You never say no to free lunch, right? So when a friend of mine offered me a tupperware of this quinoa enchilada casserole as I took my lunch break, I jumped it. It’s got all the great sauciness of enchiladas, but the casserole form means it’s hearty enough to forgo the tortillas without noticing they’re gone.
Like all great Mexican food, you can adjust the ingredients to suit your desires. This is my version, although the original is based on one by Betty Crocker.
Quinoa Enchilada Casserole
Ingredients:
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 chicken breasts, diced
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles
- 1 can Rotel or diced tomatoes with green chiles
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- 2 cups enchilada sauce
- 1 1/2 cup shredded cheese (Cheddar, Monterey Jack or mexican blend)
Steps:
- Cook the quinoa as directed on the package if you haven’t already. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9 baking dish.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add onion and chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the corn, cook 3-4 minutes more, until the chicken is just cooked through.
- Turn heat off, then add quinoa, chiles, Rotel, black beans, spices and enchilada sauce. Stir thoroughly, adding 1 cup cheese as you stir.
- Pour entire thing into the baking dish, then top with the rest of the cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes.
- Turn the oven to broil, then broil 1-2 minutes, until cheese is golden. Keep a close eye on it or it’ll burn.
- Serve with whatever you like to add to enchiladas: avocados, cilantro, lettuce, or anything else!
This dish will serve around 8 people, so it’s great for a crowd, or for making Sunday night and having lots of leftovers for lunches. If you’re looking for other easy Mexican food, try these carnitas or slow cooker chicken tacos!
What’s your favorite thing to take as lunch??? Leave your answer in the comments!
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I love casseroles and would love to try your recipe, it sounds and looks so delicious.
Looks like a perfect recipe for the weekend cooking ….I love Mexican food and I am definitely trying this
Yummm! Love that you used quinoa, going to try your recipe with a few changes to make it vegan.
This looks like the perfect recipe for Cinco de Mayo and frankly any night I want to spice things up a little, love it!
Exactly – love bringing some spices to an average weeknight!
This looks like something I could totally handle making! I love casseroles – so easy and they refrigerate well!
Me too – especially for weeknight meals! So easy to make plenty of leftovers!