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–+ servings
A baking dish of chicken enchilada casserole.

Chicken Enchilada Layered Casserole (Easy Homemade Sauce)

This chicken enchilada casserole recipe is one of my favorites for Taco Tuesdays or family dinners, mostly because it's so yummy, but also because it's really easy to make. It's a 45-minute casserole (30 minutes is just oven baking time) that is filling as-is or can be served with plenty of sides and your favorite toppings.
Course: entree
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Servings: 8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients
 

Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 15 ounce tomato sauce

Casserole

  • 3 cups chicken (shredded, about 2 chicken breasts)
  • 4.5 ounce green chiles (canned)
  • 8 corn tortillas (6-inch)
  • 3 cups pepper jack cheese (or colby jack, shredded)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350º
  • Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onions and cook until softened.
  • Add chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt and flour to the onions and cook for about 1 minute. Slowly add chicken broth, whisking until thick. Add tomato sauce, sugar and garlic and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
  • In a medium bowl, combine shredded chicken, green chilies and about 1 cup of the sauce.
  • Dip 4 tortillas into the sauce and line the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Add half of the chicken mixture and top with 1 cup of the shredded cheese. Add a second layer of tortillas dipped in the sauce and top with remaining chicken mixture. Spoon any remaining sauce over the top. Add the remaining cheese to the top.
  • Bake for 30 minutes until it is bubbly and the cheese has melted.
Barbara's Notes + Tips
  • Use plenty of cheese! Don’t be afraid to cover the entire casserole with cheese. The more cheese you add, the more gooey and creamy your casserole will be.
  • For an even distribution of tortillas, cut 6 of the tortillas in half. Place the flat ends on the edge and use a whole tortilla in the center.
  • Add some beans. You can add drained black beans along with the chicken for a more flavorful and filling meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 306kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 847mg | Potassium: 321mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 701IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 357mg | Iron: 2mg