Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Bake

One of my favorite meals is the Chicken Enchilada Bake I posted a while ago… It’s so flavorful, filling and hits my macros and calories perfectly. That said, it was time to spruce it up with a version two 🙂

Having meals like this are great for families, but also for one person (if you’re like me and love leftovers, you’ll be set for the week for lunches!).

The original enchilada bake that I make is with a spicy red enchilada sauce, so I thought I’d switch it up and make a green chile version.

This green chile chicken enchilada bake is going to be a family favorite with the perfectly seasoned chicken, layer corn tortillas, green chile and tomatillo sauce all topped off with crumbled queso fresco, avocado and cilantro… What more could you want? (Well… Maybe a margarita.)

When trying to eat healthy it’s nice to have some variety in your food that you’re eating and it’s even better when you have something that’s easy!

Below, I’ll tell you exactly what I did to make this recipe, but I’m sure there are even more shortcuts you could do to simplify it! I made this bake yesterday morning, placed it in the fridge until dinner, preheated the oven and threw in for dinner – and done.

Simple as that! 🙂

Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Bake Ingredients:

For The Chicken:

1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast (to make this easier you could use rotisserie chicken and just shred)
1 tbsp. coconut oil
Chili Powder
Cumin
Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper

For The Bake:

2 16-oz. jars of tomatillo salsa ( I used Frontera Tomatillo Salsa) **
1 jalapeno, diced and seeded (I threw in the seeds for an extra kick)
14 corn tortillas
2 oz. queso fresco cheese, crumbled
2 oz. cotija cheese, crumbled

** You need 2.5 cups of the salsa for the recipe, which is slightly more than 1 jar. So 2 jars covers it, though you’ll have some left over.

Optional Toppings:

Diced Avocado
Fresh Chopped Cilantro

Directions:

For The Chicken: 

1. First trim the fat off the chicken.
2. To season the chicken there isn’t an exact measurement of spices; just sprinkle both sides with chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder. Season well with salt and pepper.
3. Heat 1 tbsp. coconut oil on medium high in a large skillet.
4. Once oil is heated, place seasoned chicken into the skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes at that temperature to get a nice crust on the chicken. Turn heat down to medium-low, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. Flip chicken and cook for another 4 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
5. Place cooked chicken on a cutting board and let cool. Once cooled, dice chicken, place into a bowl and set aside.

For The Bake:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.  Spray a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Crumble both cheeses in a bowl and toss to mix. Set aside.
3. In the bowl with the diced chicken, add chopped jalapeno and 1/2 cup of salsa, season with a little more salt and pepper and stir.
4. Place 4 corn tortillas in the bottom of the pan, evenly. Scoop half of the chicken mixture and spread evenly on top of the tortillas with 1/2 cup of salsa. Sprinkle with a little bit of cheese (leaving enough for another layer on top).
5. Repeat one more time with 4 corn tortillas, remaining chicken mixture, 1/2 cup of salsa and sprinkle with a bit of cheese.
6. Top with 6 corn tortillas layered evenly, spray with cooking spray and place into the oven uncovered for 10 minutes to crisp up the tortillas.
7. Remove from oven and spread 1 cup salsa evenly on top and sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture.
8. Cover with foil and place back into the oven for 20 -25 minutes (may have to adjust time if you refrigerate the bake before cooking).
9. Before serving, top with diced avocado and cilantro.

Nutritional Information:

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 1/6 of the pan (w/o avocado)

Calories: 310
Fat: 8 g
Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 4 g
Protein: 30 g