Chicken Enchilada Casserole With Rice

This simple hen enchilada casserole recipe is considered one of my favourite weeknight dinners after I need one thing comforting and tacky and hearty with out spending all evening within the kitchen. Every thing goes instantly into the dish uncooked, so there isn’t any want for pre-cooking, sautéing, or extra pots for later processing.

I like to think about this recipe as an “every thing however the tortilla” hen enchilada casserole. As an alternative of soggy tortilla layers, swap out rice for a hearty one-pan dinner that retains the flavour of basic enchiladas.

Loaded with lean hen breast, black beans, veggies, enchilada sauce, and melted cheese, it is a protein-packed but comforting and satisfying dinner. It additionally reheats very well, so it is good for meal prep or busy nights if you want dinner in a rush.

What’s nice about this recipe?

This is why I preserve coming again to this simple hen enchilada casserole.

Every thing is cooked uncooked. There isn’t any have to pre-cook the rice or hen. Simply lower, combine, bake and dinner is prepared. One Pan Dinner: Bake every thing collectively in a single casserole dish for straightforward cleanup after a busy weeknight. Excessive in protein and hearty: This wholesome enchilada casserole with hen, black beans, and cheese is hearty, satisfying, and excellent for meal prep. Household-friendly and customizable: Tacky, comforting, and simply adaptable to completely different veggies, proteins, and spice ranges.

This is what you’ll want to make this scrumptious hen casserole.

Lengthy-grain white rice: White rice cooks evenly and absorbs all the flavour of the enchiladas with out turning into mushy. Brown rice is okay, however would require no less than half-hour of extra cooking time. I have not tried quick-cooking rice, nevertheless it may work. Simply scale back the enchilada sauce and broth by 1/2 cup. Hen breast: I take advantage of boneless, skinless hen breast. Low in fats, reasonably priced, and excessive in protein, they’re decrease in ldl cholesterol and saturated fats than darker cuts. Chopping into bite-sized items will assist the casserole cook dinner extra evenly, however you can too depart the breast meat entire. Greens: Bell peppers add colour, texture, pure sweetness, and vitamin C. I add white onions to carry out the flavour with out frying. Be at liberty so as to add no matter greens you may have readily available! Potatoes, candy potatoes, butternut squash, and kale all work nice collectively. Black Beans: Black beans make this casserole much more filling, including fiber, potassium, and further protein. You may principally swap out the pinto beans, however you can too add inexperienced beans for a firmer chunk. Pink Enchilada Sauce: Enchilada sauce is the star taste right here, so use what you already get pleasure from. I like utilizing store-bought Frontera Pink Chili Sauce, however you should use any sort…home made enchilada sauce works too!Inexperienced chiles: Diced inexperienced chiles carry a light smoky taste and a bit of warmth with out making the casserole spicy. Hen broth: Bouillon helps cook dinner the rice correctly whereas including extra taste than water alone, however you can too add vegetable broth or water if desired. Mexican Cheese Mix: A layer of melted cheese on high makes this casserole much more comforting. Cheddar, pepper jack, and Monterey jack cheeses additionally work nicely. Seasonings: Garlic powder, cumin, and sea salt add heat and basic enchilada taste.

For those who love the style of enchiladas, then attempt my One Pot Hen Enchilada Skillet.

This hen enchilada casserole comes collectively in a single baking dish and does a lot of the work within the oven. The important thing to my favourite simple recipes is to layer the rice evenly in order that it cooks correctly and every thing cooks evenly.

First, preheat the oven to 375°F and evenly coat a big casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray. This prevents sticking, particularly close to the perimeters.

Add all components besides shredded cheese to casserole dish. This contains rice, hen combine, bell peppers, onions, black beans, inexperienced chiles, enchilada sauce, soup, and spices.

Stir every thing completely till utterly blended. Ensure that the rice is evenly distributed all through the plate and doesn’t clump in a single place. This step is necessary for even cooking, as rice requires constant liquid contact to cook dinner correctly.

Cowl the dish tightly with foil and bake for half-hour. Retaining the lid on will assist lure steam and the rice will start to cook dinner.

After half-hour, take away the dish, give it an excellent stir and return it to the coated oven for an additional half-hour. It appears just a little cheeky at this stage, however that is precisely what you need. If you’re utilizing brown rice, the casserole could take an extra half-hour.

Take away the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly on high, and return to the oven for 3 to five minutes till melted and bubbly.

Let the casserole stand for five to 10 minutes earlier than serving. This can thicken it a bit, making it simpler to scoop, and can permit the rice to complete absorbing any remaining liquid.

This hen enchilada casserole is straightforward to regulate relying on what’s in your fridge and your loved ones’s preferences. Listed below are a few of my favourite tweaks.

Make it spicier: Add diced jalapenos, use a spicier enchilada sauce, or stir in a pinch of cayennepeño, chipotle, or chili powder. Add extra greens. Zucchini, corn, spinach, kale, diced tomatoes, and candy potatoes all work nicely and add bulk. Go dairy-free: Skip the cheese totally or use your favourite dairy-free shredded cheese substitute. Swap grains. Use brown rice for a heartier model, or attempt quinoa for a barely completely different texture. If utilizing brown rice, permit for further cooking time. Swap the protein: Attempt a beef enchilada model with floor turkey, shredded rotisserie hen, and even floor beef.

Do you want the concept of ​​shredded hen? Attempt the Rotisserie Hen Enchiladas and Flour Tortillas or the One Pot Road Corn White Hen Enchiladas and Corn Tortillas.

what so as to add

This casserole is a meal by itself, however I like so as to add some contemporary toppings. I nearly at all times select creamy and contemporary. A spoonful of bitter cream or Greek yogurt balances the spices and provides calcium. Garnish with chopped cilantro or inexperienced onions and a squeeze of lime to brighten every thing up. You probably have avocado, slice it on high to make it even richer.

It goes nice with crunchy tortilla chips, guacamole, or a easy scoop of salsa. For one thing just a little extra hearty, the Mexican Road Corn Salad is a superb choice. I additionally prefer to preserve it mild by serving it with a easy inexperienced salad or roasted greens.

For those who’re feeding a big group, have every thing buffet-style so everybody can create their very own plate with toppings, chips, and further lime wedges.

Storage, Freezing, and Meal Prep Ideas

This hen enchilada casserole is a kind of recipes that tastes even higher the following day. Listed below are my favourite methods to retailer, freeze, and reheat them to take care of their deliciousness.

As soon as the casserole has utterly cooled, switch leftovers to an hermetic container or divide into single servings for straightforward transport. Retailer within the fridge for as much as 5 days as a straightforward meal choice.

Tips on how to reheat

How do I reheat enchilada casserole? There are a number of choices:

Microwave: Warmth 1 serving in a microwave-safe bowl for roughly 1.5 to 2 minutes. Oven: Cowl the casserole dish with foil and bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes or till heated via. Stovetop: Add just a little oil to the skillet and warmth the casserole over medium warmth for about 5 minutes.

This recipe will turn into your new favourite frozen casserole dish and is ideal for meal prep. I prefer to assemble and bake in disposable or freezer-safe casserole dishes so I can freeze them whereas nonetheless within the pot. For greatest outcomes, I often wait so as to add the cheese till reheated.

To freeze:

Let the casserole cool utterly. Cowl tightly with plastic wrap and press instantly towards the floor to cut back air. Wrap it once more in foil and label it with the expiry date (3 months from the date it was made). Retailer frozen for as much as 3 months!

To reheat, thaw within the fridge in a single day, then use one of many reheating strategies above.

Meal prep and pre-cooking suggestions

In terms of weeknight plans, there are two simple methods to arrange upfront.

Make forward (earlier than baking): I assemble every thing (besides the cheese) in a casserole dish, cowl, and refrigerate earlier within the day or as much as 24 hours upfront. When it is time for supper, bake as directed, however add just a few extra minutes in the event that they’re cool. Meal Prep (After Cooking): Bake the casserole, let it cool, then portion it into containers for ready-to-eat lunches or dinners all through the week. That is the best solution to have wholesome, filling meals readily available with out having to assume twice.

See extra of my favourite hen casserole recipes