Enchilada Bake

Mexican flavors have the key to my heart – Give me a taco and some guacamole and I will be happy for the rest of my life. Although I personally could eat tacos every single day, I do like to experiment with Mexican flavors of all different forms to add variety and excitement to our weekly menu plan (and yes, I absolutely make sure that I have some form of a Mexican dish in the week, maybe even twice in a week). Enchiladas are such an amazing creation not only because they include all key components nutritionally into one dish, but also because of the flavor combinations of a tender meat and a spicy sauce blanketed with a warm corn tortilla – Wow that description really had me craving this dish, you’re welcome you’re probably starving now.

Any type of casserole dish is such an incredible way to throw in all the meal components into one place, cook it all at the same time, and simply serve a big scoop of it. Personally on a busy week, I like to keep my meals simple but also nourishing and delicious. Now I look a traditional enchilada where each one is a perfectly rolled tortilla around a delicious meat filling and it seems amazing, but I’m not going to lie sometimes I don’t have the time or energy to individually wrap each enchilada perfectly then try to transfer it to a dish without the middle falling out everywhere. That is where I came up with my Enchilada Bake recipe. Think of it as a Mexican lasagna really. No rolling required, just layering all the spicy goodness. And honestly, I actually prefer this way of eating enchiladas more now because each bite has every single component all melded as one and being held together by melted cheese. Who doesn’t love that? This dish is also a great way to sneak in some extra vegetables without anyone ever knowing since it all gets combined and coated in sauce anyway. My favorite combination is a simple pepper, onion, and bean trio, but I have also added things like chopped spinach and zucchini to either use up some things in the fridge or if I wanted to add more micronutrients. I also love pairing this bake with a fresh, lime slaw which adds the perfect refreshing balance to the bold flavors of the enchilada and adds a little crunchy texture.

In this recipe, I use a homemade enchilada sauce that I found on Pinterest and it truly elevates the flavors of the dish. This sauce is perfectly rich and spicy, and since I made it once I haven’t gone back to store bought sauce. It doesn’t take too much time and I’ll typically prepare it ahead of time and store it in the fridge before I plan to make this bake. Not only does homemade sauce taste better, it also has a lot less ingredients than store bought. Jarred sauces can have a lot of excess ingredients, preservatives, and additives to watch out for which can decrease the nutritional value. That is not to say that there aren’t great options out there if making a homemade sauce is not a good choice for you! If you choose to use a store bought sauce try checking out the ingredients label and selecting one with a smaller ingredients list made up of whole and natural ingredients, lower in sodium, and lower in added sugars if possible. Same goes for the salsa used for the shredded chicken in this recipe. I use a jarred salsa for this since I really haven’t found a homemade non-chunky salsa recipe that’s as good as Trader Joe’s red salsa. If Trader Joe’s is available to you, I highly recommend it! If not, try selecting a smoother salsa with few chunks and, similar to the enchilada sauce, has only a few natural ingredients if possible. There are so many nourishing components to this recipe to create a perfectly balanced meal, the sauce is really just for flavor and to bring everything together beautifully!

Nutrition Facts:

• Chicken breasts are a very popular animal protein choice because they are lean and versatile. Chicken breast, compared to chicken thighs or wings, have very minimal fat and are high in protein. They can also be cooked and used in meals in such a wide variety of ways, making them a great option for many culinary dishes. Chicken has an abundance of nutrients including B vitamins, iron, selenium, phosphorus, zinc, and many others.
• Beans are a plant-based protein option belonging in the bean/legume vegetable category. They are very high in fiber and provide mostly all essential amino acids, but they are not considered a “complete protein” because they do not contain all essential amino acids. They are also a rich source of key micronutrients including B vitamins, iron, magnesium, copper, and others depending on the bean variety. There are many types of beans in the world and each have a unique nutrient profile.

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken:

• 3 Large Chicken Breasts
• 1 tsp of each: Garlic powder, Chili Powder, Cumin, Smoked Paprika, and Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Onion powder
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
• 1/3 cup red non-chunky salsa (I use Trader Joe’s red salsa)

Enchilada Bake:

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 green bell pepper (diced)
• 1 medium white onion (diced)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 can Mexican bean trio (drained and rinsed)
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1 cup Mexican cheese blend
• 2 cups enchilada sauce (store bought or homemade – I will link the homemade recipe I use below)

Instructions:

1. Start your slow cooker chicken about 3-4 hours before you plan to bake your enchilada bake.
2. Lightly coat your slow cooker with olive oil.
3. Place the chicken breasts, seasonings, and salsa into the slow cooker.
4. Use a spoon to combine the chicken with the spices and salsa.
5. Set your slower cooker on low and cook for approximately 3-4 hours or until chicken is easily shreddable. Finely shred the breasts in your slow cooker, and then set your slow cooker to warm while you make the other ingredients.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
7. This is where you want to make your homemade enchilada sauce if you are doing so (I highly recommend for better flavor and less sodium!). See the link below for the recipe I use.
8. Heat your olive oil on medium heat in a pan on the stove.
9. When your oil is heated, at the peppers, onions, and garlic to the pan and stir.
10. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes until the vegetables soften and are slightly browned.
11. Turn the heat down to low and add your rinsed beans to the pan.
12. Combine the beans and veggies and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes.
13. Once cooked through, remove from the heat.
14. Cut 4 of the 12 corn tortillas in half so they look like half moons.
15. Prep a casserole dish by lightly coating with olive oil and spreading about 2 Tbsp of your enchilada sauce to coat the bottom of the dish.
16. Start the layering process by following these steps:
    • Place 2 whole corn tortillas and 2 halves of a tortilla so the entire bottom of the pan is covered
    • Spread 1/3 of the shredded chicken on top of the tortillas
    • Sprinkle 1/3 of the veggie/bean mixture over the chicken
    • Cover the chicken and veggies with 1/4 cup of cheese
    • Pour 1/2 cup of sauce evenly over the chicken, veggies, and cheese (I usually use a spoon to mix everything together)
    • Repeat the above steps for 2 more layers so you have a total of 3 layers of filling
    • Top the 3rd layer of filling with the remaining 2 whole tortillas and 2-1/2 tortillas
    • Spread the remaining 1/2 cup of sauce on top being sure the entire surface of the tortillas is covered.
    • Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese on top
17. Bake your enchilada bake for approximately 25-30 minutes or until it is bubbling and slightly browned on top.
18. Let the bake cool for about 5 minutes and then cut into 6 equal pieces.
19. Enjoy!

Link to Enchilada Sauce Recipe