Martha Stewart Chicken Enchilada Casserole Recipe

Most enchilada casseroles are buried in melted cheese. This one barely uses any. Martha Stewart’s Chicken Enchilada Casserole is a lighter version made with a from-scratch tomatillo sauce, corn tortillas folded in half around shredded chicken, and a scattering of crumbled cotija cheese with sour cream drizzled on top after baking, all done in about an hour.

This chicken enchilada casserole recipe is one of Martha Stewart’s best chicken enchilada recipes for when you want the flavor without the heaviness. I make it in the fall when I am craving Mexican food but I do not want to feel weighed down after dinner. The tomatillo sauce is fresh and tangy and the cotija crumbles on top like feta instead of melting into a blanket. It is a completely different thing from a regular cheese-covered enchilada and I honestly like it better.

Try More Chicken Recipes:

• Green Sauce Enchiladas
• Chicken Taco Salad
• Chicken Divan

Why You Will Love This Enchilada Casserole:

• The tomatillo sauce is made from scratch and it is worth it: Martha blends raw tomatillos smooth, then cooks them with onion, jalapenos, and garlic. The sauce is bright, tangy, and fresh in a way that jarred salsa never is. I was going to use store-bought the first time and I am glad I did not because the homemade version is what makes this dish.
• Folded, not rolled: You fold each tortilla in half around the chicken and overlap them in the dish like shingles. It is faster than rolling, easier than tucking, and honestly looks better in the pan. The first time I made these I was done folding all 12 in about 3 minutes.
• Light on cheese, big on flavor: Martha uses cotija, which is a crumbly Mexican cheese that does not melt. It goes on after the casserole comes out of the oven so you get salty bites of cheese on top instead of a heavy melted layer. I did not think I would like less cheese but the tomatillo sauce carries the flavor on its own.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole Ingredients

• 2 pounds tomatillos (husks removed), washed and coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, diced small
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced small
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 12 corn tortillas
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3/4 pound total), cooked and shredded (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 3 tablespoons sour cream
• 2 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled (1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

How To Make Martha Stewart Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1. Make the tomatillo sauce: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Blend the tomatillos in a blender until smooth. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onion and jalapenos and cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until it smells good, about 30 seconds. Pour in the tomatillo puree and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until the sauce thickens a little, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Soften the tortillas: Run the stack of tortillas under cold water, turning them to get both sides lightly damp. Wrap the stack in a clean kitchen towel and microwave for 30 seconds until they bend without cracking.
3. Fill and fold: Put about 3 tablespoons of shredded chicken in each tortilla. Fold in half and lay them in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, overlapping slightly.
4. Bake: Pour the tomatillo sauce over the folded enchiladas. Cover the dish with foil. Bake until the sauce is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
5. Top and serve: Whisk the sour cream with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Drizzle it over the casserole. Scatter the cotija cheese and cilantro on top.

Recipe Tips

• Blend the tomatillos raw: Martha does not roast or boil them first. She chops them, blends them smooth, then cooks the puree in the skillet. The raw blend keeps the sauce bright and tangy. I tried roasting them once and the sauce was sweeter but lost that sharp tomatillo bite.
• Dampen the tortillas under cold water: Not hot, cold. Then wrap in a towel and microwave 30 seconds. This is Martha’s method and it makes the corn tortillas soft enough to fold without cracking. I skipped this step once and lost 3 tortillas to cracks before I went back and did it right.
• Fold in half, do not roll: Martha folds these instead of rolling them. It is faster, easier, and they fit in the dish better overlapping like tiles. You do not need to tuck anything and nothing unrolls while baking.
• Put the cotija on after baking: Cotija does not melt like cheddar or Jack. If you put it in the oven it dries out and gets hard. Crumble it on top of the hot casserole right before serving so it stays crumbly and salty.

How This Compares To The Cheesy Version

I already made Martha’s green sauce enchiladas and these two recipes look similar but eat completely differently. That version uses store-bought salsa mixed with cream and is covered in melted Monterey Jack. This one has a from-scratch tomatillo sauce, no cream in the sauce, and cotija crumbled on top. That one is rich and heavy. This one is bright and light.

• I make the green sauce enchiladas when I am feeding a crowd and I want something that feels indulgent. I make this casserole when it is Tuesday and I want enchiladas that do not put me to sleep.
• The from-scratch tomatillo sauce in this version tastes fresher but takes more effort. The store-bought salsa in the other version takes zero effort but does not taste as bright. Both are good for different reasons.

If you like cheese-heavy enchiladas, start with the green sauce version. If you want something lighter with more tang, this is the one.

What Goes Well With This Enchilada Casserole

Plain rice on the side soaks up the extra tomatillo sauce. That is what I make every time. If I want to set out something before dinner, a bowl of guacamole with chips keeps people busy while the casserole bakes.

A cold cucumber salad on the side adds crunch next to the soft tortillas. But this casserole is already a full meal and most nights I just scoop it over rice and call it done.

How To Store Leftovers

Cover the dish with foil and put it in the fridge for up to 3 days. The tortillas soak up more sauce overnight and get softer, which I actually like. The cotija stays crumbly even in the fridge. I would not freeze this because the tomatillo sauce gets watery after thawing and the tortillas turn to mush.

Reheat covered in the oven at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. I add a fresh drizzle of sour cream and more cilantro when I reheat because the toppings lose their freshness overnight. Leftover enchilada casserole with a fried egg on top is how I start half my mornings when I make this.

FAQs

• What are tomatillos? They look like small green tomatoes wrapped in papery husks. They are tart and tangy, not sweet like regular tomatoes. You peel off the husks, wash them because they are sticky, and chop them up. I find them in most grocery stores near the peppers and tomatoes. Martha uses 2 pounds which is about 12 to 15 tomatillos.
• Can I use store-bought salsa verde instead? You can but it will taste different. The from-scratch sauce has a brighter, fresher flavor. If you are short on time, two jars of green salsa will work. Skip the blending and simmering steps and just pour it over the tortillas. I have done it both ways and the scratch version is better but the jarred version still makes a good dinner.
• What is cotija cheese? It is a Mexican cheese that crumbles like feta and does not melt. It is salty and a little tangy. You can find it in most grocery stores near the other Mexican cheeses. If you cannot find it, crumbled feta is the closest thing. I would not use cheddar or Jack because the whole point of this recipe is that the cheese does not melt.
• Can I use rotisserie chicken? Yes. Martha says the chicken should be cooked and shredded, so rotisserie chicken saves you a step. You need about 2 1/4 cups of shredded meat. I use rotisserie chicken almost every time because it is faster and the flavor is already there.

More Chicken Recipes:

• Chicken Pot Pie
• Chicken And Dumplings
• Baked Chicken Thighs

Nutrition Facts

(1 serving, serves 6)

• Calories: 375
• Total Fat: 14g
• Saturated Fat: 4g
• Cholesterol: 55mg
• Sodium: 500mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 35g
• Protein: 24g