Picture Perfect Chicken Enchilada Pie

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. 

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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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