This Mexican chicken casserole without canned soup builds its cream sauce right in the skillet. You still get everything you want from the classic: shredded chicken, black beans, corn, fire-roasted tomatoes, and layers of tortilla chips and melted cheese. The only thing missing is the can.
Most versions of this casserole use cream of chicken soup to hold it all together. One can carries over 2,000 milligrams of sodium, plus modified food starch and “flavoring” that could be anything. The scratch version is oil, flour, broth, and milk. It takes about five extra minutes, it happens in the same pan you’re already using, and you decide how much salt goes in.
It feeds eight people and reheats well. It’s also easier than it sounds.
Why This Casserole Works
- The sauce is a quick roux. Flour cooked in oil, then broth and milk. That’s the same base that’s in the can, without the fillers.
- It’s one pan for the filling. The onions, sauce, chicken, beans, and corn all cook in the same skillet.
- Fire-roasted tomatoes add smoke. Plain diced tomatoes can’t do that.
- The chips soften into the sauce. They turn into a tender, tortilla-like layer instead of staying crunchy.
- Two cheeses do two jobs. Cheddar brings the sharp flavor and Monterey Jack brings the melt.
The Ingredients That Matter
Buy blocks of cheese and shred them yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with anti-caking agents that keep it from melting smoothly. In a casserole with this much cheese, you’ll notice. Pepper Jack is the best swap for Monterey Jack if you want more heat. Colby Jack works too.
Use a good chicken broth. The sauce only has a few ingredients, so the broth is most of the flavor. If you’re out of broth, a spoonful of bouillon paste in hot water works.
Rotisserie chicken is plenty. One small bird gives you the 3 cups you need. Mix dark and white meat for the best texture. Leftover roast chicken works the same way.
Crush the chips by hand. Aim for pieces about the size of a quarter, not dust. Dust turns to paste in the sauce. Sturdy restaurant-style chips hold up best.
Don’t drain the tomatoes. The juice loosens the filling so the casserole doesn’t bake up dry.
If you want to see how the sauce works on its own, I break it down in my homemade cream of soup substitute post.
How to Make Mexican Chicken Casserole
Start the Sauce in the Skillet
Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 13 x 9-inch pan with butter.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until it’s soft and just turning golden at the edges. Stir in the jalapeño and garlic and cook for about 1 minute, until you can smell the garlic.
Now sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 to 2 minutes. You’re done when there are no dry streaks and it smells lightly toasty. That’s your roux, and cooking it keeps the sauce from tasting like raw flour.
Pour in the broth slowly while whisking, then whisk in the milk. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. It looks thin at first. That’s normal. It thickens as it simmers and again in the oven.
Finish the Filling
Add the chicken, black beans, corn, salt, chili powder, cumin, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until everything is warm and coated in the sauce. Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices.
Taste it now. Canned soup is very salty and this sauce isn’t, so you may want a pinch more salt. Your broth, canned goods, and chips all vary, so this is the step where you adjust.
Layer and Bake
Spread half the chicken mixture in the bottom of the pan. Top with half the chips, half the cheddar, and half the Monterey Jack. Repeat with the rest.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are bubbling and the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Top with cilantro, fresh tomatoes, avocado, and sliced jalapeño.
Tools I Used for This Recipe
- 12-inch stainless skillet: you need the room to build the sauce and hold all the filling in one pan. Tall sides help.
- Box grater: for shredding cheese from the block. Non-negotiable for a smooth melt.
- Whisk: gets lumps out as the broth and milk go in.
- 13 x 9-inch baking dish: this recipe fills it to the edges, so don’t go smaller.
Tips and Variations
- Mild version: Skip the jalapeño. Hotter version: Keep the seeds in and use Pepper Jack.
- Chicken swaps: Shredded pork or cooked ground turkey both work. Rotisserie chicken is still the easiest.
- Gluten-free: Skip the flour. Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch into the cold milk, pour the broth into the pan first, then stir in the milk mixture and simmer until thick. Check that your chips and chili powder are gluten-free.
- Make ahead: Assemble through the second layer, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add about 10 minutes to the bake time, and cover with foil if the top browns too fast.
- Clean squares: Let it rest 5 minutes out of the oven before cutting.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until hot in the center.
- Freezing: Wrap the baked, cooled casserole well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
What to Serve With This
A simple cabbage slaw with lime and cilantro cuts through the richness better than anything creamy. A bowl of sour cream and lime wedges on the table never hurts. If you’re making a Tex-Mex night of it, my creamy chicken tortilla soup uses a lot of the same flavors. And if the creamy-sauce-without-a-can idea clicked for you, try my chicken with creamy mushroom sauce or these creamy pork chops with mushrooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Mexican chicken casserole ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble it, cover it, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Add about 10 minutes to the bake time.
Can I freeze this casserole?
Yes. Freeze it baked and fully cooled, wrapped well, for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the fridge overnight, then reheat at 350°F until hot in the center.
Why is my casserole watery?
Usually the sauce didn’t simmer long enough, or the beans and corn weren’t drained well. Give the sauce the full 2 to 3 minutes until it coats a spoon, and drain the cans.
Can I use a different cheese?
Yes. Pepper Jack is the best swap if you want heat. Colby Jack works too. Whatever you use, shred it from a block.
How do I make this gluten-free?
Swap the flour for cornstarch as described in the tips above, and check that your chips and chili powder are gluten-free.
What can I use instead of chicken?
Shredded pork or cooked ground turkey. Keep the amount around 3 cups.
Mexican Chicken Casserole (No Canned Soup)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with butter.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until it is slightly tender and just turning golden at the edges.
- Add the jalapeño (if using) and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, until no dry streaks remain and the flour smells lightly toasty.
- Slowly pour in the broth while whisking constantly, then whisk in the milk.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Add the chicken, black beans, corn, salt, chili powder, cumin, and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until everything is warmed through and evenly coated in the sauce.
- Stir in the fire-roasted tomatoes with their juices, then taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Spread half of the chicken mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan, then top with half of the crushed chips, half of the cheddar, and half of the Monterey Jack.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken mixture, chips, cheddar, and Monterey Jack.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly at the edges and the cheese is melted and lightly golden.
- Top with cilantro, fresh tomatoes, avocado, and sliced jalapeño, and serve hot.
Notes
The cream sauce: Steps 4 to 6 are a quick homemade stand-in for a can of cream of chicken soup. It is the same butter, flour, broth, and milk base, built in the same pan so there is no extra pot to wash. The sauce looks thin at first and thickens as it simmers and again in the oven.
Salt: Canned soup is very salty, and this sauce is not. Taste before layering and adjust. Broth, canned goods, and chips all vary in saltiness.
Gluten-free: Skip the flour. Whisk 2 tablespoons cornstarch into the cold milk, pour the broth into the pan first, then stir in the milk mixture and simmer until thick. Check that your chips and chili powder are gluten-free.
Make-ahead: Assemble through step 10, cover, and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Add 10 minutes to the bake time and cover with foil if the top browns too fast.
Chicken: Leftover roast chicken or a rotisserie chicken both work. Use dark and white meat for the best texture.
Heat: Leave out the jalapeño for a mild casserole, or keep the seeds in for more kick.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven until hot in the center. The chips soften as it sits, which is expected.
Freezing: Wrap the baked and cooled casserole well and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Which topping goes on yours, avocado or a pile of sliced jalapeños? Tell me in the comments.
