Filled with chicken, black beans, sweet potatoes, and layers of corn tortillas topped with cheese, this chicken tortilla casserole is a well-balanced and flavor-packed meal. Make this enchilada-inspired casserole on a busy weeknight and you’ll have plenty of leftovers for healthy meals for days to come!
How to Make Chicken Tortilla Casserole
This chicken tortilla casserole recipe is a cross between a chicken enchilada casserole and lasagne baked into a single dish. Here’s how to make it:
Prepare the chicken. Chicken is the primary source of protein in this casserole. Although the recipe calls for shredded chicken breasts because I find them quick to cook, using rotisserie chicken, leftover roast chicken, chicken thighs, or chicken legs would work just as well and add an extra depth of flavor to the dish.
Prep the veggies. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes and then add them to a baking sheet until partially cooked, chop and good the vegetables, and strain and rinse the black beans.
Make the sauce. This casserole is bound together by a vegetable-filled tomato sauce, which helps to increase the fiber and micronutrient content of the dish.
Layer the casserole. Once the chicken is shredded, sweet potatoes are cooked, black beans are strained and the sauce is ready, you can begin building the casserole. Fill a prepared baking dish with alternating layers of tortillas, sweet potatoes, black beans and sauce, and tortillas, chicken, and sauce until all of the ingredients have been used and the casserole dish is full.
Bake the casserole. Once prepared, the casserole can be transferred to the oven to bake.
Sprinkle with cheese. When the casserole is almost ready, remove it from the oven and cover the top with shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Harvati cheese. If you can find either of those, a sharp cheddar cheese would also work well.
Bake again. Return the casserole to the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the top is golden brown.
Slice and serve! When the casserole is ready, slice and serve as is or with toppings of your choice.
What can I substitute for corn tortillas?
For the best results, I recommend using white corn tortillas, as they tend to be softer than yellow corn tortillas, which gives the casserole more structure and a better texture to hold it together. If you don’t have access to corn tortillas, flour tortillas will also work well.
What to serve with chicken tortilla casserole?
This easy, cheesy, chicken tortilla casserole satisfies like comfort food while being a healthy and well-balanced meal complete with protein, fiber, and healthy fats. The casserole can be served on its own, hot or cold, with a side dish and/or toppings. Topping and side dish suggestions include:
- Sour cream
- Salsa
- Avocado
- Guacamole
- Fresh cilantro
- Tortilla chips
- Mexican rice
- Green salad
Storage and Reheating
In the fridge. Once cooled, the casserole can be stored in the refrigerator in the original baking dish, covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or in a separate airtight container for up to 5 days.
In the freezer. The casserole can be stored in an airtight container, whole or in individual portions, in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you prefer to freeze the casserole in the baking dish, ensure that it is tightly covered with aluminum foil and plastic wrap and then placed in a freezer-safe bag.
To reheat. For the best results, thaw and/or allow the casserole to come to room temperature and then transfer it to the oven at 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until warmed through. If you prefer to reheat it in the microwave, warm individual portions for 1-2 minutes or in 30-second increments until heated through.
More Healthy Casserole Recipes:
- Chicken Burrito Casserole
- Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Butternut Squash Casserole
- Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Chicken Tortilla Casserole
This Mexican-inspired chicken tortilla casserole is easy to make while being packed full of flavour. Plus, leftovers store well in the fridge or freezer so you’ll have healthy meals ready to go for days to come.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes -
Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
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Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
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Yield: 8 servings 1x
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Category: Mains
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Method: Baked
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Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time:
Yield:
Category:
Method:
Cuisine:Ingredients
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (3–4 cups)
- 1 sweet potato, diced
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 can (14 oz.) black beans, strained and rinsed
- 15 corn tortillas
- 1 cup chicken broth, or water
- 1 1/2 cups (5 oz.) grated Monterey Jack cheese or Havarti cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil or cooking spray.
- If the chicken isn’t already cooked, place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet, and transfer them to the oven; bake the chicken breasts in the oven for 25 minutes or until cooked through. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oven, place cooked chicken breasts on a cutting board and use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
- On a large baking sheet or tray, add diced sweet potatoes, drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil, and toss until all of the potatoes are well coated. Transfer to the oven and allow to bake for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender. Don’t worry if they still have a little bite to them, they will cook again in the casserole.
- In a large pot on medium heat, warm the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then add the diced red onion, and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add diced bell peppers and garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes until all of the vegetables are tender.
- Once the vegetables are cooked, add chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper (optional), and salt to the pot, stir to coat the vegetables and cook for another 30 seconds or so until fragrant.
- Add the can of crushed tomatoes and chicken broth, stir to combine with the vegetables, reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until it’s time to build the casserole.
- Once the potatoes are cooked, remove them from the oven, set them aside, and build the casserole.
- Layer the bottom of the greased 9×13-inch baking dish with tortillas (about 5), overlapping them as needed to ensure the dish is well covered. You can cut some in half to help create better coverage.
- Top the tortilla layer with cooked sweet potato and black beans, spreading them across the dish evenly, then cover with roughly 1/3 of the tomato and vegetable mixture, about 4 ladles full, until well covered. Then top with another layer of tortillas, overlapping as need to ensure it’s well covered.
- Top the second tortilla layer with shredded chicken and 1/2 of the tomato and vegetable mixture (leaving a bit for the top layer), spreading it across the dish evenly to ensure the chicken is well covered with sauce.
- Add a final layer of tortillas, top with the remaining sauce, spread it out to ensure the tortillas are well covered, and top with shredded cheese.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminum foils and then transfer to the oven to bake for 35 minutes. Once baked, remove the aluminum foil and bake uncovered for a final 10-15 until cheese is melted and bubbling and the top is slightly golden in colour.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with desired toppings.
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 381 calories
- Sugar: 8 grams
- Fat: 13 grams
- Carbohydrates: 44 grams
- Fiber: 10 grams
- Protein: 24 grams
Very filling and flavourful! Steps were easy to do but took more time than I thought. Definitely going to make this again.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, thanks for sharing!
A family favourite delicious
Would this work with flour tortillas? We prefer them over the corn but not sure if they would hold up.
Yes, flour will work too.
Love the recipes from you. Except I cannot find a way to save recipes to Pinterest for a later date?
Is there a substitute to the cheese topping? Would sour cream or crème fraishe work?
You can just omit the cheese, I can’t offer a specific substitute for it. If you want to add sour cream or crème fraiche, you can dollop it on top once it’s cooked.