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!
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.
Welcome to Salsa Verde Chicken Tostada Casserole Heaven! Hello, Taco Tuesday!
Salsa Verde Casserole Prep
First, sauté a white onion in some extra-virgin olive oil until softened (about 8 minutes).
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.
Now, toss the chicken with some taco mix. Our favorite is always Trader Joe’s.
You just need about 3 tbs. of seasoning for the 1 lb. of chicken breast. Give it a good ole toss to combine.
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.
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.
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.
Just crumble about half of your tostadas (about 10) or taco shells (about 5) over the salsa verde.
Combine the sautéed onion, seasoned chicken, and pinto beans in a large bowl.
Sprinkle half of the chicken and bean mixture over the crushed tostada shells.
Then sprinkle on half of the Monterey Jack cheese.
Then repeat all of the layers, starting with more salsa verde and crushed tostada shells. BUT! Be sure to reserve some of the salsa verde, about 1/4 cup, for the very top layer.
Then sprinkle on the rest of the chicken and bean mixture.
Next sprinkle on the rest of the Monterey Jack cheese.
Then finally sprinkle on that remaining 1/4 cup of salsa verde.
Bake at 350 for 35 – 40 minutes, until the top is gold and bubbly. Allow to rest or 5 minutes, then serve! Top with your choice of garnishes and enjoy.
You could serve your casserole with some of these Easy, Healthy Vegetable Side Dishes.
Happy Taco (Casserole) Tuesday!
Salsa Verde Chicken Tostada Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 1 lb. cooked chicken chopped (I use a rotisserie chicken)
- 3 tbs. taco seasoning more or less to taste
- 2 (14.5-oz.) cans pinto beans drained and rinsed
- 2 (16-oz.) jars salsa verde (we love the mild Herdez brand)
- 20 Tostada shells or 12 taco shells
- 8 oz. Monterey jack cheese shredded
Instructions
- 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 (about ¾ the bottle) 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, starting with the salsa verde (but reserve about ¼ a cup for the very top) and ending with a healthy amount of cheese. Spread on the remaining ¼ cup of salsa verde on top.**
- Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees about 35-40 minutes until cheese is bubbly. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
- **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.
Notes
2 jalapeños, sliced
Avocado, sliced
Cilantro leaves
Cotija cheese crumbles
Sour cream
Lime wedges
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Pineapple House Rules makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.