Mexican Beans and Rice With Chicken

Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole with Black Beans

This dish takes all the flavors you find in many Mexican dishes – chicken, black beans, green chiles, corn, salsa, cilantro, cumin – and combines them together into a scrumptious, hearty baked dish. It takes just minutes to prepare (minimal chopping – yay!) – and for those super busy days, you can make it ahead of time and then just pop it in the oven around 30 minutes before you want to eat dinner. What could be easier?

How to make Mexican Black Beans and Rice with Chicken

There’s just a few steps to follow in making this quick and easy casserole:

1. Preheat the oven and prep the baking dish. Turn oven on to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart baking dish (8 by 8- or 7 by 11-inch) with oil or nonstick cooking spray.
2. Prep the ingredients. Chop the cooked chicken; drain the chiles; drain and rinse the black beans; chop the green onions and cilantro.
3. Mix. In a large mixing bowl, stir together all the ingredients, using only 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese.
4. Bake. Spread mixture evenly in the prepared dish and top with the remainder of the Cheddar cheese. Bake for around 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through.
5. Serve. Let cool for a few minutes, then serve, passing additional salsa and prepared guacamole on the side.

Can additional vegetables be added to the Chicken, Rice and Beans?

You can definitely add more veggies to this Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole. I think adding around 1/2 cup of any of these chopped cooked vegetables would be scrumptious:

• bell peppers,
• spinach (moisture wrung out),
• zucchini, or
• broccoli.
• You can also add chopped tomatoes, too.

What to serve with Mexican Chicken, Black Beans and Rice

The beauty of this casserole is that you don’t need to serve much with it. Just a tossed salad (I think a Caesar salad goes perfectly – dressing recipe in my cookbook “Fresh Tastes”) and maybe some bread ( Parmesan Buttermilk Cornbread) is all you’ll need.

Storing and Reheating Mexican Beans and Rice with Chicken

Casserole can be prepared but not baked earlier in the day, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before baking. It can also be well wrapped and frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw and bring to room temperature before baking and increase cook time by around 5 minutes.

Pin it now to save for later!

I’m Lee Clayton Roper, and I’m passionate about making cooking and entertaining easy, elegant and fun. Here you’ll find scrumptious recipes, helpful tips and seasonal menus that will spark inspiration in your kitchen!