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We love enchiladas at our house. Well, more accurately we love all Mexican food. Enchiladas, tacos, flautas, fajitas, gorditas. Yum. I make this chicken enchilada casserole often, because it is fast to put together, it’s easy and it’s good. And leftovers are just as good, or even better.
Why a chicken enchilada casserole and not rolled enchiladas?
Well, that’s simple. It’s easier and faster. No rolling the individual enchiladas, however, this recipe will easily adapt to rolling those tortillas like a real enchilada. And it’s quite tasty that way too.
Even better, this recipe is flexible. Don’t have Colby-Jack cheese? Use Cheddar. Don’t like canned chicken? No problem, you can use any kind of chicken you want. Rotisserie chicken works great, as does left over baked chicken. Don’t want chicken? Substitute spinach, shrimp, even pork or beef, though you might want to consider changing the green sauce to red for beef. Just a suggestion. Don’t like onions? Leave them out. You can add a can of green chilies for more flavor, or jalapenos for heat.
- 18 Corn tortillas for a 9x13 pan
- 2-3 cups Colby-Jack cheese, shredded use more or less cheese depending on your taste
- 1 can Green enchilada sauce spicy or mild, it's up to you
- 1 1/2 lbs Shredded cooked chicken or two 12.5 oz cans chicken breast
- 1 Small onion, chopped optional
- 1 can Green chilies, mild or hot optional
- Toppings of your choice - sour cream, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, black olives, etc.
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Open and drain the cans of chicken, and break up with a fork, or alternately, shred any other type of chicken. Place chicken in a bowl. Add about 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese, and the chopped onion and green chilies if using. Mix it up and pour in about a few tablespoons of the enchilada sauce. You want the mixture to be wet but not soupy.
Spray your pan with nonstick cooking spray so nothing sticks to the bottom. Pour a little of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan and then line it with six corn tortillas. They will overlap. Pour on a little more of the sauce and spread it over the tortillas. Spread 1/2 of the meat mixture over the tortillas and top with a little more sauce, and then a layer of cheese. Add another layer of six tortillas, sauce, meat mixture, sauce and cheese. Top with one more layer of tortillas, the rest of the sauce and the rest of the cheese.
Bake for about 30-45 minutes, covered, or until the casserole is hot and bubbly and the cheese is melted. You can remove the cover for the last 10-15 minutes if you’d like for the cheese to get a little crusty.
Remove from oven, and let cool slightly before cutting. Serve with the toppings of your choice.
ENJOY!
Hopefully you enjoy this chicken enchilada casserole recipe. Contact me or let me know in the comments if you find a great variation.
Check out my boards on Pinterest for more recipes.
