Description
This flavorful Chicken Taco Casserole is a delicious one-dish meal combining tender seasoned chicken, rice, black beans, vegetables, and melty Mexican cheese, baked to perfection. It’s an easy-to-make casserole perfect for weeknight dinners, topped with fresh garnishes like Greek yogurt, avocado, and tortilla strips for a satisfying Tex-Mex feast.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 pound boneless chicken tenders or strips
- 1/4 cup taco seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
Vegetables and Grains
- 1 cup dry rice
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, chopped
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 1 can (10 ounce) Rotel tomatoes (diced tomatoes and green chilies)
- 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
Cheese and Toppings
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
- Plain Greek yogurt, for serving
- Shredded lettuce, green onions, or cilantro, for garnish
- Cubed or sliced avocado, for garnish
- Tortilla strips, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Chicken: Preheat your oven to 450°F. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, toss the chicken pieces with the taco seasoning, olive oil, and salted butter ensuring each piece is well coated.
- Bake Chicken: Bake the chicken uncovered for 15 minutes until fully cooked through. Then reduce the oven temperature to 400°F to prepare for the casserole assembly.
- Shred Chicken: Remove the dish from the oven. Using two forks, shred the chicken directly in the baking dish for easy mixing.
- Add Casserole Ingredients: Add the dry rice, chopped onions, chopped poblano peppers, corn, Rotel tomatoes (with juices), and black beans to the dish with the shredded chicken. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water and stir everything together evenly.
- Top and Bake: Sprinkle the shredded Mexican cheese evenly over the top. Cover the dish with a lid or foil and bake at 400°F for 25 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes to brown the cheese and finish cooking the rice.
- Check Rice and Finish Baking: If the rice is still hard after this time, add another 1/3 cup of water and bake for an additional 10 minutes until the rice is tender.
- Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and serve topped with your preferred garnishes such as plain Greek yogurt, shredded lettuce or green onions, cilantro, diced avocado, and crunchy tortilla strips for texture and freshness. Enjoy your hearty, comforting chicken taco casserole!
Notes
- You can substitute any type of rice you prefer but cooking times may vary slightly.
- Rotel tomatoes add a nice mild heat, but you can use regular diced tomatoes if you prefer less spice.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a squeeze of lime juice or hot sauce when serving.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheat nicely in the oven or microwave.
- Using fresh poblano peppers adds a smoky flavor, but poblanos can be swapped with mild green bell peppers if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Keywords: chicken taco casserole, baked chicken casserole, Mexican casserole, one-dish meal, easy dinner
