Easy Chicken Enchilada Bake with Homemade Sauce
This easy chicken enchilada casserole mixes shredded chicken, black beans, and tortilla pieces in a homemade creamy sauce. Bake it now for dinner or freeze it unbaked for another day!*A single batch of this recipe will make 2, 8x8 casseroles*
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 759kcal
Equipment
- 8x8 square pans (glass or ceramic if baking now, or disposable aluminum ones for freezing)
Ingredients
For the Homemade Cream of Celery Soup
- ¼ Cup salted butter
- ¼ Cup all-purpose flour (*use sweet rice flour for gluten free)
- 1 Cup milk (we use 2% or whole dairy milk)
- 1 Cup chicken broth
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
- 1 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
For the Casserole
- 3 Cups shredded, cooked chicken (or shredded rotisserie chicken)
- 3 Cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 1 , 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 batch homemade cream of celery soup (outlined above)
- 1 Cup sour cream (regular or low fat)
- 1 , 4 ounce can mild green chiles, drained
- ½ Cup diced white or yellow onion (about 1 small onion)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 12 corn tortillas, cut into bite-sized pieces (*use gluten free certified for gf)
Instructions
- 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.¼ Cup salted butter, ¼ Cup all-purpose flour
- Whisk in the milk, broth, spices, chopped celery, and parmesan, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens (3-6 minutes). Then set aside to cool a bit.1 Cup milk, 1 Cup chicken broth, 2 Tablespoons finely chopped celery, 1 Tablespoon grated parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika
- Grease 2, 8x8 pans and set aside.
- Assemble the enchilada bake by mixing the chicken, 1.5 Cups of the shredded cheese, black beans, homemade cream of celery soup, sour cream, green chilis, onion, and chili powder in a large mixing bowl until the ingredients are well combined and the chicken is well coated.3 Cups shredded, cooked chicken, 3 Cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided, 1 , 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed, 1 batch homemade cream of celery soup, 1 Cup sour cream, 1 , 4 ounce can mild green chiles, drained, ½ Cup diced white or yellow onion, 2 teaspoons chili powder
- Fold in the corn tortilla pieces to distribute throughout the filling.12 corn tortillas, cut into bite-sized pieces
- Divide the filling evenly between the prepared baking dishes, spreading into an even layer in the dish. Top with the remaining 1.5 Cups of shredded cheese.
- Cover with aluminum foil.
- 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 until the cheese is bubbling and browning a bit on top. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving. Top with cilantro, green onions, or whatever else you'd like and enjoy!
- If freezing for later: Add a 2nd layer of aluminum foil and label it with the recipe name, date made, and cooking instructions. Allow the covered bake to cool in the fridge before freezing. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying, removing the 2nd layer of aluminum foil with the label on it prior to baking. Then bake as noted in the step above.
Video
Notes
*If desired, make into a larger casserole. You can use one 9x13 inch baking dish instead of two 8x8 pans for a bigger casserole (the baking time and instructions stay the same).
Variation Ideas:
- Add jalapeños for extra heat. Dice up 1 jalapeño pepper (stem, ribs, and seeds removed)and mix it in with the filling for a spicier version.
- Use pinto beans instead. Swap 1-for-1 for the black beans.
- Try different cheese. In place of cheddar, try a Mexican blend cheese or Monterey Jack cheese.
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 759kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 1171mg | Potassium: 741mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1390IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 584mg | Iron: 4mg
