Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This chicken enchilada casserole recipe is comfort food at its finest, with tender shredded chicken, black beans, green chilis, and bite-sized tortilla pieces all mixed in a creamy, flavorful sauce! What makes our version special is the from-scratch cream of celery soup that comes together in under 10 minutes and tastes so much better than anything from a can. This easy bake is fantastic for busy weeknights, and it’s also one of the best make-ahead meals because you can freeze it unbaked and have a homemade dinner ready to pop in the oven anytime.

I first made a version of this enchilada bake when I set up a meal prep day for my girlfriends last fall. I selected, prepped, and shopped for everything we needed to make six different recipes together, most that would be frozen for another day to make all of our lives easier. We spent the day prepping each one, chatting, and having a great time! The enchilada bake ended up being everyone’s favorite meal that we made, and it’s become one of my go-to freezer meals.

As someone who loves making freezer meals for my own busy family and for friends who’ve just had babies, I’ve learned that some of the best recipes are the ones you can make ahead and pull out on those crazy days when cooking from scratch just isn’t happening. We like to double this recipe so we can enjoy one casserole the day we make it and freeze three for later. Making the soup base from scratch might seem like an extra step, but it only takes about 10 minutes and means you’re skipping that can of cream of whatever soup with all those strange additives. The overall flavor is so much better and fresher when you make it yourself, and this is one of those minimal effort, high impact steps that’s absolutely worth it!

Ingredients for Our Creamy Chicken Enchiladas Casserole

For the Homemade Cream of Celery Soup

• Salted butter. Helps create a rich and creamy texture in the soup base.
• All-purpose flour. Thickens the soup to the right consistency (sweet white rice flour works great for a gluten-free version!).
• Milk. Provides richness and creaminess to the soup base (we recommend 2% or whole dairy milk for best results).
• Chicken broth. Adds savory depth of flavor and helps thin the roux to the right consistency.
• Finely chopped celery. Gives the soup its signature flavor and adds texture.
• Grated parmesan cheese. Adds a subtle umami note and helps make the soup extra creamy.
• Salt, black pepper, onion powder, and paprika. These spices season the soup base, adding savory depth and warmth while enhancing all the other flavors.

For the Bake

• Shredded, cooked chicken. The protein base of the casserole that makes it hearty and filling (we always use our juicy and flavorful slow cooker shredded chicken recipe or you can grab a rotisserie chicken to save time too, both work great!).
• Shredded cheddar cheese. Melts throughout the casserole and creates a golden, cheesy topping too.
• Black beans. A staple in Mexican cooking that adds extra protein and fiber while helping to bulk up the casserole and make it even more filling.
• Homemade cream of celery soup. Outlined above, this homemade creamy base is the foundation for our creamy sauce.
• Sour cream. Adds tangy richness and extra creaminess to the filling.
• Mild green chilis. Provides gentle heat and authentic enchilada flavor without being too spicy (we don’t want to scare off the Midwesterners, ha!).
• White or yellow onion. White onion is more traditional in Mexican cooking and has a sharper, slightly sweeter flavor, but yellow onion works fine if that’s what you have on hand.
• Chili powder. Brings warm, earthy spice and that classic enchilada taste.
• Corn tortillas. The traditional choice for enchiladas, they absorb the creamy sauce and add authentic corn flavor throughout the casserole (use certified gluten-free if needed).

Full ingredient measurements and all recipe details can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Helpful Equipment

You’ll need two 8×8 inch baking dishes for this recipe (the recipe makes two casseroles). If you’re planning to freeze these casseroles, I highly recommend grabbing the disposable aluminum pans you can find in your grocery store’s baking aisle. This way your nice baking dishes aren’t stuck in the freezer for months, and you can gift these to friends or new parents without worrying about getting your pan back!

How to Make Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Make the homemade cream of celery soup by melting the butter in a medium pan over medium heat.

Whisk in the flour and cook until the mixture is smooth and begins to bubble.

Add the milk, broth, spices, chopped celery, and parmesan, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens (3-6 minutes).

Once thickened, set the homemade cream of celery soup aside to cool a bit.

Grease 2, 8×8 pans and set aside.

Assemble the enchilada bake by adding the chicken, half of the shredded cheese, black beans, homemade cream of celery soup, sour cream, green chilis, chopped onion, and chili powder to a large mixing bowl.

Stir to combine, making sure the chicken is well coated in the creamy mixture.

Add the tortilla pieces and gently fold in to distribute throughout the filling mixture.

Divide the filling evenly between the prepared baking dishes.

Spreading the filling into an even layer in each baking dish.

Top the casseroles with the remaining shredded cheese, spreading it into an even top layer.

Cover with aluminum foil. 

If freezing for later: Add another layer of aluminum foil and label it with the recipe name (*pretend I can spell better, thanks!*), date made, and cooking instructions. Allow to cool in the fridge before freezing

If baking now: preheat your oven to 350°F and bake for 40 minutes covered. Then remove the aluminum foil and bake an additional 10-15 minutes to finish melting the cheese on top. 

Allow the casserole to cool for a few minutes before serving. Top with fresh cilantro or green onions if desired and enjoy!

White Chicken Enchilada Casserole Variation Ideas

Add jalapeños for extra heat. Dice up 1 jalapeño pepper (stem, ribs, and seeds removed) into small pieces and mix it in with the filling for a spicier version.

Use pinto beans instead. Swap the black beans for pinto beans if that’s what you prefer or have on hand.

Try different cheese. While cheddar is classic, a Mexican blend cheese or Monterey Jack would also taste great in this recipe.

Add corn. Mix in 1 cup of frozen or canned (drained) corn kernels with the filling for extra sweetness and texture.

Use flour tortillas. If you prefer flour tortillas they’ll work just as well as corn tortillas. Just note that they’ll change the overall flavor of the casserole a bit.

Make it into a larger casserole. If desired, you can use one 9×13 inch baking dish instead of two 8×8 pans for a bigger casserole (the baking time and instructions stay the same).

How to Store and Reheat

Storing leftovers: Cover any leftover casserole tightly with aluminum foil or transfer it to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, or microwave individual portions until heated through.

Freezing instructions: This casserole is fantastic for freezer meal prep! After assembling the casserole but before baking, cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Add a second layer of foil and label it with the recipe name, date made, and cooking instructions. Allow the covered bake to cool in the fridge before transferring to the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Cooking from frozen: Thaw the casserole in the fridge overnight before baking. Remove the second layer of aluminum foil with the label, leaving just one layer covering the casserole, and bake as directed in the recipe (40 minutes covered, then 10 to 15 minutes uncovered).

Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe FAQs