Skillet Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake

Jump to Recipe

There’s really nothing better than an enchilada bake on any night of the week - and this Skillet Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake is exactly what I'm talking about!

A skillet with chipotle chicken enchilada bake, garnished with cilantro and green onions, along with a plate with a serving of the same dish, and two small bowls with the cilantro and green onions.


 

Why I Love This Recipe

When you layer together shredded enchilada chicken with ALL THE CHEESE, tortillas, black beans and corn it’s basically a recipe for success. This recipe for Skillet Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake has been in our family for years and I’m excited to pass it on to you guys!

An overhead closeup shot of a skillet with chipotle chicken enchilada bake, garnished with cilantro and green onions.

You can also use that shredded Verde stye chicken we talked about years ago and ground chicken works too! You can really customize it depending on what you prefer! Quick how-to video is here!

Ingredients & Substitutions

Mise en place of all the ingredients to make skillet chipotle chicken enchilada bake.
  • Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts or thighs
  • Enchilada Sauce
  • Green Chiles
  • Chipotles in adobo
  • Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
  • Corn Tortillas
  • Black Beans
  • Fresh Corn removed from the cob
  • Scallions and Cilantro to garnish

*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.

How to Make Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake

A pot with enchilada sauce, green chiles and chipotle peppers, and chicken breasts submerged in the sauce.

Step 1: Combine the chicken, enchilada sauce, green chiles and chipotle peppers in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat, stir everything to combine, and cook for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

A rectangular dish with shredded chicken, along with a pot with the cooked enchilada sauce with the chiles.

Step 2: Remove the chicken, and using 2 forks, shred the chicken. Reserve all of the sauce.

A skillet with chipotle chicken enchilada bake being assembled, with the first layer with sauce, tortillas, chicken, black beans, corn and a final layer of cheese ready in the skillet.

Step 3: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium sized skillet, layer the ingredients, starting with a layer of sauce followed by 3 tortillas, ½ of the chicken, ½ of the black beans, ½ of the corn, ½ of the cheese.

A skillet with chipotle chicken enchilada bake assembled and ready to be baked.

Step 4: Repeat for the second layer with the remaining sauce, tortillas, chicken, black beans, corn and cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes uncovered, until bubbly and cheese has melted and started to brown on top.

A skillet with chipotle chicken enchilada bake freshly baked and out of the oven, garnished with cilantro and green onions.

Step 5: Top with scallions and cilantro to serve. Cut into wedges as needed.

How to Store Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake

You can store any leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. Reheat in the oven till its bubbly and warmed through.

How to Freeze Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake

This can be a great meal frozen in a ready-to-bake assembly for 3 months. Follow the instructions in the recipe and once assembled, cool and freeze. Ensure tight wrapping to avoid freezer burn. To cook, you can bake in the oven in frozen state (add some extra bake time) or thaw in the fridge first.

Tips & Tricks

Keep in mind that chicken thighs will likely take a bit longer to cook, so use a thermometer to know when they are done cooking.

FAQs

Can I use a different sauce to change it up?

Certainly, one recommendation that would work great is the verde stye chicken we talked about years ago!

Can I use flour tortillas?

Yup, flour tortillas will also work well here.

Similar Recipes

If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today

And if you want more enchilada style recipes:

Skillet Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake from www.whatsgabycooking.com (@whatsgabycookin)

Skillet Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake

Author: Gaby Dalkin
4.8 from 78 votes
One of my favorite dinners of all times! This Skillet Chipotle Chicken Enchilada Bake is easy to make and easier to eat!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican, Tex Mex, Southwestern
Servings 6 people

Ingredients
  

  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 4-5 boneless skinless chicken thighs)
  • 1 14-oz can of Enchilada Sauce
  • 1 small jar green chiles
  • 2 chipotles in adobo chopped
  • 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 6 6-inch corn tortillas
  • 1 cup black beans
  • 1 cup fresh corn removed from the cob
  • scallions and cilantro to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Combine the chicken, enchilada sauce, green chiles and chipotle peppers in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat, stir everything to combine, and cook for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken, and using 2 forks, shred the chicken. Reserve all of the sauce.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • In a medium sized skillet, layer the ingredients, starting with a layer of sauce followed by 3 tortillas, ½ of the chicken, ½ of the black beans, ½ of the corn, ½ of the cheese. Repeat for the second layer with the remaining sauce, tortillas, chicken, black beans, corn and cheese. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes uncovered, until bubbly and cheese has melted and started to brown on top.
  • Top with scallions and cilantro to serve. Cut into wedges as needed.

Notes

Keep in mind that chicken thighs will likely take a bit longer to cook, so use a thermometer to know when they are done cooking.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 424kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1069mg | Potassium: 492mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 964IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 460mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @WhatsGabyCookin or tag #whatsgabycooking!

Photo by Matt Armendariz / Food Styling by Adam Pearson / Recipe from What’s Gaby Cooking

146 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Delicious assortment of ingredients! Love it.

    What brand is the cast iron skillet that the dish is pictured in? I want to get it!

    Eric

    1. It's a Finex, Modern Heirloom, can be found on Amazon, 8" to 12", priced from $149.99 to $249.99 and it's pre-seasoned with flax seed oil.
      Nancy

  2. This meal was absolutely delicious! Except for the chipoltes, which I did not have, I followed the recipe exactly. I served it with guacamole. It was very filling and a hit with my husband. I will definitely make this recipe again. It was the first time I have made one of your recipes and now I can't wait to try more! Thank you!

  3. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner and we loved it! The fresh corn and black beans are a great addition to the flavorful chicken. And we love this enchilada sauce.

  4. If you are using already-shredded rotisserie chicken, how do you prepare the chicken? Look forward to making this :).

    1. reduce the enchilada sauce by 1/2 and toss with the shredded chicken and then follow the recipe as printed!!

  5. 5 stars
    This is now a standard go to dinner. It was so delicious! My husband loved it! It was quick and easy to make! Thank you, Gaby! 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    I made this during our quarantine and it was SO GOOD. I had to sub a few ingredients (jalapenos for chilis, refried beans for black beans) but we devoured it. Idk if it will ever make it to a freezer, but I'll definitely be making this again this week.

  7. 5 stars
    This recipe is life changing!!! So easy and delicious it's like a deep dish Mexican pizza, changes the game with its goodness.

  8. 5 stars
    Made this last night - so good and such an easy thing to throw together during the week! Adding it into the rotation

  9. This was so good and so easy. Great weeknight family meal. My 10 & 12 year old inhaled it ...no leftovers.

  10. Is there any way to print these recipes,
    There are several I want to MAKE in this weekend..
    I am new to your posting. HElP

  11. This is a great recipe! I've made it several times and my family loves it. We don't usually like the corn and beans in Mex or tex-mex but this recipe brings out so many flavors it's perfect as is. I use a disposable aluminum pan and overlap the tortillas and it's great every time with no clean-up! Cilantro and a squeeze of lime are essential and we serve with guacamole, salsa and chips plus a spoonful of sour cream. OMG.

  12. Sooo flippin good. We could not stop eating it! More than half the skillet was gone from 2 people. I used shredded rotisserie chicken and didn't have Chipotle peppers so replaced by adding some dashes of chipotle hot sauce. We ate with homemade guac and the scallions on top. Thanks for the amazing recipe!!

4.77 from 78 votes (44 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating