Doritos Chicken Casserole

Doritos Chicken Casserole is cheesy, spicy, and packed with flavor. It’s made with chicken thighs, onions, soup, cream cheese, tomato sauce, cheese, corn, and crushed chips. This easy dish can be made on busy weeknights or to bring to the next potluck party. Everyone will love this creamy, layered casserole!

Jump to:

• What is Doritos Chicken Casserole? 
• Ingredients: 
• Video Recipe
• How to make Doritos chicken casserole : 
• Tips for success: 
• What other kinds of chips can I use on top of this casserole?  
• What other meats can I make this casserole with? 
• Can I make this Doritos Chicken Casserole in a crockpot?   
• How to store:
• FAQs:
• Doritos Chicken Casserole

What is Doritos Chicken Casserole? 

This casserole recipe is similar to a taco salad but much thicker and filling. You won’t need any sides to make this dish into a meal. The nacho chips add a crunchy texture and a cheesy flavor that everyone will recognize and love. It might seem like there are a lot of ingredients in this dish, but each one adds balance and packs this casserole with flavor. You won’t be able to get enough!

Ingredients: 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil: You can use any neutral oil for sautéeing the onions and garlic. Try avocado, canola, safflower, or sunflower oil. 
• 1 small white onion, chopped: White onions are sharp and hold up well to baked dishes. 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced: This comes to about 2 tablespoons worth of minced garlic. 
• 6 chicken thighs, cooked, shredded: Chicken thighs are juicy and have excellent flavor.  
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika: Spicy chili flakes and smoked paprika give this dish a punch. 
• 2⁄3 cup cream of chicken soup: Canned soup works well to make casseroles creamy. 
• 1 cup cream cheese: Eight ounces of softened cream cheese makes this dish even creamier. 
• 1 cup tomato sauce: Any brand of canned tomato sauce will work well in this recipe. 
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded: You can buy pre-shredded cheese or a block and shred it yourself. 
• 1⁄2 cup corn: Sweet corn kernels work best for this dish. 
• 1 cup crushed Doritos for topping: Crush the Doritos in a food processor or in a zip top bag with a mallet or rolling pin.

Video Recipe

How to make Doritos chicken casserole : 

Here’s a brief overview of how to make this dish. See the recipe card below for the specific recipe instructions. 

1. Preheat the oven. 

2. In a medium pan, heat olive oil and saute onions for 2-3 minutes.

3. Add garlic.

4. Add corn.

5. Mix in shredded chicken.

6. Stir it all together.

7. Season chicken and corn with paprika, chili flakes, salt, and pepper.

8. Combine everything with tomato sauce, soup, and cream cheese and mix until it melts in.

9. Stir the sauces into the chicken mixture.

10. Spread the mixture evenly in a baking pan, top with cheese, and crushed Doritos.

7. Bake at 180C/350F for 25-30 minutes.

Tips for success: 

Here are a few tips for success and variations you can try to make this the best Doritos chicken casserole you've ever had.

• Instead of using tomato sauce, try using Rotel salsa.  
• To make this dish even creamier, use Velveeta instead of the cheddar cheese.  
• To give this dish even more Mexican flavors, add some chili powder, and cumin with the other seasonings. 

What other kinds of chips can I use on top of this casserole?  

Try using different chips for a change-up of this dish. Some options include Cool Ranch, tortilla, potato, and variations of these. The sky (or chip aisle) is the limit! 

What other meats can I make this casserole with? 

If you don’t have chicken thighs or want to make this dish with a different kind of meat, try chicken breasts, ground beef, sausage, ground turkey, or rotisserie chicken. You can even leave out the meat altogether and make this casserole vegetarian.  

Can I make this Doritos Chicken Casserole in a crockpot?   

Yes, you can make this dish in a slow cooker. You may want to free up oven space or want to smell the delicious slow-cooked flavors of this casserole all day long. Either way, you can follow the directions through number five and then pour the mixture into the greased crock pot bowl. Place the lid on and cook on high for three to four hours.

How to store:

Store any leftover casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Reheat it in the microwave with 30-second increments until it’s hot all the way through. 

To freeze the entire casserole, wrap it in aluminum foil and then plastic wrap. Label it with what it is, how to cook, and the date. This will help you remember later. Remember that if you cook it from frozen, without thawing first, it will take longer to cook in the oven. Keep the foil on until the last 30 minutes of cooking so the top can brown.

FAQs: