First published September 7, 2012. Last updated April 24, 2025 for editorial improvements.
🎥 Video
This one’s a retro casserole dream straight outta a 1970s church cookbook and your childhood snack drawer. It’s creamy, cheesy, packed with Tex-Mex comfort, and starts with cooked chicken— use leftovers or a deli rotisserie if you’re fancy (or just tired). Toss in a bag of Fritos, bake for 30 minutes, and boom: dinner that tastes like nostalgia with a side of omg that was good. It’s weeknight easy, potluck perfect, and kid-approved—even if they weren’t raised on the Frito Bandito jingle like some of us (who still remember every word and aren’t ashamed to sing it in the kitchen).
🧾 Ingredient Notes
There are so many ways to change this easy casserole up! Change up the cheese and use pepper jack or colby. Try using the chili cheese Fritos - SO GOOD. Leftover Fritos? Make this easy Frito pie.
You could also use chicken thighs for a less expensive protein.
Be sure to read how to cook chicken for casseroles or use a rotisserie chicken and save time!
When I made this I started with chicken breast and cooked it in a crockpot with chicken broth, basil, and jalapeno. It's a great way to have cooked chicken on hand for those nights when you just don't have any time to cook.
The crockpot makes it really tender and the chicken soaks up whatever flavors that you add to it. Keep it simple so that you can use the chicken in more than one dish.
Save the broth after cooking - it is doubly infused with chicken flavor and makes a great soup base!
📖 Recipe
Frito Chicken Casserole Recipe
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- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- ½ cup bell pepper
- 15 ounces black beans
- 1 cup corn
- 7 ounces chiles
- 3 cups chicken breast, cooked and diced
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 10 ounces Rotel tomatoes, or other canned tomatoes with chiles
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- 9.25 ounces Fritos
- ¼ cup cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Grease a 8x11 inch baking dish (2 quart casserole) and set aside.
- Melt butter in a heavy skillet.
- Add the onion and bell peppers to the skillet and saute until onion is soft and starting to become transparent.
- Add the beans, corn, chiles, and chicken.
- Stir to combine.
- Add in the condensed cream of chicken soup, Rotel, and the cream cheese.
- Stir until the cream cheese is blended in smoothly.
- Stir in cilantro.
- Place ⅓ of the Fritos in the bottom of the greased baking dish.
- Top with half the chicken mixture.
- Top with ⅓ of the cheese.
- Add another layer of Fritos.
- Top with the remaining chicken mixture.
- Add a ⅓ of the cheese.
- Top with remaining Fritos.
- Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
- Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cheese melts and the casserole is heated through.
- Remove from the oven, sprinkle with a little more cilantro, and serve.
Notes
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- Save time by using rotisserie chicken or precooked chicken from the store.
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- Don't use pre-shredded cheese. It doesn't melt as well.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
🍽️ Serve with...
You really only need a salad with this or some chips and queso or salsa. A tres leches cake is delicious to finish off the meal.
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Missy Powell says
Tho was really good! I added a half packet of taco seasoning because some commented it needed more spices. Perfect!
Megan says
My family loved this. The hubby said he literally couldn’t stop putting it in his mouth. We will try it with some chili cheese Fritos in the future.
Martha Resar says
Delicious dinner and will definitely make it again!!
Brenda Schoffstall says
This was delicious!
Recipe doesn't state to use drained and rinse black beans. Also drained corn? I did both.
Marye says
drained and rinsed - yep. I need to fix it.
Pam says
It's a good starter recipe, but for it to work for my family, it really needed more spice. If I make it again, I would have to add some more spices and/or chili cheese Fritos. It was ok, but not our favorite.
Marye says
Everyone has different tastes. Adjusting is a given. 🙂
Ash says
This recipe is a staple for our family. Everyone loved it from our 22-month-old grandson to my 81-year-old Step-Dad. Everyone requested we have this on a weekly basis!
Marye says
That's great!
TPhelan says
Aye yi yi. I am the Frito Bandito. Gimme your munchies and I will be your friend!
One of my older sisters used to sing that to us before she’d punch you to get your munchies! 😂
This recipe is so good! I usually make a half batch because the hubs won’t eat it. He’s kinda twisted that way. Doesn’t like spice. Doesn’t like chicken. See? Twisted.
Marye says
This made me laugh!
Claire deLun says
Why is named Chicken Bacon Ranch when you don't use bacon anyways? Did we jut forget about the bacon? Still love it but just wondering.
Claire deLun says
Okay, I was the fluke...I was looking at the next recipe and then zi realized that what I made is the Frito Chicken casserole. sorry about that. But bth are still so delicious and so easy to make. Yummy tasty anyways.....
Judith Reynolds says
Took this to work and it was a big hit. I used 16 oz block medium cheddar cheese shredded. More Fritos were added when served and the extra crunch was perfect. Will make again and again. Thank you for your great recipes and my family and friends enjoy each and everyone..😀