Mexican Chicken Casserole

This easy and delicious Mexican Chicken Casserole makes a satisfying dinner any day! Chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, cheese and tortilla chips are layered in a casserole, infused with Mexican inspired spices, then oven baked until the cheese melts and the flavors merge together. Yummy!

Similar to Chicken Enchilada Casserole or Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup, we are bringing together familiar Mexican seasonings, spices and ingredients and combining it into an easy one plate meal.

It’s great for busy nights, for meal preps, for when you want lots of leftovers!

While this Mexican Chicken Casserole is not an authentic Mexican dish, it combines lots of flavors and ingredients that will remind you of tacos, enchiladas and your favorite Mexican/ Tex-Mex meal.

We make this whenever we are craving those gorgeous Mexican flavors, yet we want something quick that we can whip together, and something super easy to eat.

Just layer the ingredients and send it into the oven.

Then scoop it out into one plate, add your toppings and sauces and eat your heart out!

I cannot tell you how many times this made dinner (and life) so much more pleasant on busy days!

Ingredients

It is also made with pantry-friendly ingredients!

You will likely already have most of these ingredients in your pantry or fridge!

• Chicken breast – I use boneless, skinless chicken breast. You can also use chicken thighs. If you want to make this even simpler, shred up store-bought rotisserie chicken and skip the cooking-the-chicken step!
• Sour cream – responsible for making the dish creamy, but still not too overly heavy. It also has a fairly neutral and not over powering flavor.
• Ground cumin – important seasoning to bring about all the yummy flavors that remind you of Mexican food
• Paprika – smoked paprika works great too
• Garlic powder – no need to use fresh garlic, this is much easier and works just as well for a recipe this!
• Onion powder – no need to chop up fresh onions!
• Rotel – basically canned tomatoes and green chilies. If you like spicer, use ‘hot’ Rotel, if not stick to ‘mild’!
• Black beans – I use canned – make sure to drain it first!
• Corn – frozen or canned works great! Drain the liquid if using canned corn.
• Cheese – I like using Colby jack, Monterey jack, Mexican blend, cheddar, or a mixture!
• Tortilla chips – crush it up. I always prefer to use low salt or no salt tortilla chips. You can also use flavored tortilla chips like Doritos.

How to make Mexican Chicken Casserole

Step 1: Cook and season chicken

Start by boiling chicken breast in water in a pot. Once it is done use two forks and shred chicken.

Alternatively, you can also purchase a store-bought rotisserie chicken and shred it up. Or if you have leftover cooked chicken, shred it up and use it!

Combine chicken with sour cream, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, onion powder and salt, so that the chicken itself is creamy and flavorful.

No bland chicken business here!!

Step 2: Layer Casserole

Grease a 9′ x 13′ rectangular casserole dish with cooking oil spray, and then it’s time to layer!

Start by bringing the creamy chicken to the bottom of the casserole dish

Next, add Rotel (tomatoes and green chilies). Be sure to drain access water.

After that: black beans…

(also be sure to drain access water)

Corn…

(Yup. Drain access water if using canned corn. I used frozen corn here.)

Cheese.

Last but definitely not the least, crushed tortilla chips!

Step 3: Bake

Once it is all layered up, simply send it into the oven and bake that Mexican Chicken Casserole!

Since the chicken is already cooked, we are simply baking to melt the cheese and merge the layers of ingredients together.

And it takes only 15 minutes at 375℉ to get that done. Super quick and easy!

When it is ready, dig in, and you’ll find creamy chicken flavored with delicious Mexican spices, combined with corn, black beans, tomatoes, and crunchy tortilla chips.

I absolutely love the gorgeous combination of flavors and textures in every single bite.

We make this a lot on cold winter days.

Turn on that oven to cook the casserole…all while warming up the house. And enjoy a hearty, comforting meal that is easy to make and cooks in one pan.

And then leftovers for many days to come! (And THAT is my secret mission behind all this)

What to serve with Chicken Mexican Casserole

Okay, I LOVE my garnishes.

It brings more yummy flavors and textures to complete each serving of Chicken Mexican Casserole. And just makes the dish more exciting as a whole.

So, yes yes and yes. I highly recommend all or some of the garnishes below to jazz up this dish:

• avocado slices
• cilantro
• jalapeño
• salsa

And if you want even more excitement and make a bigger meal of out it, these go beautifully with Mexican Chicken Casserole as side dishes:

• Homemade Chunky Guacamole
• Instant Pot Mexican Rice
• Pico de Gallo Stuffed Avocado
• Quick 15-Minute Queso (Cheese Dip)

When I have the time and energy, I’ll make one of these sides to go with it. But if I just want something quick and easy, the Mexican Chicken Casserole itself is plenty to feed hungry bellies (and make them very happy).

Lastly, I’ve learned from experience that you can’t never go wrong serving Mexican chicken casserole with a glass of margarita! 🙂 Here’s a homemade margarita recipe that is simple and delicious!

Frequently Asked Questions

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