Chicken Enchilada Dip
This healthyish chicken enchilada dip—featuring jarred sauce and canned beans—doubles as an easy dinner or low-effort appetizer.
February 16, 2025
Chicken Enchilada Dip
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This healthyish chicken enchilada dip—featuring jarred sauce and canned beans—doubles as an easy dinner or low-effort appetizer.
This is more or less a dump-and-stir kind of dish. It’s easy, and fast, featuring a short list of ingredients that can still be called healthyish.
That said, this recipe 100% qualifies as a lazy girl dinner—perfect for those nights when you can barely muster the strength to cook but you still need to eat.
Ingredients and Substitutions
• Shredded chicken: This can happen a number of ways. I batch cook and shred chicken and store it in my freezer. However, you can use rotisserie chicken or start from scratch and just cook some (you will need 1 lb raw chicken).
Substitutions for shredded chicken
- Tofu → Swap in half a block of crumbled extra or super firm tofu.
- Plant-based meat → Beyond Meat, Impossible, etc.
- Ground beef
- More beans → Swap in another can of beans.
• Black beans: To keep things simple, we’re using canned.
Substitutions for black beans:
- Pinto beans
- Kidney beans
• Enchilada sauce: We could make homemade enchilada sauce. But in the name of laziness, we’re using store-bought. Swallow that, Ina (jk). My favorite options, featuring recognizable, chemical-free ingredients, are La Victoria and 365 Whole Foods.
Substitutions for enchilada sauce:
- Tomato sauce → Swap in a 15-oz can. This won’t have built-in Mexican flavors, but add a little more taco seasoning and call it a day.
- Taco sauce → Found an 8-oz jar of Ortega in your pantry? Just go with it.
- Salsa → Any 10-16 ounce jar. Any variety. Chunky, roja, verde, whatever.
- Tomato paste → If this is all you’ve got to work with, things are looking pretty bleak. But not impossible.
- In Step 2, add 1 tablespoon flour.
- In Step 3, add 1 1/2 cups water, 1/4 cup tomato paste, and 2 teaspoons sugar.
- Simmer that baby down.
• Taco seasoning: With such few ingredients in this recipe, we need this one for flavor. I make my own homemade taco seasoning. But you can use whatever blend you like.
Toppings for Chicken Enchilada Dip
• Shredded cheese
• Sliced scallions
• Cilantro
• Jalapeños
• Sour cream
•Pickled red onion
What to serve with Chicken Enchilada Dip
• Tortilla chips → Perfect if you’re serving this chicken enchilada dip as an appetizer dip or eating it as a taco salad situation.
• Hard taco shells → Fill up some taco shells with chicken enchilada dip, shredded iceberg lettuce, and any other toppings you like.
• Tortilla wraps → Pile it onto a warm tortilla, add some toppings, and roll it up burrito style.
• Lettuce → A fresh addition to however you plan to serve chicken enchilada dip.
• Rice → Always a great backup plan in my book.
How Should I Store Chicken Enchilada Dip?
Store in an airtight container, in the refrigerator, for up to four days.
Can I Make Chicken Enchilada Dip Ahead of Time?
You better believe it. Let the dip cool completely, transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container, throw it in your ice box. If you’re thinking ahead, let the dip defrost in the fridge the night before serving. But if not, reheat on the stove over low heat.
Chicken Enchilada Dip
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (about 12 oz) cooked shredded chicken (see note)
- Water, as needed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- One (15.5 oz) jar enchilada sauce
- One (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- Cilantro, for garnish
- Shredded cheese, for garnish
- Sliced scallions, for garnish
- Lime wedges, for garnish
- Tortilla chips, for serving
Instructions
- Heat a medium pot over medium-low heat. Add the frozen chicken and a splash of water. Let the chicken warm up in the pot, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until it's defrosted, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the olive oil and taco seasoning and stir to coat.
- Add the enchilada sauce and beans. Simmer, adjusting the heat as needed and stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. (The consistency should be giving extra saucy sloppy joes.)
- Transfer the dip to an appetizer dish or dinner plate (depends on how you’re serving this), and top with shredded cheese, cilantro, scallions, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
- 1 lb of raw chicken will yield the 12 oz of cooked chicken needed for this recipe.
- In Step 1, feel free to add water as needed.
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