This easy chicken enchilada casserole recipe is cheesy, saucy, and delicious. It takes chicken enchiladas and simplifies the prep so that you can easily serve your favorite Mexican dish even on your busiest nights. 

Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

I love Mexican food. Like I could seriously eat it every single day of the week. Between our healthy chicken tortilla soup, our simple pork tacos, and our tilapia fish tacos loaded with Fresh Mango salsa I am usually set with easy Mexican recipes. But the other day I was craving enchiladas, but my day was so busy I knew I would never have the time to prep them. 

So, I decided to get a little creative in the kitchen and made this easy chicken enchilada casserole. 

Let me tell you. It is so easy to prep like less than 20 minutes and it tastes amazing. The flavors of this dish come together so well as you combine layers of tortillas, chicken, beans, enchilada sauce, and cheese. You will want to add this to your weekly meal plan for sure because your whole family will love this dish!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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Serves 6-8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients for Chicken Enchilada Casserole

• 3 cups cooked and shredded chicken
• 1 can (19 oz) red enchilada sauce, mild or hot
• 1 cup salsa, mild or hot
• 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15 oz) pinto beans
• 12 (6 inch) corn or flour tortillas, cut to fit baking dish
• 1 can (15.25 oz) corn or 2 cups frozen corn, drained
• 3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend 

You’ll also want to have the following tools to make it easier:

13x 9 pan

Large Mixing bowl

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Lightly spray 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside
• In a large bowl, stir together enchilada sauce and salsa
• Reserve 1 cup of sauce mixture
• Spread about ½ cup sauce evenly on the bottom of the baking dish
• Drain and rinse black beans, drain pinto bean and corn, stir into sauce
• Stir in chicken

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• Cut tortillas and layer on the bottom of the prepared baking dish
• Cover with one third of the meat mixture
• Sprinkle 1 cup of cheese over meat mixture
• Repeat with another layer of tortillas, meat mixture then 1 cup cheese

• Add remaining tortillas and remaining ½ cup sauce mixture, then more cheese
• Lightly spray a piece of foil to prevent cheese sticking, and cover baking dish
• Bake covered for 20 minutes 
• Uncover and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted
• Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes before serving
• Serve with your favorite toppings

Tips Tricks and FAQs

• You can use ground beef instead of chicken. Just be sure to brown the meat on the stove first. 
• You can use any bean you would like in this recipe. 
• You can use any cooked chicken. Grab a rotisserie chicken at the store if you are short on time or cook it in your Instant Pot or use leftover chicken. The choice is yours. 
• Grate your own cheese. It takes a bit more time but it melts better. 

Storage

Fridge

This dish will store nicely in the fridge for up to 4 days after cooking. BE sure to store in an airtight container. 

Freezer

This dish is a great freezer-friendly dish. You will want to prep as directed and then wrap in plastic and then in foil. It will store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw place in the fridge overnight. 

Make-ahead

You can easily prep this chicken enchilada casserole in the morning and then place it in the fridge until you are ready to bake. Just pull it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking in the oven. You might have to increase the cooking time a bit because it will take longer to warm up. 

What are the best tortillas to use with enchiladas?

With these enchiladas, I prefer to use flour tortillas, but you can use corn. It really is your preference when choosing a tortilla for your enchilada casserole. 

Why are my tortillas soggy? 

Tortillas might appear soggy to you. A way to create a barrier so they don’t soak up as much liquid is to lightly fry them first. 

What can I use as toppings for my enchilada casserole?

When making chicken enchilada casserole you can use a variety of toppings, or not use any at all. Our favorite toppings include:

• Tomatoes
• Green onions
• Olives
• Sour cream
• Avocado 
• Cilantro

For more Mexican Recipes, Try These!

• Best Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas
• Instant Pot Carnitas 
• Homemade Pico De Gallo