Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Chicken thighs simmered in a homemade red enchilada sauce, shredded and baked with cream cheese, green chiles and plenty of melted cheese. It’s all the enchilada flavor without the tortillas.
Nutrition per serving
about 1 cup + toppings- Net carbs
- 6.7g
- Calories
- 486kcal
- Protein
- 40g
- Fat
- 32g
- Total carbs
- 11 g
- Fiber
- 3.9 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Ground beef enchilada bake: Browned ground beef simmered in the red sauce gives a hearty, taco-night version that’s ready faster.
- Brown the beef in the skillet first, breaking it up, 8–10 minutes until no pink remains (160°F/71°C). Drain most of the fat, then cook the onion and spices in the same pan, add the sauce and simmer 10 minutes before stirring in the cream cheese.
With zucchini layers: Thin planks of zucchini layered like tortillas make it more like a true layered enchilada casserole, with an extra serving of vegetables.
- Salt the zucchini planks, let them sit 15 minutes and blot them very dry.
- In a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) dish, layer a third of the chicken mixture, half the zucchini, another third of the chicken, the rest of the zucchini and the last of the chicken, then top with cheese and bake 30 minutes.
With low-carb tortilla layers: Low-carb flour tortillas layered through the filling give the soft, familiar bite of real enchiladas for about 2.7 g extra net carbs per serving.
- Spoon a little sauce into a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) dish, then layer tortillas and filling twice, ending with filling and cheese. Bake 25–30 minutes, until bubbling. Note that most low-carb tortillas contain wheat.
- Enchilada sauce
- Filling
- Toppings
- Nice to have (optional)
- Enchilada sauce
- Filling
- Toppings
- Nice to have (optional)
- Enchilada sauce
- Filling
- Toppings
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Enchilada sauce
- Filling
- Toppings
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $17.36 for 6 servings ($2.89 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Heat the oil in a large oven-safe skillet or braiser over medium heat. Cook the onion 4–5 minutes until soft, add the garlic, chili powder, cumin and oregano and stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
-
Whisk in the tomato sauce, broth and salt and bring to a simmer. Nestle in the chicken thighs, cover and simmer gently 20–25 minutes, turning once, until they reach 165°F (74°C) and are tender.
-
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Move the chicken to a board and shred it with two forks. Meanwhile, simmer the sauce uncovered 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
-
Stir the cream cheese into the sauce until melted, then add the shredded chicken, green chiles and ½ cup of the cheese. If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer everything to a 2-quart (2 L) baking dish.
-
Spread it out evenly, top with the remaining cheese and bake 20–25 minutes, until bubbling and golden in spots.
-
Let it stand 5 minutes, then top with sour cream, avocado, cilantro and jalapeño and serve with Mexican cauliflower rice or shredded lettuce.
Tips for success
-
Canned enchilada sauce often contains wheat flour and sugar. This version takes 5 minutes and you control what goes in it. - Simmering the chicken in the sauce seasons it all the way through. With leftover chicken, simmer the sauce alone for 10 minutes and stir in 4 cups shredded meat.
- Chili powder blends vary in heat. Add ½ tsp chipotle powder for smoke or a pinch of cayenne for more kick.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Freezes up to 3 months
Reheat: Microwave 2–3 minutes or bake covered at 350°F (175°C) for 15–20 minutes, then add the toppings.
Prep tip: Freeze the baked casserole in portions without the toppings; add avocado, sour cream and cilantro fresh.
Refrigerate up to 4 days; add the fresh toppings after reheating. The baked casserole (without toppings) freezes for up to 3 months.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosGround beef enchilada bake
ProteinBrowned ground beef simmered in the red sauce gives a hearty, taco-night version that’s ready faster.
- boneless skinless chicken thighs → ground beef (80/20)
6.7 g net · 687 kcal · 37 g protein · 56 g fat · ≈$3.86 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
With zucchini layers
VeggiesThin planks of zucchini layered like tortillas make it more like a true layered enchilada casserole, with an extra serving of vegetables.
- + 2 medium zucchini
8.1 g net · 497 kcal · 41 g protein · 32 g fat · ≈$3.23 per serving (+1.4 g net carbs vs the original)
With low-carb tortilla layers
SwapLow-carb flour tortillas layered through the filling give the soft, familiar bite of real enchiladas for about 2.7 g extra net carbs per serving.
- + 4 low-carb tortillas (8 inch / 20 cm)
9.4 g net · 532 kcal · 44 g protein · 34 g fat · ≈$3.27 per serving (+2.7 g net carbs vs the original)
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