Chicken And Vegetable Enchilada Casserole Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

4.89 from 9 votes

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November 4, 2018

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This Chicken and Vegetable Enchilada Casserole recipe is a layered lasagna-inspired dinner. Packed with veggies and still tastes delicious, try it tonight! Or if you are looking for classic enchiladas <– see here!

Chicken And Vegetable Enchilada Casserole Recipe - Lauren's Latest (1)

Enchilada Casserole | Made with Chicken and Veggies

I like enchiladas and lasagna so, I put them together into a layered, cheesy, and spicy love child that I like to call Chicken Enchilada and Vegetable Casserole.

This meal is a great one that has lots of veggies, cheese, and Mexican goodness all inside. Not completely healthy, but not awful like traditional lasagna or enchiladas. I used the last of some random ingredients in my fridge–zucchini, green peppers, olives, green onions, and spinach but you can adapt it so you use up what you have. LOVE recipes like this! And, it’s pretty simple and gets thrown together pretty quick too.

So, let’s make a Chicken and Vegetable Enchilada Casserole!

Chicken And Vegetable Enchilada Casserole Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2)
Chicken And Vegetable Enchilada Casserole Recipe - Lauren's Latest (3)

Main Ingredients Needed

Here’s everything you need to make this Enchilada Casserole:

  • Olive Oil – used to saute all of the green veggies.
  • Zucchini, Green Onions, Green Pepper, Green Olives + Spinach – all of the veggies that go into this dish! You can add whatever you like in here, mushrooms, shredded carrots, broccoli, etc.
  • Cumin – this gives the dish a lot of that taco flavoring.
  • Salt + Pepper – don’t forget to season as you go!
  • Chicken – I used rotisserie chicken to make things easy but feel free to cook your chicken the day of.
  • Black Beans – this adds more protein to the dish! If you wanted to make this a vegetarian dish just leave out the chicken!
  • Salsa – use store-bought salsa or make your own homemade salsa.
  • Cilantro – if you hate the taste of cilantro just leave this out.
  • Cheddar Cheese – who doesn’t love a good cheesy casserole.
  • Corn Tortillas – these are cut into strips to evenly layer them in the baking dish.
  • Green Enchilada Sauce – canned. I used a green enchilada sauce but you could also use red enchilada sauce.
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Toppings

And to customize this dish even more you can top it off with whatever sounds good! Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • sour cream
  • guacamole
  • tomatoes
  • cilantro
  • tortilla chips
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How to Make Enchilada Casserole

For full details on how to make this enchilada casserole, see the recipe card down below 🙂

Make Filling

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute zucchini, onion, and green peppers until they start to soften. Stir in olives, spinach, cumin, salt, and pepper until spinach starts to wilt. Once the spinach is all wilted, remove it from heat and stir in chicken, beans, salsa, and cilantro. This is the filling for the casserole. Set aside.

Layer Enchilada Casserole

Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. {A 9×9 glass baking dish will be fine.} Spread 1/4 cup enchilada sauce across the bottom and place 1 layer of corn tortilla strips over top. Sprinkle some cheese over top. Spread half the chicken and veggie filling over the tortillas and cheese. Top with more cheese, more tortilla strips, and 3/4 cup enchilada sauce.

Continue layering the lasagna with more cheese, the last 1/2 of the filling, more cheese, the remaining tortilla strips, 1 cup of enchilada sauce, and the last bit of cheese.

Bake + Serve

Cover and bake. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Top with avocados, sour cream, avocados, tomatoes, etc.

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More Enchilada Recipes to Try!

  • Beef Enchiladas
  • Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
  • Chicken Enchiladas
  • Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole
  • Red and Green Enchiladas
  • Crockpot Chicken Taco Meat
  • Enchilada Stuffed Mushrooms
  • Zucchini Enchiladas
  • Beef Enchilada Dip
  • Chicken Enchilada Bowl
  • Chorizo Enchiladas (my FAVE!)
  • Pork Enchiladas

Add some salad and sweet mexican rice and voila! A great weeknight meal! Enjoy! 🙂

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you wouldgive it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

4.89 from 9 votes

Chicken and Vegetable Enchilada Casserole Recipe

This Chicken and Vegetable Enchilada Casserole recipe is a layered lasagna inspired dinner. Packed with tons of veggies and still tastes delicious, try it for dinner tonight!

servings 6 portions

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 small zucchini diced
  • 4 green onions sliced
  • 1/2 cup green pepper diced
  • 1/4 cup green olives sliced
  • 2 cups baby spinach fresh, chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 2 cups rotisserie chicken cooked, chopped or shredded
  • 7.5 oz black beans 1/2 can
  • 7 oz salsa 1 small can
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro fresh, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 lb cheddar cheese grated
  • 9 corn tortillas sliced
  • 2 cups mild green enchilada sauce
  • desired toppings: sour cream, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce, cilantro, lime juice

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute zucchini, onion, and green peppers until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in olives, spinach, cumin, salt, and pepper until spinach starts to wilt. Once the spinach is all wilted, remove it from heat and stir in chicken, beans, salsa, and cilantro. This is the filling for the casserole. Set aside.

    Chicken And Vegetable Enchilada Casserole Recipe - Lauren's Latest (8)

  • Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. {A 9×9 glass baking dish will be fine.} Spread 1/4 cup enchilada sauce across the bottom and place 1 layer of corn tortilla strips over top. Sprinkle some cheese over top. Spread half the chicken and veggie filling over the tortillas and cheese. Top with more cheese, more tortilla strips and 3/4 cup enchilada sauce.

    Chicken And Vegetable Enchilada Casserole Recipe - Lauren's Latest (9)

  • Continue layering the lasagna with more cheese, the last 1/2 of the filling, more cheese, the remaining tortilla strips, 1 cup of enchilada sauce and the last bit of cheese.

    Chicken And Vegetable Enchilada Casserole Recipe - Lauren's Latest (10)

  • Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Top with avocados, sour cream, avocados, tomatoes, etc.

    Chicken And Vegetable Enchilada Casserole Recipe - Lauren's Latest (11)

Nutrition

Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 1715mg | Potassium: 626mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2265IU | Vitamin C: 31.4mg | Calcium: 353mg | Iron: 3.2mg

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chicken enchilada casserole, enchilada casserole

Chicken And Vegetable Enchilada Casserole Recipe - Lauren's Latest (2024)

FAQs

Why is my enchilada casserole soggy? ›

The most important tip for avoiding soggy enchiladas is to briefly fry your tortillas in hot oil before you fill and roll. This creates a little bit of a barrier so that the tortillas don't soak up too much of the sauce and therefore start to break down.

Can you put too much sauce on enchiladas? ›

Another thing that adversely affects enchiladas is the addition of too much sauce. If you've ever thought, "There is no such thing as too much sauce," you might want to think again. Although it might be tempting to dump the whole serving of sauce in, this can actually be an enormous mistake.

Can you make enchiladas ahead of time or do they get soggy? ›

How to Store: You can keep the enchiladas for up to 2 days in the refrigerator — be sure to tightly cover the pan with aluminum foil before storing. To freeze the enchiladas, for up to 3 months, tightly wrap the entire pan with foil, crimping to seal around the edges to prevent freezer burn.

Should you cover enchiladas while baking? ›

Arrange enchiladas, seam-side down, in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Top with taco sauce and remaining 3/4 cup Cheddar cheese. Bake in the preheated oven, uncovered, until cheese has melted, about 20 minutes. Let cool briefly before serving.

How do you make enchiladas crispy and not soggy? ›

To prevent your tortillas from tearing or becoming soggy, quickly fry each corn tortilla in any oil you like for about 10 seconds on each side, until it starts to get crispy but is still pliable. This will add a barrier that will keep the tortilla from absorbing too much sauce, and also adds a little extra flavor.

How do you keep casserole topping from getting soggy? ›

Nuts. Naturally crunchy and unlikely to get soggy like the other foods on this list, nuts make a delicious choice for casserole topping. Good, neutral options include chopped walnuts or almond slivers. For bolder flavor and color, opt for pistachios, or make it an extra rich dish with a sprinkling of toasted cashews.

How do you moisten a casserole? ›

How do you moisten a dry casserole? Add a little water or milk to the top of the it before reheating. Allow the liquid to seep in between the casserole and the baking dish, without overflowing. Cover the top with aluminum foil.

Are yellow or white corn tortillas better for enchiladas? ›

Yellow corn tortillas have a stronger corn flavor, whereas white tortillas have an almost oaky, nutty flavor when toasted. I personally like white tortillas for tacos and enchiladas, and use yellow ones for fried tortillas and corn chips when I want that corn taste to really come through.

Do you put sauce on enchiladas before or after baking? ›

Easy Cheese Enchiladas Recipe

Happy to report it couldn't be easier. Step 1: Make 10 minute homemade red enchilada sauce using fridge and pantry staples. Step 2: Sprinkle shredded Mexican blend cheese into the centers of corn tortillas then roll and place inside a casserole dish. Step 3: Cover with red sauce then bake.

What can I add to canned enchilada sauce to make it taste better? ›

To make your canned enchilada sauce taste homemade, grab some butter, a little flour, and some chicken stock. This trifecta of ingredients infuses a canned enchilada sauce with a satisfyingly thick texture and a rich, savory flavor.

Does enchilada sauce go inside or on top? ›

Roll up tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish. Spoon the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and scatter over the reserved cheese. Grease a large sheet of foil with cooking spray or oil and cover the baking dish, grease side down.

What are the best tortillas for enchiladas? ›

Corn tortillas are traditional for enchiladas, but flour tortillas also work. Choose 7- or 8-inch flour tortillas or 6-inch corn tortillas—they fit best in most pans. Recipes vary, but for a 3-quart rectangular casserole dish, you will need about eight flour or corn tortillas. Get colorful!

How do you keep corn tortillas soft for enchiladas? ›

To use the oven to soften your tortillas, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Once heated, wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place them in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until they are warm and pliable enough to roll.

How do you fix watery enchilada sauce? ›

The simplest would be to make a thin paste of 1 teaspoon of cornflour or corn starch and water, add it to the sauce, and simmer it for 3 minutes.

References

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