Missing food with a little Latin flare on the GAPSdiet or other grain-free diet? This chicken enchilada casserole recipe delivers! Grab it below.
One thing you never get over missing on a grain-free diet is Mexican food. If you want to know the truth, every once in a while the craving gets the best of me and we go out and indulge. But that indulgence will inevitably result in feeling yucky later, so I wanted to try my hand at a grain-free version of my favorite chicken enchilada casserole recipe, and I’ve got to say, it really is satisfying!
This recipe works if you’re on the GAPS diet, a primal-style diet, or if you lean towards paleo (just skip the cheese and sour cream; see notes below). Best of all, it replaces difficult-to-digest grains with vegetables! What could be better than sneaking vegetables into a gooey, warming, kid- and husband-pleasing casserole?!
It’s delicioso!(Try not to make fun of me; I never took high school Spanish. What can I say? The only Spanish I know, I learned from Dora the Explorer.)
Cheesy chicken enchilada casserole, two ways
If you’re able to tolerate dairy, great! Leave the recipe as-is and cheese it up. You’ll get the most delicious, authentic flavor this way. However, if you’re dairy-free, all is not lost!
To make this chicken enchilada casserole recipe dairy-free, you’ll need to whip up my dairy-free queso dip recipe, hold the ground beef. You’ll then use the dip in place of the cheese and sour cream in the casserole.
If you’re keeping track, yes, that’s a lot of homemade components going into this single recipe. But hear me out.
If you make a batch of my cauliflower sauce to go in this recipe, you can use leftovers for chicken and broccoli alfredo with spaghetti squash. Yum! The same goes for homemade salsa verde and queso dip: make ’em once, use the leftovers later.
Really, I see it as a win-win, and when you get used to making everything from scratch, it doesn’t seem so daunting, I promise. Plus, with any luck, you’ll have leftovers from this green chicken enchilada casserole.
The more the merrier- this casserole is for sharing!
I love making big casseroles because it means we’ll have leftovers (ok, sometimes we have leftovers; we do have four hungry boys to feed!), which means one less meal for me to cook later.
Print Recipe
Grain-Free Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Jaclyn Harwell
Ingredients
- 1 head of cabbage
- 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken
- 2 cups of salsa verde buy a clean versionOR check out Stupid Easy Paleo'sRoasted Salsa Verderecipe.
- 2 cups of shredded cheddar or jack cheese leave out for dairy-free; see note below.
- 1 cup ofcauliflower sauce
- 1 chopped onion
- 1/2 cup sour cream make homemadecreme fraicheor look for a clean store-bought version like Organic Valley or Kalona Supernatural; skip for dairy-free
- salt and pepper to taste
- Note: if you would like to make this chicken enchilada casserole recipe without dairy omit the shredded cheese and sour cream and replace with this dairy free queso, leaving out the ground beef.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350º.
Chop the cabbage in thin slices and set aside.
Combine the salsa verde,cauliflower sauceand sour cream and mix well to create an enchilada sauce. (See note for dairy-free option.)
Layer 1/3 of the cabbage slices in the bottom of a large casserole dish; top with 1/3 of the shredded chicken, followed by 1/3 of the sauce, 1/3 of the chopped onion, 1/3 of the shredded cheese, and salt and pepper.
Repeat step four for two more layers.
Add extra cheese to the top for flavor if you'd like. Trust me, you'd like.
Cover dish and cook for 35-40 minutes. Remove cover and cook for another 15 minutes so that the cheese becomes a little brown and bubbly on top.
Remove from oven and let cool before serving with guacamole, cilantro, salsa, sour cream, or whatever your heart desires!
Note: if using dairy free queso in place of cheese and sour cream, leave out ground beef and combine with salsa verde and cauliflower sauce.
Share using a link below for that grain-free friend who may be missing chicken enchiladas!
Want more super easy meal ideas for paleo, GAPS, and gluten- and grain-free diets? Click below to get my free e-book “Our Top Five 30 Minute Meals!
Related posts:
- Gingerdoodles: The Healthy Holiday Cookie for GAPS, Paleo, and Primal Diets
- Brown Butter Blondies with Salted Caramel Sauce – Paleo, Keto, and GAPS Diet
- Easy Clam Chowder Recipe (In The Instant Pot!) | Paleo | AIP | Whole30
- Golden Hot Chocolate Easy To Prepare Recipe from Nourishing Holiday
FAQs
To prevent your tortillas from tearing or becoming soggy, quickly fry each corn tortilla in any oil you like for about 10 seconds on each side, until it starts to get crispy but is still pliable. This will add a barrier that will keep the tortilla from absorbing too much sauce, and also adds a little extra flavor.
Do you put enchilada sauce before or after cooking? ›
After you fry the tortillas, dip both sides in your delicious sauce and cover the entire surface. Then stuff and roll.
What cheese is best for enchiladas? ›
For restaurant-style cheese enchiladas, look for a Mexican-style shredded cheese blend at the grocery store. These contain the perfect mix of cheeses that both stretch and melt when hot. Here are two blends to look out for (though there are lots more!): Monterey Jack cheese, Asadero, Queso Quesadilla.
Is it better to cook enchiladas covered or uncovered? ›
It isn't necessary to cover enchiladas while baking. All of an enchiladas components are cooked and you are just heating them through when you bake them. Ideally your ingredients will be room temperature, not ice cold, when you assemble the enchiladas.
Why are my homemade enchiladas soggy? ›
Too much of a good thing
According to Kitchen Seer, classic enchiladas should be fried a little before stuffing and baking. This toughens up an otherwise soft tortilla which would become drenched in whatever sauce is used.
Can you pre make enchiladas or will they get soggy? ›
If you would like to make a pan of enchiladas in advance, follow the recipe instructions through step 3 (assembling the enchiladas). Wrap the pan tightly with foil. Then you can either refrigerate the enchiladas for up to 3 days, then bake as directed.
How do you make canned enchilada sauce taste better? ›
Add stock - Chicken, beef, or vegetable, stocks pack a ton of flavor - because they are prepared by simmering bones and vegetables in water for hours, often with herbs and spices until the flavor is extracted - and can instantly elevate the flavor of canned enchilada sauce.
How do you keep a casserole moist? ›
Pro Tip: Avoid Dry Casserole.
The best way to prevent it from drying out is to add a little bit of water, around ¼ cup, to the top of it. Allow the water to seep between the food and the sides of the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil to seal in the moisture.
Are chicken enchiladas better with green or red sauce? ›
If you are making enchiladas, you may be wondering, “Which sauce should I use?” This is an excellent question, and the most straightforward answer is whatever you prefer. If you are making beef enchiladas, it is more common to pair them with a red sauce, and chicken enchiladas usually have a green sauce.
What can I use instead of enchilada sauce? ›
Tomato sauce is a good way to replace enchilada sauce if you're looking for a milder alternative. It's easy to take a pre-made tomato sauce and spice it and add other ingredients to get closer to a real enchilada sauce.
Spoon about 3 tablespoons of the bean mixture in the center of each warm tortilla. Divide the cheese between the tortillas, reserving 1/4 to sprinkle on top. Roll up tightly and place seam side down in the baking dish. Spoon the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and scatter over the reserved cheese.
What kind of cheese do Mexican restaurants use in enchiladas? ›
This Mexican enchiladas recipe is the real thing. Corn tortillas are dipped in a homemade sauce, fried, filled with Mexican queso fresco, then topped with sour cream, lettuce, and tomato.
Is it better to make enchiladas with corn or flour tortillas? ›
Enchiladas are laden with sauce and fillings, and you need a tortilla that will hold up to all the moisture, so you should always opt for corn over flour.
Is it OK to use flour tortillas for enchiladas? ›
This particular chicken enchilada recipe probably most closely aligns with Tex-Mex and New Mexican styles of enchiladas, especially being made with flour tortillas (although you are welcome to use corn tortillas), filled with green chiles and soft shredded cheese, and made with a tomato-free red chile sauce.
How do you keep corn tortillas soft for enchiladas? ›
Wrap a stack of tortillas in damp paper towels or a damp kitchen towel, then wrap in plastic wrap or place in a microwave-safe resealable plastic bag (keep the bag open to vent). Microwave until warm and flexible, about 1 minute.
How do you fix watery enchilada sauce? ›
Mix a small amount of the starch (about 1 tablespoon per cup of liquid) with a little cold water to form a slurry, then whisk the slurry into the hot sauce. Cook and stir for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. Cooking the sauce for a longer period of time to allow some of the liquid to evaporate.
