Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole Recipe
This hearty Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole is a comforting Mexican-inspired dish featuring shredded chicken simmered in tangy salsa verde, layered with corn tortillas, sour cream, and melted Monterey Jack cheese. Topped with fresh cilantro, cotija cheese, jalapeno slices, and red onions, this casserole makes for a perfect family-friendly meal that’s easy to prepare and packed with flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
For the Casserole:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ medium onion, diced
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 32 ounces salsa verde (2 (16-ounce) jars)
- ¾ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 12 small corn tortillas, cut in half
- 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Optional Toppings:
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Jalapeno slices
- Chopped red onion
Instructions
- Prepare the onion and garlic: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of kosher salt. Sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add spices and chicken: Sprinkle in the chili powder and ground cumin, stirring to combine and toast the spices for about 30 seconds. Add the shredded cooked chicken to the skillet, mixing well to coat the chicken evenly with the spices and onions.
- Incorporate salsa verde and simmer: Pour in the salsa verde and stir. Reduce heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 5-7 minutes to meld flavors and heat through.
- Mix in sour cream: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the room temperature sour cream until fully incorporated, creating a creamy salsa verde chicken mixture.
- Assemble the casserole: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large baking dish, start assembling the casserole by layering half of the chicken salsa verde mixture. Arrange half of the cut corn tortilla halves evenly over the chicken layer, then sprinkle one-third of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese on top. Repeat layering with the remaining chicken mixture, tortillas, and another third of the cheese. Finish with the last third of cheese on top.
- Bake the casserole: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and slightly golden.
- Garnish and serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool slightly. Top with optional chopped fresh cilantro, crumbled cotija cheese, jalapeno slices, and chopped red onion as desired. Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- If using leftover chicken, shredded rotisserie chicken works great.
- Make sure the sour cream is at room temperature to prevent curdling when mixed into the hot salsa verde.
- For a spicier casserole, add more jalapeno slices or a pinch of cayenne pepper to the chicken mixture.
- This casserole can be prepared ahead and refrigerated before baking; increase bake time by 5-10 minutes if baking from cold.
- Corn tortillas can be lightly toasted before assembling to add extra texture and prevent sogginess.
Keywords: Salsa Verde Chicken, Chicken Casserole, Mexican Casserole, Baked Chicken, Easy Dinner, Mexican Comfort Food
Find it online: https://mjrecipe.com/salsa-verde-chicken-casserole-recipe/