Chicken Enchilada Tamale Bake

by Sabrina Snyder

Last Update:

62 Comments

5 from 7 votes
8 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
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Chicken Enchilada Tamale Bake is a comforting family dinner that brings Mexican-inspired flavors to the table in one delicious casserole.

This Chicken Enchilada Tamale Bake puts a comforting Casserole spin on Mexican-inspired flavors, much like those found in my Taco Casserole and Chile Relleno Casserole . While each recipe takes a different approach, they all turn familiar ingredients into hearty, cheesy meals with plenty of flavor. 

enchilada sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk
enchilada sauce in a glass container
chicken and rice meal on a plate with sour cream on top
Recipe Snapshot

Why You’ll Love This Bake?

  • A comforting, hearty, and satisfying casserole packed with bold, Mexican-inspired flavor in every bite.
  • Perfect for a crowd! Easy to make ahead of time and great for feeding family and friends.

Sabrina’s Chicken Enchilada Tamale Bake Recipe

This Chicken Enchilada Tamale Bake is a hearty, cheesy Mexican-inspired casserole with plenty of homemade flavor and just the right amount of spice. It’s an easy way to enjoy all the comforting flavors of chicken enchiladas and tamales in one satisfying dish.

Recipe Card

Dinner, then Dessert

Chicken Fajita Tamale Bake Recipe

Chicken Enchilada Tamale Bake is a comforting family dinner that brings Mexican-inspired flavors to the table in one delicious casserole.
Yield 8 servings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dinner
Cuisine Mexican
Author Sabrina Snyder
PrintRate

Ingredients
 

  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne red pepper
  • 1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
  • 2 cups Homemade Quick & Easy Enchilada Sauce
  • 1/2 onion sliced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper sliced
  • 1 jalapeno sliced
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 pinch cayenne
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch oregano
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup sharp white cheddar , grated

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Combine the cumin, cayenne, cream style corn, flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, 2 tablespoons canola oil, egg, milk and chiles in a bowl together.
  • Whisk to combine.
  • Pour into greased/nonstick 9×13 pan and bake for 15 minutes.
  • While the cornbread is baking, put the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, a teaspoon of cumin and a pinch of salt, oregano and cayenne in a saucepan with the onion, bell pepper and jalapeno on medium-high heat.
  • Cook until just caramelized but still crisp.
  • Poke holes in the top of the spicy cornbread and pour one cup of the sauce over it.
  • Top with shredded chicken, the onion pepper mixture and the cup of cheese.
  • Bake for an additional 15 minutes.
  • Use the remaining cup of enchilada sauce and sour cream as a garnish.

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 735mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 825IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 214mg | Iron: 2mg

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Sabrina’s Tips

I like to let the cornbread layer cool for a few minutes before adding the rest of the enchilada sauce, topped with sour cream, green onions and of course some extra cheese! It holds together better when sliced and served.

Table of contents

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About this Recipe

This Chicken Enchilada Tamale Bake combines spicy homemade Cornbread, seasoned chicken, sautéed onion, bell pepper and jalapeño, cheese, and enchilada sauce in one easy-to-serve casserole. The cornbread is baked first, then topped with enchilada sauce, shredded chicken, the sautéed peppers and onions, and cheese before going back into the oven. Ditch the can of enchilada sauce and try my Homemade Enchilada Sauce.

Pairing Suggestions

Pair this with some delicious Green Mexican Rice and you will have a fantastic meal. I have also served this dish pretty regularly with my Pico de Gallo Salad which is fat free and a nice bright flavor to cancel out all the heaviness of the cornbread and cheese.

How to Store

  • Serve: Don’t leave this casserole at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
  • Store: You can store your leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze: The recipe will also last well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure to let it cool to room temperature before putting it in an airtight container. You can cut the casserole into serving size portions for a ready-made lunch.

More Mexican-inspired dishes

Homemade Chicken Tamale Bake with from scratch spicy cornbread, spicy pepper sautee, chicken and cheese topped with homemade enchilada sauce. All natural and AMAZING.

Photos used in previous versions of this post

uncooked onions and peppers with seasoning on top
raw chicken and veggies spread out on a sheet pan
chicken and vegetables cooked on a sheet pan


About the Author: Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina is a professionally trained Private Chef of over 10 years with ServSafe Manager certification in food safety. She creates all the recipes here on Dinner, then Dessert, fueled in no small part by her love for bacon.

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years who is the creator and developer of all the recipes on Dinner, then Dessert.

She is also the author of the cookbook Dinner, then Dessert – Satisfying Meals Using Only 3, 5 or 7 Ingredients, published by Harper Collins.

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef.

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook for families one day a week and cook their entire week of dinners. All grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning was done along with instructions on reheating. As a private chef she cooked for private parties and cooked in family homes in the evenings for families on a nightly basis after working as a personal chef during the day.

Sabrina has been certified as a ServSafe Manager since 2007 and was a longstanding member of the USPCA Personal Chef Association including being on the board of the Washington DC Chapter of Chefs in the US Personal Chef Association when they won Chapter of the year.

As a member of the community of food website creators Sabrina Snyder has spoken at many conferences regarding her experiences as a food writer including the Indulge Food Conference, Everything Food Conference, Haven Food Conference and IACP Annual Food Professionals Conference.

Sabrina lives with her family in sunny California.

See more posts by Sabrina

Dinner, then Dessert, Inc. owns the copyright on all images and text and does not allow for its original recipes and pictures to be reproduced anywhere other than at this site unless authorization is given. Read my disclosure and copyright policy. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Comments

  2. Family loved this! What a great recipe my grandson gave both thumbs up and declared it a hit. He was hoping that there would be leftovers so that’s always a good sign. Thankyou

    Reply

  4. I really loved it!!!!!
    Just made it myself, as a side I cooked a green pepper sofrito rice!
    Me encantó! La recomiendo!

    Reply

  5. Made this tonight just as written and it was fantastic!!! A definite do over in this household. You made reference to WW so wondered if you had the Smartpoint value or nutritional values so I can figure out points. Thank you!!!

    Reply

    1. Sorry this comment took so long to get to, it ended up in my spam filter somehow! Sorry I don’t have smart point values, it has been a while since I was in the WW world so it is not something I am up to speed on since I think they make yearly changes right?

      Reply

  6. This is brilliant! I love the ease of how you put everything together. Pinning to make later for my family!

    Reply

  7. We adore Mexican food and this one combines all the best. I love that it is in BAKE form for easy serving.

    Reply

    1. Seriously with two really little kids if I can put it in the oven, set a timer and forget about it I am all in.

      Reply

  8. ommggg this reminds me of home. my mom used to always sauteed onion and bell pepper and we totally loved it. sometimes she would even add mushrooms. #yummy

    Reply

    1. Homemade tamales totally are. I have a tried and true recipe for some I use when the mood strikes. They take two days so I usually make 100 at a time. But this is a nice quick fix alternative, haha!

      Reply

  16. Oh yum, this is the perfect recipe to try your homemade enchilada sauce on. If this is as spicy as it looks, my boyfriend will love it.

    Reply

  17. I will have to get the ingredients i need so i can make this for dinner this week. It looks so delicious and easy to make.

    Reply

  18. Chicken is my favorite meat to cook with. I am always looking for new chicken recipes. I will have to get what i need to try this on the weekend.

    Reply

  19. The Homemade Chicken Enchilada Tamale Bake looks so delicious. I love trying new recipes. I know this will be a big hit with my family.

    Reply

  23. I totally know what you mean about tasting like a cake bake. Glad you came up with your own twist and that it came out great. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  27. That whole plate looks delicious. I’ve never had an enchilada or tamale. So this would be a great choice, yes?

    Reply

  28. What a great idea! I love how it combines two of my favorite foods – tamale and fajitas! Totally making this!

    Reply

  30. That looks outstanding! I am trying to revamp our menu a lot to be a little more healthy. This would be PERFECT for a new meal that is not terrible for us!

    Reply

  32. Yummo! I love this. I’m a huge fan of Mexican food, and I’ve tried a few recipes before. I can’t wait to try this one, too.

    Reply

  33. I really should learn how to make corn bread and your recipe makes it sound so simple! I love this recipe! The flavours of everything sound so delicious!!

    Reply