4-Ingredient Chicken Quesadilla Casserole

Square side shot of a simple chicken quesadilla casserole on a plate with a side of tortilla chips.

5 from 1 vote

4-Ingredient Chicken Quesadilla Casserole

A delicious, easy chicken quesadilla casserole made with only 4 ingredients! It's a quick dinner that will make the entire family happy.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword Chicken Quesadilla, chicken quesadilla casserole, easy chicken quesadilla casserole, Mexican Casserole, Quesadilla Casserole, simple chicken quesadilla casserole

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 35

Total Time 40

Servings servings

Calories 387kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

2 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken (such as rotisserie chicken or leftovers from another meal)
1 cup salsa, divided (or sub with taco sauce or enchilada sauce)
1 cup (4 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese or Mexican cheese blend, divided
6 flour tortillas
Optional garnish: fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, sliced olives, sliced tomatoes, diced avocado, guacamole, sour cream, salsa, fresh lime wedges

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 2-quart baking dish (about 8-inch or 9-inch square pan) with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, toss together chicken, half of the salsa (½ cup) and half of the cheese (½ cup).
Place 2 of the tortillas in the bottom of the prepared dish, tearing them if necessary to cover the bottom (overlapping is fine).
Top with half of the chicken mixture; drizzle with ¼ cup of the remaining salsa. Repeat the layers. Finish by placing the remaining 2 tortillas on top.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over top, and bake uncovered for an additional 5-10 minutes (until the cheese melts and the casserole is hot and bubbly).
Cut into squares and garnish with optional toppings.

Video

Notes

- If you prefer to cook your own chicken at home, boil about 1 lb. of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs until cooked through (about 15 minutes). When cool enough to handle, chop or pull the chicken.

- The flour tortillas will soften as they combine with the chicken and sauce. That’s normal! If you prefer crunchy layers in your casserole, swap out the tortillas and use corn tortilla chips instead.

- Garnish individual servings with fresh toppings. Try fresh herbs like cilantro or chives, sliced green onions, minced red onion or pickled red onion, sour cream, diced avocado, guacamole, chopped lettuce, sliced tomatoes, pico de gallo, sliced black olives, lime wedges, and salsa.

- Make it a healthy chicken quesadilla casserole by using whole wheat or low-carb tortillas and reduced-fat cheese. You can even remove the top layer of tortillas and just use 4 tortillas for this casserole to cut down on calories. Load it up with plenty of fresh or sauteed veggies, too!
- To serve a larger family, double all of the ingredients and bake the casserole in a 9 x 13-inch dish. The rest of the instructions remain the same. This makes a big batch of chicken quesadillas with minimal effort!
- Use different types of cheese, such as Monterey Jack, Colby, or Pepper Jack.
- Flour tortillas are more authentic for quesadillas, but you can substitute with corn tortillas if you prefer.
- Jazz it up with extra seasoning and spice, such as cayenne pepper, paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, or chili powder.
- Instead of salsa, use taco sauce or enchilada sauce.
- Mix some beans into the casserole filling. Just about any variety will work, including black beans, pinto beans, and pink beans.
- Add veggies to the filling. Good options include sauteed onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, a can of chopped green chiles, and corn.
- Instead of chicken, fill your quesadilla casserole with cooked ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken, pulled pork, leftover turkey, or sausage.

Nutrition