Chicken Enchilada Bake
Sometimes you just need a meal that comes together quickly, uses one dish, goes straight into the oven, and feeds you for a few days — am I right? This bake has quickly become a weekly staple in our house. I usually make it toward the end of the week, and we happily live off the leftovers all weekend. It’s easy to throw together, packed with protein and fiber, and definitely doesn’t skimp on flavor.
This recipe calls for creamed corn, which I’ll admit initially gave me pause. I wasn’t sure about the idea — or even if I could eat it. Plot twist: creamed corn doesn’t actually contain cream. Who knew? I’ve made this both with and without it, and honestly, it’s delicious either way. That said, the creamed corn adds a subtle creaminess that I really miss since I can’t have actual cream. So trust your gut — use it or skip it. Either way, this dish checks all the boxes for an easy, satisfying weeknight meal.
Chicken Enchilada Bake
What You’ll Need
1–2 lbs boneless chicken breast
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 zucchini
1 can creamed corn
1 can or jar green enchilada sauce (I use this)
1 can Hatch green chiles
6 soft tortillas (these are my favorite)
1 bag shredded cheese of choice (cheddar, pepper jack, or be cool like me and use vegan cheese)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp taco seasoning (love this brand)
Salt and pepper
Avocado oil, for cooking
What You’ll Do
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Prep the chicken. I like to make my own shredded chicken, but a rotisserie chicken works great if you want to save time. (Click here to see how I make mine!)
Heat a bit of avocado oil in a pan over medium heat. Slice the zucchini into half-moons and add to the pan. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and cook until just beginning to brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Spoon a small amount of enchilada sauce into a 9x13 baking dish and spread it to coat the bottom. Layer 3 tortillas on top to cover the base as best you can — depending on their size, you may need to cut them and play a little tortilla Tetris.
Sprinkle about one-third of the shredded cheese evenly over the tortillas.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken, black beans, creamed corn, zucchini, and about three-quarters of the enchilada sauce. Spread the mixture evenly into the baking dish.
Add the green chiles, spreading them evenly over the mixture. Top with another third of the cheese.
Layer the remaining 3 tortillas on top. Finish with the remaining enchilada sauce and the rest of the cheese. Sprinkle with taco seasoning.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.
