Chicken Enchilada Casserole

We are all about casserole recipes at Mess for Less, and this might just be our new favorite. This super easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole is made with tender chicken, zesty enchilada sauce, and melted cheese. It contains all of your favorite Mexican food favorites.

Since this casserole is so easy to make, it's perfect for busy weeknights. You'll love how you can customize it with your choice of toppings. In just 30 minutes, you can have this cheesy casserole on the table! For more yummy enchilada flavor, try our Beef and Bean Chicken Enchilada Dip.

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Chicken and Rice Enchilada Casserole

Chicken enchilada casserole is a great recipe for when you have limited time to prepare a meal but still want to serve your family a warm and delicious dinner. It is the ultimate comfort food, full of bold Mexican flavors in every bite. Cheese makes everything better, and it certainly adds a lot to this casserole.

The melty cheese pairs perfectly with the shredded chicken and flavorful enchilada sauce. If you like things a little more spicy, you can adjust the spice level. You can also add any favorite toppings, such as avocado or sour cream, to really make this recipe your own.

Ingredients For Chicken Enchilada Casserole

• White rice - Cook the rice according to package directions. You can also use leftover rice.
• Chicken breasts - This recipe calls for cooked and shredded chicken. You can use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken.
• Red enchilada sauce - Canned for ease. Feel free to use mild, medium, or hot, depending on your taste.
• Corn kernels - Canned and drained or frozen and thawed.
• Colby Jack cheese - Shredded. If you are not a fan of Colby Jack, you can use cheddar cheese, Mexican, or Monterey Jack cheese.
• Salt and pepper - To taste.
• Parsley or scallions - These are optional for garnish.

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

Are you ready to make this cheesy Mexican casserole and enjoy the flavors of tender shredded chicken, rich enchilada sauce, sweet corn, and a generous helping of gooey Colby Jack cheese? This fiesta in a casserole dish is simple to make, so let's get started!

You'll pour all your ingredients (except for ½ of the cheese we will use later) into a large bowl like this one. Mix everything together until it is combined. Then, just pour this mixture into a greased 9x13 casserole dish. I like this one because it comes with a lid for easy storage.

Remember that cheese that you set aside? Sprinkle it over the casserole to top it off. Then bake this easy casserole until it is golden and bubbly. When it comes out of the oven, feel free to add some chopped parsley or scallions for a fresh, colorful touch.

Tips for Making Enchilada Casserole With Chicken

Tip 1:

This casserole is all about ease and versatility. Feel free to use whatever cheese you have on hand – cheddar, Monterey Jack, or even a Mexican blend are great in this recipe.

Tip 2:

If you anticipate having a busy day, you can prepare the chicken and rice in advance. Then, when it's time to assemble the casserole, it's less time-consuming.

Tip 3:

Do you like things a little spicy? Then add some chopped jalapeños as a garnish to this recipe. You can also change up the heat level in the enchilada sauce.

Can I Use Rotisserie Chicken In This Recipe?

I love rotisserie chicken because it is such a great time-saver. Since it is already cooked, it makes meal prep a breeze. I always love to have some on hand because it is versatile and can be used in lots of different recipes. You can get a whole rotisserie chicken and shred it yourself or get pre-shredded rotisserie chicken as they sell at Costo.

Can I Use a Different Type Of Rice?

You sure can! We used white rice in this recipe, but lots of other rice types would also work. If you are looking to make this recipe a little healthier, switch out the white rice with some brown rice. Are you avoiding carbs altogether? Then use cauliflower rice instead. Switching up the rice in this recipe without sacrificing taste is easy.

How Do I Store Chicken Enchilada Casserole?

One thing I love about this recipe is having leftovers. Leftovers make life easier because they save you from having to make dinner the next night. To store this enchilada casserole, you want to be sure it has cooled completely. Cover the baking dish or place in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. You can also freeze leftover casserole for up to 3 months. Just make sure it is tightly wrapped in foil and plastic wrap. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator prior to reheating.

Chicken Enchilada Recipes

Chicken enchilada recipes are popular because there are endless ways to prepare them. You can use the chicken enchilada flavors to make a soup or stew. Even the cooking methods can be switched up. Feel like making chicken enchiladas in the crockpot? You can do that with a slow cooker chicken enchilada casserole! Want to make this classic Mexican dish a little more diet-friendly? Check out the Weight Watchers version below. There is truly a chicken enchilada recipe for every craving and cooking style!

• Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Easy Chicken Enchiladas
• Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Casserole
• Weight Watchers Chicken Enchiladas

Amazon Essentials

If you want to make this casserole then you will need some basic equipment. Luckily, you can find everything you need on Amazon and have it delivered straight to your door. You may already have a sturdy baking dish. For this recipe, we used a classic 9x13 glass pan. I use mine for various casserole recipes, so it is a good pan to have in the cabinet. As I get older, I appreciate the electric can opener I used to open the cans I used in this recipe.

Casserole Dish, 9x13 Lasagna Baking Dishes for Oven, Ceramic Baking Pan Deep with Handles, Oven Safe and Durable Bakeware, Lasagna Pan for Home&Kitchen Decor GiftsPyrex Sculpted Tinted (9x13) Glass Baking Dish with BPA-Free Lid, Oblong Bakeware Glass Pan For Casserole & Lasagna, Dishwasher, Freezer, Microwave and Pre-Heated Oven Safe, Smokesungwoo Extra Long Silicone Oven Mitts, Durable Heat Resistant Oven Gloves with Quilted Liner Non-Slip Textured Grip Perfect for BBQ, Baking, Cooking and Grilling - 1 Pair 14.6 Inch BlackOXO Good Grips Nylon Flexible Turner - BlackHamilton Beach Electric Automatic Can Opener with Auto Shutoff, Knife Sharpener, Cord Storage, and SureCut Patented Technology, Extra-Tall, Red36 PCS Large Food Storage Containers with Lids Airtight(18 Containers with 18 Lids) - BPA Free Plastic Meal Prep Containers Set, Leakproof Kitchen and Pantry Organization - with Labels & Pen

Mexican Recipes

📖 Recipe

Chicken Enchilada Casserole 

This Chicken Enchilada Casserole is an easy weeknight dinner. Shredded chicken mixed with enchilada sauce, corn, cheese and rice, baked with more cheese on top makes the tastiest dinner ever!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 7

Author: Vicky

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups White rice cooked
• ▢ 3 Chicken breasts cooked and shredded
• ▢ 20 oz Red enchilada sauce
• ▢ 11 oz Corn kernels can, drained
• ▢ 2 cups Colby Jack cheese shredded
• ▢ Salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ Chopped parsley optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° and in a large bowl combine the shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, corn and half the cheese, add salt and pepper to taste if you’d like. Mix well and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with the remaining cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and melted. Top with chopped parsley or scallions(optional) and serve and enjoy!!

Video

Notes

• You can prepare the chicken and rice in advance to save time.
• For extra spice, add some chopped jalapeños as a garnish to this recipe.

The calorie information is an estimate. Actual nutritional values may vary depending on many factors such as: ingredients used, preparation methods, and serving sizes.

 

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