This Creamy Mexican Chicken Bake is an easy high-protein dinner made with tender chicken, enchilada sauce, green chiles, and lots of melty cheese. Ready in about 30 minutes and packed with tons of bold Mexican-inspired flavor!
About This Recipe
If you’re looking for an easy, family-friendly dinner that delivers big flavor with minimal effort, this Creamy Mexican Chicken Bake is about to become a regular in your rotation. Tender chicken is baked in a creamy enchilada sauce mixture made with green chiles, warm spices, and plenty of melty cheese for the ultimate comfort food dinner.
I love this recipe because it comes together with simple pantry staples and requires very little prep, making it perfect for busy weeknights. The creamy sauce keeps the chicken juicy and flavorful while adding just the right amount of Mexican-inspired flavor without being overly spicy.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is how versatile it is. Serve it over rice or cauliflower rice, scoop it up with tortilla chips, stuff it into burritos or tacos, or use the leftovers for meal prep throughout the week. However you serve it, it’s an easy, protein-packed meal everyone will love.
For more delicious recipes, try Creamy Rotel Chicken Bake, Creamy Green Chili Chicken Bake, Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Skillet Mexican Potatoes with Ground Beef, or Sweet Potato Chipotle Rotisserie Chicken Skillet.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken: You can use breasts or tenderloins chopped into bite-sized pieces. Or, you can also keep your chicken breasts or tenderloins whole. Just make sure you bake until they’re done! If cooking whole breasts, you’ll probably need about 20-25 minutes total cook time.
- Reduced-fat cream cheese: Full-fat cream cheese works too if preferred.
- Canned or jarred red enchilada sauce: Use mild, medium, or hot depending on your spice preference.
- Canned diced green chiles: If you like things spicier, try substituting diced jalapeños or hot green chiles.
- Fresh cilantro: Optional, but I love the addition of fresh cilantro to add a little freshness to balance the creamy sauce.
- Lime juice: Fresh lime juice adds a pop of acidity that helps bring all the flavors together.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, and chili powder. These simple spices create the perfect Mexican-inspired flavor profile.
- Grated cheese: Freshly grated cheese melts best. Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, cheddar, pepper jack, or Colby Jack all work well.
- Green onions: Add a fresh finish and beautiful color for serving.
Dietary Adaptations
DF: Use a plant-based cream cheese and shredded cheese.
How To Make
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Chop chicken into cubes and spread into a casserole dish. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic and bake for 5 minutes.
- Add cream cheese to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for about 30 seconds to soften. Add enchilada sauce, green chilis, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and spices, stirring until fully combined.
- When the chicken has baked for 5 minutes, carefully pour off any excess liquid if you have it. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the chicken and combine.
- Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melty and chicken is cooked through.
- Top with a handful of green onions and/or additional cilantro. Enjoy this served over rice or cauliflower rice, with chips, or in tortillas!
How To Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat, microwave individual portions until warmed through or reheat in a covered baking dish in a 350°F oven.
This recipe is excellent for meal prep and tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop. Serve leftovers over rice, tucked into tortillas, or alongside roasted vegetables for an easy meal.
For More Dinner Recipes
- Creamy Rotel Chicken Bake
- Skillet Mexican Potatoes with Ground Beef
- Instant Pot Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Sweet Potato Chipotle Rotisserie Chicken Skillet
- Cauliflower Rice Enchilada Skillet
- Creamy Green Chili Chicken Bake
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Creamy Mexican Chicken Bake
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken breasts or tenderloins cubed (922g)
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 4 oz 1/3-less fat cream cheese 112g
- 1/2 cup canned or jarred red enchilada sauce 120g
- 4 oz canned diced green chilis
- 1/2 cup cilantro chopped- optional (25g)
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice 30g
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1 cup grated cheese 75g
- 1/4 cup green onions chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Chop chicken into cubes and spread into a casserole dish. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic and bake for 5 minutes.
- Add cream cheese to a microwave safe bowl and heat for about 30 seconds to soften. Add enchilada sauce, green chilis, fresh cilantro, lime juice, and spices, stirring until fully combined.
- When the chicken has baked for 5 minutes, carefully pour off any excess liquid if you have it. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the chicken and combine. Sprinkle with grated cheese and bake for an additional 10 minutes until cheese is melty and chicken is cooked through. Top with a handful of green onions and/or additional cilantro. Enjoy this served over rice or cauliflower rice, with chips, or in tortillas!
Notes
Nutrition
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