This Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a crowd pleaser that is as loved by kids as it is adults! This easy dinner has all the delicious flavors of creamy chicken enchiladas baked right into a casserole. You can serve it with your favorite Mexican side dishes like tortillas, rice and beans, or keep it lighter by serving it over cauliflower rice or greens. As a bonus, since it is made in just one dish, there is minimal clean up too! Now that is my kind of dinner! Make sure and check out all the serving suggestions and ideas for leftovers below!
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Sometimes there are recipes that pop into my head, and once I make them, I just think, “Why in the world did it take me so long?!”
This is one of those recipes! It is all of the deliciousness of chicken enchiladas but in casserole form! It has the tender chicken, it has the crispy cheese, and of course it has creamy sauce! And it is so CRAZY easy to make! (See more of my crazy easy and delicious chicken recipes here)
The other thing that making this dish casserole style does is allows you to go tortilla-less! That means if you love the tortillas, you can still serve them right on top of one, but if you are wanting to eat low carb or need a gluten free option, you can still get all the enchilada goodness without the tortillas.
Or if you are like me, you have one kid who likes tortillas, one who doesn’t. One who’s favorite food is rice and one who won’t touch it. Making Chicken Enchilada casserole lets you whip up the main part of the meal quickly and then each picky kiddo can pick how they want to eat their serving.
How to Serve Chicken Enchilada Casserole
The best way to serve this dish, is to start off by giving the top of the casserole a generous scoop of fresh pico de gallo, guacamole, or sour cream. I have mentioned a few ideas on how to serve this recipe above, but here is an easy list of our go to ideas for serving Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole:
Classic Chicken Enchilada Casserole Classic Sides
- Tortillas- serve right on top of flour or corn tortillas
- Rice- Make white or Mexican rice and serve a scoop of this casserole right on top
- Beans- You can serve this with refried beans, pinto beans or black beans
- Chips- My husband likes to crunch up tortilla chips and eat it with them.
- Potatoes- You can serve this right on top of mashed potatoes or a baked potato
- Pasta- There is plenty of sauce in this dish to spoon right over pasta!
Low Carb Chicken Enchilada Casserole Serving Ideas
- Cauliflower rice- You can see how I prep and freeze cauliflower rice to keep on hand here and my prep and freeze cauliflower rice
- On a bed of mashed avocado
- Sautéed greens- My favorite is this easy sautéed spinach
- Roasted Vegetables- Try squash or cauliflower (or your go-to favorites!)
- Spaghetti Squash
- Zoodles- I really like zucchini and sweet potato
For more easy low carb chicken dinners, try my baked garlic chicken, green chile chicken, or fajita chicken bake!
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Make sure to find the full printable recipe card and nutrition information below. Here I will walk through a few frequently asked questions and tips for making this recipe so that if anything comes up as you cook, hopefully we can get it answered quickly! If you don’t find the answer here, feel free to leave me a note in the comments and I will try to get back to you as soon as I can!
Chicken Enchilada Casserole prep
Q: Can I cut the chicken smaller or use other cuts of meat?
A: Absolutely! You can use full breasts, but I generally at least cut them in half so that they are half the thickness which will help the dish cook more quickly and keep the chicken tender. You can also cut the chicken into chunks or use chicken tenderloins to make this casserole easier to serve and cook more quickly. If you prefer other cuts of chicken like chicken thighs those can also be used. I would recommend buying boneless and adjusting the cooking time appropriately.
Q: Can I use low fat or fat free cream cheese or sour cream?
A: I find that low fat cream cheese and sour cream does work in this recipe but fat free does not tend to soften or melt in the same way so I do not recommend using it.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole- Baking
Q: Do I cover this while baking?
A: I bake my casserole uncovered. I like the cheese to have a little crispness to it to add texture to the dish and I like the extra juices that are released to have a chance to evaporate out of the dish rather than collecting inside it. That said, if you want really gooey, stringy, cheesy goodness, you can either cook the dish covered and just uncover for the last 5 minutes or so, OR, you can leave the cheese off and bake uncovered, then just add the cheese the last few minutes of baking for it to melt.
Q: Can I use a bigger/smaller casserole dish?
A: You can really use any size you want, as long as it fits. The size of the casserole dish you use will impact the baking time. If the chicken is too tight in the dish it will take longer. If it is spread out farther it will cook a little faster, so just keep an eye on it.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole – Serving
Q: Is this dish gluten free?
A: This Chicken Enchilada Casserole can easily be made gluten free by ensuring the enchilada sauce is gluten free as some aren’t and some are. It is also smart to check any other prepackaged ingredients as well, but cheese and sour cream is generally gluten free.
Q: My sauce is too thin. What did I do?
A: When chicken bakes it releases juices that will mix into the sauce. If your sauce appears thin, make sure to mix it and also let it rest for a few minutes. When the sauce is piping hot it will be thinner and as it cools it will thicken.
Chicken Enchilada Casserole – Leftover Ideas!
If you find yourself with leftovers after serving this yummy casserole, don’t throw them out or eat them again the same way! There are several ways to give them a little “makeover” and turn them into a new meal. Here are some of my favorites!
- Shredded Chicken tacos– Shred the leftover chicken and mix it into the sauce. Serve it as tacos or on nachos.
- Enchilada Grain bowls (pictured below)- Fix a bowl of rice, quinoa, farro etc, place a chicken breast on top along with your favorite veggies and a scoop of sauce and enjoy!
- Enchilada Pie- Chop up leftover chicken and mix with sauce. Spoon the mixture over prepared corn bread and top with an extra sprinkle of cheese then broil on low until the cheese is melted. Enjoy!
- Enchilada stuffed baked potatoes– Chop up the leftovers and stuff them inside a tender baked potato! Top with sour cream, onions, and cilantro!
- Quesadillas– Throw this chicken with some of your favorite veggies and a little cheese in to a tortilla and grill on each side until golden.
I hope you get a chance to enjoy this delicious dinner and even try a couple of the leftover ideas!
If you do get a chance to try it, I would love it if you let me know! You can leave me a comment below, or if you post a picture on Instagram, make sure to tag me @easyfamilyrecipes so that I can see what you are cooking up! It makes my day to see others enjoying the recipes that I share!
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Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
For topping (optional):
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Sour cream
- Chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Mix softened enchilada sauce, cream cheese, and sour cream together until smooth.
- Place chicken breast flat in the casserole dish pour the sauce mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.
- Bake uncovered at 375˚F for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is 165˚F internal temperature.
- Remove from oven and let set for 5-10 minutes, then top with desired toppings and serve warm.
Recipe Notes:
- You can cut the chicken in half, chunks, or use chicken tenderloins in lieu of full chicken breasts to make serving easier and cooking quicker. Cooking time may be reduced and will depend on the size and thickness of the chicken.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer for up to a month.
Nutrition Information:
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
Ivory says
This looks amazingly delicious. Thanks for sharing. Will be making this dish.
Mamabear says
Can you make this in a crockpot instead?
Mamabear says
Update! I made mine in the crockpot and it came out delicious! I seasoned my chicken and dumped a can of diced tomatoes on top. Let that cook for about 5-7 hours on low. Drain the juices then put the mixture on top and let it cook for another 30 min to an hour on high. Then put it in the oven under the broiler until the cheese browns.