Twice Baked Crispy Cheesy Taco Rice Casserole
Crispy cheesy hard shell tacos wiggled into a skillet of green chile rice and baked...so good!
Servings: 6
Calories: 472kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef, chicken, or turkey
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning (see notes for homemade)
- 8 hard shell tacos (see notes for homemade)
- 1-2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 cup dry long grain rice
- 1 poblano pepper, chopped
- 1/3 cup salsa verde
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro/green onions
CILANTRO LIME RANCH
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños, chopped + 2 tablespoons brine
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 2. In a large oven-safe skillet, cook the meat and onion, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the meat is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly around the meat, 5 minutes. Then remove 3/4 of the meat from the skillet to a plate and set aside. 3. To the skillet, add the butter, rice, and poblano. Cook until the rice is toasted, then mix in 1 3/4 cups water and the salsa verde. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.4. Meanwhile, line the taco shells up in a baking dish. Divide the meat among each shell and top with half the cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, until the cheese has melted.5. Wiggly the baked tacos into the rice in the skillet. Top with the remaining cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.6. Meanwhile, make the ranch. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake or stir until creamy. 7. Serve the hot casserole topped with cilantro, avocado, and ranch. Enjoy!
Notes
For Easy Homemade Hard Shells: Warm 8 corn tortillas for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave, until pliable. On a baking sheet, rub the tortillas with olive oil. Lay each tortilla flat and then layer evenly with cheese and taco meat. Fold the other half of the tortilla over the filling, gently pushing to adhere (see above photo). Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes, then flip and cook another 5 minutes more, or until the tortillas are crisp.
Chipotle Taco Seasoning: Mix 1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, and 2 teaspoons kosher salt.
Nutrition
Calories: 472kcal
