Description
Mexican-inspired chicken tortilla spinach casserole brings hearty comfort to dinner tables. Classic ingredients combine in a delicious one-dish meal packed with protein and rich southwestern flavors you’ll crave repeatedly.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (710 ml) shredded chicken
- 1 can (10.5 oz / 298 g) cream of chicken soup
- 8 small flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)
- 2 cups (473 ml) Mexican cheese blend, divided
- 4 cups (946 ml) fresh spinach, chopped (or 1 ½ cups (355 ml) frozen spinach, thawed and drained)
- 1 cup (237 ml) sour cream
- 1 cup (237 ml) salsa verde (green salsa)
- ½ cup (118 ml) chicken broth
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
- diced tomatoes (optional)
- sliced jalapenos (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and generously grease a 9×13-inch baking dish to prevent ingredient adhesion.
- Sauce Creation: Whisk cream of chicken soup, sour cream, salsa verde, chicken broth, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper into a smooth, unified sauce that will bind the casserole’s components.
- Base Assembly: Spread a thin sauce layer across the baking dish, then carefully arrange tortilla pieces to completely cover the bottom, creating a robust foundation for the layers.
- Layering Technique: Methodically construct flavor-dense strata by alternating tortillas, shredded chicken, spinach leaves, and cheese, ensuring each layer receives a saturating sauce pour to maintain moisture and structural integrity.
- Final Composition: Complete the layering process with a crowning cheese and sauce layer, which will transform into a golden, appetizing surface during baking.
- Baking Process: Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes, allowing ingredients to heat thoroughly and flavors to harmonize.
- Cheese Activation: Remove foil and return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, enabling the cheese to bubble and develop a slightly crisp, enticing texture.
- Resting Period: After removing from oven, let the casserole settle for 5-10 minutes, which helps stabilize layers and intensify flavor profiles.
- Garnish Options: Optionally embellish with fresh cilantro, diced tomatoes, or sliced jalapenos to introduce visual appeal and complementary taste dimensions.
Notes
- Adjust Chicken Consistency: Shred chicken uniformly for even texture and ensure meat is fully cooked and tender before layering to prevent dryness and maintain moisture throughout the casserole.
- Control Sauce Thickness: Modify sauce viscosity by adjusting chicken broth quantity – less broth creates thicker layers, more broth produces a softer, more blended casserole consistency.
- Customize Cheese Selection: Experiment with cheese varieties like monterey jack, pepper jack, or Mexican blend to introduce different flavor profiles and enhance melting characteristics for more dynamic taste.
- Dietary Adaptations: Replace regular tortillas with gluten-free alternatives, swap cream of chicken soup for a homemade version, and use low-fat dairy products to accommodate specific nutritional requirements without compromising overall dish integrity.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg