Shredded chicken, black beans, corn, green chilis, enchilada sauce and tortillas are baked together in a skillet and topped with lots of cheese. All the enchilada flavours without all the work. It is a perfect use for leftover cooked chicken or start with a rotisserie chicken.

Chicken enchilada skillet in cast iron skillet with spoon.

This hearty and flavourful skillet dinner combines all the fixings for enchiladas together. Simply assemble and pop into the oven for an easy meal. This is the perfect use for that leftover chicken!

Ingredients and substitutions

A few notes about the key ingredients …

Cooked chicken – Use leftover cooked chicken, chicken from a rotisserie chicken or cook up a couple of chicken breasts then shred. You will need about 2 cups of shredded chicken.

Tortillas – I prefer flour tortillas myself, but corn tortillas should also work fine.

Red Enchilada Sauce – Look for canned red enchilada sauce in the International/Mexican food section at the grocery store.

Corn – You can fresh, frozen or drained, canned corn for this dish.

Canned black beans – Drain and rinse the black beans well. The can size doesn’t matter a lot. Anywhere near the stated size, give or take, is just fine.

Canned green chilis – Adding green chilis is optional and you can certainly omit if you are spicy-averse. If using, you might like to add the green chilis by the Tablespoon, to taste, to avoid an overly spicy skillet. You may find you only need a bit or you may want more. If you have leftover chilis you can freeze the rest of the can for next time.

How to make this chicken enchilada skillet

This is a summary of the steps to make this recipe. Always refer to the complete instructions in the Recipe Card below.

Adding garlic to onion in the skillet.
1
Adding the enchilada sauce to the skillet.
2
Adding the black beans and corn to the skillet.
3
  1. Start by softening the onion in a bit of oil, then add the garlic and cook another minute.
  2. Add the spices to the onion mixture, then add the enchilada sauce.
  3. Add the black beans and corn to the skillet.
Adding the cooked chicken to the skillet.
4
Adding the cut tortillas to the skillet.
5
Topping with shredded cheese before baking.
6
  1. Add the green chilis and the cooked chicken to the skillet. Stir together and allow to cook together briefly.
  2. Cut the tortillas into quarters and add to the skillet. Stir them into the skillet until they are well coated in sauce.
  3. Top the skillet with the shredded cheese and pop into the oven briefly to melt the cheese.

Recipe video

Recipe tips!

  • As noted above, if you are using green chilis, adjust the amount added to the dish to your taste for spiciness. I like to add a bit, taste and add more as needed.
  • This enchilada skillet is really elevated with the addition of some fresh toppings to brighten up the dish. I love to add guacamole and or avocados, salsa and sour cream. A fresh pico de gallo salsa would also be a nice addition.
Chicken enchilada skillet in a cast-iron skillet

Making ahead, storing and freezing

This skillet is best enjoyed freshly baked. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

You can freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.

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Chicken enchilada skillet in cast iron skillet with spoon.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Enchilada Skillet

Shredded chicken, black beans, corn. green chilis and tortillas are baked up in a skillet and topped with lots of cheese. All the enchilada flavours without all the work.
5 stars from 1 rating
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
  • 15 oz canned red enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup corn, frozen or drained, canned corn
  • 1 Tablespoon canned green chilis , plus more to taste *see Note 1 below
  • 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded *see Note 2 below
  • Salt and pepper
  • 5 flour tortillas, quartered
  • 2 cups Tex-Mex shredded cheese

Topping suggestions:

  • Guacamole, salsa, avocado, sour cream, green onion, pico de gallo, cilantro, lime wedges, use any of the suggested toppings

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425F (non-convection/not fan-assisted).
  • Heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat on the stovetop. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until softened. Add the garlic and cook another 30-45 seconds. Add the cumin and oregano and cook together with the onion mixture briefly. Add the enchilada sauce and stir together well.
  • Add the black beans and corn to the skillet and stir in. Add the green chilis and the cooked chicken and stir together well. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to cook together for 4-5 minutes.
  • Scatter the cut tortillas over the top and use a spoon to stir them in, ensuring the tortillas are separated and coated well in the sauce. I like to keep some of the tortillas sticking out the top a bit. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly overtop.
  • Place the skillet into the preheated oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted. You can switch the oven to broil for 1 minute at the end to brown the cheese a bit if you like.
  • Remove from the oven and let stand briefly. Add toppings and serve immediately.

Notes

Note 1: Canned green chilis are spicy, so you can omit the green chilis if you don’t want a spicy skillet. If using, I suggest starting with about 1 Tablespoon of the green chilis to start. Add and taste more if needed, to your preference for spiciness. Leftover green chilis can be frozen!
Note 2: You can start with leftover cooked chicken, chicken from a rotisserie chicken or cook your own chicken and shred it.
Tips!
If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, simply transfer the mixture to an oven-safe dish after Step 3. Add the tortillas and cheese to the oven-safe dish and pop in the oven to finish.
Be sure to read the notes above this recipe card, for more tips on making this recipe. You’ll also find step-by-step photos and a recipe video that you might find helpful.
Cuisine: Mexican
Course: Main Course
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 359kcal, Carbohydrates: 49g, Protein: 26g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 1302mg, Potassium: 609mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 846IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 86mg, Iron: 4mg
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