Ben and I had a busy weekend including creating our baby registry (!!), a trip to the gym, store, and laundry (no tanning #namethatshow) and by the time Sunday dinner rolled around I had no energy to cook, but didn’t feel like getting take-out out either. Luckily I had gotten all the ingredients to make Lazy Girl’s Chicken Enchilada Casserole at the store and was able to throw it together in a jif.
Toss fridge and pantry staples including enchilada sauce, salsa, chicken, green chilies, and torn corn tortillas in a bowl then spoon into a casserole dish, top with cheese and bake. Perfect for those days when you don’t have the time nor energy to cook anything elaborate for dinner, but still want a home-cooked meal. It’s not the prettiest thing in the world, but the taste more than makes up for it!
This is the “classic” version of the Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole I made last year, and similarly it was a hit not just because of how easy the dish is to throw together, but also because it’s satisfying, and really, REALLY good. Thick, creamy, and totally hits the spot. Plus you get all the flavor of enchiladas but there’s no tedious rolling required!
Start by sauteing 1lb chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with salt and pepper in nonstick spray until cooked through, then remove to a a plate to cool slightly.
Next, to the LARGEST BOWL YOU OWN (trust me!) add 1 cup red enchilada sauce. Use your favorite – here’s my totally delicious and easy homemade enchilada sauce!
Next add 1 cup sour cream plus 3/4 cup jarred salsa.
Whisk the ingredients together then stir in the cooked chicken plus 4oz diced green chilies and 1 cup frozen –> thawed corn.
Now turn your attention to the corn tortillas. My favorite part of an enchilada.
Count out 12 gluten-free corn tortillas then chop or tear them into bite-sized pieces.
Scoop the mixture into a nonstick sprayed 9×13 pan, or divide it into 2 little pans if ya’ like, then sprinkle the tops with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (total) and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly.
Scoop then serve with your choice of toppings – I like extra salsa and chopped green onions for a fresh and zesty bite. YUM!! I hope you love this simple, totally satisfying casserole recipe – enjoy!
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Lazy Girl’s Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Description
Lazy Girl's Chicken Enchilada Casserole is perfect for nights you don't feel like cooking, but want a home-cooked meal. Throw all the ingredients into a casserole dish then bake. Easy!
Ingredients
- 1lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup gluten-free enchilada sauce
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup jarred salsa
- 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
- 4oz diced green chilies
- 12 gluten-free white corn tortillas, torn or chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper then saute in a large, nonstick-sprayed skillet over medium-high heat until cooked through. Remove to a plate to cool slightly.
- In a very large bowl add enchilada sauce, sour cream and salsa then whisk to combine. Add cooked chicken, corn, and green chilies then stir to combine. Add corn tortillas then stir to combine.
- Spray a 9x13" casserole dish (or 2 smaller baking dishes) with nonstick spray then scoop mixture inside. Top with cheese then bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. Top with green onions and salsa, if desired.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Your niece is just TOO cute!!
I made a vegetarian version of your Green Chili Chicken Enchilada Casserole last week and it was phenomenal! I ate the leftovers for lunch today and they were just as good :).
I watched that movie with two of my sisters and their husbands this weekend. It was hilarious!!
I will NEVER forget registering for my oldest. I had NO clue what an undertaking it would be and while my husband was excited for the baby, not so much the baby stuff, so I went completely by myself. About two hours in I dragged myself and my big belly over to the rocking chairs, plopped down and cried. I thought it would be fun. And it was for the first 20 minutes or so. Then it was just overwhelming lol Kudos to you for being so organized about it and bringing in back up! Luckily for me some poor employee took sympathy on me and reminded me that I didn’t have to register all in one day and could come back to finish another time. So embarrassing!
This recipe looks amazing! I love chicken enchiladas but always want something just a tad bit easier for weeknights. Good luck with the baby registering – you and Ben must be pros now ;)
Umm 2 for $1 Chobani? I am stoked when I find them on sale 10 for $10! Lucky you!
And I love casseroles like this. My mom has always been the casserole queen, so they are the ultimate comfort food dishes!
I can’t believe you found Chobani for that cheap! I wish! This dish looks so yummy! I am adding this to the weeknight list.
Chobani 2/$1, I just stocked up at HyVee when they were $0.99 or $1 and at another store that had them for $0.88. Were they close date or were they all 2/$1? I was just at HyVee yesterday and did some major grocery shopping but I may have to go back tomorrow to check, maybe I will call first. My kids love “Mexican casserole” so we have it frequently, never really following an exact recipe, but my basic “recipe” is very similar to yours! I also add some black beans and sometimes roasted veggies and then we serve lettuce, corn, black beans, tomatoes, salsa (we like HyVee’s mango salsa, avocado, guac, roasted sweet potatoes/veggies. My 6 and 7 year old love to assemble their own dishes and gobble it up! Aren’t you excited for your little guy to eat dishes like this? I’ve been wondering about this is 40, thanks for the review. We feel asleep during Jeff, Who Lives at Home the other night and I made it through Lost in Translation, we have a hard time finding movies that we think are worth staying awake to watch! Glad to hear that baby registration was successful, I know how overwhelming it can be! You think you need it all and then you don’t know until after the baby is born what is a necessity and what is a total waste of money. Things like the wipes warmer and bottle warmer we did use for awhile with the first but I don’t think we even used them for the second a year later. Glad your pregnancy is going well, thanks for sharing with us!
I saw “This is 40” in the theaters, and a girlfriend and I rented it this weekend and watched again. It is SO funny – definitely one of those movies I will be watching over and over and over!
Love this recipe – so easy! Can’t wait to try :) Also, very jealous of the 2/$1 Chobani! I’ve never seen them priced that well here in DC!
2/$1 Chobani!???? Good golly how I do miss Hy-Vee!
Oh my goodness that looks YUMMY. My least favorite part of enchiladas is having to roll them all up and I fail miserably at it. This is so quick and easy! I’ll have to make this for the boy.
I also want to see that movie so bad, ever since I saw the previews. It looks so hilarious and that couple is so funny!
I didn’t like the going on 40 movie. Maybe it was because I watched it by myself when I was really tired haha. I also thought it was really long! Over 2 hours!
What’s with the bump blocks? Come on, show it off! :)
I loved “This is 40”, it was SO funny!
Going to make this for sure! After making your lazy girl lasagna a couple weeks ago, this one sounds great too. I love “lazy” meals like this!
I wish I had your notes on what to register for! I live in KC now and don’t have any close friends that have kids. Registering this weekend should be interesting… I have ideas, but I doubt we will get through it all in an hour and fifteen minutes. That is impressive!
They will have a checklist for you when you start scanning items – I think that will be really helpful! I should also type up the list she gave me, it’s truly a great resource. I’ll see what I can do in the next couple of days!!
That would be awesome, if you get around to typing up the registry help list. I’ve looked at the list Babies-R-Us has and even that is overwhelming to me :)
I would LOVE a list too! I’m registering this weekend also and feel so clueless and overwhelmed! Do you mind me asking why you registered at both Babies R Us and Bye Bye Baby? Do they carry different things?
We registered at both for convenience for our shower guests (if they have one closer to them than another for instance) but also because you get a percentage off whatever is left on your registry if you don’t receive it as a gift. It’s just nice to have the discount at both places!
I would love the list too if you happen to get it typed up. I don’t have any family members or many friends that have had little ones either so we’re looking for all the advice we can get! Thanks for the easy recipe too! :)
Are you working from home now, Kristin? Full-time blogging? I remember the switch from Meredith to Living History Farms, but hadn’t remembered reading about moving on from there. Congrats if you are! And congrats on that little baby…. how exciting!!
Hi Bridget! Yes, I blog full time and freelance write/blog/recipe develop for several other companies. Busier than ever, but happier, too! :)
How awesome for you personally, professionally and your growing family! Congrats!
I’ve been wondering this same thing too, but didn’t want to seem too nosy. Hurray for doing what makes you happy!
23 weeks pregnant here and I said this weekend, no more takeout for this gal. I cooked a whole chicken yesterday, just so I could shred it for other meals throughout the week. With a 4 1/2 year old in Karate, baseball, and swim lessons, it’s almost impossible to make dinner throughout the week since my husband and I both work full time. Not to mention the total lack of motivation due to pregnancy. Thanks for a quick and easy meal idea!
I make something VERY similar to this! And as an added benefit – it freezes beautifully. Simply take the prepared (but not baked) casserole and freeze it. When you’re ready to eat, thaw overnight in the fridge and then bake like normal.
Recipes like this are helpful when you’re pregnant! Make two – eat one – freeze the second. Then you’ll have something waiting in the wings for the next time you’re too tired to cook or for after the baby comes!
I’m definitely making this for dinner one night soon. At 24 weeks pregnant, I don’t feel like cooking more often than I do. And I love cooking! Last night my husband was going to “save” the day and pick up some chinese, but we’d already had takeout once and I wanted to be “good”. I found some of your crock pot spaghetti sauce in the freezer, cooked some pasta and mixed in some frozen veggies. Almost as quick as takeout, much healthier and budget friendly :)
That’s the same boat I’m in right now too! I should start stocking the freezer with pre-made sauces, etc so I can have quick meals ready to go like you!
I have to say i’m impressed that you whipped up that dinner when you didn’t feel like cooking! My “don’t feel like cooking meal” typically consists of cereal or PB & J! Much to the dismay of my husband. :)
Mine usually does too! I’ve been bad lately with eating not-so healthy/really random meals when I don’t feel like cooking though, so this week I’m trying to get back on track!