Pioneer Woman Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Pioneer Woman green chile chicken enchilada casserole layers shredded chicken, refried beans, corn, and cheddar between corn tortillas in a smoky green chile sauce. It bakes in a cast-iron skillet in about one hour.

This recipe is based on Ree Drummond’s Green Chile Enchilada Casserole on thepioneerwoman.com, where she builds it as a meatless skillet bake with refried beans and frozen corn. Adding shredded rotisserie chicken turns it into a filling main course without changing her layering method or sauce.

Build the sauce directly in the same skillet you bake in so the bottom tortillas absorb flavor from the pan. If you mix the sauce in a separate bowl and transfer it, those first tortillas sit dry and turn stiff instead of softening into the layers above them.

Pioneer Woman Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Author: Hamdi Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 55 minutesRest time: 5 minutesTotal time:1 hour 10 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:510 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

A stacked skillet casserole with seasoned chicken, green chiles, refried beans, and corn tucked between soft corn tortillas under a thick layer of melted cheddar. One cast-iron pan from stovetop to oven.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 2 Tbsp (28g) salted butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (15 oz / 425g) can green enchilada sauce
• 1 (7 oz / 200g) can chopped green chiles
• 1 Tbsp adobo sauce (from a can of chipotles in adobo)

For the layers:

• 3 cups (420g) shredded cooked chicken (about 1 rotisserie chicken)
• 13 corn tortillas
• 4 cups (450g) freshly grated cheddar or cheddar-jack cheese
• 1 (10 oz / 280g) package frozen corn, thawed and patted dry
• 1 (15 oz / 425g) can refried beans

For topping:

• Pico de gallo
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Set the oven to 375F (190C).
2. Cook the onion. Melt the butter in a 12 inch cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
3. Build the sauce. Remove the skillet from heat. Stir the green enchilada sauce, chopped green chiles, and adobo sauce into the onion. Scoop out all but 2 Tbsp of the sauce into a bowl and set aside.
4. Start the first layer. Lay 4 corn tortillas over the thin layer of sauce in the skillet, overlapping slightly in the center and pressing them up the sides a little.
5. Add the first filling layer. Spread half the shredded chicken over the tortillas. Top with 1 1/4 cups cheese, half the corn, and half the refried beans in small dollops. Drizzle 1/2 cup of the reserved green sauce over everything.
6. Build the second layer. Lay 4 more tortillas on top. Spread the remaining chicken, then 1 1/4 cups cheese, the remaining corn, and the remaining refried beans. Drizzle another 1/2 cup of green sauce over the top.
7. Finish the top. Cover with the remaining 5 tortillas. Pour the rest of the green sauce over them and sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese on top.
8. Bake covered. Cover the skillet tightly with foil and bake until hot and bubbly throughout, about 35 minutes.
9. Bake uncovered. Remove the foil and bake until the cheese is set and lightly golden, another 10 minutes.
10. Rest and serve. Let the casserole stand for 10 minutes before cutting so the layers hold together. Top with pico de gallo and chopped cilantro.

Keywords:Pioneer Woman Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Green Chile Enchilada Casserole

FAQs

Why does Ree build the sauce in the cast-iron skillet instead of a mixing bowl?

The onion cooks in butter right in the skillet, then the enchilada sauce, green chiles, and adobo go straight in on top of those caramelized bits. That thin layer of sauce left behind coats the bottom and keeps the first round of tortillas from sticking.

Moving the sauce to a bowl and pouring it back means you lose the fond from the onion. You also lose the direct contact between sauce and tortilla that softens the corn and prevents a dry, papery bottom layer.

Why add adobo sauce when the casserole already has green chiles and enchilada sauce?

The green chiles and enchilada sauce bring a mild, tangy heat that sits in the background. The tablespoon of adobo adds something completely different: a smoky, slightly sweet depth that rounds out the sauce without making it spicier.

Without the adobo the filling tastes flat and one-dimensional, like salsa verde on everything. That single tablespoon is the ingredient you cannot identify when eating but would notice missing if it were gone.

Can you swap flour tortillas for the corn tortillas in this casserole?

You can, but flour tortillas absorb sauce differently. They soak up liquid and turn gummy in the middle layers because they are thicker and denser. Corn tortillas soften without falling apart, so each layer stays distinct when you cut through the casserole.

If you still prefer flour, use the thinnest ones you can find and cut them to fit flat without folding. Overlapping thick flour tortillas traps steam and creates soggy pockets that never fully set.

Why dollop the refried beans instead of spreading them in an even layer?

Refried beans are thick and sticky. Spreading them flat seals the layer like cement, so the green sauce cannot drip down through the filling. The result is a dry middle with sauce pooling only on top.

Dolloping in small spoonfuls leaves gaps between the beans where sauce flows through to the layers below. You get bites with creamy beans and bites with saucy chicken instead of one dense, uniform wall of filling.

Why bake covered with foil first and then finish uncovered?

The foil traps steam so the corn tortillas in the middle cook through and soften completely. Without it, the top cheese browns before the center gets hot, leaving you with raw, stiff tortilla layers in the middle of the casserole.

Removing the foil for the last 10 minutes lets the moisture escape so the top cheese can brown and set properly. Skipping this step gives you a casserole with a pale, wet surface that slides off when you try to scoop a portion.