This Chicken Enchilada Bake layers tender shredded chicken, corn tortillas, homemade green enchilada sauce and melted cheese, finished with a bright, fresh salsa. It’s an easy, family-friendly casserole that delivers classic enchilada flavor without the fuss of rolling individual enchiladas.
Tomatillos shine in this recipe. I enjoy them raw in guacamole and in quick salsas, but roasting or simmering them creates a deeper, more complex green sauce that pairs beautifully with chicken.
This Chicken Enchilada Bake uses a smooth, homemade green enchilada sauce made from roasted tomatillos. If you prefer, you can use a store-bought verde sauce, but the homemade version brings extra brightness and depth.
I tested this bake with my family and it was an instant hit—plenty of seconds were requested. It’s an easy, comforting meal perfect for weeknights or casual gatherings.
How to make this recipe
This dish avoids the time-consuming step of rolling individual enchiladas by layering the same classic components: shredded chicken, green enchilada sauce, corn tortillas and cheese. The method is straightforward and forgiving.
The recipe breaks down into three simple parts that can mostly be prepared ahead: make the verde sauce, prepare the chicken, then assemble and bake.
Part 1
- Prepare a batch of Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce. It can be made ahead and frozen or refrigerated until needed.
Part 2
- Place seasoned chicken breasts in a slow cooker, pour the green enchilada sauce over the chicken, and cook on low for 3–4 hours until the meat shreds easily. Remove the breasts, shred them, then return the shredded chicken to the sauce to coat. Leftover or rotisserie chicken can be used instead to save time.
Part 3
- Assemble and bake the enchilada bake. Preheat the oven and layer the ingredients in an 8×8″ baking dish: sauce on the bottom, halved small corn tortillas overlapped to cover, half of the chicken mixture, and half the cheese. Repeat the layer and bake until bubbly and golden.
- Use an 8×8″ square baking dish. Spread just enough of the chicken verde mixture across the bottom to keep the tortillas moist. Halve three small taco-size corn tortillas and overlap them over the sauce. Top with half of the remaining chicken and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat with three more tortillas, the rest of the chicken mixture, and the remaining cheese.
- Bake at 350°F for about 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbly. Let the bake rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
The bake is delicious as-is, but adding a bright topping elevates it. A dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream and a scattering of chopped cilantro add freshness, and a simple fresh salsa brings acidity and texture.
While the dish bakes, combine salsa ingredients so the flavors have a little time to meld at room temperature. The salsa cuts through the richness and gives the dish a lively finish.
Recipe notes
- Use leftover or rotisserie chicken to speed up the recipe.
- Make the verde sauce ahead of time, or use a quality store-bought verde sauce if pressed for time.
- Flour tortillas can be substituted for corn if you prefer (or are not avoiding gluten).
More Mexican recipes you’ll love:
- Chicken enchiladas
- Instant pot black beans
- Fish tacos with tomato-corn salsa
- Mexican Caesar Salad with creamy avocado dressing
- Grilled Mexican street corn salad
- Mexican rice
- Mexican sweet corn cake
- Fresh pineapple salsa
- Restaurant-style salsa
- Sweet potato black bean and corn enchiladas
Did you try this recipe? If so, please leave a review below and tag @flavorthemoments on social media with photos of your bake.
Chicken Enchilada Bake with Homemade Salsa
Ingredients
- One batch Homemade Green Enchilada Sauce
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 6 taco-size corn tortillas (or your favorite)
- 1 1/2 cups grated Mexican cheese blend
- Greek yogurt or sour cream for garnish
For the Salsa:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Prepare the chicken verde:
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place them in a slow cooker. Pour the green enchilada sauce over the chicken. Cook on low for 3–4 hours, or until the chicken is no longer pink and shreds easily. Remove the chicken, shred it, and mix it back with the verde sauce.
Assemble the enchilada bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8″ baking dish. Spread a thin layer of the chicken verde on the bottom of the dish to keep tortillas moist. Halve three tortillas and overlap them to cover the sauce. Top with half of the remaining chicken mixture and half the cheese. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, chicken and cheese.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Prepare the salsa:
- In a small bowl, combine cherry tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, and salt and pepper. Let the salsa sit briefly at room temperature to let the flavors meld. Serve a dollop of Greek yogurt and spoon salsa over each portion of the enchilada bake.
Notes
- The verde sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
- The chicken verde can be cooked in advance in a slow cooker and refrigerated until assembly time.
- Use leftover or rotisserie chicken to save time.
- Substitute flour tortillas for corn if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is intended as a guideline only.
*This post was originally published on May 1, 2014. The recipe, text and photos have been updated.