Creamy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

This enchilada-inspired casserole has a mild heat that's balanced by cooling yogurt. If you already have cooked chicken on hand, you can skip the first step - if doing so, you'll only need 2 cups broth.

Photo: Darren Kemper

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Big fan of enchiladas? Try our Butternut Squash Enchiladas

Servings
8
Prep Time
60 min
Cook Time
60 min
Duration
120 min

Ingredients

  • 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (If breasts are very large, cut in half crosswise)
  • 6 cloves garlic (smash 2 cloves and mince 4 cloves), divided
  • 4 cup slow-sodium chicken broth, or as needed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 white onions, quartered and sliced
  • 2 red bell peppers, quartered and sliced
  • 2 poblano or pasilla peppers, quartered, seeded and sliced
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp each ground coriander and cumin
  • 6 tbsp white whole-wheat flour
  • 3 1/2 cups plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, divided (TRY:Stonyfield Organic Whole-Milk Greek Plain Yogurt)
  • 5 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, divided
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 12 6-inch corn tortillas, halved
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/4 cupthinly sliced red onion, optional

Preparation

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine chicken, smashed garlic and enough broth to cover chicken by 1/2 inch. Bring to a gentle boil on medium, reduce to simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked. Transfer chicken to a plate. Strain broth; reserve 2 cups (save remaining broth for another use).
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mist a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside.
  3. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan on medium, heat oil. Add white onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Add bell, poblano and jalapeño peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, coriander and cumin and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Add flour; stir to combine. Add reserved 2 cups broth; bring to a boil, stirring to smooth out lumps. Cook until thickened slightly, 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in 3 cups yogurt, 1/4 cup cilantro and salt. Set aside.
  4. Shred chicken. Arrange 8 tortilla halves in bottom of prepared pan. Spread one-third of pepper mixture over tortillas and top with one-half of chicken. Repeat layers. Top with remaining tortilla halves and remaining pepper mixture. Sprinkle with cheese, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
  5. Remove foil and bake until cheese begins to brown and casserole is heated through, about 20 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes.
  6. Sprinkle with red onion (if using) and remaining 1 tbsp cilantro. Top each serving with a dollop of remaining 1/2 cup yogurt.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size 1/8 casserole and 1 tbsp yogurt
  • Calories 421
  • Carbohydrate Content 30 g
  • Cholesterol Content 72 mg
  • Fat Content 21 g
  • Fiber Content 5 g
  • Protein Content 28 g
  • Saturated Fat Content 12 g
  • Sodium Content 207 mg
  • Sugar Content 6 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat Content 6 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat Content 2 g

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