This Chicken Enchilada Skillet is a 30 minute meal packed with veggies, beans, chicken, bold enchilada flavor, and 39 grams of protein. As a bonus, everything cooks in one skillet!
Take the same skillet idea and switch up the flavors with a chicken burrito skillet or taco skillet.
Enchiladas are hands down our favorite Mexican dish, and I’ve made everything from healthy chicken enchiladas, low carb chicken enchiladas, even one pot beef enchiladas. Now, this chicken enchilada skillet recipe is making the list!
Honestly, I can’t pick a favorite because we love them all, but I will say skillet meals are about as fast and easy as it gets! A bit of a shortcut, but they taste just as great.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Minimal prep: No stuffing, layering, or rolling, just a little chopping and you’re done in 10 minutes.
- Simple ingredients: I kept the list short with fridge and pantry staples that you can easily swap out depending on what you have on hand.
- Weeknight favorite: A low effort, healthy dinner made in one skillet with easy clean up!
- Flavorful protein powerhouse: This comfort food is a crowd-pleaser, loaded with 39 grams of protein and big flavor!
Ingredients for Chicken Enchilada Skillet
You’ll need just 7 simple ingredients, plus some oil for frying and any fresh toppings you like!
- Chicken breasts: Boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces. I used 3 large ones.
- Vegetables: We start by sauteing onion and red bell peppers to create a rich, aromatic base. I used yellow onion, but white onion is good too.
- Black beans: I used two 14 ounces cans of low sodium black beans. If you’re up for making your own, check out my Instant Pot black beans recipe.
- Red enchilada sauce: I used store-bought enchilada sauce this time to keep the ingredient list short and simplify dinner on a busy night. Feel free to choose mild or spicy.
- Corn tortillas: Instead of rolling, we chop the tortillas and stir them in. I used corn for authentic flavor, but flour tortillas work too.
- Shredded cheese: The gooey, melty magic that brings it all together. We love using Tex Mex or cheddar cheese, but feel free to use Monterey Jack, a Mexican cheese blend, or Colby Jack if you prefer.
- Oil: Not pictured, but you’ll need some olive oil or avocado oil for frying.
- Optional toppings: We love the classics like avocado, fresh cilantro, jalapeno, and sour cream or yogurt. You can also add green onion, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, or lime juice.
How to Make Chicken Enchilada Skillet
Here’s a quick look at making this easy chicken enchilada skillet. You’ll need a large 12 inch skillet or bigger with a tight fitting lid.
- Saute veggies: Heat a large deep non-stick skillet on high and swirl in 1/2 tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and bell peppers, cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally until they start to brown. Then, transfer them to a bowl and set aside.
- Brown the chicken: Put the skillet back on the stove and add the rest of the oil. Add the chicken and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring a few times.
- Combine and simmer: Add your cooked onion and bell peppers, black beans, and enchilada sauce. Give it a stir, bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
- Add tortillas and cheese: Add the corn tortillas and stir to combine. Sprinkle the cheese on top, cover the skillet with a lid or cutting board, turn off the heat, and let the cheese melt.
Variations
These deconstructed enchiladas are super customizable to suit your taste and whatever you have on hand. Here are some variations to try!
- Green enchilada sauce: Swap in green enchilada sauce for a tangy, slightly spicy flavor made from green chilies.
- Vegetarian: Skip the chicken and add extra beans, cheese, or veggies. See list of optional veggies below. You can even toss in some firm tofu pieces if you like.
- For lower carb: Use only 1 can of beans and 10 or less corn tortillas.
- More protein: Use protein tortillas, or if you prefer, chop up fewer than 15 shells or skip them altogether. Then add an extra can of beans and more chicken to boost the protein.
- Rotisserie chicken: Precooked rotisserie chicken will have dinner on the table in under 30 minutes! Add the shredded chicken in with the beans and sauce, no need to remove the onion and peppers from the skillet.
- Ground beef or any ground meat: Feel free to use any ground meat like ground beef, turkey, chicken, or pork. If you’re using a fattier meat, I recommend draining off the excess fat to keep the dish from getting too greasy.
- Add more vegetables: Stir in a bag of cauliflower rice, a cup of corn, chopped tomatoes, black olives, red onion, spinach, or sauteed mushrooms or zucchini.
- Make it spicy: For extra heat, try using spicy enchilada sauce, adding finely diced jalapeño with seeds removed, green chilies, mixing in chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, sprinkling red pepper flakes or chili powder, or adding a splash of hot sauce.
What to Serve It with?
This enchilada skillet is filling on its own, especially when you pile on toppings like diced avocado, cilantro, jalapeno, fresh tomatoes, lime wedges, sour cream, Greek yogurt guacamole, and salsa or homemade Pico de Gallo.
But if you’re feeding a crowd or just want to add a little extra to the meal, here are some tasty side ideas:
- Try low carb cilantro lime cauliflower rice or Mexican cauliflower rice.
- Simple Instant Pot white rice or brown rice lets the enchiladas take center stage.
- Instant Pot refried beans make a perfect, easy side.
- Fresh black bean and corn salsa.
- Boost the protein by pairing it with chips and cottage cheese queso.
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Place leftovers in a covered storage container and in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Freeze: Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
Reheat: You can simmer it on low heat in a skillet with a splash of chicken broth for about 5 minutes, covered. Or for a quicker option, just pop it in the microwave!
FAQs
Yes. Make sure your flour tortillas are small, and if they’re not, use less of them.
Yes. Sauté the vegetables and chicken according to the recipe, let them cool, and store them in the refrigerator overnight. You can aslo prep the veggies and chicken, and refrigerate them for up to 48 hours. When you’re ready, just finish the recipe as directed.
The best skillet to use would be a large 12 inches ceramic pan or bigger with lid. If you don’t have a lid for it you can use a large cutting board or baking sheet to cover. If you don’t have any, you can also make it in a Dutch oven.
More Skillet Recipes to Try
Chicken Enchilada Skillet
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large onion coarsely chopped
- 2 large red bell peppers coarsely chopped
- 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
- 2 x 14 ounces cans low sodium black beans rinsed & drained
- 14 ounces red enchilada sauce
- 15 small corn tortillas coarsely chopped
- 2-3 cups cheddar or Tex mex cheese shredded
- 1 tablespoon oil for frying
- Avocado, cilantro, jalapeno, sour cream or yogurt for toppings (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat large deep non-stick skillet on high heat and swirl 1/2 tablespoon oil to coat. Add onion and bell peppers, cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally and allowing to brown. Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
- Return skillet to the stove and add remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add previously cooked onion and bell peppers, black beans and enchilada sauce. Stir, bring to a boil, cover and let it simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.
- Add corn tortillas and stir. Then sprinkle with cheese, cover, turn off heat and let cheese melt.
- Serve hot as is or with desired toppings.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 3 – 4 days.
- Freeze: Cool, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat: Simmer on low heat in a skillet with a bit of broth for 5 minutes while covered. Or just reheat in a microwave.
