This easy Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a super quick and super easy casserole recipe that makes the perfect, irresistible dinner. Made easy by using rotisserie chicken, this quick casserole is packed with with gooey cheese, and zesty green chilies create a super flavorful sauce.
Everyone needs a couple of go-to recipes for when dinner needs to be on the table but you do not feel like cooking. This easy enchilada casserole is that for me! All you have to do is mix the chicken and other ingredients and then layer with cheese and tortillas and bake. That’s it!
Juicy shredded chicken, yummy cheese (who doesn’t love cheese?), and green chilies that are flavor-packed but not too spicy make this green chili chicken enchilada casserole loved by kids and parents alike! And, even though it is so easy to make and we eat this all the time, we never get tired of it because of how delicious it is. It really is a home run meal!
If you are looking for a beef version, make sure to check out my Beef Enchilada Casserole or the lighter Enchilada Casserole with zucchini here. Just as easy and delicious!
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Fast & Easy – This recipe takes 10 minutes to put together and if you are wondering how long it takes to bake an enchilada casserole – it only takes 20 minutes. So quick, so simple!
- One Pan Wonder – No one likes extra dirty dishes! Everything bakes in one dish making for super easy clean-up.
- Flavor Packed – With ingredients like green chilies and enchilada sauce, this layered enchilada casserole is filled with yummy Mexican-inspired flavors.
- Family Friendly – Not only are these very fast to get on the table and packed with cheesy flavor, making it kid-approved but these enchiladas are made with ingredients that are super easy to find and you might already have in your kitchen, making it parent-approved!
- Pantry Ingredients– With only 5 ingredients you may already keep on hand, it doesn’t get any more convenient!
Recipe Notes
This layered chicken enchilada casserole recipe is as simple as promised! Just one pan and 30 minutes for a family-friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use when making this recipe to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
To learn how to make this enchilada casserole recipe be sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Shredded Chicken – I love to use store-bought rotisserie chicken to keep it simple! You could use any leftover chicken that is neutrally flavored (like fried chicken) or Mexican-inspired in flavor. I love using leftover southwest grilled chicken. You can also make shredded chicken by boiling chicken breasts or baking them.
- Red Enchilada Sauce – I like Las Palmas, but you can use your preferred brand or it is easy to make homemade enchilada sauce too!
- Chopped Green Chiles – these pack tons of flavor in a small can! They have a mild spice (kid-friendly!) but add a great depth of flavor to these enchiladas. They are usually found in the Mexican aisle of the grocery store.
- Cheddar Cheese – I love to use sharp cheddar cheese for this but Mexican blend, Monterey jack or Colby jack would work great too!
- Corn Tortillas – Enjoying this enchilada casserole with corn shells is my preferred way to make this recipe as corn tortillas are authentic to a Mexican enchilada. I generally use 8 regular-size corn tortillas, but if you can find the street-size corn taco shells, they fit the best. If you need to, feel free to cut the tortillas to get them to fit perfectly to cover the layers.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Green Chicken Enchilada Casserole – Use green enchilada sauce instead of red sauce.
- Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole – Mix green enchilada sauce with sour cream and use this mixture instead of red enchilada sauce.
- Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole – Mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream with the shredded chicken and green chiles.
Recipe Step by Step
In an 8×8 baking dish spread enchilada sauce over the bottom of the dish, then layer on corn tortillas.
Combine chicken with enchilada sauce and green chiles then layer it over the tortillas.
Top chicken layer with cheese. Repeat layers until dish is full.
Bake until cheese is melted and everything is heated through. Garnish with red or green onion.
Recipe Tips
- Build the filling – The shredded chicken mixture holds all the flavor with green chilis and rich enchilada sauce. Mixing it all together before building the enchilada casserole helps the flavors get distributed evenly throughout and makes the assembly much quicker.
- Street Tortillas – The street size corn tortillas work great for this recipe because they can be laid on the bottom of the pan with out having to be cut to size. If using full size tortillas, simply cut them in half or strips and layer.
- No Grease, please! – Do this by not going too heavy on the cheese. A little really goes a long way and this is why I recommend using sharp cheddar cheese so you can get more cheesy flavor without overloading it on cheese. Of course, cheese is always something you can measure with your heart, but the end result may be a little greasier the heavier you go.
- Layer it – This is a layered enchilada so for an even bake, layer the ingredients by first lining the dish with tortillas. You can cut these to fit, if necessary. Then, add half of the chicken mixture evenly, half of the cheese, and REPEAT!. Tortillas, meat, then cheese. We generally fit in two generous layers, but you can do more if you want!
- Broil it – if you like an extra crispy cheese top, switch to broil for the last 2 minutes or so. That seems like a small number, but broiling works FAST so keep a close eye on it.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this chicken enchilada casserole recipe but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Prep Shredded Chicken – You could do this three ways – make a large batch at once, use store-bought shredded chicken, or use leftover chicken from another recipe that uses Mexican flavored or neutral chicken. I like to make a big batch of chicken breasts at the beginning of the week to use in nachos, enchiladas, and salads! And, if you don’t have time, it’s a total time saver to pick up a rotisserie chicken on the way home to use in this enchilada!
- Make in Advance – You can definitely build this casserole a day before you want to enjoy it. Simply store it in the fridge until ready to bake. You could store it in the fridge ready to go up to a day before or in the freezer up to 3 months before.
- Freeze It! – As I mentioned above, this can be prepped and frozen for 3 months before you want to cook it. You can also cook these enchiladas and then freeze them. When you are ready to eat them, bake them straight from the freezer for 35 minutes.
What to Serve with this Layered Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Since this enchilada casserole has classic Mexican flavors, it will pair well with many of your favorite Mexican-inspired side dishes. There are both classic options and some healthy options for what goes with enchilada casserole.
Side Dish Ideas
- Easy Mexican Rice – Saucy beef enchiladas oozing with melty cheese with a spoonful of Mexican rice will be one delicious bite. Use rice and beans for a full, generous dinner with all the fixings. Or if you prefer you could do a Cilantro Lime Rice (like Chipotle) instead.
- Mexican Style Crock Pot Refried Beans – a classic side dish that is hearty and is just as easy as this dish. Start the crockpot earlier in the day and whip up these enchiladas in the evening. Or pull your ready-to-go freezer enchiladas and bake for an even quicker meal.
- Mexican Roasted Vegetables – A healthy side that’s really easy to love and SO easy to make!
- Green Salad – Add roasted peppers, corn, beans, and tortilla strips with a jalapeno ranch dressing for something healthy and light.
- Mexican Cornbread – Everybody loves cornbread, and this version pairs perfectly!
- Mexican Street Corn Salad – A quick and easy way to add a little texture and crunch to this enchiladas meal is with a simple Mexican corn salad. It makes for a great condiment to spoon on top of your plate of enchiladas.
You can choose one or add a few sides to make a wholesome, well-rounded dinner.
Topping Ideas
Serve this up as is, or add a few topping options so each person can make it their own. Here are a few ideas from things we love:
- Sour cream
- Diced avocado
- Green onion
- Chopped cilantro
- Black olives
- Pico de gallo
- Corn salsa
Freezer Meal Instructions
Can you freeze enchilada casserole? You bet you can! Making this enchilada casserole recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Prepare the chicken enchiladas following the instructions up to baking.
- Combine the shredded chicken, enchilada sauce (reserve 1 tablespoon,) and green chiles in a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Pour the reserved enchilada sauce into an 8×8″ casserole dish and spread to cover the bottom. Lay half of the tortillas at the bottom of the dish. You can cut the tortillas to fit if needed.
- Add half the chicken mixture, then top with half the cheese. Repeat with tortillas, meat, and cheese.
- Wrap your baking dish in plastic wrap tightly and then with foil. For the best flavor and texture, enjoy this freezer casserole within 3 months.
- TIP: Use a disposible aluminum pan. This will make freezing and baking easy without having to sacrifice a baking dish. Plus, clean-up will be that much easier with a throw-away pan.
- For how long to bake the enchilada casserole from frozen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and recover it with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 5 minutes to brown the cheese until bubbly.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this yummy enchilada casserole, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make another delicious meal.
To save leftovers, separate into meal-sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
More Casserole Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more EASY casserole recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my casserole recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
- Green Chile Chicken Casserole
- Beef Enchilada Casserole
- Ultra Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole
- 7 Layer Taco Casserole
- Southwest Chicken Casserole
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups shredded chicken, (or pulled rotisserie chicken)
- 10 ounces red enchilada sauce, (1 can)
- 4 ounces chopped green chiles, (1 can)
- 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 corn tortillas, (or 12 street taco sized corn tortillas)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425˚F.
- Combine the shredded chicken, enchilada sauce (reserve 1 tablespoon,) and green chiles in a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Pour the reserved enchilada sauce in an 8×8" casserole dish and spread to cover the bottom. Lay half of the tortillas in the bottom of the dish. You can cut the tortillas to fit if needed.
- Add half the chicken mixture, then top with half the cheese. Repeat with tortillas, meat, and cheese.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling and the casserole is hot throughout.
- Garnish with your choice of chopped green onions, fresh cilantro, or pico de gallo.
Recipe Notes
- Shredded Chicken – I love to use store-bought rotisserie chicken to keep it simple! You could use any leftover chicken that is neutrally flavored (like fried chicken) or Mexican-inspired in flavor. You can also make shredded chicken by boiling chicken breasts or baking them.
- Red Enchilada Sauce – I like Las Palmas, but you can use your preferred brand or it is easy to make homemade enchilada sauce too!
- Cheddar Cheese – I love to use sharp cheddar cheese for this but Mexican blend, Monterey jack or Colby jack would work great too!
- Corn Tortillas – Enjoying this enchilada casserole with corn shells is my preferred way to make this recipe as corn tortillas are authentic to a Mexican enchilada. I generally use 8 regular-size corn tortillas, but if you can find the street-size corn taco shells, they fit the best. If you need to, feel free to cut the tortillas to get them to fit perfectly to cover the layers.
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
- in the microwave on 30 second increments, stirring in between, until heated through.
- In the oven at 350˚F for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.
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