How to Make Selena Gomez’s Favorite Childhood Casserole

In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I spent much of my time watching the new episodes of HBO Max’s Selena + Chef, learning new recipes alongside Selena Gomez, who was also learning to cook from top chefs around the world. 

I’ve made Chef Daniel Holzman’s chicken meatballs and homemade gnocchi, Ayesha Curry’s prosciutto-wrapped and gorgonzola-filled dates, and José Andrés’ pan con tomate with jamón ibérico — yet the main recipe that has stuck with me for the past five years came from Gomez’s Nana: the Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Chip Casserole. 

In a special segment of Selena + Chef, Gomez and Nana demo one of Gomez’s favorite childhood casseroles. “Usually I’m the one learning in the kitchen, but right now, I’m going to teach you all something,” said Gomez. “This recipe is one of my favorite childhood dishes, and Nana and I thought it would be fun to share it with you.” 

Gomez explains the casserole was a household staple growing up, especially on Friday nights or when friends came over. The appeal? Its recipe calls for just six inexpensive, easy-to-find ingredients: tortilla chips (specifically Doritos), plenty of Velveeta cheese, yellow onions, jalapeños, chicken broth, and rotisserie chicken. (Any shredded leftover chicken works too.) 

It’s simple comfort food, and even better—most of the ingredients might already be in your kitchen. 

How to make Selena Gomez’s favorite Cheesy Chicken Tortilla Chip Casserole

To make Nana’s casserole, start by heating your oven to 350°F and grab a baking dish. With the dish ready and all six ingredients gathered, start by finely crushing the Doritos tortilla chips to create a layer at the bottom of the casserole dish. (This recipe does not require precise measurements, allowing you to adjust each layer according to your taste — for instance, add more chicken for extra protein or increase the jalapeños for added spice.)

Begin with a base of crunched tortilla chips and top it with shredded rotisserie chicken as the second layer. After that, Gomez and Nana placed pickled jalapeños and diced onions over the chicken. Next, it’s time to layer Velveeta cheese over the onions and jalapeños. Gomez says the cheesiness of this casserole is her favorite part of the dish, so if you appreciate extra cheese like she does, don’t be shy during this step — there’s no shame in loving cheese.  

After adding the cheese, repeat all the previous steps and layers again, excluding the cheese for now. Start with another layer of crunched tortilla chips, followed by more shredded chicken, then top it with yellow onions and jalapeños. Nana notes that this recipe doesn’t require extra salt, as the rotisserie chicken and tortilla chips are already seasoned and salty. 

Next, Nana tells Gomez to add the chicken broth, which brings moisture and extra flavor to the casserole, ensuring that each layer binds together. Gomez pours some broth evenly over the casserole, but not excessively. After adding the chicken broth, Gomez adds the second and final layer of Velveeta cheese. This can serve as the final layer if you prefer the casserole to have a top layer of melted cheese once it's baked. 

The secret to an “authentic Selena-style” tortilla casserole

But Gomez likes this dish to be extra crunchy, so she adds more tortilla chips over the cheese. Gomez puts tons of chips on top, completely covering the cheese — similar to sprinkling breadcrumbs atop mac and cheese before baking. This way, you can still get extra bits of crunch for Selena’s approval atop the gooey, melted cheese. 

Finally, whether you try the “authentic Selena style” with the final layer or not, cover the baking dish with foil, send the casserole off to the oven, and bake for 20 minutes.