Southwest Chicken Enchilada Bake

A flavorful and robust casserole featuring tender chicken, black beans, and green enchilada sauce, baked to perfection with melty cheese and served with fluffy white rice.

• Prep: 25 min
• Cook: 40 min
• Total: 1 hr 5 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: Mexican
• Difficulty: Medium
• Cost: $4.67/serving

Dietary

• Gluten-Free
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• Low-Sugar

Tags

• classic
• comfort food
• savory
• spicy
• bake
• crowd-pleaser

Ingredients

• 2 pound chicken breast (boneless, skinless, cooked and shredded)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion (medium, diced)
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 green bell pepper (diced)
• 1 can black beans (15-ounce, rinsed and drained)
• 1 can diced green chiles (4-ounce)
• 1 can green enchilada sauce (28-ounce)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 0.5 teaspoon chili powder
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 corn tortillas (quartered)
• 2 cup Monterey Jack cheese (shredded)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
• 2 cup white rice
• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2. Cook 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts until done, then shred. You can boil, bake, or pan-fry the chicken.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and red bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the green bell pepper for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken breast, cooked vegetables, black beans, diced green chiles, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well.
5. Pour 1 cup of green enchilada sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
6. Layer half of the quartered corn tortillas over the sauce. Top with half of the chicken mixture, then sprinkle with 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
7. Repeat layers: remaining corn tortillas, remaining chicken mixture, then top with the rest of the green enchilada sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese and 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
9. While the bake is cooking, prepare the white rice: In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups uncooked white rice and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
10. Serve the enchilada bake hot, garnished with fresh cilantro if desired, alongside the cooked white rice.

Notes

This dish reheats wonderfully. Store individual portions in airtight containers for quick meals throughout the week.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 904
• Protein: 57.3 g
• Carbohydrates: 102.4 g
• Fat: 27.3 g
• Fiber: 6 g
• Sodium: 1751 mg
• Saturated Fat: 11.8 g
• Sugar: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 160 mg