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Cooked shredded chicken and corn bake in a cream cheese mixture under crushed tortilla chips and Monterey Jack. This version is a mixed casserole rather than whole chicken breasts under corn. Keep the topping separate until baking so the chips retain more texture.
Measure two cups of fully cooked shredded chicken. Rotisserie chicken is an option, but remove bones and skin as desired before measuring. Do not fold raw pieces into this short casserole method.
Ingredient amounts and preparation
- Set out: 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie preferred)
- Set out: 4 cups corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or drained canned)
- Set out: 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- Set out: 1 cup sour cream
- Set out: ½ cup mayonnaise; 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or Mexican blend)
- Set out: ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese (or feta as substitute)
- Set out: ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Set out: 2 tablespoons chili powder
- Set out: 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Set out: 1 teaspoon ground cumin; Juice of 1 lime
- Set out: Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Set out: 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
- Set out: ½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- Set out: Extra chopped fresh cilantro
- Set out: Lime wedges; Hot sauce
Cooking sequence and doneness
- Stage 1
- Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch dish.
- Stage 2
- Soften cream cheese and mix with sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder and cumin. Fold in cooked chicken, prepared drained corn, one cup Monterey Jack, half the Cotija and the filling’s cilantro.
- Stage 3
- Taste the cooked filling and season as needed.
- Stage 4
- Spread evenly in the dish and scatter the remaining Cotija. Combine crushed tortilla chips with the separate half cup of Monterey Jack.
- Stage 5
- Scatter that topping over the filling just before baking.
- Stage 6
- Bake about twenty-five to thirty minutes, continuing until the center reaches 165°F and covering loosely if the chips brown early. Rest briefly, then serve with the extra cilantro, lime wedges and optional hot sauce.
One cup of Monterey Jack goes into the filling and the separate half cup goes with the chip topping. Half the Cotija is mixed in and half is scattered over the filling. Set these portions aside before mixing so all the cheese is not accidentally used inside.
Should frozen corn be thawed?
Thaw and drain it, and follow any package instruction requiring cooking before use. Drain canned kernels well. A very cold or wet filling can need longer than the original twenty-five-to-thirty-minute oven estimate.
Break them into small pieces rather than a powder so some texture remains. Mix with the reserved half cup of Monterey Jack just before topping. Crumbs left on a moist filling in the refrigerator will soften before baking starts. Two tablespoons of chili powder is a substantial seasoning amount, and blends vary. Use a mild blended chili powder if that is the desired result, not two tablespoons of pure cayenne. Taste the cooked-chicken mixture before adding salt because the cheeses and chips are already salty.
What if the topping browns early?
Cover loosely while the middle reaches 165°F. The ready-to-eat chicken still needs thorough reheating in the assembled dish. Add fresh cilantro, lime and hot sauce after baking rather than burying the garnishes under the crumbs.
Refrigerate perishable leftovers promptly in shallow containers at 40°F or below; do not wait for a large hot batch to cool completely on the counter. University of Illinois Extension’s leftover guidance gives a three-to-four-day refrigerated window and 165°F for reheating foods served hot. Keep cold salads and toppings chilled, and follow shorter product-label limits where applicable.
Related recipe choices
For another complete recipe, see Baked Chicken Breasts with Creamy Chili-Lime Corn or Salsa Chicken Casserole with Black Beans and Corn. Each has its own ingredient quantities and cooking sequence; keep those measurements separate when choosing a meal. USDA’s temperature guidance specifies 165°F when reheating leftovers. Thermometer placement guidance explains checking the thick center rather than relying on surface color.
Common Questions About This Recipe
- Which chicken is used?
Measure two cups of fully cooked shredded chicken. Rotisserie chicken is an option, but remove bones and skin as desired before measuring.
- How are the cheeses divided?
One cup of Monterey Jack goes into the filling and the separate half cup goes with the chip topping. Half the Cotija is mixed in and half is scattered over the filling.
- Should frozen corn be thawed?
Thaw and drain it, and follow any package instruction requiring cooking before use. Drain canned kernels well.
- How fine should the chips be crushed?
Break them into small pieces rather than a powder so some texture remains. Mix with the reserved half cup of Monterey Jack just before topping.
- How spicy is the casserole?
Two tablespoons of chili powder is a substantial seasoning amount, and blends vary. Use a mild blended chili powder if that is the desired result, not two tablespoons of pure cayenne.
- What if the topping browns early?
Cover loosely while the middle reaches 165°F. The ready-to-eat chicken still needs thorough reheating in the assembled dish.