Chicken Enchilada Casserole Cheddar (Printable)
Layered Mexican casserole with shredded chicken, black beans, corn, and melted cheddar cheese.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 3 cups cooked shredded chicken breast (about 2 large breasts)
→ Sauce
02 - 2 cups red enchilada sauce (store-bought or homemade)
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup finely chopped onion
04 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
05 - 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
→ Dairy
06 - 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
07 - 1 cup sour cream (optional, for serving)
→ Tortillas
08 - 10 small corn tortillas or flour tortillas
→ Spices & Garnish
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
11 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
12 - ½ teaspoon salt
13 - ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro (optional)
14 - 1 jalapeño, sliced (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - In a skillet over medium heat, cook chopped onion until softened, about 3 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt; cook for 1 additional minute. Remove from heat.
03 - In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, black beans, corn, sautéed onions, and ½ cup enchilada sauce until evenly combined.
04 - Spread ½ cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Arrange 5 tortillas over the sauce, tearing as needed to fully cover the base.
06 - Spread half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas and sprinkle with one-third of the shredded cheddar cheese.
07 - Drizzle ½ cup enchilada sauce evenly over the chicken and cheese layer.
08 - Add remaining 5 tortillas, top with remaining chicken mixture, one-third of the cheese, and ½ cup enchilada sauce.
09 - Sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese on top and pour any remaining enchilada sauce over the layers.
10 - Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes until cheese is bubbling and golden.
11 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with chopped cilantro and jalapeño slices if desired. Serve with sour cream.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in barely 20 minutes of actual hands-on work, leaving you time to set the table or pour a drink.
- The casserole sits in the oven doing its own thing while you chat with guests, and it always impresses more than it should.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, and it reheats beautifully without drying out.
02 -
- Don't skip the 10-minute rest at the end; it's the difference between neat servings and a delicious but sloppy plate.
- The sauce-to-filling ratio matters—too dry and it tastes stale by day two, too wet and the tortillas turn to mush, so those ½-cup increments are there for a reason.
03 -
- Mix your spices directly into the sautéed onions rather than the raw chicken mixture; this distributes them more evenly and their flavors deepen in the heat.
- If your enchilada sauce is thicker than you'd like, thin it slightly with a splash of chicken broth so it distributes evenly through the layers without getting gloppy.