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Get a family-friendly dinner on the table fast with this Dump-and-Bake Chicken Taco Casserole recipe! Get all the flavors of classic Mexican-American chicken tacos in a one-pot meal. Since there’s no prep work involved, you can serve this delicious casserole to your hungry family on even your busiest weeknights…and clean-up is a breeze!
Table of Contents
- The Easiest Chicken Taco Casserole Recipe
- Ingredients for Dump-and-Bake Chicken Taco Casserole:
- How to Make Dump-and-Bake Chicken Taco Casserole
- How to Store Leftover Chicken Taco Casserole
- What to Serve with Chicken Taco Bake
- Chicken Taco Casserole Recipe Variations & Cook’s Tips
- More Easy Mexican-Inspired Taco Casseroles
- Dump and Bake Chicken Taco Casserole Recipe
If there’s one consistent theme to all of the recipes that I share on this blog, it would definitely be the “quick and easy” dish. At this point in my life, I just don’t have the time, energy, or desire to spend hours crafting the perfect pie crust or simmering the perfect pot of risotto. Instead, I’m looking for practical solutions that will get my constantly-staaaarving boys a delicious, wholesome meal as easily as possible.
The Easiest Chicken Taco Casserole Recipe
My favorite recipes are those that require minimal prep and don’t necessitate a lot of chopping, mixing, or dirty dishes. That’s why I love my dump-and-bake recipes — especially this easy chicken taco casserole! It’s one my whole family loves, and it’s a great alternative to the classic taco night. If you’re looking to pad your stack of easy meals, you’ve got to add this one to your list.
Ingredients for Dump-and-Bake Chicken Taco Casserole:
Here is everything you need to make this cheesy chicken Mexican casserole. As always, you can find the complete ingredient list and measurements in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Crushed tortilla chips: the base layer of this easy casserole.
- Chicken breasts: boneless, skinless chicken breast. For even easier meal prep, use rotisserie chicken or already shredded chicken.
- Green chiles & tomatoes: add flavor and a hint of spice to the taco casserole.
- Corn: I use frozen corn, and you don’t even have to thaw it beforehand.
- Taco seasoning: your favorite brand or a homemade taco seasoning mix with chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt.
- Condensed cheddar cheese soup: works like queso and adds a creamy cheesiness. I use Cambell’s Healthy Request cheddar cheese soup.
- Milk: to mix with the cheddar cheese soup for a creamy cheese sauce.
- Shredded cheese: for a perfect melty cheese layer on top. You can use sharp or mild cheddar, Monterrey jack, cheddar jack, pepper jack, or a Mexican blend.
The Best Toppings for Chicken Taco Bake
The topping options for chicken taco casserole are endless. Use your favorite taco fixings! I use a mix of sliced green onions, sliced black olives, diced avocado, sour cream, salsa, and additional crushed chips. I love this mix of flavors and textures, and it’s what my family uses most when making regular tacos.
Other popular chicken taco bake options include:
- Pico de Gallo
- Fresh cilantro
- Red onions
- Dollops of fresh homemade salsa (or your favorite store-bought brand)
- Avocado slices or guacamole
- A drizzle of your favorite hot sauce or taco sauce
How to Make Dump-and-Bake Chicken Taco Casserole
Here are the quick step-by-step instructions to make an easy chicken taco casserole bake! As with just about all of my dump-and-bake recipes, you simply need to toss all the ingredients into one dish, bake, and you’ve got dinner on the table in no time.
- Crush the tortilla chips in a plastic bag, then spread over the bottom of the baking dish.
- Add chicken, corn, and green chiles on top of the chips.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning over all the ingredients.
- Spread the cheese soup and milk mixture over the top.
- Bake, covered, for about 30 minutes in a 400-degree oven.
- Remove, sprinkle with tomatoes and shredded cheese, and bake for another 10-20 minutes.
- Garnish and enjoy!
What’s the easiest way to crumble tortilla chips for the base of the casserole?
You’ll need about two cups of crumbled tortilla chips. You can use any kind of tortilla chips you want — yellow corn chips, blue corn chips, your favorite brand, etc. If you crumble more than two cups, that’s perfectly okay! Use the leftover chip crumbles as a topping. Simply put the tortilla chips in a sealable plastic bag and crumble them using your hands, a rolling pin, or the can of soup! You don’t want to crumble them to dust, just into small pieces.
What other kind of chicken can I use in chicken taco bake?
I use raw chicken breasts, which then fully cook in the oven. However, if you’re short on time and want to use pre-cooked chicken, you totally can! Rotisserie chicken is a great option for this chicken taco bake. Shred up a whole rotisserie chicken, mix it with the other ingredients, and cut the baking time in half. You could also shred the chicken breasts once they’re fully cooked and mix them back into the casserole.
Want more Mexican chicken recipes? Make any of these below and use leftovers as the chicken in this taco casserole recipe:
How do I know when this chicken taco casserole is done?
The casserole will bake in the oven for about 30 minutes at first. At that time, you’ll remove the casserole from the oven and temperature-check the chicken. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature — if the thickest part of the chicken breast is not at 165 degrees, it needs to cook longer! After you garnish the top of the casserole with the tomatoes and cheese, put it back in the oven for 10-minute increments until the chicken is done.
Once the cheese is melted and golden brown and your casserole is hot and bubbling, just pull it out of the oven, garnish with any additional toppings that you love, and serve!
You’ve got everything you need in this ONE DISH, friends! Chips! Meat! Veggies! Cheese! Basically, it’s the recipe for a calmer weeknight dinner and a table of happy eaters!
How to Store Leftover Chicken Taco Casserole
- In the fridge: store any leftovers in an airtight container or covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- How to reheat: you can reheat leftover taco casserole in the oven or individual portions in the microwave until hot all the way through.
- In the freezer: leftovers can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months, but I recommend freezing without the additional toppings.
What to Serve with Chicken Taco Bake
This cheesy shredded chicken taco bake is just about a complete meal on it’s own! If you want to serve the dish with anything else, here are some simple side dish ideas to upgrade your taco night:
- Serve with corn tortillas or flour tortillas on the side.
- Serve alongside black beans and rice, cilantro lime rice, brown rice, or Mexican rice.
- Serve with homemade salsa, guacamole, 7-Layer Bean Dip, and crispy tortilla chips for dipping.
Chicken Taco Casserole Recipe Variations & Cook’s Tips
- You can prep this casserole in advance and keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake.
- Make sure to grease your baking dish to make sure nothing sticks or burns underneath.
- Feel free to add extra spices to the mix, such as red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, for extra heat.
- You can add your favorite toppings to this casserole, there are no limits.
- Use a can of Rotel green chilies and tomatoes in the chicken taco mixture to add more flavor and a hint of spice to the casserole.
- Cube up Velveeta cheese and mix it into the casserole dish or in extra shredded cheese for a cheesy casserole filling.
- Cooking just for two? Cut the ingredients in half and prepare the casserole in an 8-inch square baking dish. The cooking instructions remain the same.
More Easy Mexican-Inspired Taco Casseroles
Dump and Bake Chicken Taco Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips
- 1.5 lbs. skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 1 4 oz. can chopped green chilies
- 1 ½ cups frozen corn
- 2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup (NOT diluted) I used Campbell’s Healthy Request
- 1/2 cup milk I used nonfat, but any type will work
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- For topping: sliced green onions, sliced black olives, diced avocado, sour cream, salsa, additional crushed chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray.
- Place broken tortilla chips in the bottom of prepared dish. Top with chicken, green chilies, and frozen corn. Sprinkle with taco seasoning.
- In a small bowl, whisk together condensed soup and milk to form a cheese sauce. Spread sauce evenly over top of casserole.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove foil, sprinkle with tomatoes and shredded cheese, and return to oven (uncovered) for approximately 10-20 more minutes (or until chicken is cooked through and cheese is melted). The total cooking time will vary, depending on the thickness of your meat.
- Garnish with desired toppings and serve!
Notes
- You can prep this casserole in advance and keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to bake.
- Make sure to grease your baking dish to make sure nothing sticks or burns underneath.
- Feel free to add extra spices to the mix, such as red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper, for extra heat.
- You can add your favorite toppings to this casserole, there are no limits.
- If you’re short on time and want to use pre-cooked chicken, you totally can! Shredded rotisserie chicken is a great option for this chicken taco bake.
- Use a can of Rotel green chilies and tomatoes in the chicken taco mixture to add more flavor and a hint of spice to the casserole.
- Cube up Velveeta cheese and mix it into the casserole dish, or in extra shredded cheese for a cheesy casserole filling.
- Cooking just for two? Cut the ingredients in half and prepare the casserole in an 8-inch square baking dish. The cooking instructions remain the same.
That looks really good! I am going to have to try your recipe. I am all about quick dinners too – especially this time of year when the kids have me running all over the place picking them up from various activities. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Jen! Me too — with crazy kids’ schedules there’s no other way to get a meal on the table!
This looks so comforting and easy! I’m all about just throwing things together in a pot for dinner – and it’s a bonus if it ends up tasting fantastic like this would 🙂
Thanks, Holly! Throwing stuff in the pot is the way to go! 🙂
Yum! Love the flavors happening here!!This looks like the perfect week night meal! This just made my list of must makes! Hope that you are doing great Blair! 🙂
Cathy
Thanks, Cathy!!
You always come up with such fabulous, easy-to-make, main dishes!! I LOVE this taco casserole; it’s packed with so much yummy flavor! I bet this one’s gonna be a hit over at my house! Looking forward to making (and eating!) this!
Thanks so much, Anna!
OMG this might be my husband’s heaven! I gotta pin and make it! or can you just come visit? haha
Totally man-friendly food, right?! 🙂
This looks really great and I love how easy it is. I’ve never seen those sauces in England though so I’d have to come up with my own. No worries, I love cooking from scratch! Actually, I’ll have to look up taco seasoning too as I’ve not come across ready made ones here either lol. But I do love the look of this Blair!
Thanks!! Do you have cans of campbell’s condensed soups in England? If so, you could probably use a can of the cheddar condensed soup and dilute it a bit with milk to make it more saucy. Just an idea!! 🙂
Chicken taco casserole sounds delicious! If it’s as easy as dump and bake, I’m all over it.
Exactly, Jen! The best way to cook!
Is a subsitute for the cheese sauce? My local Smith’s does not carry it.
Hi, Yvette! I haven’t tried this exact dish with any other substitutes, so I’m not positive…BUT, it would probably work well to use a can of Campbell’s Condensed Cheddar Cheese Soup, but make sure that you add some milk to the soup so that it is more “saucy” as opposed to a thick consistency. You don’t want it runny and soup-like, but definitely more of a sauce. Hope that helps!
Amazon?.. Walmart delivery us similar to Amazon & May be less expensive too…
You can make a cheese sauce with Velveeta and milk
Could this be made in a crockpot
Ty
Hi, Susan! I think it would probably work, but you’ll have a lot more moisture in the dish, so it might seem soggy. The condensation from the top of the slow cooker will drop down onto the casserole. Since you can’t remove the cover and let the top crisp (as you would in the oven), it will also impact the texture of the finished dish.
Where do you find the sauce packs in the grocery store?
Hey, Cassandra! I think it depends on the store, so I’ve even had to ask a store clerk when I wasn’t able to find them on my own. In some stores they are on the same aisle as the soups, and in other stores I have found them near pasta sauces and near seasoning packets (like the chili packets). Hope that helps!
RE: DUMP AND BAKE CHICKEN TACO CASSEROLE
I can’t recall exactly how I was sent this recipe, but it came through on one of the cooking newsletters that I receive. This recipe is definitely quick and easy, but I found the sodium content to be extreme. The current dietary guidelines state that sodium intake should not exceed 2,300 mg/day for adults. Intake below this level is recommended for children younger than 14 years old (children 1-3: 1500 mg/day; children 4-8: 1900 mg/day) and people who have prehypertension or hypertension. A rough estimate of the sodium in one serving of this casserole is 1200 mg. That’s really a lot. I appreciated the ease of the damp and bake method, but I feel compelled to post a suggestion to your readers to consider ways to reduce the sodium content (for example – substitute Campbell’s low sodium condensed soup for the oven sauce; use low sodium cheese; use low salt/no salt added taco chips).
All great ideas! Thanks Carole!!
Great Suggestion & Observation -Thank you for sharing the tip
Is cheeses sauce found in frozen food section? Need to try this.
Hey, Betsy! Nope, it’s not frozen. I have found it in the canned foods — usually near the soups and other Campbell’s products. I have also seen it by the jarred sauces (like the pasta sauces).
Dump & Bake Chicken Taco Casserole:
It can prob be made with ground beef also, would you think? I was thinking just replace the chicken with ground beef and maybe just use the taco seasoning and go thru the same steps? I haven’t seen the Campbell’s seasoning sauces yet, so I’m not sure if there’s one for ground beef but maybe the taco seasoning would be enough spice? Any suggestions I would appreciate? Thank you.
Hi, Darla! Yes, you can definitely use ground beef, too. I would use about 1 – 1.5 lbs. of ground meat, and make sure that you cook it in a skillet with the taco seasoning first. Then use that taco meat in place of the chicken, following the rest of the steps as described in the recipe.
Since you’re using meat that’s already cooked in the skillet, you can probably decrease the baking time by about 10 minutes.
If you omit the cheese sauce entirely, the texture of the dish will be completely different. If you can’t find the Campbell’s cheese sauce, then I would look for a can of Campbell’s condensed cheddar cheese soup and try diluting it with a little bit of milk (maybe 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup) to make the same thick, cheesy sauce. It won’t have exactly the same flavor, but it will still be delicious! 🙂
Blair!
I love that u make your recipes using low fat healthy ingredients which are so important to me! Gonna try this one this week too! Thanks so much!
Wonderful. This one is always a hit!
If a person has ever made Velveta cheese dip with Rotel tomatoes and green chilis should be able to make the cheese sauce for this recipe. Or is just a Southern Recipe? We have it every family get together. I would just melt my Velveta Cheese with a small amount of milk in a crock pot.
Will this make the chips soggy?
Hey, Samantha! It’s kind of hard to describe. They’re maybe a little bit soggy, but it’s more like a crust that forms. We love it!
Of course, if you’d rather, you can always just skip the layer of chips on the bottom and then crumble tortilla chips over top of your chicken right before serving. That would be good as well.
This sounds super comforting, just what I need after a hectic day!
This is a great recipe for busy weeknights. This dish comes together quick with minimal effort and tastes delicious! We love Mexican flavors around here, so this was a winner. Bonus prize, it didn’t break my WW bank either!
That’s great to hear, Christine! Thank you so much for your note. 🙂
This recipe is really delicious! I made it twice now and each time I added all the toppings suggested. Mmm… My new favorite!
That’s awesome, Marilyn! Thanks for your note!