Chicken Enchilada Cheddar Casserole (Printable)

Tender chicken with enchilada sauce, layered with tortillas and cheddar cheese for a hearty dinner.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 3 cups cooked shredded chicken breast (rotisserie or poached)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 1 small onion, finely diced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
04 - 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained (optional)
05 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn kernels, drained

→ Sauce

06 - 2 cups red enchilada sauce (store-bought or homemade)

→ Dairy

07 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
08 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
09 - ½ cup sour cream (plus extra for serving)

→ Tortillas

10 - 12 small corn tortillas (or flour tortillas for non-gluten-free version)

→ Garnish (optional)

11 - ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
12 - 1 avocado, sliced
13 - Lime wedges

# How To Make:

01 - Set oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook diced onion until softened, about 3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in black beans and corn, then remove from heat.
03 - In a large bowl, mix shredded chicken, sautéed vegetables, and ½ cup enchilada sauce until well combined.
04 - Pour ½ cup enchilada sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange 4 tortillas over the sauce, overlapping as needed.
05 - Spread half of the chicken mixture over the tortilla layer. Sprinkle with ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese.
06 - Add another layer of 4 tortillas, remaining chicken mixture, and ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese.
07 - Place the last 4 tortillas on top. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over them. Sprinkle with the rest of the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
08 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
09 - Remove foil and continue baking for 10 to 15 minutes until the casserole is bubbly and golden brown.
10 - Allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Garnish with chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, and lime wedges. Serve with additional sour cream.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 20 minutes of actual hands-on time—perfect when you need dinner ready before everyone gets hangry.
  • The layers mean every bite hits with melted cheese, tender chicken, and sauce, so there's no disappointing dry forkful.
  • It tastes even better the next day, which means you've basically made lunch for yourself too.
02 -
  • Don't skip the ten-minute rest—it sounds like nothing but makes the difference between a cohesive slice and a beautiful mess.
  • If your enchilada sauce is thinner than you expected, reduce the amount slightly or your casserole might be swimming; thick sauce means cheesy layers.
  • Overlapping tortillas matter more than you think—gaps in your layers mean dry spots, so err on the side of generosity.
03 -
  • Make this the night before, cover it unbaked, and refrigerate—it actually tastes better the next day because the flavors have time to get to know each other.
  • If the top starts browning too fast, loosely tent it with foil for the last few minutes to protect it while everything finishes cooking underneath.

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