Lazy Day Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe
Lazy Day Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe – There are days when I want to cook something comforting but can’t bear the thought of another multi-step, multi-pan production that will leave my kitchen looking like a small tornado passed through it. Yesterday was one of those days.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 14 oz jar Enchilada sauce
- 3 Cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 6 corn tortillas
- 2 chicken breasts
Instructions
- Cut each chicken breast in about 3 pieces, so that it cooks faster and put it in a small pot. Pour Enchilada sauce over it and cook covered on low to medium heat until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. No water is needed, the chicken will cook in the Enchilada sauce. Make sure you stir occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom.
- Remove chicken from the pot and shred with two forks.
- Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
- Start layering the casserole. Start with about ¼ cup of the leftover Enchilada sauce over the bottom of a baking dish. I used a longer baking dish, so that I can put 2 corn tortillas across. Place 2 tortillas on the bottom, top with ⅓ of the chicken and ⅓ of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with ⅓ of the cheese and repeat starting with 2 more tortillas, then chicken, sauce, cheese. Repeat with last layer with the remaining ingredients, tortillas, chicken, sauce and cheese.
- Bake for 20 to 30 minutes uncovered, until bubbly and cheese has melted and started to brown on top.
- Serve warm.
Nutrition
It had been raining for 36 hours straight, the kids were bouncing off the walls, and I still had a deadline looming that I’d procrastinated on for far too long (because apparently, reorganizing the spice drawer seemed vitally important at the time).
I needed dinner that would feel like a warm hug but wouldn’t require me to fold individual enchiladas while simultaneously preventing my toddler from using my good rolling pin as a lightsaber.
Enter this enchilada casserole—the laid-back cousin of traditional rolled enchiladas who shows up wearing sweatpants when everyone else is in cocktail attire, but somehow still looks fantastic.
The Beauty of Enchilada Shortcuts
I have tremendous respect for the authentic, from-scratch enchilada process. The careful dipping of tortillas in hot sauce, the precise rolling, the arrangement in the perfect baking dish—it’s a beautiful culinary tradition. But sometimes, you just need the enchilada flavors without the enchilada labor. This casserole delivers exactly that.
The traditional Mexican enchilada has been reinvented countless times in American kitchens, often trading authenticity for convenience.
Also Read: Greek Garides Saganaki Recipe
While I’d never claim this version is traditional, I do think it captures the soul of what makes enchiladas so beloved: tender chicken, savory sauce, corn tortillas, and an almost inappropriate amount of cheese melted until it gets those perfect browned spots that I find myself picking at before dinner is even served.
Simplicity Is The Secret Ingredient
What makes this recipe especially weeknight-friendly is how the chicken cooks directly in the enchilada sauce. No separate poaching, no additional pans, no carefully monitoring chicken breasts to make sure they don’t dry out. The sauce both flavors and tenderizes the chicken, making it perfect for shredding.
And yes, I’m using store-bought enchilada sauce here. Could you make your own? Absolutely. Would it be better? Probably. Will I judge you for grabbing a jar when you’re just trying to get dinner on the table before everyone in your house turns into hangry gremlins? Never. Sometimes cooking is about finding the balance between homemade and sanity-preserving shortcuts.
The Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 jar (14 oz) enchilada sauce
- 6 corn tortillas
- 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (though I’ve been known to use whatever cheese is threatening to grow legs in my fridge)
Equipment
- Small pot for cooking chicken
- Baking dish (I use one about 9×13 inches)
- Two forks for shredding (or clean hands if you’re impatient like me)
Instructions
- Prep the chicken: Cut each chicken breast into about 3 pieces to speed up cooking time. Place them in a small pot and pour the enchilada sauce over them. No need to add water—the sauce is your cooking liquid here.
- Cook the chicken: Cover and simmer on low to medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. This is your opportunity to unload the dishwasher, help with homework, or stare blankly at your phone for a few precious minutes.
- Shred the chicken: Once cooked, remove the chicken from the pot (leaving the sauce behind) and shred it using two forks. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly uniform—rustic is the aesthetic we’re going for here.
- Preheat and prep: Turn your oven to 375°F. Pour about ¼ cup of the remaining enchilada sauce from the pot into the bottom of your baking dish, just enough to prevent sticking.
- Layer one: Place 2 corn tortillas on the bottom of the dish. If your dish is longer, you can place them side by side. Top with ⅓ of the shredded chicken, ⅓ of the remaining sauce, and ⅓ of the cheese.
- Layer two: Repeat with 2 more tortillas, another ⅓ of the chicken, sauce, and cheese.
- Final layer: Finish with the last 2 tortillas, and the remaining chicken, sauce, and cheese. Be generous with that top layer of cheese—it’s going to create that beautiful browned crust that makes casseroles worth living for.
- Bake: Pop it in the oven, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes until everything is bubbly and the cheese has melted and started to brown in spots.
- Rest and serve: Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving, if you can resist the siren call of melted cheese for that long.
Making It Your Own
While this basic version hits all the comfort food notes, there are endless ways to customize:
- Add some vegetables: A layer of drained, canned black beans, some roasted bell peppers, or even a handful of frozen corn can add color and nutrition.
- Kick up the heat: Mix some diced jalapeños or a few dashes of hot sauce into the chicken mixture if you like things spicy.
- Topping bar: Set out bowls of diced avocado, sliced scallions, chopped cilantro, and sour cream so everyone can customize their own portion.
- Make ahead: Assemble the entire casserole earlier in the day, refrigerate, and just add 5-10 minutes to the baking time when you’re ready for dinner.
A Note on Tortillas
Corn tortillas are traditional for enchiladas, and I prefer them for their flavor and the way they almost melt into the sauce. However, they do have a tendency to get soft—which is perfect for this layered approach.
If you prefer more structure, you could briefly toast the tortillas in a dry skillet before assembling. Or if corn tortillas aren’t your thing, flour tortillas work too, though they’ll give you a different texture and flavor profile.
The Verdict
This enchilada casserole isn’t going to win any awards for authenticity or presentation. It’s the kind of dish that looks somewhat questionable when it comes out of the oven—all bubbling cheese with no distinct shape—but delivers exactly what it promises: maximum comfort with minimal effort.
When I served this last night, my four-year-old initially looked at it suspiciously (as she does with most foods that aren’t shaped like dinosaurs), but two bites in declared it “the yummiest dinner ever,” which, in preschooler terms, is essentially a Michelin star.
My husband had seconds, and I caught him having a cold slice directly from the fridge at midnight.
Sometimes the best recipes aren’t the ones with the longest ingredient lists or the most complex techniques—they’re the ones that reliably show up for you when you need them most.
This enchilada casserole is that kind of recipe: simple, adaptable, and ready to become part of your regular rotation for those nights when you need dinner to be one thing that goes right in your day.
