Creamy Chicken And Spinach Enchiladas Casserole

Speed up dinner with our Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas Casserole—a quick, flavorful one-pan meal! Bursting with cheesy chicken and spinach rolled in flour tortillas and baked in a creamy white sauce. It’s sure to be a family favorite.

The best casserole recipes are cherished for generations. Try our Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole, Baked Spaghetti, make-ahead English Muffin Breakfast Casserole, and easy Cinnamon Roll Peach Cobbler.

Why We Love Chicken Enchilada Casserole With White Sauce

A creamy, cheesy explosion of Mexican flavors! Our enchilada casserole will be your new family favorite!

• Quick Prep: 20 minutes to the oven, 50 minutes to the table.  
• One-Pan Meal: Enchilada casserole: for full-schedule days!
• Economical: A great way to use up leftover chicken.
• Time-Saving: Use a rotisserie chicken or make extra when you prepare other chicken dinner recipes.
• Make Ahead: Double or triple the enchiladas recipe and freeze lunch and dinner portions.
• Heat & Serve: Excellent easy dinner recipe for weeknight meals!
• Mexican Cuisine: A creamy chicken take on a cultural flavor favorite.

Creamy Chicken Spinach Enchilada Casserole Ingredients

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast – cooked and shredded (see tips below)
• Butter
• Fresh Mushrooms – sliced white or baby Bella’s
• Large Yellow Onion – diced
• Dash Of Nutmeg – a defining flavor in chicken and spinach enchiladas casserole
• Frozen Chopped Spinach – boxed and thawed spinach must be squeezed or drained.            
• Sour Cream – is the tangy, creamy base for the enchiladas’ white sauce. 
• Half & Half -Adds richness and increases the velvety smoothness of the white sauce.
• Chopped Green Chiles – sold at the grocery store in a small can in the international aisle, usually by the taco shells.
• Ground Cumin – A signature spice in enchilada recipes that introduces warm, aromatic, and earthy notes. 
• Salt & Cayenne Pepper – Both seasonings highlight and balance flavors with a touch of fiery zest.
• Flour Tortillas
• Cheese – Monterey Jack or Four Cheese Mexican Blend are my usual go-to for this casserole recipe.

QUICK TIP: if you forget to thaw your spinach ahead of time, and your microwave has a quick thaw setting (usually for 1 pound of ground beef) it works perfectly to quickly thaw the box of frozen spinach.

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How To Make Easy Chicken And Spinach Enchilada Casserole

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

Winner, winner, weeknight chicken dinner! Say hello to the flavor-packed, fuss-free, easy chicken and spinach enchiladas casserole, boasting a family-friendly fiesta of delightful cultural flavors. 

Directions

1. Sauté onions and mushrooms in butter with a dash of nutmeg.
2. Create a creamy enchilada white sauce with spinach, sour cream, half and half, chiles, cumin, cayenne, and salt. 
3. Roll chicken and sauce into tortillas, layer with cheese, and bake until bubbly – your satisfying enchilada casserole awaits!
4. Garnish and serve with your favorite toppings.

How To Make Easy Shredded Chicken In No Time:

Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment is a quick and convenient way to get even consistency for easy shredded chicken recipes.

Simply place the cooked chicken in the bowl of the mixer, attach the paddle attachment, and mix on low speed for about a minute or until the chicken is shredded exactly the way you want it.

Paddle Mixer Shredded Chicken Tips:

• For quick and even shredding, use warm chicken.
• If the chicken is dry, add a splash of water or broth to help it shred. (Based on the recipe, try butter or olive oil.)
• A whisk attachment to shred chicken also works but may take a bit longer.

This method is much faster than shredding chicken by hand, producing evenly shredded chicken. Make a large batch, portion it into 1 or 2-cup servings and freeze. Takes all the prep work out of easy weeknight meals: tacos, salads, chicken enchiladas, and more.

Recipe Notes:

• You can cook the chicken in a crockpot and add water, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, and cumin. Crockpot chicken will be tender, moist, and easy to shred. 
• Use leftover chicken; alternatively, you can sauté, grill, or bake the chicken. Rotisserie chicken is quick, convenient, and economical.
• Place cooked chicken in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.  Turn the mixer on low for about 30-60 seconds, and you will have shredded chicken in 1 minute or less!
• Chopped frozen spinach should be broken up and drained well to avoid watering down the enchilada white sauce. Thaw in a colander over a bowl in the fridge, or squeeze in a cheesecloth.

Serving Suggestions

This family-friendly chicken dinner idea doubles as a make-ahead recipe, saving you from the chaos of busy evenings. Here are a few serving ideas for easy weeknight dinners if you want to add some extra touches!

Add fresh sliced melon or orange slices for a light and refreshing finish to a chicken enchiladas casserole. On that note, serve Fresh Red Raspberry Iced Tea or the Adulting (hard) Version!

Originally posted in August 2015. UPDATED August 2023. We spiffed up this post with more information and new photos. No changes were made to the recipe.