Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole (Easy Weeknight Recipe)
This easy chicken enchilada casserole layers shredded chicken mixed with cream cheese, taco seasoning, green chiles, and fire-roasted corn between corn tortillas and enchilada sauce topped with melted Colby Jack for an easy Tex-Mex dinner.
Servings 8
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked or rotisserie chicken breast shredded or chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 14 oz can fire-roasted corn drained
- 1 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 8 oz plain cream cheese softened
- 1 20 oz can ed enchilada sauce divided
- 12 white or yellow corn tortillas
- 16 oz Colby Jack cheese freshly shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the shredded chicken, taco seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, drained corn, diced green chiles, and softened cream cheese. Mix until everything is well combined and the cream cheese is evenly distributed throughout.
- Spread about 2 tablespoons of enchilada sauce across the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish in a thin even layer.
- Lay 6 corn tortillas in an even layer over the sauce, overlapping slightly to cover the bottom of the dish.
- Spread half the chicken mixture evenly over the tortillas. Drizzle enchilada sauce generously over the chicken mixture. Top with a generous layer of shredded Colby Jack.
- Repeat — 6 more tortillas, remaining chicken mixture, more enchilada sauce, and the rest of the Colby Jack cheese on top.
- Bake uncovered at 375°F for 30 to 35 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and beginning to turn golden.
- Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This rest time is what lets the casserole set so it scoops cleanly rather than falling apart.
Notes
- The cream cheese must be fully softened before mixing. Cold cream cheese won't incorporate evenly and you'll end up with chunks throughout the filling rather than a creamy, cohesive mixture.
- Freshly shredded Colby Jack melts significantly better than the pre-shredded bag. The extra two minutes of grating is worth it for the melty, gooey layer you get on top.
- Don't skip the rest time after baking. Ten to fifteen minutes lets the casserole set and firm up so every slice holds together cleanly on the plate.
- Rotisserie chicken makes this a genuinely fast weeknight dinner. The filling comes together in about five minutes and the oven handles everything else.
