Chicken Tortilla Casserole (Cooked in the Microwave)

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Ready to eat in 10 minutes and filled with delicious flavorings like taco seasoning, green chiles, sour cream, tender chicken, and tortillas, this Mexican-inspired microwave chicken tortilla casserole recipe is a must-make for friends and family.

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite summer supper recipes. This easy chicken tortilla casserole recipe blissfully avoids heating up your house as it uses a microwave. This always surprises people when they taste it. I think folks expect a microwave casserole to be tough and chewy, but you’ll find this one is cooked just right.

I came upon this recipe in one of those little check-out cookbooks right after Ricky and I got married. Every recipe in that cookbook was good and wouldn’t you know, I lost it within the year ~laughs at her own disorganization~. Fortunately, I had this one memorized because I had made it so much! My husband and I love it and it also reheats well.

This Mexican casserole is packed with flavor, thanks to the taco seasoning, cilantro, green chiles, and french fried onions. It’s also ready to go from start to finish in under 10 minutes. So when it comes to easy casserole recipes, I don’t think you’ll find an easier one anywhere.

Now let’s get cooking so we can get back to enjoying all of those sacred summer moments with our family!

Labeled ingredients for microwave chicken tortilla casserole.

Recipe Ingredients

  • Shredded cheddar cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Flour tortillas
  • Chopped green chilies
  • Taco seasoning
  • Shredded chicken
  • French fried onions
  • Fresh cilantro

How to Make Chicken Tortilla Casserole in the Microwave

Chop fresh cilantro.

Now let’s get started. This is SUPER easy and it’s gonna go fast so stay with me here :).

First, chop your fresh cilantro.

Add all ingredients to mixing bowl.

Then dump all of your ingredients into a large bowl.

Note: We’re saving half of the cheese and half of the onions for the topping.

Stir ingredients together.

Stir that all up until well combined – or close enough :).

It’s not like the world is gonna end if we don’t stir it just right.

Add one torn tortilla to bowl.

Now take one of your tortillas, tear it into small pieces, and add that to the bowl also.

Stir together once more.

Stir it up again.

Place other tortilla in microwave-safe bowl.

Place the other tortilla on the bottom of a microwave-safe pie plate.

Spoon mixture into tortilla.

Spoon your chicken mixture into it.

Microwave chicken tortilla casserole for 5 minutes.

Microwave for five minutes.

Top with remaining french fried onions.

Remove from microwave and top with remaining french fried onions…

Top casserole with remaining cheese.

and shredded cheese.

Return to the microwave for another minute or until cheese is melted.

Chicken tortilla casserole.

Enjoy a flavor-packed casserole for supper in a cool kitchen!

Slice of chicken tortilla casserole.

Storage

As mentioned, these casserole leftovers reheat really well. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Once again, reheat in the microwave.

Recipe Notes

  • I like to pick up a rotisserie chicken for a quick lunch on those crazy days. Usually, I can get one for the same price as an uncooked fryer so it’s like someone did the work for me. I just have some for lunch and save the rest for this casserole! Another great way to get chicken on the cheap is to buy leg quarters in ten-pound bags. I boil all of the leg quarters in a large stockpot, shred and bag the chicken, and then use the stock for chicken noodle soup or chicken stew.
  • In saying that, you can use any kind of cooked chicken in this casserole recipe, including shredded chicken breast. Just as long as it’s about 2 cups, you’ll be good to go.
  • While my chicken tortilla casserole tastes delicious on its own as a main dish, you can definitely add your favorite taco toppings on top. Like a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onion, chopped bell pepper, diced avocado or guacamole, salsa or salsa verde, pico de gallo or diced tomatoes, hot sauce, and lime juice.
  • Feel free to substitute the cheddar cheese for your favorite. Monterey Jack cheese or a Mexican cheese blend would be perfect!
  • While you can swap the tortillas for corn tortillas, you’ll need more to cover the base. They’re also crumblier, so be careful when serving.

Check out these other delicious chicken casserole recipes:

Tex Mex Chicken Casserole

Chicken Divan Casserole Recipe

Cheesy Chicken and Corn Casserole

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Rice Casserole

Chicken Noodle Casserole

Baked chicken tortilla casserole.

Microwave Chicken Tortilla Casserole

This microwave chicken tortilla casserole recipe is ready to eat in 10 minutes and is filled with delicious Mexican flavors like taco seasoning, green chiles, and sour cream.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: casserole, chicken, tortilla
Servings: 4
Calories: 359kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chicken give or take, just use however much you have
  • 8 ounces sour cream
  • 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided
  • 1 cup french fried onions divided
  • 4 ounces chopped green chilies
  • 1 packet taco seasoning
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 10-inch flour tortillas

Instructions

  • Place the chicken, sour cream, half of the cheese, half of the onions, the chopped green chilies, taco seasoning, and chopped cilantro in a large bowl. Stir well to combine. Tear one tortilla into small pieces and add to the bowl, stirring again until well incorporated.
    2 cups chicken, 8 ounces sour cream, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 1 cup french fried onions, 4 ounces chopped green chilies, 1 packet taco seasoning, 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, 2 10-inch flour tortillas
  • Line a microwave-safe pie plate with the remaining tortilla and spoon the casserole mixture into it. Place in the microwave for five minutes. Remove and top with the remaining onions and shredded cheese. Microwave for one minute more or until cheese is melted. Enjoy!
    2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 2 10-inch flour tortillas, 1 cup french fried onions

Notes

Note: Microwave ovens vary widely in temperature so you may need to alter the cooking time to suit your microwave. Since the chicken is fully cooked, there isn't a danger of undercooking this meal so you can just go with these guidelines and give or take a minute or so if you feel it needs it. 

Nutrition

Calories: 359kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

 

Next time a sunrise steals your breath or a meadow of flowers leaves you speechless, remain that way.

Say nothing, and listen as heaven whispers, “Do you like it? I did it just for you.”

– Max Lucado

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68 Comments

  1. I am looking forward to making this easy recipe, Christy. Thank you for putting on such comfort food and also quick and easy and delicious sounding recipes.

    Lord bless you, Christy!

    Linda

  2. Christy,

    I love reading your posts. My children are 16 & 14 and most of the time are halfway out the door. My daughter will be a senior in hs next year, and it is still hard to believe by next summer she’ll be getting ready to leave for college.

    As for this recipe, I love it! My son (14) does a lot of the cooking and the more he can do in the microwave, the happier he is. I’m sure he’ll love making this too. And you reminded me, I need to be on the watch for leg quarters to be on sale soon. I always cook them down and then shred & freeze the meat.Our cats like it that the bones become cat food too! Waste not, want not. 🙂

  3. Christy,

    My children are 32 and 29. I hate having an empty nest still to this day. I was a stay at home mom and we followed my Marine husband around the U.S. and Japan. It wasn’t until my husband retired that I went back to college and got my Bachelor’s degree in social work and I have just graduated with my Master’s degree in Gerontology.

    So, enjoy them while they are little because when they get older you will wish you still had these moments. As singer Trace Adkins’ song says, “You’re
    gonna miss this; you’re gonna want this back.”

    God bless,

    Pam

  4. This brought back a memory of when my daughter was little. Then, I would
    take a bath (not a shower). My daughter would bring in one of her little chairs and say “Can we talk?” Of course we could! She figured out pretty young what a captive audience was. Those were the days!

  5. Well we think of southern Plate as one stop shopping….all 4 of the kids love the food but my youngest (olivia age 9) loves to listen to you read! She gets excited cuz you sound like me and my family from back home in NC/SC we have moved a lot since my husband is in the Marine Corps and we have lived overseas a lot and now are in San diego where a southern accent is foreign LOL

    Anyway , we just appreciate you doing the cookbook, nice to finally see a book with recipes and ingredients that those of us living on a budget can fix and enjoy 🙂

  6. Christy, you never cease to amaze me! I’m probably old enough to be your grandmother, but you are so wise for your age and always give such good advice. It’s obvious you come from a family that has strong religious beliefs. I do, too, and when I observe nature, wild animals, all God’s creatures, I say, “Who says there is no God?” I liked today’s quote so much I did a Copy and Paste and sent it to my daughter. Going grocery shopping tomorrow and will fix your latest recipe this weekend; it sounds tasty. Good luck with all your new ventures!

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