Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole (Printable Version)
Creamy, layered comfort food with chicken, tortillas, and salsa verde that's ready in under an hour and perfect for busy weeknights.
# Ingredients:
→ For the casserole
01 -
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (freshly grated for best melt)
02 -
32 oz salsa verde (about 4 cups, thicker style preferred)
03 -
1 tablespoon olive oil
04 -
1 teaspoon ground cumin
05 -
1 tablespoon chili seasoning
06 -
12 small corn tortillas
07 -
¾ cup sour cream
08 -
2 garlic cloves, minced
09 -
½ cup chopped onion
10 -
1 small pinch kosher salt
11 -
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie works perfectly)
→ Optional toppings
12 -
Sliced jalapeños
13 -
Crumbled cotija cheese
14 -
Diced red onion
15 -
Chopped fresh cilantro
# Steps:
01 -
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
02 -
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 2–3 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic, chili seasoning, and cumin. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the shredded chicken and stir everything together until evenly coated. Remove from heat.
03 -
In a large bowl, stir together the salsa verde and sour cream until smooth and creamy.
04 -
Spread about ¾ cup of the salsa verde mixture across the bottom of the prepared dish. Cut the tortillas in half and layer 8 tortilla halves over the sauce. Add half of the chicken mixture, about 1 cup of the salsa verde sauce, and ½ cup shredded cheese.
05 -
Add another layer of tortilla halves, then the remaining chicken, another 1 cup of sauce, and another ½ cup of cheese. Finish with a final layer of tortilla halves, the remaining sauce, and the rest of the cheese on top.
06 -
Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the casserole is bubbling around the edges. Let it rest for 10–15 minutes before slicing. Top with cilantro, cotija, jalapeños, or red onion if desired.
# Notes:
01 -
Toast the tortillas lightly in a dry skillet to prevent sogginess
02 -
Use freshly grated cheese for better melt and texture
03 -
Let the casserole rest before cutting so the layers hold together
04 -
Don't skip seasoning the chicken — it builds flavor from the start
05 -
You can use mild, medium, or hot salsa verde depending on your taste
06 -
A slightly thicker salsa works best to prevent a watery casserole