Mexican Chicken Casserole
This easy Mexican Chicken Casserole is a family favorite, perfect for make-ahead freezer meals or fresh-from-the-oven comfort food! With layers of tortilla strips, diced cooked chicken, creamy salsa sauce, and topped with cheddar cheese, it’s a perfect weeknight dinner and special enough for guests, too.
I discovered Mexican Chicken Casserole years ago, and it quickly became one of our favorite family recipes. I’ve made it on repeat for years now! It is delicious layered up and baked right away, but also makes an incredible make-ahead freezer meal.
Now that we’re cooking for two, we just layer up this tasty dish in smaller pans to accommodate just the two of us. Or, when I’m cooking for guests, I follow the recipe and put it in a 9×13-inch pan. We like to serve it with easy baked oven rice and a simple green salad.
For a pretty presentation, you can add diced tomatoes on top for color and serve with a side dish of salsa for extra sauce. You can also serve your favorite Mexican toppings with it – like guacamole and sour cream.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy – Simple ingredients come together for a flavorful, no-fuss dinner.
- Perfect for Meal Prep – Assemble ahead and freeze for a convenient meal.
- Colorful – Serve it with all your favorite Mexican toppings like red salsa, green guacamole, and white sour cream.
- Crowd-Pleasing – Great for feeding a family or entertaining guests.
Ingredients for Mexican Chicken Casserole
For exact measurements and instructions, check out the full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cream of Chicken Soup – Adds a rich, creamy texture to bind the layers together.
- Salsa – Brings a zesty, flavorful kick to the casserole. Use mild or spicy, depending on your preference.
- Flour Tortillas – Serves as the base for layering, making a sturdy, delicious foundation.
- Cooked Chicken – Shredded or diced, a great way to use up leftover chicken or make fresh in a Dutch oven.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese – Melts into gooey perfection, adding a sharp and creamy flavor.
- Milk – Helps thin the soup mixture for better layering.
- Toppings (Optional) – Sour cream, guacamole, and salsa for serving.
Easy Mexican Chicken Casserole
Layer up this easy Mexican Chicken casserole with flour tortillas, diced cooked chicken, creamy salsa sauce, and top with cheddar cheese. It's a great comfort food meal perfect for weeknight dinners or a fun night with guests.
Ingredients
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup salsa
- 1/2 cup milk
- 6 large flour tortillas, cut in thin bite sized strips or squares
- 3 cups cooked diced chicken
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and cut flour tortillas into bite sized strips or squares.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together the salsa, chicken soup and milk.
- Spread out 1/3 of the bite sized tortilla strips in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
- Layer on half of the diced cooked chicken and pour half of the salsa mixture over the top.
- Repeat the layers again ending with tortilla strips. Top with grated cheddar cheese.
- Bake, covered with foil, for 40 minutes or until bubbly around the edges and heated all the way through in the middle. Bake for 5 more minutes after uncovering, or until cheese is all melted.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 339Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 66mgSodium: 809mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 20g
How to Portion, Cook, and Freeze This Recipe to Fit Your Lifestyle
- Making for Two: Layer the casserole in two smaller baking dishes instead of a 9×13-inch pan. Cook one and freeze the other for later.
- Freezing Ahead: Assemble the casserole in a freezer-safe dish, cover tightly with plastic wrap and tin foil, and freeze. Thaw overnight on the bottom shelf in the fridge before baking.
- Baking After Freezing: If baking straight from the freezer, cover with foil and bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, then uncover and bake until heated through and bubbly.
Favorite Cookware for 2!
This recipe freezes so well for two! The secret is to just layer it up in smaller pans. You can find my favorites in my Amazon shop here on Amazon USA or Amazon Canada. (They are affilate links.)
Simple Instructions for Making Mexican Chicken Casserole
(For all the detailed instructions, refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
1.Layer 1/3 of the cut up tortillas in a baking dish. 2.Sprinkle on 1/2 of the diced cooked chicken. 3.Pour 1/2 of the salsa mixture over the layers. 4. Repeat the layers, ending with cut up tortillas. 5.Top with cheddar cheese and bake for 40 minutes, covered with foil. 6. Bake, covered until bubbly. Top with fresh chopped tomatoes.
Helpful Tips When Making This Recipe
- Use Dutch Oven Chicken – A great shortcut for making diced cooked chicken – or you could use a rotisserie chicken.
- Need a gluten free option?– You can substitute corn tortillas for the flour tortillas.
- Try Different Cheeses – Monterey Jack or a Mexican cheese blend work well. If you want it extra cheesy, just add more cheese to the top!
Grandma Rita’s Kitchen Tips
Use a serated edged knife and stack up all your tortillas in a pile to cut them all at once. You can cut them in thin strips or squares for this recipe.
Side Dishes to Serve with This Recipe
- Easy Baked Oven Rice – A fluffy, flavorful side dish.
- Simple Green Salad – A fresh, crisp complement to the rich casserole.
- Salsa, Guacamole, & Sour Cream – For an extra burst of flavor and freshness.
Other Casserole Recipes You Will Enjoy:
- This chicken casserole with swiss cheese and stuffing is another freezer friendly meal that is easily adaptable for cooking for two!
- Leftover turkey casserole works great with leftover chicken, too. It’s a comfort food favorite recipe.
- Hamburger casserole with biscuits is a version of baked hamburger stroganaff.
- Chicken divan with curry is a crowd pleaser.
- Cheeseburger casserole with biscuits will make even the pickiest eater happy!
Pin It Now, Make It Later
Don’t lose track of this recipe! Save it on Pinterest so it’s ready when you need it. Follow me on Pinterest for even more meal ideas and inspiration for your home.
This dish was much easier than I thought. I’ll try making it again this week.