Chicken Tortilla Casserole

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A crowd-pleasing casserole that will soon top the list of your most-requested weeknight dinners.

Active Time:
15 mins
Total Time:
50 mins
Servings:
6

What does it take to make your favorite cold-weather soup even better? Turn it into a casserole!

Most everyone has a favorite version of tortilla soup, and whether it is called Santa Fe Soup, Tortilla Soup, or Taco Soup, we can all agree that this warm, hearty, and spicy dish is hard to resist when the temperature starts dropping.

We have taken the same flavors and textures and turned it into a main dish for a family-friendly weeknight supper, just as easy to prepare and just as easy to enjoy.

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

Stacy K. Allen; Props: Josh Hoggle; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray

A Brilliant Time-Saving Trick

Chicken casseroles are a great way to get the family to the table. Using a rotisserie chicken really cuts down on prep time.

You can also boil or roast chicken breasts and shred the chicken yourself before you make this casserole. Keeping shredded chicken in the freezer is a brilliant weeknight dinner hack—you can pull out a pack, thaw it, and make anything from tacos to casseroles.

Along with vegetables and seasonings of your choice, you can add rice or pasta to increase the volume of the casserole.

What You'll Need To Make Chicken Tortilla Casserole

The ingredients for this casserole read a lot like the best Tex-Mex recipes, but with a few handy ingredients that make it faster and easier for a weeknight:

  • rotisserie chicken
  • corn tortillas
  • canned pinto beans
  • canned tomatoes
  • seasonings like dried chili powder, cumin, salt
  • frozen corn
  • shredded pepper Jack cheese
  • sour cream
  • scallions
  • cilantro

Can you substitute flour tortillas for corn tortillas?

Yes, you can switch the tortillas in this recipe if that's what you have on hand or if you prefer flour tortillas.

Typically, however, flour tortillas are larger than the corn variety, so you may not need as many tortillas to fill the casserole. Quarter just 8 to 10 tortillas, and if you think the casserole needs more, you can always quarter an extra tortilla or two, and stir the pieces in.

How To Make Chicken Tortilla Casserole

This Chicken-Tortilla Casserole is so flavorful and satisfying, it will soon top the list of your family's most-requested weeknight casseroles.

Mix tomatoes and spices: In a large bowl, stir the tomatoes and chiles with chili powder, cumin, and salt.

Combine remaining ingredients: Add chicken, tortilla quarters, corn, beans, and some of the cheese to the tomato mixture. Spoon into a prepared baking dish.

Prepare to bake: Top with the rest of the cheese, and bake until the casserole is brown and bubbly.

Serve: You can dollop with sour cream or Greek yogurt, scallions, cilantro, and avocado. We also love fresh pico de gallo, guacamole, or chopped radishes.

Can I Make This Casserole Ahead of Time?

Yes, you can make Chicken Tortilla Casserole before you plan to serve it, but we recommend you bake it and then put it in the fridge, instead of making it and storing it unbaked.

How to make ahead: Bake the casserole, cool completely, store in the refrigerator covered with aluminum foil up to 5 days.

Can you freeze Chicken Tortilla Casserole?

Yes, you can freeze this casserole for a great make-ahead dinner down the road, but again we recommend you bake the casserole and then freeze it instead of freeing it before it's baked.

How to freeze: Bake the casserole as instructed, and cool it entirely. Then, wrap the dish in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Make sure you label the dish with the ingredient's name and date. The Chicken Tortilla Casserole will be good for two months in the freezer.

Reheating instructions

From the fridge: Bring the casserole out of the fridge, and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 30 to 45 minutes or until the casserole is heated through.

From the freezer: Let the casserole thaw overnight, and set it out 30 minutes before you want to put it in the oven. Then, bake at 350°F for about 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 165°F.

Leftovers: You can reheat individual servings of Chicken Tortillas Casserole in the microwave 1 to 2 minutes. If you have more left, you can reheat larger leftover portions in the oven at 350°F for 30 to 45 minutes or until heated through.

More Family-Favorite Casserole Recipes:

Chicken-Tortilla Casserole
PHOTOGRAPHY AND STYLING: CAITLIN BENSEL

Ingredients

  • Cooking spray

  • 2 (10-oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles

  • 2 tsp. chili powder

  • 2 tsp. ground cumin

  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

  • 1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

  • 2 cups frozen corn kernels (from 1 [10-oz.] pkg.)

  • 3 1/2 cups shredded skinned and boned rotisserie chicken (from 1 rotisserie chicken)

  • 12 (6-in.) corn tortillas, quartered (about 2 cups)

  • 12 oz. pepper Jack cheese, shredded (about 3 cups), divided

  • 1/2 cup sour cream

  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 2 medium)

  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

  1. Prepare pan:

    Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

  2. Make casserole filling:

    Stir together diced tomatoes and chiles, chili powder, cumin, and salt in large bowl.

    mixing tomato mixture for Chicken Tortilla Casserole

    Stacy K. Allen; Props: Josh Hoggle; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray

    Fold in beans, corn, chicken, tortilla quarters, and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.

    filling for Chicken Tortilla Casserole

    Stacy K. Allen; Props: Josh Hoggle; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray

    Transfer to prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese.

    sprinkle unbaked Chicken Tortilla Casserole with cheese

    Stacy K. Allen; Props: Josh Hoggle; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray

  3. Bake casserole:

    Bake in preheated oven until bubbly around edges and lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Dollop with sour cream, and sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Serve hot.

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