Rooster Enchilada Casserole With Rice

This simple hen enchilada casserole recipe is one in every of my favourite weeknight dinners once I need one thing comforting, tacky, and filling with out spending all night time within the kitchen. All the things goes straight into the dish uncooked, which implies there’s no pre-cooking, sautéing, or further pans to cope with later.

I like to think about this recipe as an “every little thing however the tortillas” hen enchilada casserole. As a substitute of a layer of tortillas that may flip soggy, I swap in rice for a hearty, one-pan dinner that also delivers these basic enchilada flavors.

It’s full of lean hen breast, black beans, veggies, enchilada sauce, and melty cheese for a dinner that feels cozy and satisfying whereas nonetheless being increased in protein. It additionally reheats very well, so it’s good for meal prep or busy nights when everybody wants dinner quick.

What Makes This Recipe Nice

Listed below are a number of explanation why I maintain coming again to this simple hen enchilada casserole:

• All the things goes in uncooked: No pre-cooking the rice or cooked hen. I simply chop, stir, and bake, and dinner’s prepared.
• One-pan dinner: All the things bakes collectively in a single casserole dish for straightforward cleanup on busy weeknights.
• Excessive-protein and filling: Rooster, black beans, and cheese make this wholesome enchilada casserole hearty, satisfying, and nice for meal prep.
• Household-friendly and customizable: It’s tacky, comforting, and straightforward to adapt with completely different veggies, proteins, or spice ranges.

Right here’s what you’ll have to make this tasty hen casserole:

• Lengthy-grain white rice: White rice cooks evenly and absorbs all of the enchilada taste with out turning mushy. Brown rice can work, however it can want no less than half-hour of additional prepare dinner time. I haven’t tried quick-cooking rice, but it surely might work. I might simply scale back the enchilada sauce and broth by 1/2 cup.
• Rooster breast: I take advantage of boneless, skinless hen breast. It’s lean, reasonably priced, and full of protein whereas nonetheless being decrease in ldl cholesterol and saturated fats than darker cuts. Slicing it into bite-sized items helps it prepare dinner evenly all through the casserole, however you too can go away the breasts entire.
• Veggies: Bell peppers add colour, texture, pure sweetness, and vitamin C. I add white onion for savory taste with none sautéing. Be at liberty so as to add no matter greens you’ve gotten readily available! Potatoes, candy potatoes, butternut squash, and kale would all work very well.
• Black beans: Black beans make this casserole further filling whereas including fiber, potassium, and extra protein. Pinto beans are a detailed swap, or you possibly can add kidney beans for a firmer chew.
• Purple enchilada sauce: The enchilada sauce is the star taste right here, so use one you already get pleasure from. I really like utilizing the store-bought Frontera Purple Chile Sauce, however any type will work…even a selfmade enchilada sauce! 
• Inexperienced chiles: Diced inexperienced chiles carry a gentle smoky taste and a bit warmth with out making the casserole too spicy.
• Rooster broth: Broth helps the rice prepare dinner correctly whereas including extra taste than water alone, however you possibly can sub vegetable broth or water if wanted.
• Mexican cheese mix: A layer of melty cheese on high makes this casserole further comforting. Cheddar, pepper jack, or Monterey Jack cheese additionally works nicely.
• Seasonings: Garlic powder, cumin, and sea salt add heat and basic enchilada taste.

In the event you love enchilada flavors, strive my One-Pot Rooster Enchilada Skillet subsequent!

This hen enchilada casserole comes collectively in a single baking dish and does many of the work within the oven. The important thing to one in every of my favourite simple recipes is even layering so the rice cooks correctly and every little thing bakes evenly.

Begin by preheating the oven to 375ºF and frivolously greasing a big casserole dish with olive oil or cooking spray. This helps stop sticking, particularly across the edges.

Add all elements to the casserole dish besides the shredded cheese. This consists of the rice, hen combination, bell peppers, onion, black beans, inexperienced chiles, enchilada sauce, broth, and spices.

Stir every little thing very well till absolutely mixed. Be sure that the rice is evenly distributed all through the dish and never clumped in a single space. This step is essential for even cooking for the reason that rice wants constant liquid contact to prepare dinner by correctly.

Cowl the dish tightly with foil and bake for half-hour. Conserving it lined helps entice steam, permitting the rice to start out cooking.

After half-hour, take away the dish, stir every little thing nicely, then return it to the oven lined for one more half-hour. It should look a bit saucy at this stage, however that’s precisely what you need. In the event you’re utilizing brown rice, your casserole will seemingly want an additional half-hour.

Take away the casserole from the oven, sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly excessive, and return it to the oven for 3 to five minutes till melted and bubbly.

Let the casserole sit for five to 10 minutes earlier than serving. This helps it thicken barely, makes it simpler to scoop, and permits the rice to complete absorbing any remaining liquid.

This hen enchilada casserole is simple to regulate primarily based on what’s within the fridge or how your loved ones likes it. Listed below are a few of my favourite tweaks:

• Make it spicier: Add diced jalapeños, use a spicier enchilada sauce, or stir in a pinch of cayenne, chipotle, or chili powder.
• Add extra veggies: Zucchini, corn, spinach, kale, diced tomatoes, or candy potatoes all work nicely and bulk it up much more.
• Go dairy-free: Skip the cheese altogether or use your favourite dairy-free shredded cheese different.
• Change the grain: Brown rice works for a heartier model, or strive quinoa for a barely completely different texture. Simply be certain to account for further cooking time for those who use brown rice.
• Swap the protein: Strive floor turkey, shredded rotisserie hen, and even floor beef for a beef enchilada model.

Like the concept of shredded hen? Strive my Rotisserie Rooster Enchiladas with flour tortillas or One-Pot Avenue Corn White Rooster Enchiladas with corn tortillas.

What to Serve With It

This casserole is a full meal by itself, however I like so as to add a number of contemporary toppings. I nearly all the time go together with one thing creamy and one thing contemporary. A spoonful of bitter cream or Greek yogurt helps steadiness the spices and provides bonus calcium. Chopped cilantro or inexperienced onions as a garnish and a squeeze of lime brighten every little thing up. If I’ve avocado, I’ll slice some on high for further richness.

It pairs very well with crunchy tortilla chips and guacamole or a easy salsa for scooping. For one thing a bit extra filling, a Mexican road corn salad works superbly. I additionally like serving it with a easy inexperienced salad or roasted veggies to maintain issues lighter.

If I’m feeding a crowd, I’ll set every little thing out buffet-style so everybody can construct their very own plate with toppings, chips, and additional lime wedges.

Storing, Freezing, & Meal Prep Suggestions

This hen enchilada casserole is a kind of recipes that really tastes even higher the following day. Right here’s how I wish to retailer, freeze, and reheat it so it stays simply as scrumptious.

As soon as the casserole has cooled utterly, I switch leftovers into an hermetic container or portion them into particular person servings for simpler grab-and-go meals. It retains nicely within the fridge as a fast meal choice for as much as 5 days.

Find out how to Reheat It

How do you reheat an enchilada casserole? You’ve gotten a number of choices:

• Microwave: Warmth a single serving in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1.5 to 2 minutes.
• Oven: Cowl the casserole dish with foil and bake at 350ºF for about 20 minutes, or till heated by.
• Stovetop: Add a small splash of oil to a skillet and heat the casserole over medium warmth for about 5 minutes.

This recipe goes to be your new favourite freezer casserole meal, making it supreme for meal prep. I wish to assemble and bake it in a disposable or freezer-safe casserole dish so I can freeze it proper within the pan. For greatest outcomes, I often wait so as to add the cheese till after reheating.

To freeze:

• Let the casserole cool utterly.
• Cowl tightly with plastic wrap, urgent it straight onto the floor to cut back air.
• Wrap once more with foil and label with the best-by date (3 months from whenever you made it).
• Freeze for as much as 3 months!

To reheat, thaw in a single day within the fridge, then use any of the reheat strategies above.

Meal Prep & Make-Forward Suggestions

For weeknight planning, there are two simple methods I wish to prep this upfront:

• Make-ahead (earlier than baking): I assemble every little thing within the casserole dish (besides the cheese), cowl it, and refrigerate it earlier within the day or as much as 24 hours forward. When it’s meal time, I bake it as directed, including a number of further minutes if it’s stepping into chilly.
• Meal prep (after cooking): I bake the casserole, let it cool, then portion it into containers for ready-to-go lunches or dinners all through the week. That is the best solution to have wholesome, filling meals readily available with out having to consider it.

Extra of My Favourite Rooster Casserole Recipes