Chicken Enchilada Casserole with Black Beans (Printable)
Tender chicken, black beans, and melted cheese layered with tortillas and enchilada sauce for a crowd-pleasing dinner.
# What You'll Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, rotisserie or poached
02 - 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
04 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 cup frozen or canned corn, drained
→ Sauces and Dairy
07 - 2 cups red enchilada sauce, homemade or store-bought
08 - 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese, divided
09 - 1/2 cup sour cream, plus additional for serving
→ Tortillas
10 - 10 small corn tortillas or 8 flour tortillas
→ Spices and Seasonings
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
12 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
→ Garnishes
16 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
17 - Sliced jalapeños
18 - Diced avocado
19 - Lime wedges
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with oil or cooking spray.
02 - In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté diced onion and bell pepper in a splash of oil for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in corn, black beans, shredded chicken, ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through. Remove from heat.
04 - Spread 1/2 cup enchilada sauce evenly on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
05 - Layer 1/3 of the tortillas over the sauce, overlapping slightly to cover the base.
06 - Top tortillas with half the chicken-bean mixture, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, and 2/3 cup shredded cheese.
07 - Layer remaining 1/3 tortillas over cheese, then top with remaining chicken-bean mixture, 1/2 cup enchilada sauce, and 2/3 cup cheese.
08 - Top with final layer of remaining tortillas, pour remaining enchilada sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
09 - Cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until sauce is bubbly and cheese is golden brown.
11 - Allow casserole to rest for 10 minutes. Top with sour cream and desired garnishes before serving.
# Cooking Tips:
01 -
- Its that perfect middle ground between comforting and exciting where the spices warm you up but dont overwhelm your taste buds.
- The layering method means you get the flavor of enchiladas without the fussy rolling, which I promise no one will miss when theyre scraping their plates clean.
02 -
- Let the casserole rest for a full 10 minutes before serving, otherwise youll end up with a sloppy mess on plates instead of perfect squares.
- The enchilada sauce makes or breaks this recipe, so taste it before using and doctor it up with a splash of lime or pinch of sugar if needed.
03 -
- Torn tortillas work better than neatly cut ones because the jagged edges create pockets where sauce and cheese can nestle.
- If you have 5 extra minutes, quickly toast your dried spices in a dry pan before adding them to the vegetable mixture, which unleashes a depth of flavor you cant get otherwise.