Chicken Enchilada Pie with Mole
Chicken Enchilada Pie is comfort food with a little drama—built in layers, baked in a springform pan, and crowned with a deep, velvety homemade mole sauce. Every slice reveals something delicious: tender chicken, sweet corn, hearty beans, and plenty of melted cheese tucked between soft tortillas. It’s a cozy, flavor-packed twist on classic enchiladas, perfect for when you want something familiar but a little extra special coming out of the oven.
Enchilada pies were one of my go-to weeknight recipes when my kids were in high school. Pre-making the Tomato Chipotle Mole sauce on the weekend makes assembling this on a busy weeknight an absolute breeze. I love this chicken enchilada pie because you layer and bake (instead of rolling the ingredients like you would with enchiladas) and it’s QUICK!
Mole is a traditional Mexican sauce with deep roots, believed to trace back to the Aztec peoples in what is now southern Mexico. The word comes from the Nahuatl term mulli, meaning “sauce,” and today there are countless versions found across the country. Depending on the region and ingredients, mole can take on many personalities and colors—rich red, earthy brown, vibrant green, golden yellow, and even pink—each offering its own unique depth of flavor.
Pull out your springform pan for this amazing recipe! After baking, allow to cool and to set and firm up before removing the collar and cutting into the pie.
Ingredients to make mole sauce for chicken enchilada pie:
- Garlic
- White onion
- Jalapeno
- Whole, peeled tomatoes
- Diced tomatoes
- Raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
- Chicken stock or water
- Brown sugar or honey
- Cinnamon + cumin + black pepper
- Chipotle peppers
- Animal crackers, or other sweet, dry, cracker
- Mexican cheese blend
Ingredients for the chicken enchilada pie
- oil
- yellow onion, diced
- tomato paste
- corn, drained
- shredded rotisserie chicken
- kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- dried oregano
- flour tortillas
- Mexican cheese blend
- blended mole sauce
How do you make the mole sauce?
This recipe is not traditional, but uses many of the same components and techniques, which is why I classify it as a mole. The entire enchilada pie dish itself is Tex-Mex cuisine, not a classic Mexican recipe.
- On a sheet tray, add the garlic, white onion, and jalapeño. Set broiler to high and blister, flipping once. Broil 2-3 minutes per side for the garlic, 5 minutes per side for the onions and jalapeño. Once blistered and charred, peel the skin off the jalapeño and remove the stem and seeds. Set ingredients aside. 10 min
- In a medium pot, add the tomatoes, pepitas, brown sugar, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, and chicken stock (or water). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer—reduce 10 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to a blender with the blistered garlic, white onion, jalapeño, chipotle peppers and sauce, and animal crackers. Blend until smooth, then transfer back to a pot, taste for salt and additional seasonings, and reduce for 10 minutes. Set aside. 20min
How do you make the chicken enchilada pie?
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, tomato paste, and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium and cook until softened—8-10 minutes—then add the corn, shredded chicken, kidney beans, and 1/4 cup of sauce. Cook 5 minutes more, then take off the heat.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Arrange a springform pan onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Grease the bottom and edges well.
- Add a drizzle of enchilada sauce to the pan, about 3 Tbsp, and lay down a tortilla—in order to fit all of the tortillas into the pan, each layer will need one whole tortilla and one tortilla torn in half to cover the gaps. Cover the tortillas with about ¾ cup more sauce, about 1 c shredded chicken, corn and bean mixture, and ½ cup of cheese. Repeat until all of the tortillas, sauce, chicken, and cheese are used—you should have 3 layers–and finish the pie with a final layer of tortillas, sauce, and cheese.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake 15 minutes more until golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to set and firm up before removing the collar and cutting into it.
- The enchilada pie is moist, flavorful and saucy by itself, but if desired, serve with sour cream, cilantro, and pickled red onion.
Sandy’s Tips & Substitutions:
Freezing the Sauce:
For this recipe, it makes extra, so you can freeze the rest to make another pie when I need (or just regular enchiladas). I love the smoky flavor of the chipotles in the sauce, that go so well with tomato and earthy spices.
Sauce Shortcut:
Short on time? You can absolutely skip the homemade mole and still enjoy a delicious Enchilada Pie. Simply use 3 cups of your favorite pre-made mole sauce and proceed with the recipe as written. It’s an easy swap that keeps the flavors rich and satisfying—though if you ever have the time, the homemade version is truly worth it!
- Pepitas are used to thicken and add flavor to the mole. However, if you don’t have any, you can omit them.
- As mentioned above, the sauce makes enough for two pies (or enough to make a recipe of regular enchiladas). Half of the recipe can be frozen for up to six months, or you can halve the recipe so you don’t have leftovers.
- Chipotles can be a little spicy, so if needed, just use one pepper, and add an extra tablespoon of chipotles sauce from the can.
- Freeze leftover canned chipotles in a plastic bag and cut off pieces as needed (I do the same for canned tomato paste!)
- This red mole makes extra sauce that I like to freeze and thaw when I need to use it. The extra sauce can also be used on tacos, warmed and drizzled over eggs (so good in chilaquiles!), used to dress sautéed spinach or other vegetables, and so much more.
- Looking for a 20 minute mole sauce? My friend Ali has a quick recipe.
- If you don’t have time to make your own sauce, just use three cups pre-made enchilada sauce.
- Fitting the tortillas in the pan may require some to be torn in half to cover any gaps, kind of like a lasagna.
- To make this vegetarian, add one to two more cans of beans: black, pinto, or more kidney beans.
How to serve Chicken Mole Enchilada Pie
Serve it with a crisp green salad tossed in a lime-cilantro vinaigrette, a simple cabbage slaw, or Mexican rice for a heartier plate. Fresh toppings like sliced avocado, radishes, green onions, or a dollop of sour cream brighten each bite. And for the perfect finishing touch, offer warm chips with salsa or guacamole alongside.
The enchilada pie is moist, flavorful and saucy by itself, but if desired, serve with sour cream, cilantro, and pickled red onion.
A Chicken Enchilada Pie with mole sauce is perfect for Cinco de Mayo because it brings celebration-worthy flavor with the ease of a make-ahead dish. Mole itself is deeply rooted in Mexican culinary tradition, so featuring it honors the rich history behind the holiday. And since the pie is layered, baked, and served in slices, it’s ideal for gatherings—easy to prepare ahead, simple to serve, and impressive on the table. And, of course, you can make it any night of the week, too! Don’t forget the Sangria!
More chicken pie recipes:
Get the Recipe:
Chicken Enchilada Pie with Mole
Ingredients
Tomato and Chipotle Mole
- 4-5 cloves garlic
- ½ white onion, peeled
- 1 jalapeno, optional
- 1 28 oz cans whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
- ⅓ c raw pepitas, pumpkin seeds—optional
- ¾ c chicken stock or water
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar or honey
- ¾ tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp cumin
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 canned chipotle peppers, plus 1 Tbsp sauce
- 5 animal crackers, or other sweet, dry, cracker
For the Tortilla Pie – chicken filling
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste, optional
- 1 14 oz can of corn, drained
- 4 c shredded rotisserie chicken
- 1 14 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano
- 8 flour tortillas
- 2 ½ cup Mexican cheese blend, shredded
Equipment
- springform pan
Instructions
Make the mole sauce:
- On a sheet tray, add the garlic, white onion, and jalapeño. Set broiler to high and blister, flipping once. Broil 2-3 minutes per side for the garlic, 5 minutes per side for the onions and jalapeño. Once blistered and charred, peel the skin off the jalapeño and remove the stem and seeds. Set ingredients aside. 10 min
- In a medium pot, add the tomatoes, pepitas, brown sugar, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, and chicken stock (or water). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer—reduce 10 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to a blender with the blistered garlic, white onion, jalapeño, chipotle peppers and sauce, and animal crackers. Blend until smooth, then transfer back to a pot, taste for salt and additional seasonings, and reduce for 10 minutes. Set aside. 20min
Make the filling:
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, tomato paste, and oregano and season with salt and pepper. Lower heat to medium and cook until softened—8-10 minutes—then add the corn, shredded chicken, kidney beans, and 1/4 cup of sauce. Cook 5 minutes more, then take off the heat.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Arrange a springform pan onto a baking sheet lined with parchment. Grease the bottom and edges well.
- Add a drizzle of enchilada sauce to the pan, about 3 Tbsp, and lay down a tortilla—in order to fit all of the tortillas into the pan, each layer will need one whole tortilla and one tortilla torn in half to cover the gaps. Cover the tortillas with about ¾ cup more sauce, about 1 c shredded chicken, corn and bean mixture, and ½ cup of cheese. Repeat until all of the tortillas, sauce, chicken, and cheese are used—you should have 3 layers–and finish the pie with a final layer of tortillas, sauce, and cheese.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake 25 minutes, then remove the foil and bake 15 minutes more until golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes to set and firm up before removing the collar and cutting into it.
- The enchilada pie is moist, flavorful and saucy by itself, but if desired, serve with sour cream, cilantro, and pickled red onion.
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
In the ingredients you don’t mention cheese. Then in the instructions you say to add shredded cheese. What kind and how much do I need?
2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend :)
You don’t mention cheese in the list of ingredients. How much do you need?
We added to the recipe! Thanks!