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Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla Casserole

Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla Casserole layers seasoned shredded chicken, tortillas, salsa, and melted cheeses into one easy Tex-Mex bake. It’s creamy from cream cheese and sour cream, then topped with bubbling Mexican cheese and cheddar.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
resting 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken filling
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 3 cup cooked shredded chicken
  • 1 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup chunky salsa
  • 1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies drained
Cheese layer
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Casserole assembly
  • 8 flour tortillas medium
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 green onions sliced
Optional toppings
  • 1 diced avocado
  • 1 jalapeño slices
  • 1 guacamole
  • 1 sour cream
  • 1 lime wedges

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
Cook the chicken mixture
  1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then sauté the diced onion for 4–5 minutes until softened. Keep stirring so the onion cooks evenly.
  2. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir continuously to prevent burning.
  3. Stir in the shredded chicken, taco seasoning, ground cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Cook until evenly combined.
  4. Add the chunky salsa and drained diced tomatoes with green chilies, then cook for 3–4 minutes until heated through. The mixture should look saucy and cohesive.
Make the cream cheese mixture
  1. In a bowl, mix the softened cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Fold in 1 cup of the shredded Mexican cheese blend until evenly distributed.
Assemble the casserole
  1. Place two flour tortillas in the baking dish, trimming as needed to cover the bottom. Press them lightly so they line the base.
  2. Spread one-third of the chicken mixture over the tortillas. Top with one-third of the cream cheese mixture and a sprinkle of the shredded cheddar cheese.
  3. Repeat the layers two more times using the remaining chicken mixture, cream cheese mixture, and cheddar. Finish with the remaining tortillas, the remaining shredded Mexican cheese blend, and the remaining shredded cheddar cheese.
Bake and rest
  1. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and lightly golden around the edges. If the top browns too quickly, tent lightly with foil.
  2. Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before slicing. This helps the layers set so they cut cleanly.
Garnish and serve
  1. Garnish with the chopped cilantro and sliced green onions. Serve with diced avocado, jalapeño slices, guacamole, sour cream, and lime wedges if desired.

Notes

For best slicing, rest the casserole the full 10 minutes so the cheese sets between layers. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through. Freezing is not recommended because tortillas can soften and cheese textures may change. For a lighter option, swap the flour tortillas for whole-wheat tortillas and use reduced-fat cheese blends (texture remains similar).