Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 25 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the enchilada casserole:

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

1/4 cup taco seasoning, homemade or store-bought

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained

3 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce, canned or homemade

24 (6-inch) corn tortillas

16 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Optional toppings:

Sour cream

Red onions, sliced

Cilantro, chopped

Pickled or fresh jalapeños

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°F: Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, or use a pastry brush to give the dish a light layer of vegetable oil.

Season the chicken: Sprinkle the taco seasoning over the shredded chicken in a medium mixing bowl. Add the chicken stock to the bowl and use a pair of tongs to toss the chicken in the seasonings. The chicken should be evenly moistened and coated with taco seasoning. Add the drained black beans to the chicken and use the tongs to toss them with the chicken. Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera Diaz

Layer the casserole: Pour 2 1/2 cups of the enchilada sauce into a pie dish or wide, shallow 1 1/2-quart mixing bowl. Dip 8 corn tortillas into the enchilada sauce in the bowl, one at a time, ensuring each is evenly coated in the sauce. Line the bottom of the prepared baking dish with the dipped tortillas, overlapping them slightly to completely cover the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese over this layer of tortillas. Spoon half of the shredded chicken mixture over the cheese in an even layer. Top the shredded chicken with another 3/4 cup of the shredded cheese. Repeat the dipping and layering process once more. Top with 8 more sauce-coated tortillas. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the assembled casserole. Sprinkle the last of the cheese over the surface and cover the baking dish with aluminum foil. Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera Diaz

Bake the casserole: Bake the casserole for 25 minutes, covered. After 25 minutes, carefully remove the foil and bake until the cheese is completely melted and starting to brown, another 10 to 12 minutes. Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera Diaz

Cool slightly, then garnish and serve: Allow the casserole to cool for 10 to15 minutes. Use a spatula to cut the casserole into 8 squares. Serve the chicken enchilada casserole garnished with sour cream, chopped cilantro, diced red onions, and jalapeño slices. Refrigerate cooled leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below! Simply Recipes / Marta Rivera Diaz

Nutrition

• Calories: 623 kcal
• Total Fat: 28 g
• Saturated Fat: 14 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 114 mg
• Sodium: 1864 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 52 g
• Dietary Fiber: 10 g
• Total Sugars: 9 g
• Protein: 40 g