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Mix and Bake Chicken Taco Casserole. Our new weeknight staple! Chicken seasoned with taco spices, baked, and shredded. Then everything goes right into the pan โ dry rice, onions, peppers, corn, a can of tomatoes, and beans. Cheese on top and bake until bubbling. No need to cook the rice separately. Just mix, bake, eat, and finish with all your favorite taco toppings. Itโs so simple and so delicious.
I always get excited to share these mix-and-bake recipes. Theyโre perfect for nights when you just want to toss everything together, bake, and forget about it until dinner. Zero fuss, maximum comfort.
When I had the idea for a taco casserole, I knew my family would love it, we all love tacos! And after making this a few times now, weโve all agreed itโs best with shredded chicken and rice. So flavorful, so cozy.
Even my brother Kai got in on it. He made this the other night for game night and said it was the perfect dish. He swapped the beans for extra bell peppers and topped it with spicy cheddar and pepper jack โ he loved it. Kai is a casserole guy through and through (chicken noodle is still his favorite #1)!
The Quick Details
Ingredientsย
- boneless chicken tenders or strips
- taco seasoning
- olive oil
- salted butter
- dry rice
- a yellow onion
- poblano peppers
- fresh or frozen corn โ I use fresh summer corn when available
- Rotel tomatoes
- black beans
- mixed Mexican cheeses โ I love a cheddar, colby jack, and pepper jack blend
Ingredients โ for toppingย
- plain Greek yogurt โ sour cream is good too
- shredded lettuce
- bcilantro and green onions
- cubed or sliced avocado
- lime zest and lime juice
- tortilla strips
Special Tools
Youโll need a large oven-safe casserole dish with a lid. No lid? Foil works too!
Steps
Step 1: Season and cook the chicken
In a casserole dish, toss the chicken with taco seasoning, olive oil, and butter. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Shred the chicken right in the dish using two forks. It should pull apart easily โ shred into bigger or smaller pieces depending on what you like best.
Step 2: Add everything else
Stir in the dry rice, onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes, and beans โ everything except the cheese. Pour over water to help the rice cook as the casserole bakes.
Step 3: Add cheese and bake
Sprinkle cheese over the top, then cover and bake for 20โ25 minutes, until the rice is tender. Uncover and bake a few more minutes until the cheese is bubbling and just turning golden. The rice will finish cooking and the edges will get a little crispy โ so delish!
Top it and serve
Finish with shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, sliced avocado, lime zest and juice, and green onions. Add a pinch of flaked sea salt for extra flavor.
Serve with tortilla strips or chips for crunch. Yum!
Looking for other easy chicken and rice dinners? Here are my favorites:ย
One Pan Lemon Pepper Yogurt Chicken and Rice
One Skillet Louisiana Style Chicken and Rice
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake
Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Rice Pilaf
Spicy Sesame Chicken and Ginger Rice
One Pan Chipotle Honey Chicken and Rice
Lastly, if you make this Mix and Bake Chicken Taco Casserole, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, donโt forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Mix and Bake Chicken Taco Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken tenders/strips
- 1/4 cup taco seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cups dry rice
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, chopped
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 1 can (10 ounce) Rotel tomatoes
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450ยฐF.2. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, toss the chicken with taco seasoning, olive oil, and butter. Bake 15 minutes, until fully cooked. Reduce the oven to 400ยฐF.3. Shred the chicken in the casserole dish using 2 forks. 4. Add the rice, onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes, and black beans. Pour over 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix it up. Top with cheese. Cover and bake 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 10 minutes. If the rice is hard, add 1/3 cup more water and cook for an additional 10 minutes.5. Serve the casserole topped as desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This has become a staple in our dinner rotation!! Works perfectly every time. I’ve substituted the poblanos for bell peppers when our local grocery is out. Today trying brown rice instead of basmati! Thank you for sharing yet again a great recipe!!
Hey Erin,
Love to hear this! Thanks for making this recipe so often and sharing your feedback!
Itโs a wonderful recipe that has a lot of potential! I cooked it and I just have a few steps to improve it and from 8 it can be a 10.
1. Cook onions with the chicken
2. Replace water with chicken stock
3. Replace the can of tomatoes with a Mexican salsa
4. Add a teaspoon of sugar to counter the acidity of the tomatoes/salsa
5. Cook the rice for 7 minutes longer once you uncover it
6. Let everything rest covered for 10 minutes
That way youโre not adding any extra dishes to cook it, just a bit of extra time and some more flavour to work with.
Hope this helps! Otherwise itโs a great recipe and stores so well in the fridge. Lovely xx Will cook again, but adjust ๐
Hey Sofia,
Thanks so much! I appreciate you making this recipe and taking the time to share your notes:) Have a great Wednesday!
Sofia, I followed your additions, genius! This dish was absolutely amazing- thanks Tieghan!
Hey Molly,
Love to hear this! Thanks a bunch for choosing to make this recipe. Have a great weekend!
Hi Tieghan,
I made this casserole dish tonight. Mine was really soupy. You didn’t mention if you should drain the Rotel and the can of black beans, so I didn’t drain mine. I will be making this recipe again. Love all the flavors in it.
Hi Sandi,
Thanks so much for making this dish and your comment, so glad it was enjoyed! Yes, definitely drain the black beans:)
Currently waiting on this to finish cooking. After 35 minutes, rice is still raw. Honestly, all the veggies look raw too. I feel like onions and peppers should be sautรฉed first maybe? There’s still a bunch of liquid in the pan, too. I hope this turns out OK ๐ค๐ป
Hi Melissa,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, so sorry to hear you are having issues! I would cover your dish with foil to see if that helps!
The cooking time is not correct, rice is still raw.