Description
A healthy and flavorful green chicken enchilada casserole featuring layers of shredded chicken, black beans, spinach, and creamy enchilada sauce, baked to bubbly perfection with melted Monterey jack cheese. This naturally gluten-free dish is easy to prepare and perfect for a nutritious weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Fine salt and black pepper, to taste
- Cooking spray, as needed
Filling
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups plain whole milk yogurt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 (5-ounce) container fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
Assembly
- 2 (14- or 15-ounce) cans green enchilada sauce
- 8 ounces shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided
- 9 yellow corn tortillas (6-inch), cut in half
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare chicken: Preheat the oven to 375℉ and spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts in the dish and season with salt and pepper. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165℉. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before shredding with two forks.
- Make filling mixture: In a medium bowl, combine black beans, plain yogurt, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chopped spinach, and chopped cilantro. Stir well to combine.
- Combine chicken with filling: Spray the baking dish again with cooking spray. Fold the shredded chicken into the yogurt and bean mixture thoroughly.
- Layer casserole: Pour ¾ cup of green enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Layer 6 tortilla halves evenly over the sauce. Spread one-third of the chicken mixture over the tortillas and sprinkle with ½ cup of shredded cheese. Drizzle another ¾ cup of sauce over the top. Repeat the layering two more times, ending with the remaining enchilada sauce. Reserve ½ cup of cheese for topping.
- Bake covered: Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake at 375℉ for 30 minutes until bubbly and heated through.
- Add cheese topping: Remove the foil and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheese evenly over the casserole. Return to the oven and bake uncovered for 5 additional minutes until the cheese is melted.
- Rest and serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes to thicken. Garnish with extra chopped cilantro, finely diced red onion, avocado slices, and lime wedges as desired before serving.
Notes
- This casserole is naturally gluten-free due to the use of corn tortillas.
- You can substitute cooked, shredded chicken (about 6 to 7 ounces) instead of baking raw chicken breasts.
- For a spicier kick, add diced jalapeños to the filling mixture.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated for a quick and healthy meal.
- Using plain whole milk yogurt adds creaminess while keeping the dish lighter than sour cream.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 758 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 54 mg
