Cheesy Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas

Cheesy Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas were a big hit for dinner this week. My kids requested them again for dinner the very next day, when they spied the second pan in the freezer. When they asked, I couldn’t resist the chance to have a lazy dinner. I went ahead and baked the second pan that I’d been planning to save for another meal. (I guess the “freezer meal” just came in handy sooner than later, right?)

Enchiladas are my go-to way to feed a crowd. Almost everyone likes them and the heat level can be adjusted for any tastes. Most enchilada recipes can easily be doubled or tripled and the amount of added work is minimal. Even when I’m just cooking for my own crew, I double the recipe and stash a pan in the freezer for a future meal.

Kitchen Tip: I use this pot and this baking dish when making this recipe.

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Cheesy Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas

Cheese, chicken, white beans, and plenty of chile fill this hearty enchilada casserole that the whole family will love.

Servings: 6 -8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced small
• 2 large cloves garlic minced
• 1 1/2 cups cooked great northern or white kidney beans or (1)  14 ounce can, drained
• 1 7 ounce can of chopped green chile or 1 cup chopped, roasted green chile
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 cups red or green chile sauce divided
• 4 cups cooked and shredded chicken dark or white meat *see above note
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder I use NM Red Chile powder
• 10 white corn tortillas cut into triangles, as pictured here
• 6 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend or the shredded cheeses of your choice

Instructions

1. CHICKEN INSTRUCTIONS: Place the raw chicken (frozen is fine) in the slow cooker and set to low. Cook for 6-8 hours, until easily pulled apart. You can cook the chicken without adding anything to it, or you can season it with taco seasoning as it cooks. Pretty much anything goes. Turn off the heat and shred the chicken with tongs when it is finished cooking.
2. ENCHILADA INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are lightly browned and the pan is fragrant. Add the beans, green chile, and sour cream. Stir to melt the sour cream and then stir in 1 1/2 cups chile sauce, the chicken, and the spices. Taste and adjust spices as desired.
3. Pour 1/2 cup chile sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 pan and tilt the pan to coat the bottom. Layer the tortilla triangles over the sauce and then scoop about 1/3 of the chicken mixture over the tortilla layer. Sprinkle with cheese and then layer tortilla triangles over the cheese. Repeat to make two more layers.
4. Pour the remaining cup of chile sauce over the last layer of tortillas and then sprinkle generously with cheese. Bake until the cheese and melted and the sides of the pan are bubbling, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for ten minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Notes

You can use any pre-cooked chicken for this recipe. I tend to use my Crock-pot for easy shredded chicken. I'm including those directions with the recipe.

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: Layer everything into the pan and when it has cooled completely, cover with foil or lids and freeze. 1-2 days before you plan to eat this, take it out of the freezer and place it in the refrigerator. Once thawed, bake as noted above.