Chicken Taco Casserole
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Change up taco night with this easy Chicken Taco Casserole. It has all the flavors you love in tacos, layered in one baking dish for a simple, family-friendly dinner.
Cooked chicken is layered with refried beans, corn, salsa, green chiles, plenty of cheese, and soft flour tortillas. As it bakes, the layers heat through, and the cheese melts into everything, creating a hearty casserole that is warm, cheesy, and full of Tex-Mex flavor.
It is also a great recipe for using leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken, which makes prep even easier. Serve it with your favorite taco toppings like sour cream, diced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, or extra salsa for a dinner everyone can customize.
Ingredients for Chicken Taco Casserole
COOKED CHICKEN – Cooked chicken makes this casserole hearty and filling while keeping prep simple. Rotisserie chicken, leftover chicken, or any plain, cooked shredded chicken works well.
REFRIED BEANS – Refried beans add creaminess and help give the casserole a sturdy, satisfying base. They also add extra protein and classic taco flavor.
FLOUR TORTILLAS – Flour tortillas create the soft layers throughout the casserole. They soak up some of the salsa and juices as the dish bakes, helping hold everything together.
GREEN SALSA – Green salsa adds moisture, tangy flavor, and a little heat. Use mild, medium, or hot depending on how spicy you want the casserole.
DICED GREEN CHILIES – Green chilies add mild chile flavor without making the dish overly spicy. They blend especially well with the chicken, cheese, and green salsa.
CORN – Corn adds a touch of sweetness, color, and texture to the casserole. Frozen, canned, or fresh corn can all work.
MEXICAN CHEESE – A Mexican cheese blend melts smoothly and adds plenty of cheesy flavor. Most blends include cheeses like cheddar, Monterey Jack, Asadero, or queso quesadilla.
TACO SEASONING MIX – Taco seasoning adds a quick blend of spices like chili powder, cumin, garlic, and onion. It gives the chicken and other layers that familiar taco-night flavor.
SOUR CREAM – Sour cream is perfect for serving on top of the finished casserole. Its cool, creamy flavor helps balance the salsa, green chilies, and taco seasoning.
Instructions for Chicken Taco Casserole Recipe
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat an 11 x 7-inch casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Arrange 3 flour tortillas in the bottom of the prepared baking dish, overlapping them slightly as needed to cover the bottom.
Warm the refried beans in the microwave until they are easier to spread. Spoon half of the beans over the tortillas, then layer on half of the cooked chicken, corn, diced green chilies, and taco seasoning. Top with one-third of the green salsa and one-third of the shredded Mexican cheese.
Repeat the layers with the remaining half of the beans, chicken, corn, green chilies, and taco seasoning. Add another one-third of the salsa and cheese.
Place the remaining 3 tortillas over the top, then spread on the remaining salsa and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake casserole in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is bubbling and beginning to lightly brown.
Let the casserole rest for a few minutes before slicing. Serve each portion with a dollop of sour cream. Makes 6 servings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut and makes this casserole especially quick to assemble.
Can I use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas?
Yes, but the texture will be a little different. Corn tortillas have more flavor and a firmer texture, while flour tortillas create softer layers.
What kind of green salsa should I use?
Use your favorite mild, medium, or hot green salsa. A salsa verde made with tomatillos works especially well.
Can I make this casserole ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it, cover, and refrigerate until ready to bake. You may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time if it goes into the oven cold.
Can I use black beans instead of refried beans?
You can, but the casserole will not hold together quite the same way. Refried beans help create a creamy layer and add structure.
Can I make it spicier?
Yes. Use hot green salsa, add diced jalapeños, use pepper Jack cheese, or sprinkle in extra taco seasoning or chili powder.
What other toppings can I add?
Try diced tomatoes, avocado, guacamole, shredded lettuce, cilantro, green onions, sliced olives, or extra salsa.
Can I freeze Chicken Taco Casserole?
Yes. Freeze it tightly covered before or after baking. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating for the best texture.
How do I store leftovers?
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the casserole in the oven.
What should I serve with it?
Mexican rice, a simple green salad, chips and salsa, guacamole, or fresh fruit all make easy sides.
Tips and Tricks
- Warm the refried beans first. Cold refried beans can be difficult to spread over the tortillas. Heating them briefly makes layering much easier and helps prevent the tortillas from tearing.
- Use rotisserie or leftover chicken. Starting with already-cooked chicken keeps prep quick and makes this a great recipe for using leftovers.
- Spread the salsa all the way to the edges. This helps keep the tortilla layers moist and prevents dry spots around the sides of the casserole.
- Let the casserole rest before slicing. Give it about 5 minutes after baking so the layers can settle. This makes it much easier to cut and serve neat portions.
- Add fresh toppings just before serving. Sour cream, avocado, diced tomatoes, cilantro, shredded lettuce, or extra salsa add freshness and texture to the warm, cheesy casserole.
FOR MORE RECIPES LIKE THIS, TRY:
- Easy Chile Relleno Casserole
- Easy Hobo Casserole
- Cheesy Chicken Dorito Casserole
- Easy Meatball Orzo Casserole
Chicken Taco Casserole
Real Mom Kitchen
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicekn shredded or diced
- 16 oz can refried beans
- 9 flour tortillas small taco size, cut in half
- 16 oz jar green salsa
- 4 oz diced green chilies
- 16 oz can corn
- 1 Tbsp taco seasoning
- 2 cups Mexican cheese shredded
- sour cream optional for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 11 x 7 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Line the bottom of the dish with three of the tortillas.
- Warm the refried beans in the micrwave and spread half of them overn the tortillas in the dish. Then layer on half the chicken, corn, chilies, and taco seasoning. Then add on 1/3 of the salsa and cheese.
- Next repeat the layers. Finish with the remaining 3 tortillas followed with the remaining salsa and cheese. Bake at 375 degrrees for 20 minutes until hot and cheese has started to brown. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream. Serves 6.
Nutrition
This recipe is adapted from Home with Hart.
