This delicious Mexican chicken casserole is a hearty recipe that combines shredded chicken, rice, beans, corn, diced tomatoes everyday spices all baked to cheesy perfection. It’s an easy, one-dish meal that has become one of my family’s favorite recipes.
Be sure to try these other Mexican chicken recipes too! These creamy chicken enchiladas are so wonderful, this low-carb mexican zucchini chicken skillet is so quick to make, and air fryer chicken fajitas are always a big hit!
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Best Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole
This cheesy casserole is wonderful comfort food loaded with Mexican flavor. It’s so easy to whip up with a rotisserie chicken or leftover shredded chicken for a quick and easy dinner any night of the week. It is also a perfect recipe to use chicken cooked in the crockpot and frozen in individual servings.
We love topping this Mexican chicken casserole with favorite toppings like sour cream, cilantro, avocado or guacamole, salsa and even crushed tortilla chips or Doritos.
Ingredients Needed:
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe. Scroll down to the full recipe card below for individual amounts.
- Olive Oil – Used for sautéing. Use vegetable or canola if you’d like.
- Onion and Red Bell Pepper – Use any onions you’d prefer and any color bell peppers
- Garlic – Fresh is best in my opinion but use jarred minced garlic or even ½ teaspoon of garlic powder if that’s all you have.
- Shredded Chicken – I love using rotisserie chicken or canned chicken for quick prep. But you can also boil or bake chicken breasts or chicken thighs for 30 minutes on 35° F or use leftover chicken too.
- Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes – I love the flavor these have. But you can use a can of regular diced tomatoes too.
- Black Beans – I used canned beans.
- Corn – Canned, frozen or fresh off the cob if you have it.
- Cream of Chicken Soup – You can swap this for cream of mushroom.
- Cooked Rice – I used white rice but you can use brown as well. Just allow more time to cook it since it takes a longer.
- Cumin, Chili Powder, Paprika, Salt, Black Pepper – Favorite seasonings in Mexican recipes. You can substitute the spices for a tablespoon of this homemade taco seasoning.
- Monterey Jack Cheese – Shredded off a block for the best gooey melted cheese.
- Optional Toppings – Sour cream, cilantro, avocado, salsa, nacho cheese, tortilla chips, etc.
Variations/Substitutions:
- Swap the Monterey Jack for pepper jack, cheddar cheese, a little cream cheese or a mixture of cheeses. Feel free to add extra cheese if you’d like.
- Use pinto beans if you prefer.
- Substitute fire roasted tomatoes with canned Rotel tomatoes for a spicier version.
- Add sliced jalapeños or diced green chile too.
- Use a Mexican rice or saffron rice if you’d like.
How to Make Mexican Chicken Casserole
Step 1 – If not using rotisserie or leftover chicken, boil or bake chicken breast at 350° F for 30 minutes or until no longer pink. Then shred after cooking.
Step 2 – Cook rice per package directions while cooking chicken.
Step 3 – Preheat your oven to 350° F and spray a 9×9″ or 9×13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 4 – In a large skillet, sauté diced onion and bell peppers in the olive oil until softened.
Step 5 – Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
Step 4 – Mix in the cooked chicken, tomatoes, beans, corn, soup, rice, and spices, and stir well.
Step 5 – Transfer the chicken mixture to the casserole dish, top with cheese, and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Top with your favorite toppings!
Tips:
- Shred the cheese off of a block for the best melting. Pre-shredded bags contain an anti-caking agent that doesn’t melt quite as well.
- For easy shredding, add the chicken to a food processor and pulse a few times.
How to Store Leftovers?
After the cooling completely, store this Mexican casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave when ready to enjoy.
Can I make this casserole ahead of time?
Absolutely! Assemble the casserole, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking.
You can also freeze this casserole for later. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight until ready to bake and then cook as directed. Remember if going from refrigerator to oven, always place the cold dish in the oven and then turn it on so the dish doesn’t crack.
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Mexican Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups cooked chicken shredded, approx. 1 pound raw
- 15.5 ounces black beans rinsed and drained, 1 can
- 15.5 ounces corn drained, 1 can
- 15 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes 1 can
- 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup 1 can
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups Monterey jack cheese shredded, divided
- Any favorite taco toppings: cilantro avocado, sour cream diced tomatoes tortilla chips, etc.
Instructions
- Boil or bake chicken breast at 350° F for 30 minutes or until no longer pink. Then shred after cooking.
- Cook rice per package directions while cooking chicken.
- Preheat oven to 350° F and spray a 9×9″ or 9×13″ baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a dutch oven or large pot, add the olive oil, diced red bell pepper and onion and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the onion is tender and translucent. Then add in the minced garlic and cook for one minute.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 red bell pepper, 1 medium onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Add in the cooked, shredded chicken, tomatoes, black beans, corn, cream of chicken soup, rice, cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper to the pot and stir to combine well.2 cups cooked chicken, 15.5 ounces black beans, 15.5 ounces corn, 15 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes, 10.5 ounces cream of chicken soup, 1 cup cooked rice, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Pour the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top with the shredded cheese.2 cups Monterey jack cheese
- Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese has melted.Any favorite taco toppings: cilantro
Notes
Nutrition
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