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Overhead, angled view of a Mexican chicken and rice casserole with corn, black beans, sour cream, and diced avocado.

Mexican Chicken and Rice Bake

mylifeinbalancegroup.com/mexican-chicken-rice-bake/
Rice, salsa, corn, black beans, cheese, and perfectly seasoned chicken breasts come together in an easy one-pan meal the whole family will love!
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 55 minutes
Recipe Makes (Approximate): 8 servings

Equipment

  • 9x13 baking dish
  • Cooking spray
  • Cutting board
  • rubber or silicone spatula or large mixing spoon
  • instant read thermometer

Ingredients

For the Chicken

For the Rice & Bean Layer

  • 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans (drained, well-rinsed)
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels (see Notes)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 16-ounce jar salsa (any flavor, any brand; 2 cups, divided)
  • 2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese

To Serve (All Optional)

  • sour cream
  • crema or queso
  • chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit. Lightly spray casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
  • Lay chicken breasts on cutting board. Season with plenty of salt and black pepper, then sprinkle ½ tablespoon taco seasoning over chicken. Flip chicken breasts over and repeat on other side. Set aside.
  • Add cooked rice, black beans, corn kernels, garlic powder, 1 ½ cups salsa, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to greased casserole dish. Stir well to thoroughly combine all ingredients, then spread mixture out to all edges of casserole dish in one flat, even layer.
    Ingredients for Mexican chicken casserole in rectangular white casserole dish.
  • Place seasoned chicken breasts on top of rice mixture in casserole dish. Cover chicken with remaining ½ cup salsa.
    Overhead view of uncooked Mexican chicken casserole in white, rectangular casserole dish.
  • Place casserole dish in preheated oven. Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is just cooked-through. Cook time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts. Instant read thermometer should read 158° Fahrenheit.
  • Remove casserole dish from oven. Sprinkle shredded cheese over top of chicken, then return casserole dish to oven. Bake uncovered 4 to 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.
  • Remove casserole dish from oven. Divide chicken breasts and rice mixture into servings and top with desired toppings. Serve warm.

Recipe Notes

  • Corn: If using canned corn, be sure to drain liquid and rinse corn kernels very well.
  • Cook Time: Your exact cook time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the chicken breasts you use. I recommend using a thermometer of some sort to tell when the chicken is just cooked-through. If you go by visual clues, you risk overcooking the chicken when you put it back in the oven to melt the cheese.
  • Make it Low Carb: Replace the rice with cooked cauliflower rice.

Nutrition Information (Approximate)

Serving Size: 1servingCalories: 382calProtein: 36gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 1064mgPotassium: 828mgTotal Carbs: 30gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gNet Carbs: 25gVitamin A: 622IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 245mgIron: 2mg
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
https://mylifeinbalancegroup.com/mexican-chicken-rice-bake/