Tex Mex Chicken Casserole
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This flavorful Tex Mex chicken casserole is a firm family favorite! With tasty seasoning, chicken, rice, and lots of melted cheese, it’s perfection in a pan.
Looking for your next weeknight meal the whole family will love? You need this quick and easy chicken casserole in your life. When I say quick and easy, I mean it. It takes just 5 minutes to prep this recipe, as you literally dump the ingredients in a bowl, stir, and then bake! 30 minutes later, dinner is served.
This casserole is overflowing with staple ingredients you probably already have at home too, like cheese, tomatoes, instant rice, and chicken broth. The combination of the chicken and rice with the sour cream and cream of chicken soup is basically a flavor explosion. This TEx Mex chicken casserole is creamy, cheesy, and delicious!
Here are some other casseroles my family love and I bet yours will too: crunchy beef casserole, deep-dish pizza casserole, stuffed pepper casserole, cornbread casserole, and sloppy joes casserole.
Recipe Ingredients
- Cooked chicken
- Instant rice (or to keep it lower-carb you can use my cauliflower rice recipe here)
- Cream of chicken soup
- Sour cream
- Frozen diced onion
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Rotel tomatoes
- Cumin
- Garlic powder
- Chicken broth
Dump all of the first nine ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Add half of the cheddar cheese and stir to combine again.
Next, turn the chicken mixture out into a greased casserole dish (9X13).
Then top with remaining cheese.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Then serve! I guarantee the flavors in this dish will have your taste buds dancing! YUM!
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave.
- You can also store casserole leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When it’s time, thaw leftovers in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the microwave.
Recipe Notes
- You can use any cooked chicken you like in this Mexican chicken and rice casserole, whether that’s rotisserie chicken, shredded chicken breast, or chicken thighs.
- If you’d like to add even more to this casserole, add in a can each of black or pinto beans, green chile, and corn kernels. Another option is a cup of diced .
- For extra crunch, top your casserole with tortilla strips or your favorite crushed tortilla chips, like Doritos.
- If your family prefers, you could substitute the chicken for ground beef.
- You can also add whichever cheese you prefer, whether that’s melty mozzarella cheese, a or Pepper Jack cheese for some extra heat.
- For more flavor, substitute the for a packet of . Bonus if you use homemade taco seasoning!
- Serve your with a sprinkle of and .
Recipe FAQs
Why do you use frozen onion in this recipe?
There are several reasons why I recommend using frozen onion in this Mexican chicken casserole recipe. First, frozen diced onion and frozen diced green pepper are great things to have in the freezer in a pinch. And second, use frozen because it cooks through faster and with this relatively short cooking time you’ll need them to cook faster. Using raw onions throws the casserole texture way off. Trust me, I have ruined a casserole or two before I figured this out.
Can chicken casserole be made ahead of time?
You can definitely assemble this chicken casserole recipe and store it tightly covered in the fridge for up to three days. It might just need another 5 to 10 minutes of baking time when it comes straight from the cold fridge.
Is this chicken casserole gluten-free?
Yes, this Mexican chicken casserole is gluten-free. Just make sure you double-check you’re using a gluten-free can of cream of chicken soup and that no other ingredients have sneaky gluten additions.
Can I make my chicken casserole in a crockpot?
Yes, you can definitely cook this Mexican casserole in the slow cooker. Mix all the ingredients together and cook in the slow cooker on low for 4 to 5 hours. I recommend adding the remaining shredded cheese about an hour before it’s done.
What do you serve with your Mexican chicken casserole?
While this is a substantial and hearty main meal in itself, you could also serve your casserole with your favorite taco toppings, like salsa, Pico de Gallo, salsa verde, , green onions, guacamole and corn chips, and jalapeños. Another option is a simple green salad or some fresh green beans.
Here are more marvelous Mexican-inspired dishes:
Mexican Cornbread Recipe by Mama
Taco Soup (The World’s Easiest Supper)
Chicken Enchilada Pie (A Hearty Supper Awaits)
Stuffed Zucchini Boats, Tex-Mex Style
Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped, cooked, and shredded chicken (about 4 to 5 breasts halves)
- 2 cups instant rice
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup frozen diced onion
- 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese divided
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients and half of cheddar cheese in a large bowl. Mix well.4 cups chopped, cooked, and shredded chicken (about 4 to 5 breasts halves), 2 cups instant rice, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup frozen diced onion, 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- Turn out into a greased casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Nutrition
This post was originally a guest post from Stacey Little in 2011 at southernbite.com and updated in 2021. Check out his blog here.
“The smallest deed done is better than the greatest intention never carried out.”
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Stacey,
This looks delicious and easy. Just the way I like it. I can so relate to your post today. As I am constantly trying to do it all, and I know we as a family are missing out on just being. We do need to get back to the table. Thanks for the reminder!
You’re welcome! I hope you find that time around the table as special as we do!
Ok, here’s a dumb question. What are Ro*Tel tomatoes? Oh, and I was wondering the same thing about the rice – cooked or uncooked?
It looks great! Can’t wait to try it out.
Uncooked rice. Just dump it all in there. Ro*Tel tomatoes are a canned blend of tomatoes and green chiles. You can also find the generic bland listed simply as Tomatoes and Green Chiles.
Christy, I can’t thank you enough. Just made some apple butter using your crockpot recipe. It came out great. I got 2 qts and two 1/2 pints. And a little left over for sampling. It was amazing. Now I can make apple butter anytime I want. It’s so easy and my husband loves apple butter. I used 1/2 sugar and 1/2 splenda, because he’s a diabetic. Could not taste splenda in it at all. Many, many thanks!!!
Stacey thank you for those wise words that everyone should read and follow. The recipe sounds terrific and will make this weekend.
You are so welcome! I hope y’all enjoy it!
The recipe looks great and I love the short prep time and everyday ingredients. I wholeheartedly agree with your philosophical remarks. I am nearing 65 and I have gained in wisdom over the years. Enjoy every moment of your childrearing years as you don’t get do-overs. Years from now your children will not say mom or dad had the cleanest floors in our town , but they will remember the day they rolled and decorated sugar cookies.
You are so right! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the post. We eat as a family, but I have been realizing we need to slow down and enjoy the time we have with our four children. Right now my four yr old is singing in the shower, me ten yr old is working on english, thirteen yr old doing algebra next to me,( because it’s easier when your near mom), and fifteen yr old. Reading on the couch Little Women for lit and the dog at my feet. I am so blessed!
You are so blessed! I love those moments when you just stop and take it all in and realize how fortunate you are. Seems like you just had one of those moments.
Not sure why we have to say “in a pinch” about convenience items such as pre-chopped (frozen) onions, peppers, etc. I’ll just come right out here and admit that I HATE chopping. If I can find it pre-chopped, as a working wife, I’m going to use it. It helps me put a meal on the table and there’s nothing wrong with it. Just saying. 🙂 Hello, I’m Deanna and I’m a pre-chopped food user! LOL!
Hi Deanna, My name is Stacey and I’m a pre-chopped food user, too. Convenience foods make it easier to get wholesome food on the table for our families and who’s going to balk at that, right???
Okay I took my happy little pre-chopped self to the store, got the stuff to make this, and had a yummy dinner last night. Of course, I already had the chopped frozen onions in the freezer! LOL! I will adjust a few things to our taste, like most recipes I try, but this is a keeper! Hubby liked it too!Thanks Stacey!