Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a dish that combines Mexican enchilada’s savory flavor with being served as a casserole. This dish combines cooked chicken with enchilada sauce, cheese, tortillas, and various other ingredients that create a combination of savory, spicy, and creamy flavors in every bite. Apart from that, this dish is also popular in various countries, because of its delicious taste and make it so easy.

What Is Chicken Enchilada Casserole?

Some people may already be familiar with this dish, but today we will discuss it to ensure everyone knows it. Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a variation of enchiladas, a typical Mexican dish which basically consists of corn tortillas filled with meat or vegetables, then drizzled with chili sauce, then baked with cheese on top. In this casserole version, arrange all the ingredients in layers like lasagna, making it easier to make and serve to a family or large group. The difference between traditional enchiladas and this casserole version is in how they are served. If you serve enchiladas, usually in the rolls. Arrange the Chicken Enchilada Casserole layers in a baking dish and bake it until cooked.

Did you know that I have made other Mexican dishes before? The name of the dish is Easy Beef Enchiladas. There are many flavors in this dish, including sour, savory, and spicy. In this dish, there are ingredients Olive Oil, All-purpose Flour, Chicken Stock, various spices, Dried Oregano, Salt, and Pepper. The filling is Vegetable Oil, Ground Beef, Onion diced, Garlic minced, and Enchilada Sauce. Suitable to eat when gathering with family and friends. This will add to your collection of recipes for typical Mexican dishes besides Chicken Enchilada Casserole.

For the complete recipe, you can click on the photo below.

Easy Beef Enchiladas Recipe

Introduction to Making Dishes

The ingredients to make this dish are simple and easy to find, especially with the availability of Mexican products in many large supermarkets. The main ingredients to make this dish are chicken, corn tortillas, cheese, Enchilada Sauce, spices, and seasonings.

The preparation time to make this dish is 15 minutes, while the time to make it is 30 minutes. The total time to make this dish is 45 minutes, doesn’t take much time, right? There are important steps to prepare to make this dish.

Chicken: Cook the chicken, by boiling or grilling. After that, cut it into small pieces.

The sauce and other ingredients: The sauce can be made at home or bought ready-made from the supermarket.

The casserole: Take a large baking dish and start assembling the casserole. The first layer is a small tortilla, then add the enchilada sauce, other ingredients, and a sprinkling of cheese. Repeat this layer until all the ingredients are used up.

The roasting process: Once all the ingredients are arranged, put the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and brown on top.

To serve: Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving.

Tips for Cooking This Dish

Cooking this dish is actually simple, but there are several tips you can follow to ensure the result is perfect and delicious.

Use cooked chicken: Make sure the chicken you use is cooked before adding to the casserole. Cut the chicken into small pieces so it’s easy to mix with the other ingredients.

Choose tortillas according to your needs: Use corn or wheat tortillas according to taste. If you want a denser and more filling casserole, wheat tortillas are an option. But, the corn tortillas give an authentic Mexican taste. Cut the tortillas into small pieces to make them easier to assemble in the casserole.

Don’t be afraid to use lots of enchilada sauce: The enchilada sauce is the key to the flavor of this casserole. Feel free to use a generous amount of sauce on each layer. This will ensure the casserole stays soft. If you like, you can add more sauce on top of the casserole before baking for extra flavor.

Tidy the layers: Arrange the ingredients in neat, even layers so that each part of the casserole has a balanced combination of flavors.

Bake at the right temperature: Bake the casserole at around 180°C (350°F) for 20-30 minutes. This ensures that the cheese on top melts perfectly and the layers inside heat evenly.

To serve: Once the casserole comes out of the oven, let it cool for 5-10 minutes before cutting into it. This helps prevent the filling from spilling out when cutting.

Now that you know about this dish, let’s look at the ingredients and method of making Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Don’t forget to try making it!

Ingredients of Chicken Enchilada Casserole

• 1½ cup Enchilada sauce: It’s a key ingredient in this dish because it gives an authentic Mexican flavor and ties all the elements of the casserole into one creamy, savory taste.
• 1 lb Chicken breast tenderloin boneless and skinless: This part of the chicken is easier to cook and serve.
• 8 medium Corn Tortilla: Reflects the traditional elements of enchiladas originating from Mexico and stands up to the moisture of the enchilada sauce.
• 1½ cup Cheese any kind of melted cheese: Gives a creamy and savory taste, while adding a layer of crunchy texture when baked.

Enchilada Sauce

• Olive oil: Helps dissolve spices, resulting in a smoother sauce.
• All-purpose Flour: Functions as a sauce thickener.
• Chicken Stock: Helps enhance the overall flavor of the sauce.
• Tomato Sauce: Gives a balanced sour and sweet taste, as well as a distinctive red color.
• Chili Powder: Gives a spicy and slightly smokey taste to the sauce.
• Cumin, Salt, and Pepper: Gives a warm taste, spicy, fragrant, and creates the right balance of flavors in sauces.
• Dried Oregano: Gives a slightly sharp and spicy herbal aroma.

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole

First, preheat oven to 350℉ or 170℃.

Second, in a medium mixing bowl, pour ½ cup of enchilada sauce into the chicken breast tenderloin, and mix well. Transfer it to a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and bake for 15-18 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Shred the chicken with a fork. Prepare your casserole then start with place 4 corn tortillas on the bottom of the casserole then pour ½ cup of the enchilada sauce on top and swirl until the sauce covers the top of the corn tortillas.

Add ½ of the shredded chicken mixture then sprinkle it with half of the shredded cheese. Repeat the layer following the order with the rest of the ingredients.

Lastly, bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce bubbles. 

Enchilada Sauce

First, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Then, add all-purpose flour and stir until combined.

Gradually pour in chicken stock while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Now, add tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir occasionally and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens. and set aside.

Enjoy your dish!

Uniqueness of the Dish

Interesting Texture Combinations

Besides its delicious taste, this dish also offers an interesting combination of textures. The soft tortilla combines with the crunch of melted cheese on top, while the shredded chicken provides a chewy and rich texture. Each bite offers a varied mix of textures, making it even more satisfying.

Easy to Make

The main feature of this dish is its ease of preparation. Arrange all the ingredients in layers in a baking dish without having to roll the tortillas like with traditional enchiladas. This method makes it faster and more practical, especially for people who want to cook large quantities without hassle.

Nutritional Values

Calories: Comes from a mixture of chicken protein, fat from cheese, and carbohydrates from tortillas.

Sodium: Comes from ready-made enchilada sauce or cheese.

Vitamins and minerals: Enchilada sauce made from tomatoes and chilies provides vitamin C as well as antioxidants.

Serving Recommendations

Green Salad: A fresh green salad with a light dressing, such as a yogurt-based dressing, can be a refreshing counterbalance to a rich casserole dish. You can add vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, and carrots to provide variations in texture.

Tortilla Chips: Enjoying crunchy and tasty tortilla chips can be the perfect snack with Chicken Enchilada Casserole. You can dip the chips or even mix them into the casserole itself for added crunch.

Ice Cream or Flan for Dessert: After enjoying a rich and savory main course, a sweet and creamy dessert such as ice cream or flan (Mexican custard) can be the perfect ending. The cold, sweet ice cream will balance out the spicy taste of the dish.

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