Gluten Free Red Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Total time1 hr 15 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time50 min

Gluten Free Red Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Enchiladas in casserole form are the ultimate weeknight flex — all the bold, saucy flavor you love without the tedious rolling. The heart of this dish is a from-scratch red chile sauce made by toasting dried guajillo and ancho chiles, then blending them with fire-roasted tomatoes, garlic, onion, cumin, and oregano until silky smooth. That sauce gets layered between corn tortillas, tender poached chicken, and black beans, then blanketed with melty Monterey Jack cheese — twice. Corn tortillas are naturally wheat-free, which means the whole casserole comes together without any swaps or specialty products, just real ingredients doing their thing. The technique of frying the blended sauce in a hot skillet before assembling is what gives it that deep, complex flavor you'd expect from a restaurant — it's a small step that makes a big difference. After a covered bake to let everything meld, the foil comes off and the cheese gets golden and bubbly at the edges. Serve it with a dollop of sour cream and fresh cilantro, and you've got six generous portions of something that tastes like it took all day.

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Ingredients

6 servings

For the chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Kroger Uncooked Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Foster Farms Simply Raised Simply Raised Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets Simple Truth Natural Thin-Sliced Boneless and Skinless Chicken Breast Cutlets Signature Farms Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts Value Pack - 3.5 Lb PERDUE FRESH CUTS Fresh Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast Strips Traypack - 1.25 Lbs
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½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
3 cups chicken broth

For the red chile sauce

3 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
2 dried ancho chiles, stems and seeds removed
1 can (14.5 oz) fire-roasted diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, peeled
½ medium white onion, roughly chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil

For the casserole

18 corn tortillas (6-inch)
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed

For serving

¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (optional)
½ cup sour cream (optional)

Instructions

1
Place the chicken in a large saucepan and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Pour in the chicken broth — the liquid should nearly cover the chicken. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 18–22 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and reserve 1 cup of the poaching broth. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks.
2
While the chicken poaches, toast the guajillo and ancho chiles in a dry large skillet over medium heat for 30–45 seconds per side, pressing them flat with a spatula, until fragrant and slightly darkened. Transfer to the saucepan with the remaining poaching broth (or a separate pot with 2 cups of water if the broth is already reserved), bring to a simmer, and cook for 8 minutes until the chiles are fully softened and pliable.

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