Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe - Tasting Table

"Layered like lasagna and stacked with chicken, beans, tortillas, cheese, and enchilada sauce, a chicken enchilada casserole is an easy way to enjoy a Mexican cuisine-inspired feast with only a few minutes of prep. Enchiladas have roots dating all the way back to the Mayans, who prepared tortillas with fillings and coated them in tomato-based sauce. Centuries later, tortillas are still rolled with filling and covered in sauce, but have since been given creative upgrades - usually involving plenty of gooey, melty cheese."

"This chicken enchilada casserole recipe, written with Michelle McGlinn, takes all of the rolling and filling out of the prep and instead layers the tortillas, chicken, and sauce like a pasta bake. Served as slices coated with melted cheese, the resulting casserole replicates the flavor of Tex-Mex chicken enchiladas in an entirely new way. Easy to make ahead and perfect to serve a crowd, this casserole makes it easy to have a filling Mexican-inspired meal even on the busiest days of the week."

A chicken enchilada casserole layers tortillas, pulled chicken, black beans, enchilada sauce, and shredded Mexican-style cheese like a lasagna. The dish uses seasoned chicken tossed with cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and lime juice, and begins with a half-cup of enchilada sauce spread in the casserole dish. The assembly alternates tortilla quarters, beans, chicken, sauce, and cheese, then is topped with tortilla chips and baked until the cheese melts. The casserole yields slices coated in melted cheese, serves a crowd, can be made ahead, and offers a quick, filling Mexican-inspired meal for busy weeknights.

Read at Tasting Table