Cheesy Mexican Chicken and Rice is a hearty, one-pot, family friendly meal that takes just 15 minutes to prep! This casserole features long grain rice, pepper, onion, and tender bites of chicken smothered in a creamy sauce and topped with melty cheddar cheese.
Any meal that I can make in one dish (and that tastes incredible) is a recipe I want in my regular meal rotation.
This Cheesy Mexican Chicken and Rice is one of those recipes! This casserole is quick to make, hearty and filling, and SO TASTY.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Simple ingredients – This recipe is made with pantry staples you likely already have on hand.
- One-pan meal – A delicious meal with just one dirty dish? Count me in!
- Customizable – Load this casserole up with any and all of your favorite toppings to make it your own.
Recipe Notes
This Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole is as simple as promised! Just a quick 15 minutes of hands-on time for a family friendly dinner.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make Mexican Cheesy Chicken and Rice to get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Cream of Chicken Soup – You’ll need two cans of your favorite cream of chicken soup.
- Chicken Broth
- Taco Seasoning – You can use store-bought taco seasoning or make a batch of my homemade taco seasoning.
- Long Grain Rice – Long grain white rice will do the trick.
- Chicken Breast – You’ll need 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks. You can also use chicken thighs, but the cooking time will be slightly different.
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- Salsa – Grab a jar of your favorite store-bought salsa or use my easy homemade salsa recipe.
- Frozen Peppers and Onions – Be sure to thaw your peppers and onions before cooking to ensure they cook all the way through.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this Mexican Rice and Chicken recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Make it spicy – Kick the heat up a notch by adding diced jalapeños or a can of green chilies.
- Add beans – Give your chicken bake an extra protein boost with your favorite beans. Try black beans, pinto beans, or even kidney beans.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Mexican Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole.
Pour rice over the bottom of a casserole dish, then layer on the cubed chicken.
Top the chicken with half of the cheese, peppers and onions, and salsa.
In a separate dish, mix together cream of chicken soup, heated chicken broth, and taco seasoning. Pour that evenly over the casserole.
Bake at 375ºF for 50 minutes, stir carefully, then top with the remaining cheese and bake for an additional 15-25 minutes. Serve with toppings of your choice and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Cut the chicken into even chunks – Make your chicken pieces even in size so they cook at the same rate.
- Heat the broth – Heating the broth in the microwave before adding it to the casserole helps the rice and chicken cook more quickly. If you don’t heat the broth, cook the dish for an additional 15-20 minutes.
- Bake before adding cheese – The cheesy topping doesn’t need as much time to cook and heat as the rest of the casserole. Make sure you bake the rest of the casserole for a full 50 minutes before adding the cheese and baking the rest of the time.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Thaw the veggies in advance – The frozen peppers and onions do need to be thawed before going into the casserole. To get ahead, do this in advance!
- Use pre-prepped ingredients – You can make homemade salsa and taco seasoning and shred your own cheese OR you can save time by using the ready-to-go, store-bought stuff.
- Use leftover chicken – Already have cooked chicken in your fridge? Just cube it up and use it in this recipe!
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this Cheesy Chicken Rice recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To freeze before cooking
- Assemble the casserole as instructed, but don’t bake.
- Instead, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to serve, simply thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake as directed and enjoy!
How to Freeze Mexican Casserole with Rice and Chicken After Cooking
- Let the casserole cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container.
- Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to serve, thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat in the oven.
What to Serve with Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of taco seasoning, it will pair well with many of your favorite Mexican-inspired side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Mexican Style Crockpot Refried Beans – These Crock Pot Refried Beans are a classic Mexican side dish that’s perfect paired with Cheesy Mexican Chicken Casserole. These are creamy, rich, so tasty, and require just 5 minutes of prep.
- Mexican Caesar Salad – This Mexican Caesar Salad is a great lightened up option! It’s packed with crunchy romaine, cotija cheese, fried tortilla strips, and roasted pepitas tossed in a tasty Mexican caesar dressing.
- Easy Mexican Cornbread – This Mexican Cornbread is a simple side dish that goes with everything. This bread is thick and soft, full of sweet corn flavor and green chiles, and delicious!
Cheesy Chicken Rice Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions, then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Make into tacos or burritos – Use your casserole as a filling for tacos or burritos. Just load it up into hard or soft shell tacos or large flour tortillas, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
- Use for nachos – Spread the leftover casserole on a layer of tortilla chips to make loaded nachos.
Recipe FAQ’s
What is cheesy chicken and rice called?
Arroz con pollo! Also known as rice with chicken. The cheesy part is implied.
How do Mexican restaurants make their rice so fluffy?
A good way to get nice and fluffy rice is to simply rinse the rice before cooking it. This gets rid of excess starch, which prevents the rice grains from getting sticky and mushy.
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite chicken dinner recipes below.
- Jalapeño Popper Chicken Bake
- Cheesy Broccoli Chicken Rice Casserole
- Mexican Chicken Bake
- Queso Chicken Bake
Cheesy Mexican Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cans cream of chicken soup, (10.5 ounces each)
- 3 cups chicken broth, hot (see note)
- 1 ounce taco seasoning, (1 packet)
- 2 cups long grain rice
- 1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- 10 ounces salsa
- 1 cup frozen peppers and onions (thawed)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375˚F.
- Whisk together the cream of chicken soup, heated chicken broth, and taco seasoning. Set aside.
- In a deep 9×13 inch casserole dish, pour the rice over the bottom. Layer on the cubed chicken, half of the cheese, bell peppers and onions, and salsa.
- Pour the chicken broth mixture evenly over the casserole.
- Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 50 minutes. Remove and carefully stir the casserole. Then top with the remaining half of the cheese and return to the oven for an additional 15-25 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
- Serve warm and enjoy with your choice of toppings.
Recipe Notes
- I like to microwave the chicken broth so that it is piping hot. This helps the casserole to cook more quickly and the long grain rice to fully cook through. If you choose not to heat the broth, you can bake the dish 10-20 minutes longer.
- Topping options:
- Sour Cream
- Guacamole
- Chopped cilantro
- Crushed tortilla chips
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