Life is real, and that’s why 5-ingredient meals are a thing. This cheesy layered chicken enchilada casserole is a real-life dinnertime wonder: just chicken, beans, sauce, cheese, and tortillas.

This is a Chicken Enchilada Casserole, and it’s sososososo delicious.

It’s like taking all the goodness of an enchilada, but making it easier by stacking it up, and making it all even more cozy, if that is possible, baking it under a layer of cheese. It’s also incredibly easy.

Hello, did you see that there are only FIVE ingredients here? As I was writing the recipe out I kinda couldn’t believe it. This enchilada casserole presents like something that took a really long time to make. It’s like free work or something.

How to Make a Yummy Enchilada Casserole

Here’s whatcher gonna do. Put some sauce down. Now layer away. We’ve got tortillas, beans, chicken, cheese and sauce all up in there. Go for it.

Now let’s top it all off with ze cheese. You pick! I used Mozzarella because I had it on hand – as one does.

But, more normally for an enchilada casserole, you could use Monterrey Jack or Provolone or Colby Jack or Mexican flavored cheese or anything you want. It’s a baked Tex Mex situation, okay? Lots of cheese is necessary.

Let’s Talk Enchilada Sauce Options

Make your own enchilada sauce! I might recommend this blender enchilada sauce for something homemade, yummy, extremely easy, and ready in approximately five minutes. I also like Cookie and Kate’s enchilada sauce which is also delicious – it’s just a bit more involved.
If you are BUYING enchilada sauce, that’s cool, too. I really like the Frontera brand for all things pre-made Mexican and Tex-Mex, including enchilada sauce.

Yummy Variations for Your Enchilada Casserole

Use green enchilada sauce instead of red enchilada sauce.
Use ground beef instead of chicken.
Use vegetarian taco meat or veggies like sautéed mushrooms, peppers, or onions instead of meat (veg lovers unite!)
Use vegan cheese and aforementioned veggie filling to make this a vegan enchilada bake.
Use corn tortillas instead of flour (they’ll be softer and more melty / mushy – personal preference).

If I’m being honest, I ate this enchilada casserole goodness at 9am on a Sunday morning while Bjork was still asleep.

And that, my friends, is the definition of food blogging.