This easy layered enchilada casserole recipe is so much faster than rolling up traditional enchiladas and just as delicious. It’s a big hit at parties and family gatherings. You can easily increase the size of the dish and the amount of ingredients as needed for more servings.
My husband and I love enchiladas but as a burnt out cook I really dislike the effort involved in stuffing and rolling each enchilada. It doesn’t seem like it would be a lot of work but it’s just not worth it to me. This Easy Layered Enchilada Casserole is the perfect solution! It has all the flavors of chicken enchiladas without all the work.
Key Ingredients for Layered Enchilada Casserole
- Corn Tortillas: I really like the flavor and texture of corn tortillas in this casserole. I usually use white corn but you can use yellow corn too. Just make sure they’re the soft kind.
- Rotisserie chicken: This is another shortcut favorite. I usually buy 2 rotisserie chickens whenever I go to Costco and shred one and put it into the freezer for easy meals later. You can also cook and shred your own chicken breasts/thighs.
- Taco Seasoning Mix: We use a lot of taco seasoning for various dishes, so I buy a big container. You can, of course, make your own mix too.
- Red Enchilada Sauce: Use your favorite brand and adjust the amount depending on how saucy you like your enchiladas. I’ve tried a few brands and really like the Whole Foods 365 brand.
- Shredded Cheese: I usually use a Mexican cheese blend and sometimes mix in pepper jack. Pre-shredded cheese seems to melt fine in this recipe.
Note: Make sure to check recipe card for full list of ingredients
Preparation Steps for Layered Enchilada Casserole
Start by pouring enough enchilada sauce to lightly cover the bottom of the baking dish.
Add in this order:
- Tortillas, torn in half to fit as needed to cover as much of the dish as possible
- Add chicken to cover tortillas
- Pour enchilada sauce over chicken. Use more or less enchilada sauce depending on your “sauciness” preferences.
- Top with shredded cheese
- Repeat for a second layer. Ending with plenty of cheese on top!
That’s all it takes to assemble it this easy layered enchilada casserole! There’s no chopping and only minimal measuring involved. I usually just eyeball the amount of taco seasoning I add to the chicken, so no measuring is needed if you also do that!
Substitutions
- You can use flour tortillas if you prefer
- You can cook your own chicken if you prefer that to rotisserie, just make sure it doesn’t retain a lot of moisture so it doesn’t make the casserole soggy.
Time Breakdown
Total Time |
45 minutes |
Hands ON time |
10 minutes |
Hands OFF time |
35 minutes |
BEST FOR:
Nights when you have some time before you need to get dinner on the table, but you don’t want to spend a lot of time on preparation. Most of the time for this recipe is completely hands-off in the oven so you can go do other things while it’s cooking.
Ratings
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SUMMARY:
This recipe tastes great and requires little preparation. No chopping, no measuring, no mixing! It can feed one or two people or a crowd by making simple adjustments to the amount of ingredients. It’s fairly healthy too. Leftovers can be easily reheated in the microwave and also freeze well. This is a top recipe in my regular rotation!
Serve with
Serve with enchilada toppings like sour cream, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, olives, or whatever you want. Add a Mexican chopped salad mix and chips and salsa and you have a super quick meal that everyone will enjoy.
Layered Enchilada Casserole
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Baking dish
Ingredients
- 9 corn tortillas
- 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken approximately
- 3 Tablespoons taco seasoning mix use desired seasoning level
- 2 15.5 ounce jars red enchilada sauce more if you like your enchiladas saucier
- 3 cups shredded cheese I like a combination of Mexican and pepper jack
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F degrees
- Mix shredded chicken and taco seasoning mix in a bowl
- Spray a 9" x 11" rectangular glass casserole dish with cooking spray
- Add a couple tablespoons enchilada sauce to cover bottom of baking dish
- Add a layer of corn tortillas. I usually put in two whole then tear one in half and fill in the gaps
- Add a layer of ⅓ of the chicken
- Add a layer of ⅓ of the enchilada sauce
- Add a layer of ⅓ of the shredded cheese
- Repeat tortillas, chicken, enchilada sauce, cheese for two more layers (total of three layers)
- Cover dish with foil and bake for 15 minutes
- Remove foil and bake an additional 20-25 minutes until center is cooked and cheese is melted and starting to brown
- Let sit for a few minutes before serving
Notes
I always keep shredded rotisserie chicken in the freezer. Just thaw in the microwave, mix with taco seasoning and use in this casserole. No chopping required!