Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole (One-Dish Dump-and-Bake!)

Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole aerial close-up in baking dish with garnishes.

Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole (One-Dish Dump-and-Bake!)

Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole is an easy, one-dish, dump-and-bake recipe loaded with chicken, black beans, rice, and cheese cooked in a creamy, taco-seasoned sauce!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1

Servings servings

Calories 503kcal

Author Samantha Skaggs

Equipment

9x13-inch Baking Dish

Ingredients

1 cup salsa
1 cup sour cream
1 ¼ cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons taco seasoning
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 15-ounce can black beans rinsed + drained
1 cup uncooked basmati OR jasmine rice
2 cups shredded Mexican blend OR colby jack cheese DIVIDED

Instructions

Adjust oven racks to the center position and top position and preheat oven to 375°F.
Generously grease a 9- by 13-inch (or 3-quart) glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour salsa, sour cream, and chicken broth into the bottom of the dish, sprinkle with taco seasoning, and whisk until thoroughly combined.
Add the chicken, black beans, rice, and 1 cup of the shredded cheese; stir until all ingredients are combined and coated. Smooth into an even layer in the baking dish.
Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (or a lid) so that steam doesn’t escape. Bake for 50 minutes. (If the rice is not completely tender and the liquid is not mostly absorbed after that amount of time, stir the casserole well, scraping the bottom and edges and then redistributing the ingredients. Cover again and bake for 5 to 10 more minutes or until just done.)
Remove the dish from the oven and turn on the broiler. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the remaining cheese, and pop under the broiler. Broil, watching carefully the entire time, for 2 to 3 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

You may substitute Greek yogurt or even pureed cottage cheese for the sour cream.
You can use leftover cooked chicken (or turkey) or rotisserie chicken, or you can cook some chicken fresh by poaching, grilling, baking, cooking in the slow cooker or Instant Pot, etc.
Any type of long grain white rice will work if you don’t have basmati or jasmine. However, this recipe has not been tested with brown rice, which has a longer cooking time and would likely require an adjusted amount of liquid and cooking time.
In my particular oven with the particular baking dish I use, I cook this casserole for 50 minutes, stir and re-cover, and then cook for 10 more minutes in order to get the rice tender and the liquid absorbed. Then I sprinkle the cheese on top and cook (uncovered) for another couple of minutes until it’s melted. However, your timing may vary slightly depending on your oven and the dish you use.
Leftover Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
To reheat leftovers, portion a serving onto a microwave-safe plate, add a splash of broth or milk (since the rice will have absorbed most of the liquid in the fridge), and then cover and microwave for 1 minute or until just heated through.

Nutrition