This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Cheesy, filling, and full of savory goodness, this Mexican chicken casserole is so tasty you’ll want to eat it all week long. After a quick bake, this recipe comes together in minutes and is made with pantry staples, shredded chicken, and veggies your family will love.
I love anything Mexican, especially when I can make it at home. This chicken casserole recipe is packed with those bright, delicious flavors found in Mexican dishes and is so comforting and cheesy. Made with beans and cooked shredded chicken, this recipe is a keeper for your regular dinner rotation. It’s perfect with my Mexican street corn salad.
Recipe Overview
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Savory goodness: The mixture of melted cheese, soft-cooked rice, and flavorful veggies makes this recipe irresistible and satisfying.
- Easy and filling: Assemble and bake. It’s that easy.
- Family-friendly: Perfect for family dinners, busy weeknights, and picky-eater-approved.
- Flexible: Easily swap the ingredients depending on what you have on hand.
Ingredients needed
Below is a list of ingredients you will need to make this Mexican chicken casserole. Full measurements are listed in the recipe card below.
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Onions: I like to use sweet onions. You can use white or yellow as well.
- Bell pepper: Red is what I prefer, but you can use yellow, orange, or green.
- Garlic: Use fresh cloves if possible.
- Chicken: Rotisserie chicken is great, but you can use cooked leftover chicken if you have it.
- Beans: Kidney or black beans for extra protein.
- Corn: Canned, fresh, or frozen corn will work.
- Taco seasoning: Make your own homemade taco seasoning or use store-bought.
- Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
- Canned Crushed or diced Tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Rice: Cooked long grain. You can also try it with brown rice.
- Cheese: Shredded cheddar cheese. Freshly grated or store-bought.
- Optional: Freshly chopped cilantro and lime wedges. Highly recommended for extra flavor!
How to make Mexican chicken casserole
Preheat the oven to 350°F, and get your ingredients ready.
Step 1: In a large pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion, pepper, and garlic for 8 minutes over medium heat.
Step 2: Add the cooked chicken, beans, corn, and seasonings, then stir to combine.
Step 3: Pour the diced tomatoes and tomato paste onto the cooked chicken and vegetables.
Step 4: To assemble the dish, divide 1/3 of the chicken-bean mixture and spread it in a rectangular oven dish. Sprinkle half of the cooked rice, then repeat the layers, finishing off with a layer of meat topped with the shredded cheese.
Step 5: Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, until bubbly. Uncover, and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese on top is golden.
Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Recipe notes
- Swap the chicken for cooked ground beef or turkey if you’d like. If you do not want to use Rotisserie chicken, you can poach chicken at home.
- Add more beans for more protein. For a vegetarian option, swap the chicken with seared tofu, or keep it with just veggies by using another can of beans.
- For a lower-carb option, swap the rice with cauliflower rice.
Make ahead and storage
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Assemble this casserole a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to bake in the oven. Delicious and easy!
- Perfect for meal prep.
Frequently asked questions
Any cheese will work, such as Colby Jack, pepper Jack, or store-bought Mexican blend.
Absolutely! Fresh tomatoes would be delicious, too.
You can use frozen corn, just make sure it is fully thawed before cooking.
More casserole recipes
- Cheeseburger Casserole
- Healthy Broccoli Casserole
- Sloppy Joe Casserole
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Taco Casserole Recipe
- Cauliflower Rice and Chicken Casserole
- Chicken Parmesan Casserole
You may also like
- Creamy Enchilada Soup
- Mexican Chicken Bowl
- Shrimp Quesadilla Recipe
- Street Corn Recipe
- Easy Taco Dip Recipe
- Enchilada Pasta With Chicken
- Sweet Corn Soup (Mexican)
Thanks for stopping by. If you try a recipe and you like it, leave me some feedback in the comment section below, and don’t forget to rate it!
FOLLOW me on FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TWITTER for all of my latest blog posts and recipes.
Mexican Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, or avocado oil
- 2 sweet onions, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 4-6 garlic cloves, sliced
- 3 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
- 14.5 ounces kidney beans, or black beans; drained
- 14.5 ounces corn, drained
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning blend
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 3 cups long grain rice, cooked
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Optional
- cilantro, freshly chopped
- lime wedges, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large pan, heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté the 2 sweet onions (diced), 1 red bell pepper (diced), and 4-6 garlic cloves (minced) for 8 minutes, over medium heat.
- Add the 3 cups cooked chicken, 14.5 ounces kidney beans, 14.5 ounces corn, and seasonings (2 tablespoons taco seasoning blend Salt and pepper), and stir to combine.
- Add the 15 ounces diced tomatoes and ⅓ cup tomato paste.
- To assemble the dish, divide 1/3 of the chicken-bean mixture and spread it in a rectangular oven dish.
- Sprinkle half of the 3 cups long grain rice, then repeat the layers, finishing off with a layer of meat topped with the 1 cup cheddar cheese.
- Bake, covered, for 30 minutes, until bubbly. Uncover, and continue to bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese on top is golden.
- Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges, if desired.
Notes
-
- Swap the chicken for cooked ground beef or turkey if you’d like.
-
- Add more beans if you’d like more protein.
-
- Make this recipe vegetarian by omitting the chicken.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I just made this recipe. It’s SO good and comforting! I skipped the corn and added another can of beans. Only added 1 onion and added a little of remaining salsa I had. Only reason why it’s not a 5 star is because it seems a little dry after it came out of the oven- for my liking, but then again, I can add some fresh salsa, guacamole or sour cream to it. I would even say that this could be made in 1 pot and no need to layer the rice and Mexican mix into a casserole dish to bake. Just mix the cooked rice into the pot, stir, serve and top with cheese or other things. The dish also wouldn’t become a little drier after being in the oven. Definitely recommend.and is a new favorite.
Thanks for the feedback. Glad you loved it.
This was so good. We all loved it.
Glad you guys loved it.