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Mexican Chicken Casserole Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 330 reviews

This hearty Mexican Chicken Casserole combines tender chicken, rice, black beans, corn, and salsa, topped with melted cheddar cheese. It’s an easy one-dish meal perfect for weeknight dinners, offering a flavorful and comforting taste of Mexican-inspired cuisine.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1.5 lbs chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 1 cup black beans, cooked, rinsed, and drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn, defrosted
  • 16 oz jarred salsa
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the casserole evenly.
  2. Prepare Rice Mixture: In a large 12×9 inch casserole dish, combine the uncooked long grain white rice, minced garlic, chopped onion, and chicken broth. Stir these ingredients until they are well mixed to create a flavorful base for the casserole.
  3. Add Chicken and Vegetables: Layer the casserole with cubed chicken breasts, black beans, defrosted corn, jarred salsa, chili powder, and paprika. Gently arrange these ingredients on top of the rice mixture, making sure to keep the rice mostly at the bottom and covered for proper cooking.
  4. Top with Cheese: Evenly sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the layered ingredients. This will create a delicious, melty cheese topping once baked.
  5. Cover and Bake: Cover the casserole dish with a lid or aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. This allows the rice to cook through and the chicken to become tender.
  6. Bake Uncovered: Remove the cover and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes or until the cheese has fully melted and is bubbly, giving the casserole a perfect golden finish.

Notes

  • Make sure the casserole dish is tightly covered during the first 45 minutes to allow proper steaming and cooking of the rice and chicken.
  • If using raw black beans, ensure they are thoroughly cooked before adding to the casserole.
  • For added spice, consider adding jalapeños or hot sauce to the salsa layer.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven for best results.
  • To make it gluten-free, confirm that your salsa and chicken broth are gluten-free.

Keywords: Mexican Chicken Casserole, Chicken and Rice Bake, One Dish Mexican Dinner, Cheesy Chicken Casserole, Easy Mexican Casserole

Find it online: https://yumwithmia.com/mexican-chicken-casserole-recipe/