Chicken Enchilada Skillet (One-Pan)
Developed and tested by Robyn Conley Downs
on Jan 9, 2023 (last updated May 15, 2026) 
Made with shredded rotisserie chicken, black beans, and corn tortillas, this chicken enchilada skillet delivers classic enchilada flavor in 25-minutes and one-pan! A satisfying, high-protien weeknight dinner the whole family can dig into.
5 star review
“This recipe was so easy to make and tasted just like traditional enchiladas! We love enchiladas but sometimes they are just too much effort. This version is definitely going into our weeknight meal rotation. ”
– Marisa
My Go-To High Protein Enchilada Skillet
Okaaaaay, this chicken enchilada skillet is enchilada night without the rolling! Everything goes into one pan with shredded chicken, black beans, bell pepper, red enchilada sauce, corn tortilla pieces, and a generous handful of cheese and 20-minutes later you have a melty, saucy, enchilada-flavored dinner that tastes way more involved than it actually is!
Two things to know for the best results with the least amount of effort. First, use corn tortillas instead of flour; corn absorbs the sauce beautifully while flour tends to turn gummy and pasty in the skillet. Second, use a quality enchilada sauce since there are so few ingredients that the sauce flavor carries the whole dish, so either my homemade enchilada sauce or a good jarred brand works.
Shredded rotisserie chicken is the speedy default, but my slow cooker enchilada chicken is what I reach for when I have a batch in the fridge. Top the finished skillet with sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime right before serving. And for a complete meal, my what to serve with enchiladas roundup covers everything from quick rice and beans to fresh salads. So easy and so good!
Welcome to My Kitchen, Here’s How to Make Enchiladas Skillet
Add additional toppings if desired.
Testing Tips for Skillet Enchiladas
- Use a 12-inch skillet if you have one; as one of my readers, Jodi , mentioned that the recipe filled her 10-inch skillet to the top, which made stirring difficult. The larger skillet gives the tortilla pieces room to soften evenly in the sauce without spilling over the edges!
- For a different flavor profile, swap the red enchilada sauce for green. The green version is tangier and slightly fresher than the red, which is nice when you want something brighter on the plate.
- Pinto or kidney beans both work in place of black beans depending on what is in the pantry; as one of my readers, Heather, used kidney beans and reported it totally worked. The slight flavor and texture differences between bean types are subtle enough that the dish works either way.
- To make this gluten free, simply use a gluten-free red enchilada sauce since corn tortillas are already naturally gluten free. Check the label on the enchilada sauce specifically, as many brands include wheat-based thickeners or seasonings that are not always obvious from the front of the can.
Chicken Enchilada Skillet (One-Pan)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, small diced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (such as slow cooker enchilada chicken, or rotisserie chicken)
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ½ cups red enchilada sauce
- 8 corn tortillas, sliced into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup Mexican cheese blend, divided
- ¼ to ½ cup chicken broth
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, bell pepper, and salt, stirring to combine. Cook until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat to medium low, then add the chicken, black beans, enchilada sauce, tortilla pieces, ½ cup cheese, and ¼ cup chicken stock, stirring until well combined.
- Cook on low for 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the tortillas have softened. If the pan starts to dry out too quickly, add an additional ¼ cup chicken broth.
- Turn off the heat, then sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of cheese. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes for the cheese to melt.
- Serve with toppings of your choice.
Notes
- For gluten-free, be sure to use gf enchilada sauce and gf tortillas.
This recipe was so easy to make and tasted just like traditional enchiladas! We love enchiladas but sometimes they are just too much effort. This version is definitely going into our weeknight meal rotation.
Marisa, completely agree — so great when you can get the flavor of enchiladas without the extra effort. So happy to hear you enjoyed and thanks so much for leaving a review!
So good and so easy! My family loved it. This recipe is a keeper! Also made your enchilada sauce since I didn’t have any canned sauce and it was amazingly easy and delicious. I didn’t have black beans on hand but used red kidney beans as a sub and it totally worked. Thank you, Robyn!
Yay, so happy to hear you enjoyed this one, Heather! And so happy you tried it with the homemade enchilada sauce, so easy, right? Thanks so much for leaving a review!
This was so so so good! I am so happy to have extras for lunch the next few days. I substituted a jarred green chili enchilada sauce (from Trader Joe’s) because I missed the red enchilada sauce and it was still amazing. I would also suggest using a larger skillet since this filled my 10 inch skillet to the top. Taste wise, so so good! Loved this recipe.
Jodi, great to know that this one worked with green enchilada sauce as well, and good tip on the skillet size!