Chicken Enchilada Bake is a Tex-Mex casserole dish made with tortillas filled with shredded chicken, cheese, and enchilada sauce. The filled tortillas are then baked in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbly. It is a flavorful and hearty dish that can be served as a main course for lunch or dinner.
So here is this chicken and rice bake with black beans and corn all held together by an easy homemade enchilada sauce and a crunchy tortilla topping.
It’s cheesy and hearty and promises to satisfy your strongest Tex-mex cravings.
The homemade enchilada sauce starts with onion and garlic, a little flour, chicken broth and tomato sauce plus lots of chili powder for seasoning. Cayenne pepper is optional for those who like it hot and spicy. And I do.
This is a great way to reinvent your chicken leftovers and rice too. If you don’t have leftovers you can use a rotisserie chicken and minute rice to save time. Or just bake off a couple chicken breasts while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Everything is mixed together and poured into a baking dish, topped with crushed chips and cheese then baked until hot, golden and bubbly. It’s like getting two for one because the topping is kind of like nachos.
Plain and simple, it’s positively dreamy as far as casseroles go.
Everyone will love it!
Ingredients
- Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 can (14 ounce) tomato sauce
- 3 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, optional
- salt and pepper
- Casserole:
- 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken (about 1 pound raw)
- 2 cups cooked rice (I used Minute Rice)
- 1 can (14 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed well
- 1 + 1/2 cups corn (fresh or frozen)
- 1 + 1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar, divided
- 1 heaping cup crushed tortilla chips
- sour cream, for serving, optional
Instructions
Make the Sauce:
Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes.
Add the flour and toss with the onions, cook 1 - 2 minutes, stirring often.
Whisk in the chicken broth and tomato sauce followed by the chile powder, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
Turn the heat up and bring to a simmer, cook 10 minutes, stirring often.
Assembly:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch square baking/casserole pan.
In a large mixing bowl toss the chicken, rice, beans, corn and 3/4 cup of the cheese together.
Stir in all the sauce - it may seem like a lot but it will cook down. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon into the casserole pan and top with the chips. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over top.
Bake 25 - 30 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream.
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