White Chicken Tortilla Mexican Lasagna

Mexican White Chicken Tortilla Lasagna has all your favorite flavors but in a cheesy layer of large floured tortillas. This spicy dinner dish is perfect for Taco Tuesday or game day potluck. Big bites and even bigger flavor make this dish a winner!

Serve with Skillet Mexican Street Corn or Grilled Corn on the Cobb Street Corn and Limoncello Margarita.

If you’re in the mood for Tex-Mex flavors, be sure to also check out our Dutch Oven Taco Chili and Dutch Oven Carnitas! With Taco Tuesday on the menu, your meal planning just got easier – and tastier!

Tortilla Lasagna with chicken

Chicken breasts are baked in the Dutch oven while absorbing the rich, spicy flavors of chili, cumin, smoked paprika, and salsa verde. Cooked until fall-apart-tender, with minimal assembly required, this is an easy dinner to start in the oven earlier in the day and assemble just before dinner for final baking.

How to make Mexican lasagna with tortillas

Much like its Italian counterpart, the secret to Mexican lasagna is in the cheese and “noodles.” We are not using noodles here, but we are using a few extra flour burrito tortillas we had from last night’s enchiladas.

Step 1: Bake the salsa verde chicken filling. Add your spices, salsa verde, and chicken breasts to a Dutch oven and bake until the chicken is fall-apart tender, about 20 minutes. If you’re in a hurry, use an Instant Pot with an additional half-cup of water on high for 10 minutes. Do a quick release and shred.

Step 2: Shred the chicken and assemble the lasagna. Shred the chicken with forks, place it back in the Dutch oven with the liquid, and stir. The chicken will absorb the liquid and flavor in the pot. Start assembling the lasagna in your skillet. Assemble in this order: 1 tortilla, 1/3 cup Crème fraîche, 1/2 of the chicken mixture, 1/4 cup Queso Fresco. Repeat one more time. Top with the remaining tortilla, Crème fraîche and Queso Fresco.

Your new favorite skillet!

Step 3: Bake and serve. The final step is to bake the lasagna in the skillet for about 10 minutes. This gives the cream and cheese products time to melt, act as a binder within the lasagna, and form a nice browning on top. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and lime juice. Cut into pie slices and serve.

Ingredients and Variations for this Mexican Chicken Lasagna

What is salsa verde?

Salsa verde is a green salsa made from tomatillos, jalapenos, onions, and cilantro. It’s bright and fresh-tasting and complements any Mexican or Tex-Mex dish.

It’s used in enchiladas, soups, and even as a dip for chips. If you are out and have to get dinner on the table, substituting traditional salsa will work. Next time you’re at the grocery store, pick up a couple of jars of salsa verde to keep in the pantry. You won’t regret it.

Also, try my Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde recipe.

Equipment

• 4.5-5 quart Dutch oven
• 12-inch skillet
• Cutting Board
• meat claws or 2 forks
• chef’s knife
• liquid measuring cups
• measuring cups and spoons

Can I substitute corn tortillas for flour in Mexican lasagna?

The trick here is to get tortillas large enough to fill your skillet with the filling. Whether they are corn or flour doesn’t matter. Use what you have. If you only have smaller-sized tortillas on hand, be sure to layer them and fit them together in a jigsaw fashion with a bit of overlap.

Can I substitute sour cream for Crème fraîche?

You can. While Crème fraîche (get it here) has a taste and texture of its own, it can sometimes be hard to find in the grocery store. If you cannot find it, you can use sour cream with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice to bring out the tang.

Quick Tips for the Best Mexican White Chicken Tortilla Lasagna

• Make large batches of the chicken filling in your Dutch oven or in an Instant Pot. Having this filling on hand will make chicken enchiladas, this Mexican lasagna, and green chicken chili much quicker to whip up on a long weeknight.
• Be sure to get tortillas that fit your skillet. Burrito-sized tortillas are about 10-12 inches in diameter and work well with a 12-inch skillet. If you only have 8-inch tortillas, consider making this in your 10-inch skillet or directly into a Dutch oven lined with parchment paper for easy removal and cutting.
• Allow the lasagna to rest for about 5 minutes before cutting. This will help it cut more easily and not fall apart.

Leftover and Storage of Tortilla lasagna

Can you make Mexican White Chicken Tortilla Lasagna ahead of time?

Yes, you can do this in two ways.

1. You can make the chicken filling and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days until you’re ready to assemble and finish cooking the dish.
2. You can also assemble the lasagna completely without doing the final bake. Wrap it in aluminum foil and set it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, remove the aluminum foil and place it back into your skillet. Bake as directed, with an additional 10 minutes to ensure it is warm all the way through. Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil to keep the cheese from over-browning.

How to store leftovers

As said above, you can wrap it in aluminum foil or store it in an airtight container. It is best enjoyed within 3 days. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, and enjoy within 2 months.

More recipes you’ll enjoy

• Smothered Pork Chops
• Classic Turkey Lasagna Recipe
• CHICKEN POT PIE LASAGNA SOUP RECIPE
• Marry Me Chicken Meatballs
• Lighter Salsa Verde Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Mango Salsa
• SPINACH ARTICHOKE FETA LASAGNA
• Slow Cooker Tomato Meat Sauce

Other Dutch Oven dishes you’ll love

• Dutch Oven Fresh Peach Cobbler
• No-knead Dutch Oven Bread
• Dutch Oven Spiral Ham with Homemade Ham Glaze