Baked Enchilada Chicken
Loaded with nutrient-dense veggies, this baked enchilada chicken recipe needs to be added to your meal plan. Easy to prepare and loaded with flavor, this dish is hard to beat. As an added bonus, you only need one pan which makes clean up a breeze. Perfect any night of the week, this baked enchilada recipe is guaranteed to be a family favorite.
About this Baked Enchilada Chicken Recipe
When prepping this recipe, be sure to butterfly or pound your chicken breasts. Butterflying simply means you cut a thick chicken breast in half, leaving you two thinner cutlets. If you decide to pound the chicken breasts instead, be sure to use a mallet. Both techniques will allow the chicken to cook more evenly and quickly.
Next, you’ll want to combine the spice blend in a small mixing bowl. Generously rub the chicken with the delicious blend before adding it to the pan. Sear on both sides until the chicken has a golden brown sear. You will finish cooking the chicken in the oven. Be sure the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure doneness. Also, be sure to use an oven safe pan with a lid.
For this baked enchilada chicken recipe, you’ll only need one oven-safe pan. Once the chicken is seared, remove it from the pan and start sautéing the vegetables and making the sauce. Be sure to scrape up all of the tasty pieces of chicken from the pan when you’re making the sauce. Nestle the chicken back into the sauce and vegetables, top with shredded cheese, cover and bake until the chicken is cooked through.
This recipe makes four light dinner servings or two hearty dinner servings. Please see below for nutritional information. The nutritional information reflects the spice rubbed chicken, vegetables, cheese and sauce. Not the extra toppings / garnishes.
Leftover Enchilada Chicken
Leftover chicken can be shredded and used for a tasty taco night at home. The sauce and spices tastes amazing stuffed inside of a hard or soft shell taco. Another way to use any leftovers is to cube the chicken and add it to cooked pasta. This is a fun and flavorful twist on baked chicken enchilada casserole.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. Reheat in the microwave until heated through. Looking for more delicious recipes? Try my chicken enchilada pasta or my spicy tahini noodles with crispy tofu.
Baked Enchilada Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breasts, about 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Spice Blend
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- pinch pepper, to taste
Sauce and Vegetables
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced, about 2 cloves
- ¾ cup yellow onion, diced
- ¾ cup red bell pepper, diced
- ¾ cup sweet corn kernels
- ¾ cup black beans, rinsed and drained
- ½ cup chicken stock , if the sauce gets tight add a touch more stock
- 1 can red enchilada sauce, 10 ounce can
- ½ cup whipped cream cheese, regular will work too
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Optional Toppings / Garnishes
- avocado, sliced thin
- cilantro, freshly chopped
- jalapeno, sliced or diced
- lime, cut into wedges
- sour cream
Equipment
- 1 11-inch or 3.5 quart oven-safe saucepan with lid
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a small bowl, combine the spice blend. Set aside.
Prepare the Chicken
- Butterfly your chicken breasts and rub them with the spice blend.
- Grab an oven-safe pan and place it over medium high heat. Add the olive oil.
- Add the seasoned chicken to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. Once seared on both sides, remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.
Prepare the Vegetables and Sauce
- In the same pan, add the minced garlic, diced onion and diced red bell pepper. Saute until the veggies begin to soften.
- Next, add the corn kernels and black beans. Gently fold everything together.
- Then, deglaze the pan with the chicken stock. Be sure to scrape up all of the tiny bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Next, add the enchilada sauce and cream cheese. Stir well and allow the cream cheese to melt into the sauce. You may need to gently whisk it to help the cheese emulsify into the sauce. If the sauce gets too tight, reduce the heat and add a touch more chicken stock.
- Once the sauce is well combined, nestle the chicken cutlets back into the sauce. Top with shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese.
- Cover with a lid and finish cooking in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy! Suggested toppings listed above.
3 Comments on “Baked Enchilada Chicken”
Absolutely delicious dish! I will make it again next week for sure. My whole family, 22 month old and almost 4 year old loved it.
Loved these!! Didn’t have the bell peppers on hand, but it still turned out great. Never a miss with any of Sarah’s recipes I’ve tried.
Delicious, satisfying and healthy!! Will definitely be on repeat in our house. 👏🏻👏🏻