Weeknight Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Try chicken enchilada casserole for an easy weeknight meal.

Chicken enchilada casserolePhoto byM Henderson

This chicken enchilada casserole is easy to assemble and ready to eat in minutes. Use leftover chicken, meat from a deli-purchased rotisserie chicken, or poach a couple of chicken breasts and debone them.

Tools

• 9" x 13" glass or metal pan
• Aluminum foil
• Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

• 4 cups of cooked chicken meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1 cup sour cream, or Mexican table cream*
• 1 Tablespoon chili powder
• Red or green enchilada sauce
• Salsa
• Grated cheese
• Chopped onions, bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, optional
• Chopped cilantro, optional

*For those who don't like the tartness of sour cream, Mexican table cream is a great alternative.

Instructions

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 375º F/190ºC.
2. Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces and place in a large mixing bowl.
3. Add sour cream and chili powder to the chicken and mix well.

Assembly:

1. Spread a layer of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the pan.
2. Add an even layer of chicken.
3. Sprinkle with cheese.
4. Top the chicken and cheese layer with a layer of corn tortillas, overlapped.
5. Spread with a second layer of enchilada sauce.
6. Add remaining chicken.
7. Sprinkle on chopped onions, bell peppers, and or jalapeno peppers, if using.
8. Sprinkle with cheese.
9. Top with remaining corn tortillas, overlapped.
10. Spread on enchilada sauce and salsa.
11. Sprinkle on chopped onions, bell peppers, and or jalapeno peppers, if using.
12. Sprinkle on grated cheese.
13. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, if using.
14. Drizzle with Mexican table cream or a few dollops of sour cream.
15. Cover the pan with aluminum foil.

Bake:

Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Let rest for 3 to 4 minutes before cutting. Serve hot.

The casserole can be served hot and goes well with a side salad. It is also good as leftovers, either heated in the microwave or eaten cold.