Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole

If Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole is your idea of comfort food with a little “weeknight miracle” energy… hi, same. This is the kind of dinner that makes you feel like you totally have your life together—even if you’re cooking in leggings, answering emails, and negotiating with a picky eater who suddenly “doesn’t like green things.”

This casserole is creamy, cheesy, a little zesty, and unbelievably forgiving. It’s also a smart way to use leftover chicken (rotisserie chicken, I’m looking at you, my grocery store bestie). You get all the flavor of enchiladas without the time-consuming rolling-and-crying part.

Let’s make dinner happen.

Why You’ll Love This Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole

• Fast comfort food: Minimal prep, maximum cozy.
• Family-friendly: Creamy, mild heat, and lots of cheese = fewer complaints.
• Perfect for leftovers: Uses shredded cooked chicken like a champ.
• Feeds a crowd: Great for hungry families, potlucks, or “I don’t want to cook again tomorrow.”
• That bubbly cheese top: Honestly, this alone deserves a standing ovation.

Ingredients You’ll Need

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 x 16-ounce jars)
• ¾ cup sour cream, room temperature
• 12 small corn tortillas, cut in half
• 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Optional toppings (highly encouraged)

• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Crumbled cotija cheese
• Jalapeño slices
• Chopped red onion

How to Make Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole (Step-by-Step)

1) Prep your oven and dish

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease a 9×12-inch casserole dish and set it aside.

(Greasing the dish is not “optional,” unless you enjoy scraping cheese off ceramic like it’s your new hobby.)

2) Cook the chicken filling

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for a couple minutes until softened.

Stir in the garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Cook for about 1 minute, just until everything smells like you know what you’re doing.

Add the shredded cooked chicken and stir until it’s coated and cozy with the spices. Remove from heat.

3) Mix the creamy salsa verde sauce

In a large bowl, stir together the salsa verde and room temperature sour cream until smooth.

If your sour cream is cold, it can look a little weird at first. Don’t panic. Keep stirring. We’re not judging your sauce’s journey.

4) Layer like a casserole queen

Now for the fun part: the layers. Think “lasagna vibes,” but with tortillas and salsa verde.

Layer 1

• Spread ¾ cup of the salsa verde mixture on the bottom of the dish.
• Add 8 tortilla halves (that’s 4 tortillas total).
• Add half the chicken mixture.
• Pour 1 cup salsa verde mixture over it.
• Sprinkle ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack.

Layer 2

• Add 8 tortilla halves.
• Add the remaining chicken mixture.
• Pour 1 cup salsa verde mixture.
• Sprinkle ½ cup cheese.

Layer 3 (the grand finale)

• Add 8 tortilla halves.
• Pour the remaining salsa verde mixture over top.
• Finish with the remaining cheese.

At this point, it should look like a bubbly, cheesy promise.

5) Bake

Bake for 15–20 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.

Let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving so it cuts a little cleaner (and so nobody burns the roof of their mouth—learn from my life choices).

6) Top and serve

Add toppings like cilantro, cotija, jalapeños, and red onion. Or let everyone build their own plate like a tiny dinner bar situation (kids weirdly love being “in charge” of toppings).

My Best Tips for a Stress-Free Casserole

• Use rotisserie chicken: Shred it while it’s warm and you’ll feel unstoppable.
• Room temp sour cream matters: It mixes smoother with salsa verde and won’t look grainy.
• Corn tortillas = best texture: They hold up and get tender without turning into total mush.
• Want it spicier? Add diced jalapeños to the chicken mixture or use a hotter salsa verde.
• Want it milder? Choose a mild salsa verde and skip jalapeños. Easy win.

And if your casserole comes out a little messy? Congratulations. That means it’s going to taste amazing.

A Little Story From My Kitchen

This Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole became my go-to after one of those days when everything felt like too much—work, laundry, and the classic “What’s for dinner?” question asked at the exact moment my brain shuts down.

I had leftover chicken, two jars of salsa verde, and tortillas that were getting dangerously close to “science experiment” status. I layered it all up, tossed on cheese, and hoped for the best.

The result? My family went quiet at the table. Quiet is rare. Quiet means it’s good. Now it’s one of those recipes I keep in my back pocket for busy nights when I still want dinner to feel warm and loved.

FAQs About Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole

Bring the Cozy to the Table

This Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole is one of those recipes that makes your kitchen smell like comfort and your evening feel a little easier. It’s creamy, cheesy, and just spicy enough to keep things interesting—like the fun friend who also remembers to bring snacks.

If you make it, pile on your favorite toppings, grab a fork, and enjoy that bubbly, saucy goodness. Because some nights don’t need a complicated dinner… they just need Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole and a little extra cheese on top.

Keep the Salsa Verde Love Going

• If you loved the creamy, zesty vibe of this casserole, you’ll probably be obsessed with Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Skillet for a fast one-pan dinner on nights when the sink is already “full of dreams.”
• Want the same cozy comfort, but with a slow-cooker shortcut? Try Slow Cooker Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Soup—it’s warm, creamy, and basically a hug in a bowl.
• If your family is in their “Tex-Mex era,” don’t miss Chicken Enchilada Casserole for another cheesy, saucy bake that disappears faster than you can say “who ate the last piece?”
• And for a fun twist when you want handheld bites instead of a big pan, make Mexican Street Corn Chicken Wraps—perfect for lunch, game day, or eating one wrap while packing the other for later (we love a practical queen).

If you try this Salsa Verde Chicken Casserole, I’d love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen—please leave a quick review and tap your star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ so other readers know it’s a keeper!

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