enchilada casserole

Photo by The Culinary Nest

This is one of my all time favorite go to’s, especially for a group! The layers of beans, cheese, fresh corn, red pepper, onion, and green chiles are perfect, especially with a dollop of sour cream on top! Also, this can be made with chicken, ground beef or even vegetarian!

Recipe by: The Culinary Nest

MAKES

8-10 servings

Prep Time: Chicken- 20 minutes, Beef- 10 minutes, Vegetarian- 5 minutes

Total Time: Approximately 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Either: 1 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained OR about 3 cups diced cooked chicken (can boil or roast, cool and then dice)

1 medium white onion, diced

1 large red bell pepper, diced (two peppers if doing vegetarian option)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (4oz.) can diced green chiIes

2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained (3 cans if doing vegetarian version)

2 fresh ears of corn, cut off cobb (or one can whole kernel corn, add an extra ear or can of corn for vegetarian option)

1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper

4 cups Mexican blend shredded cheese

3 (15 oz.) can enchilada sauce (or about 4-5 cups homemade)

12 corn tortillas, halved

Optional Toppings: chopped green onion, cilantro, pickled jalapeños, diced red onion, sour cream, avocado, crushed red pepper

METHOD

1. Heat oven to 350˚F. Coat a 9x13 casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

2. Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and red pepper and sauté for about 5-6 minutes. Stir in the fresh minced garlic and cook for one more minute. Add the diced green chiles, beans, corn, chicken or beef (if using), 2 cans of enchilada sauce, and salt & pepper. Stir to combine. Simmer for about 5 minutes until bubbly, stirring occasionally.

3. While the contents simmer, pour about 1/2 cup (or 1/2 a can) or enchilada sauce into the bottom of your casserole dish and spread evenly to coat the bottom. Next add a layer of halved tortillas shells until the bottom is covered (typically about 5-6 halves will do the trick).

4. Remove the simmering ingredients from the heat to begin layering. Top the first layer of tortilla shells with about 1/3 of the bean mixture followed by 1/3 of the cheese. Repeat with another layer of tortilla halves, bean mixture, and cheese. And once more another layer of tortillas, bean mixture, the remaining 1/2 cup (or 1/2 can) or enchilada sauce and then the rest of the cheese.

5. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and bake uncovered for another 10, until the edges are bubbly and the cheese is melted and slightly browning.

6. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

7. Top with desired toppings and enjoy!