Name: Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole (gluten free)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 cups shredded chicken homemade or rotisserie; 1 cup cauliflower rice Frozen; 1/2 cup brown rice Frozen or instant rice must be cooked beforehand; 1 green pepper diced; 1/2 cup tomatoes diced; 1/2 red onion diced; 1/2 cup cheddar cheese vegan dairy-free or fat free cheddar cheese; 6-9 corn tortillas; 1 cup taco sauce

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I love making my mexican recipes as easy as possible while still making sure they taste super delicious and authentic! This easy weeknight dinner takes less than 30 minutes to make! This chicken taco casserole with rice is an easy gluten free meal. It is also a nut free recipe.

To me, mexican food is the easiest dish to make gluten free because so many mexican dishes are made with rice! Rice is naturally gluten free which means rice dishes are SUPER easy to make allergy friendly. The base of this casserole is made with cauliflower rice. Cauliflower rice is a low-carb and gluten-free alternative to regular rice.

This meal is ready in under 30 minutes! If you love an easy weeknight dinner made with rice l like I do, you’ll also love this Chicken Taco Casserole with Rice and this Vegan Broccoli Rice Casserole.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

Use any rice you want. I switch it up between white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice or a blend every time I make this depending on what I have. I love using cauliflower rice to make this casserole low carb.
I swear leftovers are almost better than the first round! I make this chicken taco casserole with rice recipe soooo often in my house. We even like to use the left overs as the stuffing in our air fryer taquitos!
The vegan version is really good too! I easily make this recipe vegan by subbing jackfruit instead of shreeded chicken. My mom is vegan so this is a super easy swap!
To save time at night, I assemble the casserole ahead of time and then bake it when I am ready to eat. This makes it a great option for busy weeknights when I don’t have a lot of time to cook.
Save time and use rotisserie chicken to make your life easier!! You can even use any leftover chicken you have such as grilled chicken!

INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS

Chicken: I like to made shredded chicken in the crock pot for this recipe. If I need to save time I just grab a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred it myself. Make sure to shred it by hand when its warm, that way it is easier to shred. You can also slice raw chicken breasts into 1″ cubes and sautee it in a frying pan on medium heat until fully cooked and lightly browned if you don’t love shredded chicken.

Rice: You can use any type of cooked rice for this recipe. I ususually use frozen brown rice, such as white rice, basmati rice, or jasmine rice. Just make sure the rice is not uncooked when adding it to the skillet. Leftover rice is perfect and honestly, its easiest if you ask me.

Cauliflower rice is a low-carb substitute for traditional rice. It is made by pulsing cauliflower florets in a food processor until they resemble rice. Cauliflower rice is a good source of fiber and vitamin C. You can buy cauliflower rice pre-riced, or you can make your own. I like to mix it with brown rice.

Tomatoes: You can use canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato paste in place of fresh tomatoes.

Peppers: You can use red peppers, yellow peppers, or orange peppers. I used green peppers here. If I want to cut down on cook time, I dice up and sautee the vegetables ahead of time and sauté them before adding them to the casserole. You can even do it the day before if needed, just store in an air tight contrainer in the fridge for up to 3 days. Sometimes I even add more veggies like ushrooms, squash, zucchini, etc. I also like to add cauliflower florets.

Salsa: You can make your own salsa by blending tomatoes and peppers. This recipe uses salsa to give it a fun spicy kick, but if you don’t love salsa I have used taco sauce too! Taco sauce adds a bit of moisture and helps to keep the casserole from becoming dry. You can make your own taco sauce by mixing together chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. You can also use salsa or enchilada sauce in place of taco sauce.

Cheese: Cheese adds flavor and richness to this casserole. You can use any type of shredded cheese that you like. I also use dairy-free cheese when I want to keep this recipe dairy free and it works exactly the same.

HOW TO MAKE

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

Cut the corn tortillas in half and cover the bottom of the baking dish.

STEP 2

Top with cauliflower rice and brown rice.

STEP 3

Create another layer with corn tortillas.

STEP 4

Add the peppers, tomatoes, onions, and chicken.

STEP 5

Create a top layer with corn tortillas.

STEP 6

Cover with cheese.

STEP 7

Bake at 425 for 30-40 minutes until fully heated through. Cook covered with tin foil. Remove tin foil for the final 10 minutes.

EXPERT TIPS & TRICKS

For a spicier mexican chicken and rice casserole option, I add hot sauce to the casserole before baking so its mixed in and evenly distributed! You can also choose to top your casserole with hot sauce if only one person wants a spicy option..my husband likes it spicier than me so he adds more to his individual portion.
The casserole gets crispy along the edges which is my favorite part! Sometimes I leave the casserole in to bake longer so the edges are crispier.
To make this a super low carb casserole you can use all cauliflower rice, no brown rice and eliminate the corn tortillas.
I like to add other vegetables to the mexican chicken and rice casserole, such as corn, black beans, or corn.
You can add other spices to the casserole, such as chili powder, cumin, or garlic powder. I’m always adding more garlic powder than a recipe recommends…sorry I’m not sorry (said with garlic breath!)
I top the casserole with my favorite toppings, such as sour cream, guacamole, or salsa.

HOW TO SERVE & STORE

To serve, I let the casserole cool completely before serving. This will help to prevent the cheese from getting too soft and runny. You can serve the casserole as is, or you can top it with your favorite toppings. I like to use sour cream, salsa, or guacamole.

I store the casserole leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. To store, I cover the casserole tightly with plastic wrap or foil. When I am ready to eat, I let the casserole sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before reheating.

The chicken taco casserole with rice can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze, I double wrap the casserole tightly with plastic wrap and foil. When I am ready to eat, I thaw the casserole overnight in the fridge. Then, I bake the casserole in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20-25 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and the cheese is melted.

To reheat in the microwave, I place the chicken taco casserole with rice in a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through. It will reheat faster in individual portions instead of the whole casserole at once.

Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole (gluten free)

Kayla Cappiello

This mexican chicken and rice casserole is the perfect healthy dinner or lunch option! Its packed with flavor but also packed with vegetables so you don’t have to worry about eating unhealthy food. It’s a great option for taco tuesday! The leftovers of the taco casserole are almost better than the first round! I make this casserole recipe at least once a week in my house and sometimes we even use the leftovers as the stuffing in our air fryer taquitos!

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 40

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

2 cups shredded chicken homemade or rotisserie
1 cup cauliflower rice Frozen
1/2 cup brown rice Frozen or instant rice must be cooked beforehand
1 green pepper diced
1/2 cup tomatoes diced
1/2 red onion diced
1/2 cup cheddar cheese vegan dairy-free or fat free cheddar cheese
6-9 corn tortillas
1 cup taco sauce

Instructions

Cut the corn tortillas in half and cover the bottom of the baking dish.
Top with cauliflower rice and brown rice.
Create another layer with corn tortillas.
Add the peppers, tomatoes, onions, and chicken.
Create a top layer with corn tortillas.
Cover with taco sauce and cheese.
Bake at 425 for 30-40 minutes until fully heated through. Cook covered with tin foil. Remove tin foil for the final 10 minutes.

Notes

To serve: Let the gluten free mexican casserole cool slightly before serving. This will help the flavors to blend together. You can serve the casserole as is, or you can top it with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, guacamole, or salsa.

To store in the fridge: The casserole can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. To store the casserole, simply place it in an airtight container. When you’re ready to eat, remove the casserole from the fridge and let it come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before reheating.

To store in the freezer: The casserole can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. To freeze the casserole, simply place it in a freezer-safe container. When you’re ready to eat, thaw the casserole overnight in the fridge and then reheat it according to the instructions below.

To reheat: To reheat the gluten free mexican casserole, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place the casserole in a baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. You can also reheat the casserole in the microwave. Simply microwave the casserole on high for 3-5 minutes, or until heated through.

Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE

INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS