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Easy Enchilada Skillet | Life, Love, and Good Food

Easy Beef Enchilada Skillet made with ground beef, corn tortillas, and red enchilada sauce is a tasty weeknight Mexican dinner your family will love. Ready in under 30 minutes, adding black beans and whole kernel corn to this stove top casserole makes this recipe a hearty and delicious meal.

Easy Beef Enchilada Skillet serving on a white plate

Easy Beef Enchilada Skillet

I first shared this easy dinner recipe over at The Weary Chef  with a variation for making it with either chicken or beef (get the details in the recipe card below).

I know what it's like to be a working mom with a busy career and schedules to coordinate for busy kids. I also know how easy it is to get sucked into picking up fast food for those busy weeknights, and also how fast food meals can get old really fast. Are you with me on this? Whew!

Despite all that busyness, I believe it's really important to make the effort to have home-cooked meals as often as possible, but that doesn't mean you have to spend hours in the kitchen.

That's why I'm excited to share with you busy moms a recipe for this EASY Beef Enchilada Skillet, with options for either chicken or beef, that can be ready and on your table in less than 30 minutes!

adding a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies to beef enchilada skillet

Instructions

I love all kinds of Mexican food, and I especially love enchiladas, but they can be a bit time consuming to prepare. By the time you make the sauce, cook the filling, stuff and role the tortillas, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, you can easily be waiting for dinner at least an hour.

With this recipe, you get all the flavor in just half the time and in a single skillet — that's a big bonus for me! Here's how:

  1. Brown the ground beef and onions in a large non-stick skillet.
  2. Add corn tortillas that have been torn or cut into bite-size pieces and a can of rinsed and drained black beans to the skillet. The tortillas will make the texture of the dish similar to a tamale pie. Cover and cook just long enough to soften the corn tortillas.
  3. Next, add the enchilada sauce, tomato sauce, whole kernel corn (either frozen or canned), and a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies. Cook until the mixture is heated through.
  4. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and cook until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
  5. Serve with more crumbled cojita or queso fresco cheese and sliced green onions.
Easy Beef Enchilada Skillet with black beans, corn, and cheese

Variations

  • Adjust the recipe for your family's "heat index" by using either HOT or MILD canned tomatoes and green chilies.
  • Amp up the heat even more by adding diced jalapeños.
  • To make Easy Chicken Enchilada Skillet, substitute 3 cups shredded cooked chicken for the ground beef. A rotisserie deli chicken works fine.

How to reheat leftovers

Place the leftovers in an oven-proof dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Heat the casserole uncovered in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the mixture is hot and bubbly.

beef enchilada skillet topped with cojita cheese and green onions
  • Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas — Loaded with chicken and cheese and smothered in red enchilada sauce, this EASY Cheesy Chicken Enchilada casserole is my family's favorite Mexican recipe.
  • Chicken Black Bean Enchiladas — Made with a chunky homemade enchilada sauce made with onions, poblano pepper, and smoky chipotle chilies.
  • Roasted Tomatillo Salsa — Roasting fresh tomatillos, onions, garlic and jalapeño pepper until charred and softened brings out the rich, earthy flavor in this easy Tomatillo Salsa.
  • Corn Salsa — The perfect summer accompaniment for not only taco night, but is also a delightful topping for grilled catfish.
  • Mexican Street Corn Salad — Serve this easy salad just once and it will quickly become one of your favorite go-to sides for taco nights at home!

Let's cook!

I like serving the Easy Enchilada Skillet topped with more cheese (either cojit, queso fresco, or more shredded cheddar cheese) and a dollop of sour cream. I almost always add a side of chips and my favorite salsa, too.

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beef enchilada skillet topped with cojita cheese and green onions

Easy Beef Enchilada Skillet Dinner

Easy Beef Enchilada Skillet made with ground beef, corn tortillas, and red enchilada sauce is a tasty weeknight Mexican dinner your family will love.

Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 6 servings

Calories 634 kcal

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 1 lb. ground beef
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 10 oz. can red enchilada sauce
  • 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes & green chilies undrained (use mild or hot)
  • 1 15 oz. can black beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
  • 12 corn tortillas torn or cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1 cup shredded cheese divided (cheddar or Monterey Jack)
  • 1 cup finely crumbled cojita or queso fresco cheese optional
  • 3 green onions sliced (for garnish)

  • Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the ground beef, chopped onion, and salt. Cook and stir until the meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.

  • Drain off any grease from the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Stir in the corn tortillas, black beans, and corn. Cover the skillet with a tight fitting lid and cook for about five minutes, stirring often, until the tortillas are soft.

  • Add the diced tomatoes and green chilies, enchilada sauce, and tomato sauce to the meat mixture and mix well. Increase the heat to medium and cook until the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 5 minutes.

  • Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top and cover with a tight fitting lid. Cook five more minutes or until the cheese is melted. Serve immediately topped with crumbled cojita or queso fresco cheese and sliced green onions, if desired.

Try this recipe with chicken instead:

Substitute 3 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken from the deli works fine) for the ground beef.

To reheat the leftovers:

Cool and store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an oven-proof dish. To reheat, uncover and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Warm, uncovered, in a 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Serving: 1 Servings Calories: 634 kcal Carbohydrates: 30 g Protein: 62 g Fat: 30 g Saturated Fat: 11 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 14 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 195 mg Sodium: 1161 mg Fiber: 7 g Sugar: 7 g

Keyword 30 minute recipe, beef, casserole, cast iron, chicken, easy recipe, enchillada, skillet

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