Picture Perfect Chicken Enchilada Pie {Recipe & Video}

Name: Chicken Enchilada Pie
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 pound shredded chicken; 8 ounces light sour cream; 6 6-inch corn tortillas [large]; 12 4-inch corn tortillas [small]; 3 cups shredded cheese (I use a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack); 2 1/2 cups enchilada sauce; Oil for preparing pie dish (Coconut oil works well.); 1 whole avocado; 1 tablespoons lemon juice; ½ cup water; ½ cup sour cream; 2 tablespoons chopped cilanro; 2 tablespoons chopped green onion

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Layered with savory shredded chicken, homemade enchilada sauce, and melty cheeses, our Chicken Enchilada Pie is takes a Tex-Mex favorite to a whole new level. Quick, easy, and budget friendly, this is a family favorite that's pretty enough for company.

Finished chicken enchilada pie framed with old photo corners.

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Why You Will Love this Recipe
What Goes into this Recipe
How to Make this Recipe
FAQs
Cast Iron Cooking
Chicken Enchilada Pie

Why You Will Love this Recipe

Chicken enchilada pie is a regular menu item at our house. There are a lot of reasons to love it:

It has a simple list of ingredients.
It is fast and easy to put together.
It can be made ahead of time.
You can fancy it up for a party, Cinco de Mayo celebration, or potluck win. (i.e., use homemade sauce, tortillas, guacamole, etc.)
You can dress it down for a fast, easy weeknight dinner. (i.e., use canned sauce, canned chicken, etc.)
It makes great leftovers.

Our "picture perfect" spin on this old standard may look complicated, but it's actually just as easy to put together as a traditional, rolled enchilada casserole.

Don't feel like making it round, or pretty? No problem; just layer it into your favorite casserole dish.

Baked enchilada pie garnished with avocado slices, sour cream, and chopped cilantro.

What Goes into this Recipe

Chicken: We like to use roaster chicken, but it is also a great way to use leftover chicken. It doesn't need to be pretty.

Cheese: Use shredded cheddar, Monterey jack, or cheddar-jack. We like to use a little crumbled cotija on top, too.

Tortillas: This recipe lists both large and small corn tortillas; this is entirely for appearances. If you aren't as concerned about how the final pie looks, you can use any combination of tortillas you want. Garnishes will do a lot for the final presentation, too!

Enchilada Sauce: (The secret is in the sauce!) If at all possible, take the time to throw together a batch of our Slow Cooker Enchilada Sauce before you get started.

You can make this recipe with canned sauce, too. (Among store brands, we recommend Rosarita's.)

How to Make this Recipe

Prep Filling & Tortillas

Mix the shredded chicken and sour cream in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.

Cut 4 of the small tortillas in half, leaving the other 8 whole.

Cut 3 of the large tortillas in half, leaving the other 3 whole.

You can make this with all small tortillas, too. Or all big ones. Totally up to you.

Tortillas cut and arranged on cutting board.

Make Mini Enchiladas

Soften 8 small tortillas:

Gas Stove (recommended): If you have a gas stove, you can also soften the tortillas over an open burner set to medium. Use a pair of tongs to turn them frequently; until they are nicely softened, with tasty browned and charred portions that will add to the overall flavor.
Stovetop: Heat a heavy skillet on high for a few minutes. Dry-fry the tortillas for a minute or two, until they begin to soften.
Microwave: Wrap the tortillas in a tortilla warmer or paper towels, and microwave for about 30 seconds.

Put about two tablespoons of the chicken and sour cream mixture in the middle of one small tortilla and fold in half. Repeat with the remaining whole small tortillas. Set aside.

Mini enchiladas arrenged on a green tray.

Assemble Enchilada Pie

Don't let the assembly intimidate you! Twenty minutes is a generous estimate of how long it will take to put together. (It takes me just over 10 minutes...unless I'm making a movie about it, of course.)

Generously oil a large deep-dish pie dish. Preheat oven to 350°F | 177°C.

Line the sides of the pie dish with the small half-tortillas, with the flat side facing the bottom of the dish.

Line the bottom of the dish with 1 large whole and 2 large half tortillas.

Cast iron pie dish lined with corn tortillas.

Add the following layers:

Chicken - Spread one-half of the remaining chicken and sour cream over the tortillas in the bottom of the pan. (Don't worry if a little of the pan is peeking through.)

Cheese - Top with ⅓ of the shredded cheese.

Tortillas - Add another layer of 1 whole large and 2 large half tortillas.

Sauce - Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas.

Chicken - Spread the remaining chicken and sour cream over the sauce. (It may mix a little - not to worry.)

Cheese - Top with ⅓ of the shredded cheese.

Tortillas - Add another layer of 1 whole large and 2 large half tortillas.

Sauce - Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas.

Mini Enchiladas - In a circle radiating from the center (like wheel spokes), place the prepared mini enchiladas.

Small enchiladas arranged as spokes in wheel in pie dish, topped with thick red sauce.

Sauce - Spread 1 to 1½ cups of enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas.

Cheese - Top with ⅓ of the shredded cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes.

Garnish & Serve

Remove the pie from the oven, and allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes.

Pour 2 tablespoons lemon juice and ¼ cup water in a small bowl.

Carefully slice avocado into even slices. Soak slices in lemon water for a few seconds. Place avocado slices around top of enchilada pie between the mini enchiladas, radiating from the center.

Enchilada pie baked, with slices of avocado arranges as spokes on top, some filled with sour cream.

Pipe or spoon sour cream into the "seed hole" in each avocado slice, and into the center of the pie. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and green onions and serve.

FAQs

What can you do with leftover enchilada pie?

One of our favorite things to do with cold, leftover enchiladas is slice them about ½ to ¾ inch thick and then fry them in a cast iron skillet with just a little butter.

We fry them on all four sides to make "enchilada sticks," and serve them with fried eggs for a hearty weekend breakfast.

How long does enchilada pie last?

Properly refrigerated, enchilada pie will last about a week.

Enchilada pie with one slice cut and removed.

Cast Iron Cooking

The cast iron pie dish that we use to make this enchilada pie recipe is one of my all-time favorite kitchen purchases. I use it to make all kinds of sweet and savory pies; and at this point, I am convinced the cast iron makes almost everything better.

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Chicken Enchilada Pie

Layered with savory shredded chicken, enchilada sauce, and melty cheeses, our Chicken Enchilada Pie is takes a Tex-Mex favorite to a whole new level.

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Course: Main Dish Casserole

Cuisine: Tex-Mex

Prep Time:20 minutes

Cook Time:30 minutes

Total Time:50 minutes

Servings: servings

Calories: 378kcal

Author: Renee

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

1 pound shredded chicken
8 ounces light sour cream
6 6-inch corn tortillas [large]
12 4-inch corn tortillas [small]
3 cups shredded cheese I use a mixture of cheddar and pepper jack
2 ½ cups enchilada sauce
Oil for preparing pie dish Coconut oil works well.

Garnish

1 whole avocado
1 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup water
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped cilanro
2 tablespoons chopped green onion

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F [177°C].
Mix shredded chicken and light sour cream in a medium bowl until well combined. Set aside.
Cut 4 of the small tortillas in half, leaving the other 8 whole.
Cut 3 of the large tortillas in half, leaving the other 3 whole.
You can make this with all small tortillas, too. Or all big ones. Totally up to you.

Mini-Enchiladas for Top

First. soften 8 small tortillas.
• Gas Stove (recommended): If you have a gas stove, you can also soften the tortillas over an open burner set to medium. Use a pair of tongs to turn them frequently; until they are nicely softened, with tasty browned and charred portions that will add to the overall flavor.
• Stovetop: Heat a heavy skillet on high for a few minutes. Dry-fry the tortillas for a minute or two, until they begin to soften.
• Microwave: Wrap the tortillas in a tortilla warmer or paper towels, and microwave for about 30 seconds.
Put about two tablespoons of the chicken and sour cream mixture in the middle of one small tortilla and fold in half.
Repeat with the remaining whole small tortillas. Set aside.

Enchilada Pie

Generously oil a large deep-dish pie dish. Preheat oven to 350° F.
TORTILLAS - Line the sides of the pie dish with the small half-tortillas, with the flat side facing the bottom of the dish.
Line the bottom of the dish with 1 large whole and 2 large half tortillas.
CHICKEN - Spread one-half of the remaining chicken and sour cream over the tortillas in the bottom of the pan. (Don't worry if a little of the pan is peeking through.)
CHEESE - Top with ⅓ of the shredded cheese.
TORTILLAS - Add another layer of 1 whole large and 2 large half tortillas.
SAUCE - Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas.
CHICKEN - Spread the remaining chicken mixture over the top of the sauce. (It may mix a little - not to worry.)
CHEESE - Top with ⅓ of the shredded cheese.
TORTILLAS - Add another layer of 1 whole large and 2 large half tortillas.
SAUCE - Spread 1 cup of enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas.
MINI ENCHILADAS - Arrange the prepared mini enchiladas in a circle radiating from the center (like wheel spokes).
SAUCE - Spread 1 to 1½ cups of enchilada sauce over the top of the tortillas.
CHEESE - Top with ⅓ of the shredded cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes.

Garnish & Serve

Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
Pour 2 tablespoons lemon juice and ¼ cup water in a small bowl.
Carefully slice avocado into even slices. Soak slices in lemon water for a few seconds.
Place avocado slices around top of enchilada pie between the mini enchiladas, radiating from the center.
Pipe or spoon sour cream into the "seed hole" in each avocado slice, and into the center of the pie.
Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and green onions and serve.

Video

Notes

Nutrition facts do not include garnish ingredients.

Leftover Inspiration: Slice cold, leftover enchiladas about ½ to ¾ inch thick and then fry them in a cast iron skillet with just a little butter.

Fry on all four sides to make "enchilada sticks," and serve them with fried eggs for a hearty breakfast.

Nutrition

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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