Healthy Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole Recipe

Serve up this flavorful one-pot Healthy Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole for dinner tonight! It's healthy and delicious, and clean-up is a breeze.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 448kcal

Equipment

large oven-safe pot
Spatula or cooking spoon
knife

Ingredients

1 small red onion diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika smoked or regular
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 clove garlic minced
2-3 cups left-over cooked chicken cubed or shredded
2 cups Brown Rice cooked and cooled
1 red bell pepper cored and diced
1 zucchini shredded
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies drained, or 1 jalapeño, diced
1 cup corn kernels canned, fresh or frozen and defrosted
1 (15 ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
12 ounces salsa or enchilada sauce
¼ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 375° F.
In a large oven-safe pot or dutch oven, sauté the onion in olive oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Then add the spices (cumin to oregano) and stir together. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Add the peppers and sauté until cooked, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic, green chilis, and zucchini, season to taste, then sauté for another minute.
Remove from the heat and mix in the chicken, rice, corn, black beans, and salsa.
Top with the cheese and place in the oven.
Allow to bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and all the ingredients are heated through. Broil for a minute or 2 if you want a crispy browned top.
Remove from the oven, then serve with the avocado, black olives, green onions, sour cream, or cilantro.

Video

Notes

If you need to make some cooked chicken for use in this recipe quickly, try poaching your chicken. It's easy. Just cover lightly salted chicken pieces with water, add a quarter of an onion, a smashed garlic clove, and 10-12 peppercorns. Then, bring the water to a boil, turn the heat down to low, cover and let them simmer on the stovetop until the chicken is cooked through - about 8 - 14 minutes.
To meal prep this Mexican chicken and rice casserole, you can assemble your ingredients ahead of time and then bake it before you're ready to serve it.

Serving suggestions: fresh cilantro, black olives, diced green onions, avocado, sour cream.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator (not including toppings) and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Nutrition