Description
A comforting and flavorful Smoky Chicken Enchilada Skillet featuring tender shredded chicken, smoky enchilada sauce, pinto beans, corn, and melty queso cheese layered with tortillas and baked to bubbly perfection. This one-pan meal is easy to prepare and perfect for a cozy family dinner with bold Southwest-inspired flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Enchilada Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 15 ounces tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Chicken Mixture
- 1 1/2 cups shredded chicken
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/3 cup corn
Assembly & Toppings
- 8 4-inch flour tortillas
- 8 ounces queso Chihuahua or white cheddar cheese, freshly grated
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 handful fresh cilantro (for topping)
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced (for topping)
Instructions
- Make the enchilada sauce: Heat a large 10- or 12-inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, tomato sauce, tomato paste, chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes to thicken. Transfer most of the sauce out of the skillet, leaving a thin layer on the bottom.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to prepare for baking the assembled skillet.
- Prepare the chicken mixture: In a bowl, toss the shredded chicken with ground cumin and smoked paprika. Add the drained pinto beans and corn, mixing gently to combine evenly.
- Coat the tortillas: Lightly coat each flour tortilla with the prepared enchilada sauce on both sides, either by dipping briefly or spreading the sauce with the back of a spoon.
- Layer the skillet: Line the bottom and sides of the skillet with 4 to 5 sauce-coated tortillas. Spread half of the chicken and bean mixture evenly over the tortillas, then sprinkle a generous handful of grated cheese over the top. Spoon some enchilada sauce over the cheese layer.
- Add remaining layers: Place the remaining tortillas over the mixture, then top with the remaining chicken and beans. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over all the tortillas, ensuring full coverage. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese evenly on top.
- Bake: Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbly.
- Garnish and serve: Remove from oven and top with sliced jalapeño, fresh cilantro, green onions, and sliced avocado. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy!
Notes
- For a spicier dish, leave the jalapeño seeds in or add extra cayenne powder to the sauce.
- You can substitute corn tortillas for flour tortillas for a gluten-free option.
- Use rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken to save time.
- Queso Chihuahua can be substituted with Monterey Jack or mozzarella if unavailable.
- Make sure the skillet is oven-safe, like cast iron, to bake the dish directly in it.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best results.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Skillet and Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican / Southwestern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe (approximately 1.5 cups)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
Keywords: smoky chicken enchilada skillet, enchilada skillet, chicken enchilada recipe, one pan enchilada, cheesy chicken skillet, Mexican skillet dinner
