Description
This Easy Chicken Burrito Casserole is a hearty and flavorful one-dish meal that combines shredded chicken, rice, beans, and spices baked to perfection with melted Monterey Jack cheese. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner, it’s loaded with vibrant ingredients like bell peppers, corn, and mild green chilies, seasoned with fajita spices for a delicious Tex-Mex flair.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Protein
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 5 cups shredded chicken
- 1 cup corn kernels (frozen)
- 1 14-ounce can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 4-ounce can mild green chilies
Grains & Seasoning
- 1 cup uncooked parboiled long-grain brown rice (can also use long grain white rice)
- 3 tablespoons fajita seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Liquids & Others
- 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat and combine veggies with rice: Preheat your oven to 400°F. In a 9×13 inch baking dish, add the finely diced onion, diced red bell pepper, uncooked rice, fajita seasoning, and cayenne pepper if using. Stir everything together to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Prepare broth mixture: In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the reduced sodium chicken broth, mild green chilies, tomato paste, and olive oil until fully combined to create a flavorful cooking liquid.
- Mix broth with rice and veggies: Pour the broth mixture into the baking dish over the rice and vegetable mixture. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients well, ensuring the rice is submerged in the liquid.
- Add protein and beans: Fold in the shredded chicken, drained black beans, and frozen corn kernels. Stir carefully until everything is evenly incorporated into the rice mixture.
- Bake covered: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil to trap steam. Bake in the preheated oven for 65-70 minutes or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender.
- Add cheese topping: Carefully remove the casserole from the oven and take off the foil. Sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the top.
- Melt the cheese: Return the casserole uncovered to the oven and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and slightly golden.
- Cool and serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Serve warm, optionally garnished with fresh cilantro, chopped green onion, salsa, and avocado slices for extra flavor and freshness.
Notes
- You can substitute long grain white rice if preferred; adjust cooking time if needed.
- For a spicier kick, increase the amount of cayenne pepper or use hot green chilies instead of mild.
- Shredded rotisserie chicken works great for convenience.
- Make sure to cover the dish tightly with foil during baking to steam the rice properly.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 75 minutes
- Category: Casserole
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Keywords: Chicken burrito casserole, baked chicken casserole, Tex-Mex casserole, easy chicken dinner, one-dish meal, Mexican inspired casserole
