Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Pie
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A layered Mexican-inspired pie using shredded chicken tossed with salsa and taco seasoning. Sour cream and cream of chicken soup mixed with diced green chilies and garlic powder create a creamy sauce. Corn tortillas form the base and middle layers, topped with a melted Mexican cheese blend. Baked till bubbly with golden cheese crust. Flexible – swap cream of chicken soup for Greek yogurt or homemade roux-thickened sauce. Treats like a casserole but with a neat slice-and-serve vibe. Timing relies on visual clues like cheese melt and gentle bubbling, not just the clock. Great for weeknights or casual dinners with a side of salsa or enchilada sauce.
Prep:
22 min
Cook:
28 min
Total:
50 min
Servings:
6 servings
#Mexican
#casserole
#chicken
#sour cream
#enchilada
#comfort food
Chicken tossed in salsa, layered with cheese and a tangy sour cream sauce. Tortillas soak up flavors, getting soft but not mushy if handled right. Sounds simple; done well, it’s a winner. Tried dry edges before; spraying pie plate and layering sauce bottom fixed that quickly. Cream of chicken soup might sound old school but adds creaminess hard to beat, except when I swapped Greek yogurt for a fresher twist with slightly looser texture and less sodium. The key? Don’t rush the layers. Let the chicken mix and sauce mingle separately before stacking. Cheese must melt bubbling and brown a little – that’s aroma hitting you like a signal. Pull it early? Cheese stays rubbery. Wait too long? Dry crunchy edges. Visual cues rule, not timers.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- ¾ cup salsa, preferably chunky
- 1½ tablespoons taco seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¾ cup cream of chicken soup, substitute with Greek yogurt mixed with chicken broth
- 4 ounces diced green chilies, canned or fresh roasted
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, toasted for extra flavor
- 6-8 corn tortillas, fresh or day-old for better layering
- 2 cups Mexican cheese blend shredded, Monterey Jack and cheddar preferred
- Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing pie plate
About the ingredients
Cooking with canned soup feels like cheating then I tried a yogurt shortcut with broth thinned in – tangier but a bit thinner sauce. Green chilies canned are fine but roast and dice fresh if you want smoky heat. Granulated garlic toasted gives a subtle sweet punch unlike raw or powder alone. Tortillas work best a day or two old; fresh ones tend to curl or get soggy too fast. Spray pie plate lightly or oil carefully; too much liquid and you get slime, too little and the bottom sticks badly. Taco seasoning homemade lets you adjust salt and spice; too salty from packets kills subtle chicken flavor. Cheese blend with monterey jack and cheddar – any melting cheeses will work but avoid dry shredded packets that never melt well.
Method
- Preheat oven to 345° to 355°F. Spray a 9-inch deep dish pie plate lightly with nonstick spray; too much makes tortillas soggy.
- Toss shredded chicken with salsa and taco seasoning in a medium bowl. Let it rest a few minutes to soak flavors in; don’t skip letting it mingle here.
- In another bowl, stir sour cream with cream of chicken soup, diced chilies, and granulated garlic. Toast garlic beforehand if you want a deeper aroma and better bite.
- Spread 3-4 tablespoons of sour cream sauce evenly on the bottom of the greased pie dish. This prevents the bottom layer from sticking or turning mushy.
- Cut tortillas into halves or thirds to cover bottom layer completely without folding awkwardly. Arrange tightly.
- Top with half of the chicken mixture, pressing lightly so it layers evenly but doesn’t compact too much — you want some air pockets for moisture balance.
- Spread half the sour cream sauce over the chicken, then sprinkle 1 cup of cheese evenly to ensure gooeyness throughout.
- Add a second tortilla layer, overlapping to cover any gaps.
- Repeat: remaining chicken spread, rest of sour cream sauce dolloped and smoothed out, then top with the rest of the cheese.
- Bake 22-33 minutes, but start watching when cheese melts and browns lightly on top; bubbling sauce around edges is your green light. Avoid overbaking or drying out.
- Remove from oven and rest 10 minutes before slicing; this helps set layers so they hold better on the plate.
- Serve warm with extra salsa or enchilada sauce for dipping. Avocado or pickled jalapeños on the side add welcome brightness.
Cooking tips
Skip spreading sauce bottom and you’ll regret stuck, soggy crust. Layer tortillas carefully; overlapping prevents holes that lead to drying out or burning edges. Don’t compact chicken layer too much; bits of air help steam circulate, keeping texture fluffy. Toast garlic granules in dry pan to wake up flavor, else it tastes flat. Watch cheese as it melts; bubbles at edges and golden spots indicate it’s ready. Rest pie after oven or it falls apart when sliced – been there, done that. Times are guides; watch for visual cues and smell – a rich toasty aroma signals doneness. If short on time, consider partially warming chicken mix first to speed overall bake. Use a sharp knife to slice, warmed with hot water for clean cuts. Salsa on top wakes up flavor and adds acidity for balance.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Spray pie plate lightly - too much grease soggifies tortillas beneath; too little and bottom sticks hard. Use day-old tortillas if possible, fresh ones curl or get mushy fast. Cut tortillas into halves or thirds, fit snug without folding weird. Overlapping helps avoid drying out during bake.
- 💡 When tossing chicken with salsa plus taco seasoning, let sit several minutes. Flavors meld this way; skip and chicken tastes dull. Toast granulated garlic separately, browning brings out sweet nuttiness lost if raw or just powder. Adds subtle depth in sauce.
- 💡 Spread sour cream sauce on bottom layer — don’t skip. Keeps bottom from getting crusty or stuck. The sauce mix can be swapped: Greek yogurt thinned with chicken broth gives tangier, looser texture, but less richness than canned cream of chicken soup.
- 💡 Press the chicken layer gently but don’t squash it tight. Air pockets help steam circulate while baking - keeps texture light, moist. Overpacking leads to dense, heavy bit. Cheese must melt and bubble, showing golden spots before removing. Visual cues trump timers here.
- 💡 Rest pie 10 minutes after baking; helps layers set firm enough to slice clean. Slice warmed knife under hot water to prevent tugging or tearing. Watch bubbling sauce edges for doneness, bubbles visible before cheese fully browned; early pull means rubbery cheese, late means dry edges.
Common questions
What if tortillas get soggy?
Use day-old tortillas, cut to fit, spray plate lightly. Fresh ones curl, get mushy fast. Bottom sauce layer helps; don’t skip it. Layer tight but don’t fold weird.
Can I swap cream of chicken soup?
Greek yogurt works mixed with chicken broth, thinner sauce, tangier flavor. Or homemade roux-thickened sauce. Texture changes, expect looser or creamier layers. Adjust thickness for spreadability.
How do I know when pie is done?
Watch cheese melt and bubble at edges. Golden brown spots signal ready. Bubbling sauce edges are your green light. Timers help roughly, but visual and aroma cues better any day.
Storing leftovers tips?
Cool fully then wrap tight. Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat covered loosely in oven to keep moist, avoid microwave if possible - makes soggy. Freeze wrapped well, thaw overnight before reheating for best texture.
