For a more flavorful enchilada casserole, rub the chicken with cumin, pepper, and other seasonings before cooking.
A chicken enchilada casserole is a baked meal made with Mexican flavors and ingredients that are commonly used in chicken enchiladas. Cooks can vary the specific ingredients they use based on personal preference, but almost all chicken enchilada casseroles include soft tortillas, chicken, shredded cheese, and enchilada sauce. Other ingredients often found in traditional enchiladas, such as chili, rice, fried beans, and onions, are also commonly found in the casserole version.
Sour cream is a popular topping for chicken enchilada casseroles.
Casseroles, in general, are one-dish meals that combine the main dish ingredients and side dishes in one pot. This results in an all-in-one type of meal that serves as a well-balanced dinner without requiring additional fixings. Most stews are baked in the oven, but some are cooked on the stovetop. A chicken enchilada casserole is usually baked in the oven.
Peppers are often found in chicken enchilada stews.
While different cooks have different recipes, a chicken enchilada casserole should include standard enchilada ingredients to have the overall flavor of a chicken enchilada. A traditional enchilada consists of a corn tortilla wrapped in shredded meat, beans, cheese, and various chopped vegetables. Enchiladas are also covered in a mild red chili sauce, specifically known as “enchilada sauce.” The term enchilada comes from the Spanish verb enchilar, which roughly means “to season with chili,” making this sauce the main ingredient in an enchilada recipe. Side dishes can also include cheese, lettuce, onion, sour cream, and fresh cilantro.
Chicken enchilada casseroles use many of the same seasonings, fillings, and garnishes as the traditional Mexican dish from which this meal is derived, but instead of rolling the ingredients inside a corn tortilla, the cook stacks them in flat layers. A layer of corn tortillas is placed in the bottom of the pan. The cook then spreads a layer of partially or fully cooked chicken, in the form of shredded chicken or chicken strips, on top of the tortillas. A mixture of finely chopped vegetables, grated cheese, and various herbs and spices are placed on top of the chicken. The cook typically repeats these layers once or twice, and often covers the pan with an additional layer of tortilla before baking it in a preheated oven.
Some cooks may call a chicken enchilada stew recipe, without including the spicy sauce that characterizes an enchilada. A more authentic chicken enchilada casserole will include enchilada sauce, but some cooks may mix the sauce with the filling ingredients, while others may spread it on top of the final layer of the tortilla. Casserole versions of the chicken enchilada do not typically include as wide a variety of garnishes as traditional versions of the dish, but additional melted cheese, sour cream, and chopped cilantro are still common. After coming out of the oven, the casserole is cut into square portions to be eaten with a knife and fork.