Mexican Chicken Casserole

A creamy filling of chicken, fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans, corn, and cheddar soup are sandwiched between layers of crushed tortilla chips and shredded Mexican cheese for a casserole that's full of rich flavors and delightful textures.

Prep: 15

Cook: 30

Rest 10

Total: 55

Yield:12 servings

Equipment

Oven
neutral-flavored cooking spray
9x13 casserole dish
large mixing bowl
Silicone spatula

Ingredients

For the Chicken Filling

1 10.5-ounce can condensed cheddar cheese soup or condensed fiesta nacho cheese soup
1 ¼ cups sour cream
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder more or less to taste
1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken see Notes
1 15-ounce can black beans drained, rinsed well
1 15.25-ounce can whole kernel corn drained
1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies

For the Casserole Layers

1 ½ cups crushed tortilla chips any brand, any flavor
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 ½ cups crushed tortilla chips any brand, any flavor
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

Serving Suggestions (All Optional)

fresh cilantro chopped
sour cream
tortilla chips any brand, any flavor
lime wedges

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
Lightly spray casserole dish with neutral cooking spray, making sure to coat bottom and inner sides of dish. Set casserole dish aside.

For the Chicken Filling

Add 1 10.5-ounce can condensed cheddar cheese soup, 1 ¼ cups sour cream, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to large mixing bowl. Stir ingredients together until fully incorporated.
Add 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken, 1 15-ounce can black beans, 1 15.25-ounce can whole kernel corn, 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and 1 4-ounce can diced green chilies to mixing bowl. Gently stir all ingredients together until fully incorporated and well coated in soup mixture. Set bowl aside.

To Assemble the Casserole

Line bottom of lightly-greased casserole dish with 1 ½ cups crushed tortilla chips. Spread tortilla chips out to cover bottom of casserole dish in one even layer.
Divide chicken mixture in half. Top layer of tortilla chips with one half of chicken mixture, gently pressing chicken mixture out into single, even layer, covering bottom of dish completely. Set remaining half of chicken mixture aside.
Sprinkle 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend evenly across top of chicken mixture, breaking up any clumps or especially thick areas.
Top cheese layer with remaining 1 ½ cups crushed tortilla chips, spreading chips out evenly to completely cover cheese layer.
Top tortilla chips with remaining half of chicken mixture. Gently press chicken mixture out to cover chips completely in one even layer.
Top chicken mixture with remaining 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, sprinkling cheese evenly over top of filling.

To Bake the Casserole

Once all layers have been assembled, place casserole dish in preheated oven. Bake casserole, uncovered, 20 minutes.
After 20 minutes, check casserole. Continue baking, checking casserole every 2 to 3 minutes, until top layer of cheese is melted and bubbly.
Once cheese has melted, carefully remove casserole dish from oven and set aside. Let casserole rest 5 to 10 minutes or until cooled slightly.
Once casserole has cooled slightly, portion casserole into preferred number of servings. Top each serving with fresh cilantro and sour cream if desired, and serve warm with whole tortilla chips and lime wedges for extra flavor.

Notes

Heat Levels: I don't find this dish to be spicy or hot at all, but your palate will differ! Adjust the amount of chili powder in the filling as needed if you're particularly heat sensitive. You may also want to reduce the amount of diced green chilies.
Chicken: This is a great way to use up leftover chicken, but you can also use rotisserie chicken or cook and shred chicken specifically for your casserole. Check out my recipe for the best shredded chicken ever - it works beautifully in this dish!
Fire-Roasted Tomatoes: I recommend using the liquid in the can of tomatoes rather than draining them. That liquid will give the filling more flavor, plus it'll help the filling stay moist and creamy.
Diced Green Chilies: If your tomatoes have a lot of liquid, you may want to drain some or all of the liquid from diced green chilies to keep the filling from being too wet. Otherwise, use the liquid from can of chilies along with the liquid from the tomatoes.
Crushed Tortilla Chips: Try not to crush the chips too much. The smaller and more pulverized the pieces are, the less crunch you'll get from them.
Storage: Let the casserole cool completely, then cover the dish with plastic wrap or an airtight lid. Refrigerate leftovers and enjoy within 4 days. Note: the tortilla chips will lose their crunch over time and are best the day the casserole is made.
Reheat: You can reheat individual servings in the microwave or the oven, or reheat a large portion of the dish in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F and bake until the casserole is just warmed through.

Nutrition

Recipe By:Cheryl Malik