Description
A one-dish, crowd-pleasing Tex-Mex bake: shredded chicken in a creamy sauce layered with crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos and topped with melted cheddar cheese. Ready in ~40 minutes and perfect for busy weeknights or potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup sour cream – adds creaminess and tang
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese – melts into a rich, gooey topping
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning – gives the Tex-Mex flavor backbone
- 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded – hearty protein base
- 1 bag (10 oz) Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed slightly – crunchy base layer & fun topping
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup – thickens and enriches the sauce
- 1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes with green chilies, undrained – adds moisture, acidity and mild heat
- ½ teaspoon onion powder – subtle depth of flavor
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder – adds savory background
- Fresh cilantro for garnish (optional) – bright herbal finish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, undrained Rotel tomatoes, sour cream, taco seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix until smooth and well-blended.
- Stir in the shredded cooked chicken until evenly coated with the sauce mixture.
- In the greased baking dish, spread half of the crushed Nacho Cheese Doritos to form the first layer.
- Pour and spread the chicken mixture evenly over the Doritos layer.
- Top with the remaining crushed Doritos, then sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly on top.
- Bake uncovered for 25–30 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the edges are lightly golden. (If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil during final minutes.)
- Remove from the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes, garnish with fresh cilantro if desired, and serve hot.
Notes
- Don’t over-crush the Doritos—keep some texture so you still get nice crunch.
- If your shredded chicken is cold from the fridge, let it sit a minute to warm so the sauce mixes better.
- Want a firmer casserole? Drain the Rotel slightly. Prefer it saucier? Use it undrained.
- Use freshly shredded cheddar for better melt and flavor compared to pre-shredded cheese.
- Letting the casserole rest for 5 minutes after baking helps it set and slice cleaner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish / Casserole
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex / American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of casserole
- Calories: 455 kcal
- Sugar: approx. 4 g
- Sodium: approx. 760 mg
- Fat: approx. 25 g
- Saturated Fat: approx. 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: approx. 9 g
- Trans Fat: approx. 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: approx. 32 g
- Fiber: approx. 2 g
- Protein: approx. 28 g
- Cholesterol: approx. 85 mg