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Enchilada Skillet

Enchilada skillet with ground beef, black beans, corn, and tortilla strips simmered in red enchilada sauce, then topped with melted cheddar and mozzarella. Broiled until bubbly and golden for an easy, one-pan Tex-Mex dinner.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 820

Ingredients
  

ground beef
  • 1.5 lb ground beef
black beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans drained
corn
  • 1 can (15 oz) corn drained
red enchilada sauce
  • 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
onion
  • 1 onion diced
garlic
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
corn tortillas
  • 8 small corn tortillas cut into strips
cumin
  • 2 tsp cumin
chili powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
cheddar and mozzarella
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheddar and mozzarella
sour cream for serving
  • 0.333 cup sour cream for serving
avocado for serving
  • 1 avocado for serving
cilantro for serving
  • 0.25 cup cilantro for serving
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown and season the beef
  1. Brown the ground beef in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, then drain excess fat. Keep the skillet hot so the beef can brown instead of steam.
  2. Sauté the onion for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Simmer the skillet enchilada filling
  1. Add the black beans, corn, red enchilada sauce, and diced tomatoes, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Fold in the tortilla strips and press them into the sauce. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tortillas soften.
Melt the cheese and serve
  1. Scatter the shredded cheddar and mozzarella over the top. Broil for 3-4 minutes at high heat until bubbly and golden.
  2. Serve the enchilada skillet with sour cream, avocado, and cilantro. Let it sit 2 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly.

Notes

For best texture, press the tortilla strips into the sauce so they soften evenly, and broil right after simmering for maximum melt. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently in the skillet or microwave. Freezing is not recommended because tortilla strips can turn softer after thawing. For a dairy-light option, use reduced-fat shredded cheese and top with lime-sour cream or Greek yogurt instead of full sour cream.