauce Recipe with step-by-step instructions.
- When removing the chicken meat from a rotisserie chicken, it’s much easier to do while it’s still warm.
- Fire roasted corn & poblanos is easy to do with either a gas stove or on a grill. Check out this recipe for tips on removing the blackened skins from the poblanos.
- If using refried beans, microwave them for a minute to soften them before mixing with remaining ingredients.
- Feel free to add more or less of your favorite ingredients. This recipe allows for substitutions and don’t forget the toppings!
The Casserole Assembly
- Prepare your enchiladas sauce
- Dice your cooked chicken and combine with remaining ingredients
- Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish
- Top with a layer of flour tortillas, then a layer of the chicken mixture, then a layer of sauce
- Repeat two more times (3-layers total)
- Finish with a layer of shredded cheese
- Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes or until casserole begins to bubble around edges.
- Allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
There’s a reason the word ‘casserole’ is in the title of this recipe. Because casseroles equal comfort food and this one definitely qualifies!
If you make this recipe, please drop me a comment below! I’d love to see pictures too! Tag me on social media @LemonyThyme on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook! Use the hashtag #collegecooking .
All my best,
xo Libby
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Loaded Easy Chicken Enchiladas Casserole
Loaded Easy Chicken Enchiladas Casserole has all of your favorite ingredients layered into a delicious crowd-pleasing comfort food dish.
Ingredients
For the Enchiladas Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons canola or avocado oil
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- 1/4 cup chili powder
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 10 ounces tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Casserole
- 16 7" Flour Tortillas
- 3-4 cups cooked chicken diced 1 – 4 lb. rotisserie chicken
- 2 1/2 cups shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Cheddar and/or Pepperjack)
- 2 ears corn on the cob, roasted kernels removed or 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 15 ounce can refried beans
- 1 4 ounce can mild green chiles
- 2 poblano peppers, roasted skins removed diced
- 1/2 cup enchiladas sauce see above
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- 1/2 cup salsa optional
For the Toppings
- sour cream
- sliced avocado or guacamole
- fresh cilantro
- shredded cheese
Instructions
For the Enchiladas Sauce
- In a medium saucepan heat oil over medium heat, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Cook for 1 minute, then add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, and cumin. Whisk to combine.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
For the Casserole
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In a large bowl, combine cooked diced chicken, 2 cups of shredded cheese, and remaining casserole ingredients.
- Spread a thin layer of prepared enchiladas sauce in bottom of 9×13 casserole dish. Top with layer of tortillas, 1/3 of chicken mixture, a thin layer of enchiladas sauce. Repeat two more times. Then finish with final layer of tortillas, thin layer of sauce and top with 1/2 cup shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until edges begin to bubble. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with optional toppings above.
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