Chicken Enchilada Casserole Cheese (Print Version)

Tender chicken layered with enchilada sauce and melted cheese creates a flavorful, easy-to-make main dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Filling

01 - 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached)
02 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
03 - 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
04 - 1 small red onion, finely chopped
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
06 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
07 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
08 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper

→ Sauce & Layers

11 - 2 cups red enchilada sauce (store-bought or homemade)
12 - 8 medium (6-inch) corn tortillas
13 - 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (or cheddar and Monterey Jack)

→ Garnishes (optional)

14 - ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
15 - ½ cup sour cream
16 - 1 avocado, sliced
17 - 1 lime, cut into wedges

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add finely chopped red onion and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened.
03 - Add shredded chicken, black beans, corn, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to the skillet. Stir and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through. Remove from heat.
04 - Spread ½ cup enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 4 corn tortillas over the sauce, tearing to fit as necessary.
05 - Spread half of the chicken mixture evenly over the tortillas. Drizzle with ½ cup enchilada sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheese.
06 - Place remaining 4 tortillas on top, then spread remaining chicken mixture, followed by ½ cup enchilada sauce and 1 cup shredded cheese.
07 - Pour last ½ cup enchilada sauce evenly over the top layer. Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
08 - Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until cheese is golden and bubbly.
09 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with cilantro, sour cream, avocado slices, and lime wedges as desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like enchiladas but skips the tedious rolling and saves you at least twenty minutes.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, sometimes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle.
  • You can prep the whole thing in the morning and just slide it into the oven when youre ready.
02 -
  • If you skip draining the beans and corn, the casserole will turn watery and lose its structure.
  • Letting it rest after baking is not optional, it needs those 10 minutes to firm up or it will fall apart on the plate.
  • Covering with foil prevents the cheese from burning before the inside heats through completely.
03 -
  • Use a rotisserie chicken and you will have this assembled in under 20 minutes, no shortcuts on flavor.
  • If the top starts browning too fast, tent it loosely with foil until the timer goes off.
  • A squeeze of fresh lime right before serving brightens everything and cuts through the richness beautifully.

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