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
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– Max Lucado

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68 Comments

  1. That looks so good! I’ve never been very good at cooking in the microwave even though I do quite well with a regular stove. I should give this a try soon.

    I agree with you about the table cloth – love it! It brought back memories. That is exactly the same plaid I used to make the first slip cover I ever sewed. It was for a love seat and fit like upholstery, the plaids even matched up at the seams…and I had a 3 year old and a 6 year old at the time!!! I have no idea how I did that. The dear Lord apparently gave me a LOT of help when my children were little. And you are right about that too. Enjoy that time while you can because it will soon be only memories.

  2. Christy, I want to make this but am I seeing in your bowl that you have some refried beans or bean dip that is not listed in the ingredients? Need to get the ingredients so am waiting to hear back from you abou this. Thanks for all the recipes and I want to say that your wisdom is far beyond your years. Most people don’t realize how blessed they “WERE” until the kids are grown and gone or when our parents are gone. I lost my Mom when I was 15 are your words of wisdom are soooo true. So thanks for sharing. I hope you don’t mind, but I posted it on my FB page to share with my friends ..quoting you.

    1. Hi Sara, there are no beans or bean dip in this recipe. It is as the recipe is stated. I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying the recipes and I am so thankful to have you as part of the Southern Plate Family!! I don’t mind at all you using my quotes, I am just grateful when others see any wisdom at all in them. I hope you have a great day!!

  3. We made this the other day and it is really very good. The whole family liked it and it was so easy. My 5 yr old kept asking for the leftovers after they were gone!

  4. Thanks for posting this! We made it last night and loved it! I forgot to get cilantro so I left it out, and we actually ended up eating it kind of like a dip and scooping it with Fritos. It was really tasty, and I will definitely make it again but deliberately serve it as a dip because we liked it like that so much!

  5. Hi, this recipe looks yummy, however, can anyone tell me how to get the cooked chicken? I get all excited when I see a recipe labeled “microwave” but then my bubble is burst when I see something that there is a “pre” microwave step. (kinda like the crock pot recipes that claim “one pot” but call for ground beef – hello?!? that is NOT one pot) I live in a small NYC apt with a microwave, a small toaster oven, and a hot plate that I have to put on a cutting board that goes across the sink, so I do not love to use that hot plate, by any stretch of the imagination.
    So maybe I can get boneless, skinless chicken and microwave it?? That sounds possible but I’m unsure just how it works. Any suggestions? Thanks.

    1. Lorinda:

      I’m guessing you could use a can of cooked chicken if you didn’t want to go to the bother of cooking chicken. Personally, I buy a cooked rotisserie chicken, but if you live alone, that might be too much chicken for you at one time (although you could freeze it).

  6. I have had this on my mind since I saw it posted, gonna get the ingredients today to make it. I’m wondering if you could use ground beef instead of chicken? I always make a recipe just as it’s written the first time and then try my own swing on it so I’m already wondering!

  7. I LOVE that you posted a microwave recipe, please give us more! I live in a 19th century brownstone in NYC that does not have air conditioning so I am desperate for recipes that don’t heat up the whole house.

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