Salsa Verde Chicken Tostada Casserole

Rule #159: Taco Tuesday looks a whole lot better in a casserole dish.

There’s something about the word “casserole” that really brings up those feelings of comfort food and easy living. That’s exactly what this Salsa Verde Chicken Tostada Casserole is all about, y’all! It’s so simple to put together and so full of zippy, delicious, comforting flavor. May I introduce to you your new favorite weeknight meal!

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This casserole couldn’t be more simple: salsa verde, crushed tostada or taco shells, rotisserie chicken tossed in taco seasoning, pinto beans, sautéed onion, cheese, repeat. I like to top ours with some sliced jalapeños for extra spice and cilantro for a fresh kick.

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Welcome to Salsa Verde Chicken Tostada Casserole Heaven! Hello, Taco Tuesday!

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Salsa Verde Tostada Casserole Prep

First, sauté a white onion in some extra-virgin olive oil until softened (about 8 minutes).

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Meanwhile, chop some cooked chicken into small pieces. I like to use the already shredded and cooked rotisserie chicken from our grocery store. We prefer white meat, but you can always use dark meat if you’d like. After all, this is your casserole, mis amigos.

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Now, toss the chicken with some taco mix. Our favorite is always Trader Joe’s.

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You just need about 3 tbs. of seasoning for the 1 lb. of chicken breast. Give it a good ole toss to combine.

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Salsa Verde Chicken Tostada Casserole Assembly

Now, we assemble! Pour about half the salsa verde in the bottom of a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

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Our favorite brand of salsa verde is Herdez. It’s got a great amount of heat and salt. You can always make homemade salsa verde, too, if that’s yo thang.

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Now then, here’s where our worlds divide. You can either choose to layer with tostada shells or taco shells. We’ve been loving the Siete brand of grain free products, so we use their taco shells instead of tostadas. The reason I use these over tortilla chips is because they’ve got a heartier texture. They hold up much better in this casserole than the chips.

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Just crumble about half of your tostadas (about 10) or taco shells (about 5) over the salsa verde.

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Then sprinkle on the chicken tossed in taco seasoning.

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Then layer on some pinto beans.

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And then half of your sautéed onions.

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Top with some Monterey Jack cheese.

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Then, repeat the layers again! I like to top ours with sliced jalapeños for a little extra kick (and because they’re kinda purty), but that’s totally optional. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, until cheese is golden and bubbly.

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Oh, yes, baby.

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You can also garnish yours with some Cotija cheese if you’d like. It adds a nice salty punch.

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Happy Taco (Casserole) Tuesday!

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Salsa Verde Chicken Tostada Casserole

1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced
1 lb. cooked chicken, chopped (I use rotisserie chicken)
3 tbs. taco seasoning (more or less to taste)
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1½ (16-oz.) jars salsa verde (we love Herdez brand)
Tostada shells (15-20) or taco shells (10-12)
8 oz. Monterrey jack cheese, shredded

Garnish (optional):
2 jalapeños, sliced
Avocado, sliced
Cilantro leaves
Cotija cheese crumbles
Sour cream
Lime wedges

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion until translucent (about 8 minutes), stirring occasionally.

Toss chicken in taco seasoning until well seasoned.

Pour a nice layer of salsa verde on the bottom of a large casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Crumble half of the tostada or taco shells into bite-sized pieces all over the salsa verde. Then, layer half of the chicken, beans, onions, and cheese. Repeat the layers again, ending with a healthy amount of cheese. Top with sliced jalapeño (optional). **

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees about 35-40 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

*If you don’t like a lot of heat, just replace the medium salsa verde with more mild salsa verde. You can also just pour a little chicken stock over the two layers as well to add some moisture.

**At this point, you can cover the casserole and place in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. Simply remove from the fridge while the oven preheats, remove the cover, and bake as above.

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