Mexican Chicken Casserole
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This Mexican chicken casserole is a go-to weeknight dinner recipe. Not only is it a delicious and complete meal, there’s very little prep work, and you only need one baking dish. As an added bonus, it’s gluten free!
The name of my dinner game is easy! When my life is hectic and busy, making casseroles is an easy way to feed my family. It’s why I love casseroles, where every part of the meal bakes up in one pan. The protein, starch, and veggies are layered inside of a baking dish, so clean up is super simple, too!
This a dump and cook casserole, meaning all of the ingredients bake together in one dish.
And, maybe this is just me, but I find it satisfying when I use a few simple ingredients to make a really delicious, kid-friendly meal. This salsa chicken recipe can be ready to serve in about 45 minutes total.
The rice and beans cook in salsa and broth, right under the lean chicken breasts. Then, just before it finishes baking, add a little more salsa and cheese. A few minutes later – voilà! Dinner is ready!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Absolutely perfect. My family loved it!
–Kate
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my most important mom tested cooking tips for making this Mexican chicken casserole! I’ve tested and cooked this countless times, to save you from a failed attempt.
- Reserve half of the salsa. Half of it will be layered in the casserole dish before any other ingredients, to help prevent food from sticking.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken breasts has reached 165°F (74°C), per USDA guidelines!
Instant download of our tips to cook the best chicken!
Ingredients for the Mexican Chicken Casserole
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- chicken: For the best results, use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs. For extra flavorful and tender chicken, use a Mexican chicken marinade, or chop or shred rotisserie chicken meat.
- rice: White rice cooks more quickly, and requires less cooking liquid than brown rice. To substitute brown rice for white, use an extra 1/2 cup of chicken broth.
- broth: Chicken or vegetable broth or stock may be used.
- beans: I use canned black beans, but really, any type of cooked beans will work. Kidney or pinto beans would be good choices to keep the casserole Mexican. You can even cook dry beans yourself.
- salsa: Use any spice level of homemade salsa or brand of store-bought salsa you like.
- cheese: Use either crumbled queso fresco, shredded white cheddar, or a Mexican blend of cheeses.
- taco seasoning: You can use homemade taco seasoning or your favorite store-bought mix.
Another great thing about this recipe is, it’s super customizable! Add extra vegetables by tossing a cup of diced onions, fresh or frozen diced bell peppers, carrots, corn, or kidney beans into the rice mixture.
How to Make the Mexican Chicken Casserole
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️
Prep work: While your oven preheats, rinse the rice and beans, and gather any other ingredients that you might want to include, like corn or other veggies.
- Add the oil, rinsed rice, beans, broth, and half of the salsa to your baking dish. If you’re adding any extra veggies, this is the time to do it! Give the rice mixture a quick stir, then lay the chicken breasts on top and sprinkle with the taco seasoning. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and very carefully peel back the foil. Pour the remaining salsa on top of the chicken, then top with the cheese. Cover the baking dish again and set the baking dish back in the oven.
The beautiful thing about this dish is that the chicken will be cooked through and the rice should be perfectly tender right around the time the cheese melts. All that’s left to do is sprinkle with a little cilantro and dig in!
Make it kid friendly: If your kids don’t like spicy foods, use mild salsa. If they don’t care for cilantro, you can use flat leaf parsley to garnish the casserole, or just leave the garnish off altogether.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storing: Cool the leftovers to room temperature, then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator to reheat and eat within 4 days.
- To reheat, place leftovers in a baking dish covered with a lid or foil. When you pull the leftovers from the fridge, if the chicken seems dry, you can add a bit of broth or water to the dish, too. Reheat in a preheated 350°F. oven for about 25 minutes, or until heated through.
Other Family Friendly Mexican-Inspired Meals
I'd love to hear about your experience making this recipe! Please leave a comment and rating below!
Mexican Chicken Casserole
Equipment
- 9 x 13-inch baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1½ cups uncooked white rice
- 1 cup salsa divided
- 2¼ cups chicken broth or stock
- 15 ounces black beans about 1.5 cups cooked
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- 1 tablespoon minced cilantro or flat leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Video
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Place the chicken breasts on a sturdy work surface and cover with plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the chicken breasts to a uniform thickness. Rinse the rice and canned black beans in a fine mesh strainer under cold water until the water runs clear.
- Add the oil, rice, beans, broth, and half of the salsa to a shallow baking dish. Stir to combine. Lay the chicken breasts on top of the rice mixture, then sprinkle taco seasoning over the chicken.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and cook in preheated oven for 35 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully peel back the foil. Pour the remaining half of the salsa on top of the chicken, then sprinkle cheese over the entire casserole.
- Cover the baking dish with foil and return to the oven to cook for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully peel back the foil. Test the internal temperature of the chicken has reached 165°F (74°C).
- Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top of the casserole. Plate the chicken breasts, then use a fork to gently fluff the rice before plating. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the internal temperature of the chicken breasts has reached 165°F (74°C), per USDA guidelines!
- To store leftovers: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container or zip top bag. Store in the refrigerator and eat within 3-4 days.
- To freeze: The cooked and cooled casserole may be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator completely before reheating in a covered baking dish at 360°F. for 25-30 minutes.
- If you have an allergy or sensitivity to gluten, be sure to check every ingredient for official Gluten Free certification.
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this Mexican chicken casserole with things like air fryer tortilla chips, sour cream, and corn salsa.
You can also wrap everything burrito-style, inside of tortillas or lettuce wraps. Depending on your preferences, you might even serve it with a vibrant Mexican cocktail like Cantaritos.
Other Easy Chicken Recipes
Need some new chicken dinner ideas? Here are some favorites that you may want to try!
- Marry Me Chicken: It's so good that you may get marriage proposals! 😉
- Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Ranch Chicken
Absolutely perfect. My family loved it!
Hi Kate! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing! -Laura
Hate to give this one star while it is still cooking, but we are over 30 minutes extra into cooking this dish and it still isn’t finished. The chicken was completely raw inside when I took it out of the oven when it was supposed to be finished, so I’ve been cooking it in ten minutes increments hoping it’ll be finished relatively soon.
Hi Kelli, 70 minutes in the oven is way longer than boneless chicken breasts should ever take… if your chicken was still raw after 30+ minutes, something is definitely wrong. I’m wondering, was your oven pre-heated when you added the dish to the oven? -Laura
I am not sure if I did something wrong, but this recipe did not turn out for me. I followed it exactly as written, but the chicken was super undercooked and the rice was bland and kinda sticky. I think it needs to be made with chicken tenders and it needs a lot more seasoning. I do love many of your recipes, but this one just didn’t work for us.
Hi Angie, I’m sorry to hear you weren’t thrilled with this recipe. Mushy rice usually means there was too much liquid, so that could’ve been it. This recipe is written to be under-seasoned on purpose because many taco seasonings and salsas contain various amounts of salt and spice and I wouldn’t want anyone having ultra salty food… it’s possible that was part of it too. Keep me posted if you try it again down the road, and thank you for the kind words about my other recipes. 🙂 -Laura
How much rice?