Gluten-free Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a cheesy and satisfying dinner that delivers all the flavor of classic chicken enchiladas with none of the hard work. Easy, make-ahead, and perfect for busy weeknights!
“This is my husband’s favorite meal! I’ve made it countless times, and it’s delicious every time.”
Raise your hand if you don’t feel like cooking dinner tonight?
That makes two of us!
If you can spare a little energy and a few minutes of active cooking time, my lazy girl’s Chicken Enchilada Casserole is going to make your night.
Forget the tedious rolling required for classic chicken enchiladas. Instead, mix all the ingredients together, then bake in the oven. The result is a cheesy, satisfying casserole that your entire family will devour!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Quick. We’re talking 20 minutes of prep time before sending the casserole into the oven to bake hands-off.
- Easy. Get all the craveable flavor of homemade chicken enchiladas with none of the hard work required.
- Reheats well. Microwave leftovers for hot and satisfying lunches.
- Make-ahead. Assemble the casserole a few hours ahead of time, then bake when you’re ready to eat.
Main Ingredients Needed
- Chicken breasts: chopped into bite-sized pieces.
- Corn tortillas: chopped into squares.
- Red Enchilada Sauce: you simply must use my homemade enchilada sauce recipe for this dish. Nothing from the store compares!
- Jarred salsa: I like Clint’s or Tostitos Restaurant-Style Salsa.
- Canned black beans: or pinto beans.
- Frozen corn: no need to thaw first.
- Sour cream
- Chopped green chiles: mild or hot, it’s up to you.
- Shredded Mexican cheese blend: for ooey-gooey cheesy goodness.
- Toppings: minced onions, chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, avocado, sliced olives, pickled jalapenos, shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, and guacamole make excellent chicken enchilada casserole toppers.
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This easy casserole recipe is blissfully simple. Stir > pour > bake. That said, here are a few things to keep in mind before cooking:
- Prepare enchilada sauce. Prepare the homemade red enchilada sauce up to 5 days ahead of time so the casserole comes together quickly.
- Corn tortilla count. Depending on the brand, corn tortillas are typically sold in packs of 10 or 12 (or more). As written, this recipe can be made with 10 or up to 12 tortillas, so you don’t have a couple random leftover corn tortillas to deal with.
- Thick-cut cheese. I like using a thick-cut Mexican cheese blend for this recipe so each bite of casserole tastes extra-cheesy. It really makes a difference!
Serve with Restaurant-Style Salsa
How to Make this Recipe
Step 1: Saute the chicken.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat then spritz with extra virgin olive oil or nonstick spray. Add chicken breasts that have been cut into bite-sized pieces then season with salt and pepper and saute until the chicken is cooked through.
Turn the heat off then set the chicken aside to cool slightly.
Step 2: Stir the remaining ingredients together.
While the chicken is cooling, add canned black or pinto beans that have been drained and rinsed, frozen corn, sour cream, red enchilada sauce, jarred salsa, and chopped green chiles to a very large mixing bowl then stir to combine.
Like I said, there is nothing better than my homemade enchilada sauce. Every so often I’ll try a new small-batch option from the grocery store, and I’m always disappointed!
Gluten Free Enchilada Sauce
Next add the cooked chicken, white corn tortillas that have been chopped into bite-sized squares, plus shredded Mexican cheese blend, then stir to combine.
Step 3: Bake the casserole.
Scoop the mixture into a nonstick-sprayed 9×13″ baking pan then sprinkle the top with more shredded cheese.
Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbly.
Scoop onto plates then serve with the toppings of your choice. This part is fun and lets everyone customize their own dinner to their liking.
How to Store and Reheat
Store Chicken Enchilada Casserole leftovers in the refrigerator for 4-5 days then reheat individual scoops in the microwave until hot.
How to Make Ahead of Time
Assemble the casserole up to a few hours ahead of time then cover with foil and store in the refrigerator. Bake covered for the first 15 minutes then remove the foil and continue to bake until the casserole is hot and bubbly.
I hope you love every bite of this simple and satisfying Chicken Enchilada Casserole recipe. Enjoy!
More Easy Tex-Mex Recipes
- Beef and Veggie Enchilada Skillet
- Chicken Burrito Skillet
- Crunchy Taco Hamburger Helper
- Restaurant-Style Ground Beef
- Cheese Enchiladas
- Large Batch Taco Seasoning
- Best Ever Chicken Fajitas
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- salt and pepper
- 15 oz can black beans or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup (8oz) sour cream
- 1 cup gluten-free red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup jarred salsa
- 4 oz can chopped green chiles
- 10-12 gluten-free white corn tortillas, cut into squares, see notes
- 8 oz shredded Mexican Cheese Blend, divided
- Toppings: minced onions, chopped cilantro, diced tomatoes, avocado, sliced olives, pickled jalapenos, shredded lettuce, sour cream, salsa, guacamole
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then spray a 9×13” casserole dish with nonstick spray and set it aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat then spray with nonstick spray or mist with extra virgin olive oil. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, then saute until the chicken is cooked through. Turn off the heat then set the chicken aside to cool slightly.
- To a very large mixing bowl add the beans, corn, sour cream, enchilada sauce, salsa, and green chiles then stir to combine. Add the slightly cooled chicken, tortillas, and half the cheese then stir to combine.
- Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking dish then top with the remaining cheese and bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbly. Scoop onto plates then serve with optional toppings.
Notes
- White corn tortillas are typically sold in packages of 10-12. This recipe works with 10 or up to 12 tortillas.
- To make ahead: Assemble the casserole up to a few hours ahead of time then cover with foil and store in the refrigerator. Bake covered for the first 15 minutes then remove the foil and continue to bake until the casserole is hot and bubbly.
- This recipe has been modified from the original in the following ways: 1 cup salsa instead of 3/4 cup. 8oz cheese instead of 4oz. Added a can of beans.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
Not like it hasn’t already been said above but my least favorite part of making enchiladas is rolling them up so this sounds perfect!
Hmm. I wonder how this would taste with a can of Rotel Tomato & Green Chilies vs. the salsa + green chilies separately. My boyfriend is all weird about “chunks” and I have to puree the Rotel Tomato & Green Chilies every. single. time. that I use them. I might try that and see if it works! I also have some Greek yogurt leftover in the fridge. Would be a great way to reuse the items that are dying to disappear from my pantry. :)
This will be my dinner tonight. Think I’ll try subbing in some pork loin for the chicken, though…and maybe green enchilada sauce and salsa. So, okay, not the exact same recipe, but close. :) Thanks for sharing!
This is absolutley going on my menu plans for next week! Except I’ll be making it vegetarian, but I’m sure it will be just as tasty! Just started following your blog, and can’t wait to read more. Your pictures are gorgeous as well.
I love your stuff and this looks amazing. I am on WW and into week 3 but have found that most of your recipies fall with in my daily points. I actually put this recipie in to see that the points are 6 WW points per serving! Yummy! Here is the link for anyone interested.
http://www.weightwatchers.ca/util/prt/recipe.aspx?Type=1&RecipeID=21866813
This looks soo delicious! I love how you go step by step through the recipe and then give the summary. Its awesome! I have picked up so many recipes from your website. Your PF Chang lettuce wraps are a hit in our household!
YES!!! Go with Greek Yogurt or even just Dannon Plain Yogurt. I stopped buying sour cream ages ago and all we use is greek yogurt or other plain. My husband scoffed and scoffed and now thinks nothing of it. Plus, it’s SO MUCH BETTER nutritionally!
Yum this recipe looks amazing!
I can’t get over how cheap Chobani is there for you. It is not so cheap here in Australia that’s for sure but still definitely worth it.
I know this isnt what your post is about but the price decline sticker made me laugh, isn’t it called a sale?
This looks sooo good! I love that you break up the corn tortillas because sometimes they are a pain to roll up. Yummy stuff!
I have to make that!!!!
It is such a joy to read all of the comments from all the lovely pregnant women – and those who have had babies in the last few years. Do you know that in the 80’s, there was no such thing as registering for baby things? Yep, back in the dark ages. And that shopping at garage sales for baby clothes was HUGE. As a thrift-store employee, I would recommend going to a thrift store for AMAZING finds. It is truly the way to go for those who want to save a couple of bucks. Now, on to this recipe… it is another that I will keep. Kristen, you have a gift for coming up with recipes that work with anybody’s kitchen – with ingredients that most can find either in their pantry or in their local grocery. Yum. Thanks again from one of your older readers. Keep ’em coming. And take a nap at least once a day if you can. Napping is a good thing.
How do you think this recipe would work with leftover cooked chicken?
Definitely!