Chicken Enchilada Casserole Cheese (Printable)
Layered Mexican-style dish featuring shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, and melted cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 3 cups cooked shredded chicken breast (approximately 2 large breasts)
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
03 - 1 clove garlic, minced
04 - 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
05 - 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
→ Sauce
06 - 2 cups red enchilada sauce (store-bought or homemade)
→ Tortillas
07 - 8 corn tortillas (6-inch), cut into halves or quarters
→ Cheese
08 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
09 - 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
→ Garnishes (optional)
10 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
11 - 1/4 cup sliced green onions
12 - Sour cream and lime wedges, for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - In a medium skillet over medium heat, sauté the chopped onion for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, sautéed onions and garlic, black beans, corn, and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Mix thoroughly.
04 - Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Arrange half of the tortillas over the sauce, overlapping as necessary to cover the surface.
06 - Spread half of the chicken mixture evenly over the tortillas. Sprinkle with 1 cup shredded cheddar and 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese.
07 - Top with remaining tortillas and the rest of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses.
08 - Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the assembled layers.
09 - Cover the dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
11 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes before garnishing with cilantro, green onions, and serving with sour cream and lime wedges.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in under an hour with mostly hands-on prep time, leaving you to relax while the oven does the heavy lifting.
- The combination of cheddar and Monterey Jack creates this impossibly creamy texture that tastes far more indulgent than it actually is.
- You can make it ahead, refrigerate it overnight, and bake it the next day without any fussing.
02 -
- Don't skip the resting period; cutting into it too early will result in a casserole that falls apart on the plate instead of holding its beautiful layers.
- The enchilada sauce you choose matters more than you might think—taste it before using, because some brands are surprisingly spicy while others are mild and sweet.
- Overlapping the tortillas prevents them from becoming tough; if they sit exposed to the sauce for too long before the casserole bakes, they'll turn mushy and bitter.
03 -
- Use both cheeses even if you're tempted to double up on one; the combination of cheddar's sharpness and Monterey Jack's creaminess is what makes this special.
- If your enchilada sauce is thin, you can thicken it slightly by mixing it with a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with water before using; this prevents the casserole from becoming watery.