Easy Chicken Enchilada Bake

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Chicken Enchilada Bake — In this chicken enchilada bake, instead of rolling tortillas, you cut them up and layer them in a baking pan with chicken, tomatoes, cheese, and more!

Chicken Enchilada Bake in red baking dish

Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Bake Recipe

I love Mexican food and could eat it everyday. Making meals out of guacamole, salsa, and chips is one of my favorite things. But my family needs a little more, and that’s where this easy enchilada casserole that’s ready in 30 minutes comes in.

It’s not like traditional enchiladas where you have to carefully fill and roll up each tortilla individually. Instead, you simply stir together shredded chicken (use store-bought rotisserie or leftover chicken to save time) with sour cream, salsa, and taco seasoning.

Then you cut up tortillas and layer them in a baking pan with the chicken mixture, tomatoes, and cheese. All the layers of goodness remind me of lasagna but with a Mexican flair.

There’s so much flavor and just a touch of heat from the salsa and taco seasoning. I used medium heat, but you can go as hot or mild as you like. The juicy tomatoes and gooey melted cheese with the soft tortilla shells make this an instant comfort food family favorite that would also be great for game days or parties.

What’s in This Chicken Enchilada Bake?

For this easy chicken enchilada casserole, you’ll need:

  • Cooked, shredded chicken
  • Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • Taco seasoning
  • Salsa
  • Tortillas
  • Tomatoes
  • Shredded Mexican cheese blend

Chicken Enchilada casserole portion on white plate

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Bake

In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, yogurt, taco seasoning, and salsa. Add a little more salsa to the bottom of a 9×9-inch baking dish, then add a layer of tortillas on top. Spoon half the chicken mixture onto the tortillas, then continue this layering process.

Bake this chicken enchilada casserole for roughly 20 minutes, or until the cheese begins to bubble. You can serve your chicken enchilada bake with your toppings of choice — guac, salsa, and sour cream would all be tasty choices! 

Can I Make This Chicken Enchilada Casserole in Advance? 

Yes, you can prep this up to two days in advance and bake it off when you’re ready for an easy make-ahead meal. And you’ll likely have planned leftovers. A double win.

Can I Add Extra Ingredients to the Filling? 

Go for it! This enchilada casserole recipe is really flexible, so you can add almost anything you want to the filling. Olives, green chilies, black beans, and corn would all work. Just avoid using veggies that need a lot of time to cook (like diced sweet potatoes or something similar). The time this enchilada bake spends in the oven is really just to heat it through since none of the ingredients I’ve listed require actual cooking. 

Easy Chicken Enchilada Bake - All the flavors of your favorite enchiladas, minus the work!! Easy, ready in 30 minutes, and you can prep it in advance to save time on busy weeknights or before a big event!!

Tips for Making Chicken Enchilada Bake

You can use either flour or corn tortillas for this recipe. Any size tortilla works, but if they’re really big you’ll need to shred them up to fit the pan. 

If you prefer your enchilada casserole with a bit of a kick, use spicy taco seasoning or add a few dashes of Mexican hot sauce to the chicken mixture. 

To round out this meal, serve it with a simple side salad, steamed veggies, chips and guac or salsa — or nothing at all! This is a filling dish that has pretty much everything you’d want already in it. 

Chicken Enchilada Bake — In this chicken enchilada bake, instead of rolling tortillas, you cut them up and layer them in a baking pan with chicken, tomatoes, cheese, and more!

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4.50 from 12 votes

Easy Chicken Enchilada Bake

By Averie Sunshine
In this chicken enchilada bake, instead of rolling tortillas, you cut them up and layer them in a baking pan with chicken, tomatoes, cheese, and more!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
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Ingredients  

  • 2 heaping cups cooked and shredded chicken, use rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken to save time
  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, I used medium heat
  • 2 cups 16 ounces salsa, divided (I used a chunky medium heat and recommend a chunkier salsa; use less if yours is thinner)
  • 8 flour or corn tortillas, I used flour
  • 4 roma tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, Monterey Jack, cheddar, etc.
  • cilantro, black olives, green chiles, optional and to taste
  • sour cream, guacamole, salsa, optional for serving

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400F degrees. To a large bowl, add the chicken, Greek yogurt or sour cream, taco seasoning, 1 1/2 cups salsa, and stir to combine; set aside.
  • To an 9×9-inch baking pan or similar (I used an 8×11-inch baking dish), add the remaining 1/2 cup salsa and spread evenly.
  • Place half the tortillas on top of the salsa in baking pan.
  • Top with half of the chicken mixture, half of the tomatoes, half of the cheese, and any optional ingredients.
  • Repeat layering process using remaining ingredients (tortillas, chicken mixture, tomatoes, cheese, optional ingredients). Tip – At this point you can wrap in foil and refrigerate for up to 2 days before baking.
  • Bake for about 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and lightly golden. Optionally top with sour cream, guacamole, or salsa prior to serving. Dish will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 847kcal, Carbohydrates: 136g, Protein: 37g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 440mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About the Author

Welcome to AverieCooks! Here you’ll find fast and easy recipes that taste amazing and are geared for real life. Nothing fussy or complicated, just awesome tasting dishes everyone loves!

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Please note: I have only made the recipe as written, and cannot give advice or predict what will happen if you change something. If you have a question regarding changing, altering, or making substitutions to the recipe, please check out the FAQ page for more info.

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Comments

  1. Made this last night…. family loved it! – Next time will add a can of black beans – but was very happy how it turned out. Now to pin it to my board of Things I Have Made.

  2. I certainly agree to some points that you have discussed on this post. I appreciate that you have shared some reliable tips on this review.

  3. Averie,

    I have to thank you SO MUCH. I do not enjoy cooking (I really want to though), and nothing good happens when I do…. But your blog has inspired me so much, and I am so unbelievably grateful. I was inspired at 6:30 this morning, and decided I would make dinner for my parents and myself this evening. I was so inspired that I even dared to get a little creative and add things to the recipe. It came out SO amazing (nothing bad happened in the kitchen! For ONCE!), and I couldn’t be happier. I am actually tearing up as I write this because cooking has been such a high stress thought for me. But enough about that (especially because I’m in a fantastic mood!), I ended up adding:

    1/2-3/4  – Can of black beans and 1 ear of corn to the chicken mix
    2 mangos – 1 to each layer adding them exactly like the tomatoes

    Again thank you so much and I can’t wait to try out more of your recipes!

    – Heather

    1. Wow, thank you SO MUCH for this amazing comment. This is why I blog. Seriously, women like you are why I blog! So glad that you have some kitchen confidence now and that you’re not only cooking from a recipe, but adding things! I looooove black beans (and mangos!) both so much and would have eaten the heck out of your rendition! It sounds wonderful!

      LMK if you try other recipes and how things go! Thanks for your support!

  4. Just pass me that bowl;, so much cheese, so much deliciousness and so easy, there is no way I am sharing

  5. This is absolutely fantastic! Mexican is my comfort food, and enchilada casserole is always the best! Also: planned leftovers. Always the best!

  6. Girl, THIS.  I used to make enchilada casserole at least once a month.  I used refried beans, peppers, chicken, and salsa.  I truly can’t even imagine spending all that time to roll individual  enchiladaas ever again.  The sloppiness alone makes me cringe.  The first time I did a casserole, I knew I’d never make them regular again.  And I haven’t!

    Top that with tons of guac and OH LORD.

    1. I know the rolling, the filling, it takes so much more time than I prefer to spend on a family dinner style dish! Everything is better with tons of guac, right! :)

  7. I can eat Mexican food every day of the week, too.  Love this recipe – it sounds super flavorful and quick – my favorite kind of meal.  I like that you used Greek Yogurt as an option, too.  Yum!

  8. Can you believe that I had my first chicken enchiladas THIS YEAR? Mexican wasn’t a thing when I grew up in Canada, but now I want it ALL THE TIMES.  I am loving this easy version, that I can totally whip up on a busy weeknight! Pinned!

  9. I’ve made enchiladas before and this looks so much easier ( with planned leftovers too)! I know Jon will love this so it’s going on my to do list for later in the week.