Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Chicken Enchilada Casserole features all-natural ingredients like salsa verde, green chiles, and a creamy homemade sauce for the great flavor of chicken enchiladas without the work of rolling them!
Sometimes nothing hits the spot like creamy, cheesy enchiladas! In fact, we love enchiladas so much that I often double the recipe. But since a big batch of enchiladas takes a good bit of time to roll, I've learned to go the easy route and make this stacked Chicken Enchilada Casserole instead!
And since I'm guessing that some of y'all enjoy taking the easy route as well (with delicious results, mind you), I figured I'd better share the recipe here today. 😉
I actually adapted my ever-popular King Ranch Chicken Casserole for this recipe, borrowing the ratios but changing up the flavors to turn it into an enchilada casserole instead.
Ingredients
My husband's favorite type of chicken enchiladas are the green variety, so for this Chicken Enchilada Casserole, I incorporated salsa verde into an easy, from-scratch sauce. No condensed 'Cream of X' soup here!
For the Sauce:
- Butter. Salted or unsalted will work fine.
- Garlic. Freshly minced, and I always add extra.
- Flour. I have successfully tested this sauce using regular all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and my preferred gluten-free flour blend.
- Milk. Again, the milk you use is flexible. Whole milk, 2%, low-fat, or a non-dairy option (such as unsweetened almond milk) will all work.
- Chicken broth. Or stock. Use low-sodium if you prefer more control over the saltiness.
- Spices. Cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper for seasoning the homemade sauce.
- Salsa verde + sour cream. To make a green enchilada sauce that's also creamy.
For the Enchilada Casserole:
- Shredded (or diced) chicken. If you're going for a shortcut option, feel free to pull the meat from a rotisserie chicken. However, you can easily cook your own chicken breasts in the oven, the slow cooker, the instant pot, or by poaching in simmering water on the stove.
- Corn tortillas. These shouldn't be substituted, as flour tortillas will turn gummy upon baking.
- Shredded cheese. Monterey jack is recommended, but a Mexican blend or even pepper jack (for some heat!) would work as well.
- Diced green chiles. The finishing touch!
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole
(The below photos are intended to be helpful, but please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for FULL DIRECTIONS.)
This Chicken Enchilada Casserole is as easy as alternating layers of chicken, homemade sauce, tortillas, and cheese, and then baking until bubbly.
You'll need to have your cooked and shredded/diced chicken ready to go. And then...
Make the Enchilada Sauce:
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant and light golden brown.
- Stir in the flour and whisk continuously for a minute.
- Slowly and gradually whisk in the milk and ½ cup of the chicken broth.
- Increase the heat to medium and stir continuously for several minutes until the sauce is smooth and thickened.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder.
- Stir in the salsa verde and the sour cream until smooth.
- Add salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Assemble the Casserole:
- Spread half of the shredded chicken in the bottom of a greased baking dish.
- Layer with half of the sauce.
- Arrange half of the corn tortillas on top.
- Sprinkle with half of the shredded cheese.
- Drizzle with half of the remaining chicken broth.
- AND NOW REPEAT THOSE LAYERS ONCE MORE!
- Once the casserole is all layered up, sprinkle the top with diced green chiles.
- Bake until hot and bubbly and ENJOY!
Gluten-Free Option
As mentioned in the Ingredients section above, to make this Chicken Enchilada Casserole gluten-free, simply use a gluten-free flour blend in place of the regular flour. Also ensure that the corn tortillas you use are GF.
Suggested Accompaniments
I like to serve my Chicken Enchilada Casserole with sides of Easy Spanish Rice, Slow Cooker Charro Beans or Instant Pot Refried Beans, and a green salad drizzled with either Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette or Creamy Jalapeño Dip (which, incidentally, makes a to-die-for salad dressing).
And then for dessert, it's hard to decide between Tres Leches Cake or No-Bake Frozen Margarita Pie!
With its quick and easy assembly and its melty layers of chicken, cheese, and creamy from-scratch sauce, this Chicken Enchilada Casserole is guaranteed to be a hit!
Hope you get to try it soon. 🙂
More Tex-Mex Dinner Ideas
- Crock Pot Chicken Enchiladas
- Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa
- Tamale Pie
- Mexican Meatloaf Muffins
- Baked Chicken Taquitos with Avocado Cilantro Dipping Sauce
- Mexican Cornbread Casserole
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 4 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth OR stock, DIVIDED
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 cup salsa verde (green salsa)
- 1 cup sour cream
- Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 12 corn tortillas, quartered
- 8 ounces grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
Instructions
- Adjust rack to center position of oven. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Make the white sauce by melting butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic to the pot and saute until fragrant and light golden brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the flour and whisk continuously for 1 minute. Slowly and gradually whisk in milk and ½ cup chicken stock. Increase heat to medium and stir continuously for several minutes until sauce is smooth and thickened. Remove pot from the heat and stir in cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder. Stir in the salsa verde and the sour cream until smooth. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
- Evenly scatter half of the shredded chicken in the bottom of the baking dish. Dollop half of the sauce on top of the chicken and use the back of a spoon to spread it in an even layer. Arrange half of the corn tortilla quarters on top, overlapping slightly and tearing in half to fill in any gaps, if necessary. Sprinkle half of the grated cheese on top. Drizzle the entire surface with ½ cup of the remaining chicken broth, including corners and edges. Repeat layers of chicken, sauce, tortillas, cheese, and the final ½ cup broth. Evenly sprinkle diced green chiles over the top of the casserole.
- Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Video
Notes
- You may use leftover chicken or cook it fresh by poaching, baking, grilling, cooking in the slow cooker, etc. I typically cook 4 (medium-sized) frozen chicken breasts for this recipe. Alternatively, a rotisserie chicken torn into chunks yields about 4 cups.
- For the sauce, you may use all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or a gluten-free flour blend.
- You may use whole milk, 2%, low-fat milk, or your favorite unsweetened non-dairy milk (such as almond).
- For extra kick, you may use pepper jack cheese in lieu of the Monterey Jack.
Nutrition
Post originally published on June 27, 2016, and updated on March 11, 2022.
Excellent! This was right on time. My wife loved it!
This is so much like a favorite of ours but elevated!!! King Ranch chicken without using awful cream of mushroom soup… this is far superior! Thanks
Made these for my family today and they were very good! We used arrowroot flour and Siete tortillas (the middle layer ended up a little soggy but the top layer came out crunchy.)
What diameter corn tortillas does this recipe call for? Mine are 5 inches.
That should work! Most corn tortillas aren't larger than 6 inches.
Love this as do all those I’ve served it to. Can it safetly be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated?
I'm glad it's been such a hit, Elaine! 🙂 And yes, you can prep it a day ahead of time.
Very easy and good. I used Almond Milk, Almond Flour & Zero Carb Tortillas.
Thank you!! I was planning to use zero carb tortillas and was hoping it would turn out okay. I feel much better about trying it now. 😄
mine ended up with a very mealy texture and the tortillas disintegrated. Not what I expected. probably won't make again.
Made this for our Christmas Mexican fiesta the day before and it was a huge hit.
I really enjoyed this recipe. The store didn’t have any salsa verde that I liked so I used green enchilada sauce instead.
The casserole came out a bit loose but I’m sure it was from the sauce. I used gf flour as well and it came out great!
Next time I think I’ll mix in a fresh pepper for some more kick.
Made this for a brunch crowd and everyone loved it. I prepped the ingredients and made the salsa verde and the cream sauce (mixed with the chicken) a day ahead, then just assembled the dish the next day in about 10 min. Leftovers reheat well. I bet it would freeze well. This one is a keeper, thank you!
I love this recipe! I was wondering if this can be prepared and frozen? If yes, for how long?
Can this enchilada casserole be made ahead of time and put in the freezer to be used in 3 or 4 weeks?
Yes! I would assemble the casserole (without baking) and then tightly wrap it really well to prevent freezer burn. Freeze for up to a month or two. Move it to the refrigerator to thaw 24 hours ahead of time and then bake as directed. Hope that helps! 🙂
Amazing sauce! Weekly request in our house!
So happy to hear this recipe is a hit with your crew, Danna! 🙂
Love this casserole. Now my go to one. I was wondering, once it is put together can you refrigerate for couple of hours before cooking
Yes! Just let it come to room temp while the oven preheats. 🙂
I grew up on enchilada casserole. I've made dozens and dozens over the years. People love them. I guess you could say that enchilada casserole is kind of my "thing." But ma'am, moving forward I humbly defer all enchilada casserole glory to you. THIS WAS SO GOOD!!! In fact, my husband and I both agree it was the best I've ever made. Well, I had to say it first because he would never outright offer that up, knowing honestly how much of my identity is wrapped around enchilada casseroles. Thank you SO MUCH for sharing our new favorite meal. FYI, the only thing I did different was instead of tearing up tortillas and sprinkling them with stock, I left them whole and dipped them in warmed green enchilada sauce before layering in the baking dish (6 per layer) with the remainder poured on top of the cheese. It's just the way I've always done it and I hope you do forgive if I retain a modicum of my pride after you proverbially strode into my kitchen with this enchilada casserole mic drop.
Hahaha! I'm so happy this was such a hit and thanks for taking the time to share your comment...made my day. 🙂
Iam not a good cook...but these enchiladas were fantastic!!!! Thank you, will def make again! Iam feeling like a good cook tonight! Thanks again!
This was such a winner with my family! I've already been asked when I can make it again!
I made this for dinner just now and it was so delicious!! I love to cook and this was a lot of fun to make! My family went back for seconds and thirds!! Thank you for sharing!! Will definitely be making this again!!!
Made this, it looked so good but it was awful. There was zero taste. I think there was way too much chicken broth used.
Thanks for such a great recipe! Made this for dinner last night and my family really enjoyed it. This will be a new staple in our rotation!
This recipe is a KEEPER according to my picky husband. I added a can of drained white beans and a corn fiesta mix (found on markdown in the produce refrigerator section, the fiesta mix had corn, red pepper, and onion- no seasoning) can't wait to make this again.