FAMILY DINNERS · MEAL PREP
Cooked shredded chicken, cottage cheese and red enchilada sauce come together in these individually baked bowls. A melted cheese topping, avocado and cilantro finish a simple dinner for five.
Jump to Recipe
- Serves
- 5 people
- Bake time
- 12–15 minutes
- Oven
- 190°C / 375°F
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Starts with cooked chicken. Fold shredded chicken into the cottage cheese and enchilada sauce mixture.
- Already portioned. The recipe is divided into five small dishes before baking.
- Flexible finishing touches. Choose cheddar or Monterey Jack, with the optional ingredients and toppings listed below.
Ingredients
The cottage cheese forms the base, red enchilada sauce brings the flavor, and shredded cheese goes on top. Start with cooked shredded chicken.
The recipe card below keeps all original quantities together. Black beans, seasoning, and the yogurt or sour cream topping are optional.
How to Make These Bowls
Black beans, seasoning and the yogurt or sour cream topping are optional, as listed in the recipe card.
Mix the base and fold in the chicken
In a bowl, stir together cottage cheese, enchilada sauce, seasoning, salt and pepper until creamy. Fold in shredded chicken and black beans.
Portion and add the cheese
Divide the mixture into 5 small oven-safe dishes or meal-prep containers. Top each portion with shredded cheese.
Bake and finish
Bake at 190°C / 375°F for 12–15 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Let cool slightly, then garnish with avocado slices, cilantro and a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream before serving.
High Protein Fajita Enchilada Cottage Cheese Chicken Bowls
Ingredients
Method
- In a bowl, stir together cottage cheese, enchilada sauce, seasoning, salt and pepper until creamy.
- Fold in shredded chicken and black beans, then divide the mixture into 5 small oven-safe dishes or meal-prep containers.
- Top each portion with shredded cheese and bake at 190°C / 375°F for 12–15 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
- Let cool slightly, then garnish with avocado slices, cilantro and a spoonful of yogurt or sour cream before serving.
Notes
Meal Prep Tips
- Divide the mixture among five dishes, as directed, so each portion is ready to bake.
- Only put containers in the oven if the manufacturer rates them as oven-safe at 190°C / 375°F. Ordinary plastic meal-prep containers are not baking dishes.
- Add avocado, cilantro and the optional yogurt or sour cream after baking, just before serving.
Simple Substitutions
- Cheese: use cheddar or Monterey Jack.
- Optional creamy topping: choose Greek yogurt or light sour cream.
- Black beans: include the rinsed and drained beans, or leave them out.
- Seasoning: use fajita or taco seasoning, or omit it.
Storage & Reheating
For general leftover safety, refrigerate promptly in shallow containers within two hours (one hour when temperatures exceed 90°F). Keep refrigerated at 40°F or below and reheat leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer.
USDA recommends using refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. Account for how long the cooked chicken was already stored; do not treat this bake as a fresh storage window for older leftovers. This is general food-safety guidance, not a tested storage or reheating time for this recipe.
Source: USDA leftovers and food safety.
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