Chicken Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash and Black Beans
This Chicken Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash and Black Beans is a healthy, veggie-centered casserole recipe. It is layered with vegetables and chicken, then topped with cheese and baked to bubbly perfection.
I love incorporating vegetables into meals that I make.
Sometimes when your veggies are served on the side, like chicken and beans for instance, you can get a bit of resistance from picky family members.
Poor vegetables are just not that exciting.
A good strategy is making meals like this Chicken Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash & Black Beans.
Chicken Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash & Black Beans
The roasted squash is layered along with the chicken and creates a whole flavour combination that allows your vegetable serving just to blend on in.
Your family might only notice it if you point it out!
Butternut squash is so rich and, for lack of a better word, buttery. 😉 It simply melts on in with the other ingredients.
I used my homemade enchilada sauce also. It’s super easy and made it while my squash roasted. If you must buy, I like Herdez products. Maybe you can find their sauces and salsas on your store shelves.
I will warn you that this meal is a tad time consuming.
There is a bunch of peeling and chopping with the squash and I wouldn’t hate you for buying it already cubed. I’m doing that next time, for sure. Basically, you wouldn’t want to be making it on a busy work day when dinner needs to be on the table quick. I prepared it on a sleepy Sunday afternoon.
The positive spin on spending the prep time?
The leftovers!
They were a breeze to reheat and the bake was even more flavourful (spicy!). Add a dollop of sour cream or even sliced avocado on the side to balance the heat.
Enjoy. 🙂
MORE HEALTHY DINNER RECIPES:
*Originally posted September 16, 2015. Updated January 14, 2019*
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Chicken Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash & Black Beans
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed butternut squash
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 cooked chicken breasts chopped
- 1/2 onion diced
- 1 green pepper diced (keep a few tablespoons reserved raw for sprinkling on top)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 398 ml. can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup salsa
- 3 10 inch sprouted grain tortillas
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup enchilada sauce
- 2 cups shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with parchment and grease it a bit with oil. Toss the cubed squash with 2 tbsp. olive oil and sprinkle with a good pinch of sea salt. Spread out evenly on the greased and lined parchment baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, flipping them after 15. If you`re making the enchilada sauce now is a good time to do so.
- Remove the roasted squash from the oven and set aside
- In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium. Add the chopped onion and green pepper. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir well. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the cumin, chili powder, and minced garlic and stir for one minute. Add the roasted squash, black beans, cooked chicken and another sprinkle of sea salt and stir it all together
- In a 9×9 baking dish spread the salsa out evenly on the bottom. Add one of the tortillas. I cut it in half and layered it with the straight cut edge along the straight edge of the baking dish. Add 1/3 of the chicken/squash mixture and then top that with dollops of sour cream (1/2 cup) and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Top that with another tortilla, another 1/3 of the chicken/squash mixture and 1/2 cup of the sour cream, and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce. Then one more tortilla, the last 1/3 chicken/squash mixture and finally the grated cheese
- Bake in the 375 oven for 30-35 minutes, when the top looks nice and bubbly. Sprinkle with the reserved fresh chopped green peppers and serve immediately. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to a week
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe Sharon! I made it tonight and it was amazing! Perfect use of the butternut squash I had sitting on counter from thanksgiving. I substituted the black beans with white ones and used a jalapeño since I didn’t have green pepper. I added the sour cream after cooking. Loved your idea of laying tortillas out – like an enchilada lasagne!! So delicious!! 😋
Thanks again!!
David
Hey David! My pleasure. 🙂 It IS like an enchilada lasagne! Perfect description. I love the idea of jalapeno pepper too. Spice is nice. 🙂 Have a great weekend!
I make this recipe today for the first time, it was delicious but the butternut squash was a little crunchy. What did I do wrong? I am not too familiar with butternut squash.
Hey Lisa! It sounds like maybe the squash was undercooked. This can be because the pieces might be larger or your oven might not be as hot – sometimes oven temperatures can vary. Next time you can check one of the pieces of squash after roasting by smooshing it with a fork to see if it is cooked through.
I followed the recipe except that I used two small corn tortillas for each layer instead of the whole wheat one. I also used rotisserie chicken pieces and baked two butternut squash which only yielded two cups of slightly mushy squash. It turned out great! Glad to hear the leftovers will keep for awhile as this dish is very filling, and delicious!
I like the idea of using the corn tortillas!! Sounds yum. 🙂
I wasn’t sure how the butternut squash would work with the other flavors, but it really works! Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks Shauna! I’m really glad you tried it – such a great way to add more veggies. 🙂
Great recipe! Thanks for sharing. I’m curious if it freezes well? Thanks!
Absolutely! Freeze away. Thanks Elizabeth!
Served it tonight at a church dinner. It was delicious and everyone loved it. The only change I made was yogurt in place of sour cream.
Thanks Linda! I am so happy the dish was a hit. Great idea to sub in the yogurt! I will have to try that myself. Enjoy the rest of your week. 🙂
Awesome! I am making it right now and a little concerned that I was going to sub yogurt for sour cream. I feel so much better!! Will be serving this at a church New Yeas party so I want it to be really good.
This sounds just amazing, Sharon! I love any kind of casserole, but especially a Mexican one! Thanks for the heads up about the time, but it sounds like it’s worth that time investment. Does it freeze well? I’m all about making ahead and freezing!
We have a lot of resistance from my kids for vegetables on the side. They almost never gets touched unless I remind the 1 bite rule which doesnt even fully cover one teaspoon. This is a genius idea! I need to bake this next time. It looks amazing!
Yes for sure! Hide those veggies. Your kids are much like my spouse!! Lol. Thanks Farwin. 🙂
Yummy recipe, Sharon! I am sure it is even better the second day, too! Thanks for sharing – I have everything here to try it.
Awesome Denise! Hope you enjoy. 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your week.
This looks really great! Love the idea of using butternut squash and black beans together. Will have to try this!
They make for some great texture and flavour. Thanks Donna!!
This dish has it all! Love that it reheats so beautifully, too! Thanks for reposting it!
I really enjoy bakes like this! I always add sweet potatoes, but never thought to add butternut squash. Great idea! Looks hearty and cozy. Perfect meal for January!
Thanks Leanne! Sweet potatoes sounds fabulous too. 🙂
Sharon, these are perfect for simple but super tasty weeknight dinner.
Can’t wait to try them. I always have beans and squash on hand.
Awesome! Thanks Kristen. 🙂 Hope you and the fam enjoy!!
I made it without the beans and substituted yogurt for sour cream. Delicious.
Awesome Cathy! So glad you enjoyed. 🙂
Awesome! I am making it right now and a little concerned that I was going to sub yogurt for sour cream. I feel so much better!! Will be serving this at a church New Yeas party so I want it to be really good.
I made this earlier in the week and it was just phenomenal. I tend to like things pretty spicy, so I doubled the spices and garlic and added a 7oz can of chopped green chiles. I also omitted the tortillas and sour cream to lighten it up a bit. Reheats like a dream. Wonderful recipe!
Love the addition of the chiles! I love it spicy too. Thanks Lindsey!
If you do use the presidents chopped butternut squash should you still roast it?
Hey Michele! Definitely still roast it unless it is precooked. I’m guessing you are talking about a pre-cut product? If it’s cooked you’re good, if it’s not, give ’em a roast. Thanks! 🙂
Made this yesterday, wasn’t sure about the butternut squash in this but boy is it really delicious!! Used low carb tortillas and split 1/2 nonfat yogurt and 1/2 light sour cream
. It’s yummy 😋
I’m with you on the squash! So so tasty, right? Thanks Susan 🙂
I love the looks of this recipe! A lot of my favorite things in one dish. 🙂
Don’t you love a cornucopia of faves? Thanks Maryea. 🙂