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This chicken enchilada skillet recipe is quick and easy to make in one pan and customize with your favorite ingredients.
Craving enchiladas but don’t feel like spending time rolling tortillas and layering a casserole? This chicken enchilada skillet is the way to go. ♡
It’s made with all the flavorful essentials I love in classic enchiladas — juicy chicken, black beans, corn tortillas, enchilada sauce, and plenty of cheese. The veggies get a quick sauté on the stovetop until tender and fragrant, then everything bakes together just long enough for the cheese to turn golden, bubbly, and irresistible. And of course, no enchiladas are complete in my book without a generous sprinkle of fresh toppings, so don’t be shy!
This recipe is also endlessly adaptable. So feel free to swap in your favorite protein, toss in extra veggies, try it with a different enchilada sauce, whatever enchilada ingredients you love best. However you make it, this skillet is big on flavor and protein, blissfully low on fuss, and totally guaranteed to deliver all the cozy comfort of enchiladas in a fraction of the time. Let’s make some!
Recipe Tips
Step-by-step instructions are included in the recipe below, but here are a few extra tips to ensure success with this one:
Use an oven-safe skillet. A 12-inch cast iron, stainless steel, or enamelware skillet works perfectly here. Or if you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you’re welcome to transfer this recipe to a baking dish or sheet pan for its final bake in the oven.
Season to taste. Enchilada sauces can vary widely in spice level, so give the mixture a quick taste before baking and adjust salt, pepper, or a dash of hot sauce as needed. I’m of course partial to my favorite homemade enchilada sauce here, but I also love Frontera’s red enchilada sauce as a store-bought shortcut.
Don’t skip the toppings. Fresh cilantro, avocado, sour cream, or green onions all add fresh, bright flavor that help to balance the richness of the warm dish. So be generous with the toppings!
Make ahead option. You can assemble the skillet up through making the cheese topping. Then cover, refrigerate for up to 24 hours, and bake as directed when ready to serve, adding an extra 5 minutes if baking straight from the fridge.
Variations
Similar to traditional enchiladas, this enchilada skillet recipe is endlessly customizable, so please feel free to add in whatever ingredients you love best. Here are a few of our favorite variations to try:
Protein swap. Use ground beef, ground turkey, or shredded pork instead of chicken.
Veggie boost. Add zucchini, corn, spinach, or mushrooms along with the peppers for extra flavor and nutrients.
Tortilla swap. Flour tortillas or even corn tortilla chips can work in a pinch if you don’t have corn tortillas on hand.
Sauce twist. Try a green enchilada sauce for a tangier flavor profile.
Make it spicier. Stir in diced jalapeños, chopped chipotle peppers in adobo, or a drizzle of hot sauce before baking.
Make it gluten-free. Be sure to use certified gluten-free tortillas and a gf enchilada sauce.
More Enchilada Recipes To Try!
Looking for more enchilada recipes to try? Here are a few of our all-time favorites:
This chicken enchilada skillet recipe is quick and easy to make in one pan and customize with your favorite ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound (about 3-4 cups) shredded cooked chicken
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
2 cups red enchilada sauce, homemade or store-bought
6 small corn tortillas, cut into strips
fine salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Mexican-blend cheese
toppings: chopped fresh cilantro, chopped green or red onions, sliced avocado, sour cream
Instructions
Heat the oven.Heat oven to 350°F.
Sauté the veggies.Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and red bell pepper and sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes until fragrant.
Mix in the fillings.Stir in the shredded chicken, black beans, diced green chiles, enchilada sauce, and tortilla strips. Toss everything together until evenly combined. Give the mixture a quick taste, and season with however much salt and pepper is needed.
Bake.Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the skillet mixture. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Serve.Remove from the oven. Serve immediately, garnished with your favorite enchilada toppings, and enjoy!
