Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This easy chicken enchilada casserole is a cheesy, flavorful, comforting meal the whole family will love that’s easy enough to make on a weeknight!

Chicken enchilada casserole is one of those dishes that really brings me back to childhood. It was one of my mom’s go-to dishes, which was absolutely fine with us because we loved it so much! The beauty of enchilada casserole is that you get all of the flavor of enchiladas without the work. If you’ve never made enchiladas before – it can be a long process that involves dipping tortillas in hot oil, rolling them around cheese and chicken and hoping they don’t tear, then topping with sauce and cheese and baking.

Instead of going through all of that work (and mess) this chicken enchilada casserole is made lasagna-style! You’ll layer the sauce, add tortillas, chicken, cheese, more sauce, and repeat. For a fun little spin on the traditional casserole, we also topped it with diced avocado, a sour cream lime sauce, and cilantro. That’s the stuff of Tex-Mex dreams!

We love a good casserole over here. If you do too, be sure to check out our Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole, BBQ Chicken Casserole, King Ranch Chicken Casserole, and Chicken Divan Casserole recipes.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole Ingredients

• 2 (8-ounce) cans of tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 ½ cups of chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• 2 tablespoons of chili powder
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 2 teaspoons of oregano
• ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 4 cups of shredded chicken (or about 2 pounds of chicken breast, cooked and shredded!)
• 6 corn tortillas (torn in half)
• 3 cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese
• ½ cup of sour cream
• ¼ cup of lime juice (2 limes worth)
• 1 large diced avocado
• ¼ cup of fresh chopped cilantro

Video

The Enchilada Sauce Recipe

This enchilada sauce is SO EASY and can be used for so many different things. Here’s how you’ll whip it up in ONE simple step: whisk Together the Enchilada Sauce – combine the tomato paste, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and spices to a bowl and whisk to combine.

How To Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole

The beauty of enchilada casserole is that it is so easy to make…here’s how you’ll do it!

1. Prepare the Chicken – the first thing you’ll want to do is shred your chicken. We actually used shredded chicken from our local grocery store, but if you don’t have this option, a store-bought rotisserie chicken is a great option, too, or you can make your own! 
2. Make the Enchilada Sauce – while you can use a pre-made enchilada sauce, this one comes together super fast with pantry staples and adds tons of flavor. You’ll simply add some tomato paste, tomato sauce, chicken broth, and spices to a bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Assemble – now you’re ready to make the casserole! You’ll spoon a bit of sauce on the bottom of the dish, then break the corn tortillas in half and spread 6 of them across the bottom of the dish to cover it. Next, layer on the chicken, then the cheese, then pour more sauce over and add another layer of tortillas, shredded chicken, and cheese to finish!
4. Bake – once assembled, bake your enchilada casserole at 350°F for 30 minutes, until the cheese is browned and bubbling.

Enchilada Casserole Variations

This chicken enchilada casserole is easily adaptable. Here are some of our favorite variations!

1. Change the sauce – salsa verde or a classic Tex-Mex chili gravy are both great options.
2. Use a different protein – if you don’t have chicken on hand, or just prefer a different protein, ground beef or turkey both work beautifully here.
3. Make it Paleo – if you’re on a Paleo diet, or simply don’t do well with grains, you can easily substitute Siete Foods tortillas here.
4. Add beans – mixing a can of black beans in with the chicken would be a wonderful addition.
5. Add veggies – if you want to get your daily serving of veggies in with this casserole, you can easily add in some spinach, diced bell peppers, onions, or even shredded zucchini!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole Frequently Asked Questions