I’ll say it over and overrrrr, mexican food is the easiest to make gluten free and nut free! I truly believe that! Mexican dishes are SUPER easy to make allergy friendly because so many dishes are made with rice or with corn tortillas. This mexican chicken casserole with rice and beans is an easy gluten free meal. It is also a naturally nut free recipe.
After going gluten free focused on makin my favorite mexican recipes that were rice based since rice is gluten free! No extra thinking needed!
I love this easy weeknight dinner because it takes less than 30 minutes to make and the whole thing cooks up in just ONE CASSEROLE DISH!
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 broccoli rice casserole and this Chicken Taco Rice Casserole.
why you’ll love this recipe
- This is my ideal dinner recipe because it is quick and SUPER easy to make, taking only 30 minutes or less. I want to be relaxing at night…NOT spending 2 hours in the kitchen making dinner.
- This meal is ULTRA affordable. No expensive ingredients and it uses all ingredients that are easy to find. I hate going on a treasurehunt for the most specific ingredients that I just know I’ll never use again.
- It is a great dish to bring to a potluck or party.
- Takes less time to make than it does to order take out!
- The leftovers are my favorite part of this dish! They make for the best lunch the next day and I love having my lunch already made for me…especially when I’m busy!
ingredients & substitutions
Rice: You can use brown rice, white rice or cauliflower rice. I also like to mix brown rice and cauliflower rice together! To save time I usually use rice I made earlier in the week, frozen rice or instant rice. I want the rice cooked before adding it to the casserole dish so the fastest way to get the cooked rice is usually my go to.
Corn, peppers, onions, black beans: You can add any beans and vegetables to this dish. Corn, beans, any peppers, onions and tomatoes all are great additions to this dish. You can use any color bell peppers. I like red the best. If you do not have a bell pepper, you can substitute another type of sweet pepper, such as a poblano pepper or a jalapeño pepper.
Taco Sauce: Taco sauce is used in this recipe to add flavor and moisture to the casserole. If you do not have taco sauce, you can substitute a mixture of salsa and taco seasoning in this Mexican Chicken Casserole with Rice and Beans recipe.
Shredded Chicken: If you do not have shredded chicken, you can substitute cooked ground chicken, ground beef or turkey for this Mexican Chicken Casserole with Rice and Beans. You can also skip the chicken to make this recipe vegetarian and vegan. You can also use shredded jackfruit too.
directions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Step 2
In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the rice, corn, black beans, bell pepper, onion, taco sauce, and shredded chicken. Mix well.
Step 3
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and bubbly.
Step 4
Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
Step 5
Top the Mexican Chicken Casserole with Rice and Beans with sour cream or dairy free sub, shredded lettuce, and chopped green onions/chives.
expert tips & tricks
- For a spicier Mexican Chicken Casserole with Rice and Beans, I add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder to the taco sauce.
- If you don’t have any taco sauce, I use a mixture of salsa and chili powder.
- To make the Mexican Chicken Casserole with Rice and Beans ahead of time, assemble the casserole but do not bake. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and bubbly.
- Serve the casserole with your favorite taco toppings, such as shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, chopped onions, and avocado.
- I like to use pre-cooked rice or frozen rice. This will save you a lot of time.
- Use canned or frozen corn and black beans. This will save you even more time.
- I make my shredded chicken ahead of time. This way, you can simply add it to the casserole when you are ready to bake it.
- To make the Mexican Chicken Casserole with Rice and Beans vegan, I substitute cooked lentils or black beans for the shredded chicken. You can also use a vegan taco sauce.
how to serve, store and meal prep
Serving and Storing
The Mexican Chicken Casserole with Rice and Beans can be served hot or cold. It is delicious with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, and salsa. I also like to serve it with a side salad or roasted vegetables.
To store the casserole in the fridge, I simply place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To store the casserole in the freezer, I place it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating
To reheat the Mexican Chicken Casserole with Rice and Beans from the fridge, I simply bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, or until it is heated through.
To reheat the casserole from the freezer, I thaw it overnight in the fridge. Then, I bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes, or until it is heated through.
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Mexican Chicken Casserole with Rice and Beans
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown rice cooked, frozen or microwavable rice
- 1 cup cauliflower rice
- 1 cup corn
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 bell pepper, finely diced option to saute slightly beforehand to cut down on bake time
- 1 onion, finely diced option to saute slightly beforehand to cut down on bake time
- 2 cups taco sauce
- 1 1/2 cup chicken shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- In a 9×13 inch baking dish, combine the rice, corn, black beans, bell pepper, onion, taco sauce, and shredded chicken. Mix well.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the casserole is heated through and bubbly.
- Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.
- Top with lactose-free sour cream, shredded lettuce, and chopped green onions/chives.
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