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Mix and Bake Chicken Taco Casserole. Our new weeknight staple! Chicken seasoned with taco spices, baked, and shredded. Then everything goes right into the pan — dry rice, onions, peppers, corn, a can of tomatoes, and beans. Cheese on top and bake until bubbling. No need to cook the rice separately. Just mix, bake, eat, and finish with all your favorite taco toppings. It’s so simple and so delicious.
I always get excited to share these mix-and-bake recipes. They’re perfect for nights when you just want to toss everything together, bake, and forget about it until dinner. Zero fuss, maximum comfort.
When I had the idea for a taco casserole, I knew my family would love it, we all love tacos! And after making this a few times now, we’ve all agreed it’s best with shredded chicken and rice. So flavorful, so cozy.
Even my brother Kai got in on it. He made this the other night for game night and said it was the perfect dish. He swapped the beans for extra bell peppers and topped it with spicy cheddar and pepper jack – he loved it. Kai is a casserole guy through and through (chicken noodle is still his favorite #1)!
The Quick Details
Ingredients
- boneless chicken tenders or strips
- taco seasoning
- olive oil
- salted butter
- dry rice
- a yellow onion
- poblano peppers
- fresh or frozen corn – I use fresh summer corn when available
- Rotel tomatoes
- black beans
- mixed Mexican cheeses – I love a cheddar, colby jack, and pepper jack blend
Ingredients – for topping
- plain Greek yogurt – sour cream is good too
- shredded lettuce
- bcilantro and green onions
- cubed or sliced avocado
- lime zest and lime juice
- tortilla strips
Special Tools
You’ll need a large oven-safe casserole dish with a lid. No lid? Foil works too!
Steps
Step 1: Season and cook the chicken
In a casserole dish, toss the chicken with taco seasoning, olive oil, and butter. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Shred the chicken right in the dish using two forks. It should pull apart easily — shred into bigger or smaller pieces depending on what you like best.
Step 2: Add everything else
Stir in the dry rice, onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes, and beans — everything except the cheese. Pour over water to help the rice cook as the casserole bakes.
Step 3: Add cheese and bake
Sprinkle cheese over the top, then cover and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the rice is tender. Uncover and bake a few more minutes until the cheese is bubbling and just turning golden. The rice will finish cooking and the edges will get a little crispy — so delish!
Top it and serve
Finish with shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, sliced avocado, lime zest and juice, and green onions. Add a pinch of flaked sea salt for extra flavor.
Serve with tortilla strips or chips for crunch. Yum!
Looking for other easy chicken and rice dinners? Here are my favorites:
One Pan Lemon Pepper Yogurt Chicken and Rice
One Skillet Louisiana Style Chicken and Rice
Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and Rice Casserole
Cheesy Zucchini Chicken and Rice Bake
Slow Cooker Herbed Chicken and Rice Pilaf
Spicy Sesame Chicken and Ginger Rice
One Pan Chipotle Honey Chicken and Rice
Lastly, if you make this Mix and Bake Chicken Taco Casserole, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Mix and Bake Chicken Taco Casserole
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 470 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless chicken tenders/strips
- 1/4 cup taco seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cups dry rice
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 poblano peppers, chopped
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 1 can (10 ounce) Rotel tomatoes
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
For Serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.2. In a 9x13 inch baking dish, toss the chicken with taco seasoning, olive oil, and butter. Bake 15 minutes, until fully cooked. Reduce the oven to 400°F.3. Shred the chicken in the casserole dish using 2 forks. 4. Add the rice, onions, peppers, corn, tomatoes, and black beans. Pour over 1 1/2 cups of water. Mix it up. Top with cheese. Cover and bake 25 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 10 minutes. If the rice is hard, add 1/3 cup more water and cook for an additional 10 minutes.5. Serve the casserole topped as desired. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on August 26, 2025
Could you use ground beef? I am excited to try the recipe. Is look delicious.
Thank you
Dee
Hi Dee! Yes, ground beef would be super yummy with this recipe! Enjoy! xT
Made this yesterday and will make again. Leftovers reheated beautifully in the microwave. Next time I will partially cook the rice before adding to the casserole. Even with extra time and extra water some of the rice was still not completely cooked. Not enough of an issue not to make again but will adjust rice cooking.
So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe Karen! Thanks so much for giving it a try! 🙂 xT
Can this be made with smallish boneless chicken breast or thighs to ensure it doesn’t dry out while it cooks second time ?
Hi Rachel! Yes, that should work just fine! 🙂 xT
Turned out watery and rice was hard even after baking for an hour.
Hey Lee! Oh no! So sorry this didn’t turn out for you! Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help! xT
This didn’t turn out well at all.
Hey Janice! So sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe! Would you be able to tell me a little bit more so I can help? Thanks! xT
Awesome! I made a double batch, two 9×13 pans…I was told it’s a keeper!! Post cooking the chicken I baked the casseroles for 45 minutes at 400 and then 10 minutes uncovered! I servered with a light tossed salad and tortilla chips! It was amazing!
Hi Mary Jo! Thank you so much for trying out this casserole! So glad to hear it was a hit! 🙂 xT
Flavors are great and it was delicious. Next time, I would not pre-cook the chicken tenders as they were way over cooked.
Hey Heather! Thank you for the feedback, I really appreciate! Thanks for giving the recipe a try! xT
If you prefer no rice, How much liquid do you delete? I would like this recipe to be used with riced cauliflower instead. This looks so yummy.
Hi Kathy! I haven’t ever tried this recipe with riced cauliflower before so I can’t say for sure! So sorry! xT
I’m confused. Yesterday you said there were tortillas layered in this. Now you deleted it? I wish HBH recipes would be accurate with out so much back and forth. I always feel I need to interview you guys before knowing if a recipe is correct.
Hi there! So sorry for the confusion! I had responded to a comment about someone adapting this for the crockpot, and I said they could throw the tortillas in the crockpot with it, I should’ve clarified that I meant tortilla strips as the recipe calls for in the toppings. My apologies! Have a great day! 🙂 xT
10/10! I made this tonight and it was so easy, quick and delicious. I’m always looking for weeknight dinners that do not require a ton of prep for my busy family and this hits the mark. I topped mine with Mexican crema and salsa macha for extra crunch! Make this soon, it’s a winner
Hi Christine! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe! So glad you loved the casserole! 🙂 xT
This looks amazing! Adding it to the list. You’re so good at your job.
Hey Emily! Aw thank you so much! SO kind of you! I hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂 xT
I used left over cooked chicken and tossed it with the taco seasoning. We enjoyed it topped with plain yogurt rather than sour cream. Delicious.
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! So glad you enjoyed it, Sandy! Have a great day! xT
Looks interesting, but isn’t that a long time to be cooking chicken? Doesn’t it dry ou?
Hi Carol! Great question, totally understand the concern! The chicken bakes first on its own for just about 15 minutes, then it’s shredded and cooked again with the rice, veggies, beans, and cheese. Since it’s mixed in with everything else, it stays moist and flavorful, not dry! Hope you enjoy! 🙂 xT
Does the timing work with whole grain/brown rice?
Hi Jennifer! I haven’t ever tried this recipe with brown rice before so I can’t say for sure, so sorry! xT
Can this all just be thrown in a crockpot?
Looks delicious!
Thank you so much Nancy! So glad you loved this recipe! xT