Southwest Chicken Lasagna
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Mar 12, 2026 My cheesy southwest chicken lasagna is a bold Tex-Mex twist on classic lasagna. I layer lasagna noodles with tender chicken, beans, veggies, melty cheese, and creamy enchilada sauce for an easy baked dinner that’s rich, hearty, and full of flavor.
I’m a huge lover of chicken casserole recipes, so when I made this southwest chicken lasagna dish I knew I had hit a gold mine. It takes everything cozy and delicious I love about cheesy casseroles, and gives it a seriously bold Tex-Mex twist. Instead of classic lasagna layers, I make a filling of juicy rotisserie chicken, hearty beans and veggies, and roll it all up in cooked lasagna that I then bake in a generous amount of zesty enchilada sauce. This is one of those tried-and-true recipes that my entire family loves. Once it comes out of the oven hot, cheesy, and bubbling, it doesn’t last very long on the table!
Olivia – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Love this lasagna roll ups recipe! It was so easy to make and the flavors are incredible!! I’ll definitely be having this again, thank you!
Table of Contents
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Quick and Easy Weeknight Dinner – Whenever I’m short on time, I use leftover chicken (or shredded rotisserie chicken) and throw in whatever beans and veggies I have on hand. The filling comes together in under 5 minutes, then I just roll and bake, making this dish a win-win on so many levels!
Bold and Cheesy – Cheese lovers unite! The filling is made with cheese and taco seasoning, and the sauce is a blend of tangy cream cheese and red enchilada sauce. That’s a lot of cheese… You’re welcome.
Great to Customize – Although this is my favorite way to make chicken enchilada lasagna rolls, there are several ways to easily change up ingredients to suit your tastes. Check out some of my recommended variations below.
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Dried lasagna noodles – This is the entire base of the dish, so make sure to use one box of your favorite brand of pasta. Then cook them based on the package instructions. Be gentle when lowering and lifting the noodles; they can be delicate.
- Red enchilada sauce – To give this lasagna that signature Southwestern flair and flavor, I love to use the either homemade red enchilada sauce or canned. It gives just the right amount of tanginess and spice.
- Cream cheese – I use a plain full-fat cream cheese to give the filling that delicious creaminess and thickness.
- Chicken – Of course, you can always make chicken from scratch, but why not save time?! I prefer to use shredded rotisserie chicken or whatever leftover chicken I have on hand.
- Black beans – Drained canned black beans add some serious texture and heartiness to every bite. Other canned beans can be used as well.
- Veggies – For a pop of color and savoriness, I love to add chopped red and green bell peppers, along with garlic.
- Blended cheese – To get that magical bubbly cheesy crust, I add a heaping mound of shredded Mexican cheese blend.
- Taco seasoning – I use my homemade chicken taco seasoning, or store-bought packets here. It helps tie all the flavors together and adds an unmistakable smokiness.
How to Make
Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Prep – The first thing I do to get this hot dish started is to preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then I grease my baking dish with a little bit of olive oil, and I get a big pot of salt water boiling.
Cook the lasagna – Once the water is bubbling, I cook the lasagna sheets according to the package instructions. I always make these al dente, which means the pasta has a slight bite to it. (But they need to still bend!) Then I drain the lasagna, and I lay them out on a clean towel.
Make the enchilada sauce – Next, I grab a blender and toss in the enchilada sauce and the room-temperature cream cheese. Blend away until that mixture is nice and creamy. Then I pour about half of that sauce onto the baking dish before I add the lasagna sheets.
Make and roll the filling – To make that dreamy filling, I toss the chicken, veggies, black beans, cheese and taco seasoning into a bowl and I mix it all up. Then, I spread that chicken filling oven each lasagna sheet and I gently start rolling them up. I delicately place the rolled-up lasagna into the baking sheet, and once they’re all in, I top them off with the remaining enchilada sauce mixture. PS, if you don’t want roll ups, you can layer this like traditional lasagna.
Bake until bubbly – Almost done! Pop the baking dish into the oven for about 30 minutes, until it’s golden and bubbly. Right before it’s done, I add another layer of cheese and bake it for a few more minutes until perfection. I love to top this off with some fresh scallion or cilantro before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Protein – Try adding shredded pork, cooked ground beef, or ground turkey to this recipe for a similar texture.
- Veggies – Consider mixing in chopped zucchini, kale, or spinach along with the bell pepper.
- Enchilada sauce – Swap mild red for green enchilada sauce (verde) with a bit more heat.
- Spicy – Use a spicy-hot enchilada sauce for serious heat, or throw in a little crushed red pepper.
- Low Fat – Ok, maybe not low low fat, but lowER fat… You can use low-fat cream cheese and shredded cheese to make a slightly lighter chicken dish.
Serving Suggestions
These easy roll ups are filling enough to enjoy on their own. That’s why I like to keep the sides light and on theme. Here are some of my favorite sides to enjoy with this dish:
You can also serve these lasagna enchiladas with refried beans or Mexican pinto beans, with homemade queso and salsa!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in order to get the oven-ready noodles soft enough to roll up, you can boil them until al dente. Then handle them with care.
Yes! Prep these cheesy rolls ups all the way up to baking, then cover and refrigerate for several days. Straight from the refrigerator, the baking time will be closer to 40-45 minutes.
Storing
Store leftovers in an airtight container. These rolls can last 3 to 5 days in the fridge. This is a great freezer recipe! Cover well and freeze for up to 3 months. Place it in the fridge the night before you want to serve it, then bake it in the oven to reheat.
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Southwest Chicken Lasagna
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound dried lasagna noodles (1 box)
- 19 ounces red enchilada sauce (1 can)
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken (great for using up leftovers)
- 15 ounces black beans drained (1 can)
- 1 cup chopped bell pepper (heaping) I used two colors
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese divided
- 1/2 cups chopped scallions
- 1 taco seasoning packet
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set a large pot of salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, cook the lasagna noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked to al dente, lay them out on a clean tea towel.
- Meanwhile, place the red enchilada sauce in the blender and add the cream cheese. Blend until smooth. Pour half of the cheese sauce into the baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked chicken, black beans, bell peppers, garlic, 2 cups shredded cheese, scallions, and taco seasoning. Spread the mixture evenly over 12 lasagna noodles. Roll each noodle, tucking bits back into the rolls if they fall out. Place the rolls in the baking dish. Once all the rolls are in the dish, pour the remaining sauce over the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Garnish with chopped scallions or cilantro if desired.
this recipe is outstanding! I hosted a cooking night at work and used this recipe because it’s very customizable! Right now I’m making it for my boyfriend mother’s birthday dinner! i also add corn to the mixture! it’s delicious and I’m not happy that i have to wait until tomorrow night to eat it!
Such great recipes!! Lots of new ones to try. Thanks for sharing.
Excellent recipe!!! I made ground beef for my husband but because I don’t eat meat, I just did cheese, the sauce is so good. Very Good…Thank you
Love this lasagna roll ups recipe! It was so easy to make and the flavors are incredible!! I’ll definitely be having this again, thank you!
I had so much fun making these Southwest chicken lasagna roll ups! It was so rich and delicious, plus the filling was packed with flavors!
This was so easy to make and it tasted amazing, my whole family loved it.
this was the perfect dinner idea and it has become one of my go to recipes! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe
Wow, looks delicious. I bet my family would enjoy this. I’m going to make this tomorrow for dinner. I’m excited to try this out. Thanks for the recipe!
All the cheese!! This SW Lasagna Roll recipe was heavenly. Such a delicious new take on lasagna. My family loved it.
I love how easy it is to make these and the different ways that you can change up the flavor profile with different seasonings!