Crunchy Doritos Chicken Casserole

Do you like crunch? How about the flavor of Cool Ranch? And Alfredo Sauce. And tomatoes. Are these striking a cord with you? Great, then we’ve got a casserole that is right up your alley.

Let’s start with convenience. Pick up a whole rotisserie chicken or bag of shredded chicken on your way home one night. Both are convenient, although the rotisserie chicken will need to be stripped from the bones. Go ahead, nibble a little on that delicious deli chicken, just remember you need some for the casserole. You can always get your chicken early, and keep the meat refrigerated until your ready to make the casserole. If you want, put the shredded meat in a freezer bag and toss it on a shelf in the freezer. Just don’t forget to make the casserole! I don’t know about you, but sometimes I clear out the freezer only to discover the makings of something special shoved all the way in the back, buried under a million other forgotten things. You can also buy your chicken meat already shredded and bagged for you. Foster Farms makes an all-white meat bag that is exactly the amount you’ll be using in this casserole.

Casseroles are great for so many reasons. The casserole can be made well in advance, and kept in the freezer for those nights when cooking just isn’t in the cards. Casseroles are great for pot lucks. Casseroles are appreciated by worn-out care givers and new parents. Yeah, I love casseroles.

Did you know that the word “casserole” originally referred not to a dish, but to a pan that the dish was cooked in. Casserole comes from a French word meaning “sauce-pan”, a large, deep dish that was used to cook something in an oven or to serve food from the container it was cooked in.

In the late 19th century, the New World embraced casseroles, inspired by the dishes brought to America by immigrants form many different cultures. Casseroles were economical, communal and saw people through the difficulties of the depression as well as sacrifices made during two world wars. By the 1950s, home kitchens were smaller and the availability of light weight cookware coupled with the convenience of canned foods made the casserole a convenient way to refresh leftovers. Seizing upon this trend, companies such as Campbell Soup, began marketing ingredients and testing recipes designed for casseroles.

Casseroles are a delicious way of life with more than just leftovers in mind.

Crunchy Doritos Chicken Casserole
1 Bag (10 oz) Doritos Cool Ranch
1/4 cup Butter, melted
2 cups Colby-Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo Pasta Sauce
2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
4 cups shredded Chicken, cooked
1 can (10 oz) Fire Roasted Tomatoes, diced
Flat Leaf Parsley, for garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

Crush Doritos and place in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave. Drizzle the melted butter over the crushed chips and toss well to coat.

Spread 2 cups of the Doritos even in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with 1/2 cup of the cheese. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, stir Alfredo sauce with taco seasoning until well blended. Set aside.

If using Rotisserie or other cooked chicken, shred into “taco” meat. If using chicken that has already been shredded for you such as Foster Farms Shredded Breast Meat, add the entire bag to the Alfredo mixture.

Note: If the chicken is frozen, remember to thaw before using. 

Add the diced tomatoes with juices and 1/2 cup of cheese, stir until well mixed. Spoon chicken mixture over the layer of Doritos. Spread smooth with the back of the spoon.

Place casserole in the heated oven. Bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven, sprinkle with remaining Doritos and remaining 1 cup of cheese. Return to the oven and bake another 5 minutes or until hot and cheese topping has melted. While the cheese is melting, chop parsley for garnish, if desired. Remove casserole from the oven, garnish and serve.