easy chicken enchilada casserole

Dinner

Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Casseroles make perfect meal-prep dinners, and this enchilada version is no exception. The whole casserole can be built and left to hang out in the refrigerator for up to three days—just throw it in the oven on a busy night and you have a healthy, easy dinner on the table in no time. This recipe is great when you don't have any canned sauce on hand; just season crushed tomatoes with spices and salt for an instant enchilada sauce.

Ingredients

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes (3 cups)
2 tablespoons ground cumin
½-1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
¼ teaspoon salt
8 corn tortillas, cut into wedges
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped meal-prep sheet-pan chicken thighs
2 cups sautéed peppers & onions
1 ½ cups shredded mexican-style cheese blend (6 ounces), divided

Directions

Stir 1 can tomatoes, 2 tablespoons cumin, ½-1 teaspoon chile powder and ¼ teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Coat a 7- or 8-by-11-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the prepared dish. Arrange 1/3 of the tortilla wedges over the tomato sauce. Top with half of the can of beans, half of the chicken and half of the pepper mixture. Top with 1 cup sauce and 1/2 cup cheese.
Layer on half the remaining tortillas. Top with the remaining beans, chicken and pepper mixture. Top with 1 cup of the sauce and 1/2 cup cheese. Layer on the remaining tortillas, followed by the remaining sauce (about 1/3 cup). Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Cover with foil and refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 3 days.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the casserole, uncovered, until hot and bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. (Alternatively, microwave the casserole, covered with wax paper, on Medium-High until steaming hot, 12 to 15 minutes.) Serve hot.