Looking for an easy high-protein dinner your whole family will love? This Chicken Burrito Casserole is the ultimate comfort food with a healthy twist. Packed with juicy shredded chicken, fluffy rice, black beans, and gooey melted cheese, it delivers bold Mexican-inspired flavor in every bite. Perfect for busy weeknights, meal prep, or feeding a crowd, this one-dish wonder is made with simple pantry staples and bakes up with minimal cleanup.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Burrito Casserole
- Super easy: Just mix, bake, and enjoy. Perfect for weeknights when time is short.
- One-dish wonder: Less mess, less cleanup, more deliciousness.
- Customizable: Add your favorite veggies, switch up the protein, or turn it into burritos.
- Kid-approved: Flavorful but not spicy—great for all ages.
- Meal prep friendly: Make ahead and reheat for busy lunches or dinners.
Ingredients You’ll Need Chicken Burrito Casserole
- 1 cup parboiled long-grain brown or white rice (uncooked)
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fajita seasoning (store-bought or homemade)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for a spicy kick)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels
- 1 can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie or homemade)
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1 small can green chilies
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
How to Make Chicken Burrito Casserole
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
- In a large casserole dish, combine rice, onion, bell pepper, fajita seasoning, and cayenne (if using).
- In a bowl or measuring cup, whisk together chicken broth, green chilies, tomato paste, and olive oil.
- Pour the broth mixture over the rice and vegetables, stir well.
- Add shredded chicken, black beans, and corn. Mix everything together.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 65–70 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
- Remove foil, sprinkle cheese on top, and return to the oven for 5–10 more minutes until melted and golden.
- Let it rest for 5–10 minutes, then serve with toppings like salsa, avocado, sour cream, cilantro, or green onions.
Tips for the Best Chicken Burrito Casserole
- Rice not done yet? Just stir and bake a little longer. The rice will continue absorbing flavor as it rests.
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time, or cook and shred chicken breasts ahead of time.
- Homemade fajita seasoning is great, but store-bought or taco seasoning also works well.
- Want to make burritos? Wrap a scoop of the casserole in a flour tortilla, add cheese, refried beans, salsa—roll it up and enjoy!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- In the fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 3–4 minutes.
- In the freezer: Cool completely, then store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
FAQs
Is this chicken burrito casserole gluten-free?
Yes! Since it doesn’t use tortillas in the baking process, this dish is naturally gluten-free. Just double-check your seasoning mix and broth to be sure.
Can I make burritos out of the casserole?
Absolutely! This casserole makes the perfect burrito filling. Just scoop some into a warm tortilla, add your favorite extras, and roll it up.
More Delicious Dinner Recipes You’ll Love
- Cucumber Sweet Pepper Salad
- Keto Big Mac Smash Burgers
- Spicy Shrimp Sushi Stacks
- High-Protein Turkey Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
- Chicken Taco Soup
Final Thoughts
This chicken burrito casserole is everything we love about Mexican food—easy, cheesy, and full of bold flavor—in one simple dish. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or looking for a cozy dinner with leftovers, this recipe checks all the boxes.
So next time you need a fuss-free meal that satisfies, give this casserole a try. Your family will love it—and you’ll love how easy it is to make.
Chicken Burrito Casserole – Easy High Protein Meals
Looking for an easy high-protein dinner your whole family will love? This Chicken Burrito Casserole is the ultimate comfort food with a healthy twist.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup finely diced onion
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 cup uncooked parboiled long-grain brown rice can also use long grain white rice
- 3 tablespoons fajita seasoning homemade or store-bought
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 cup corn kernels frozen
- 1 14 ounce can low sodium black beans drained and rinsed
- 5 cups shredded chicken
- 3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 1 4 ounce can mild green chilies
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 1/4 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Add onion, bell pepper, uncooked rice, fajita seasoning and cayenne (if using) to a 9×13 inch baking dish and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the chicken broth, green chiles, tomato paste and olive oil until well combined.
- Add the broth mixture to the baking dish and stir to combine with the rice mixture.
- Add shredded chicken, black beans and corn to the baking dish. Give it an additional stir until well combined.
- Cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and then transfer to the oven to bake for 65-70 minutes or until all of the liquid is absorbed.
- Once complete, remove the baking dish from the oven, remove the aluminium foil, and sprinkle evenly with grated cheese.
- Return the baking dish to the oven for a final 5-10 minutes until the cheese has melted and is slightly golden.
- Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, and serve with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, green onion, salsa and avocado, if desired.
Notes
- The amount of time this chicken burrito casserole requires will depend on your oven. I put mine in the oven for 70 minutes using parboiled long-grain brown rice, and an additional 5 minutes after the cheese was added.
- If your casserole is still a bit soupy when you check on it, it most likely needs more time in the oven. Give it a quick stir to redistribute the liquid and place in the oven until the majority of the liquid has been absorbed. Keep in mind that some of the extra liquid will absorb into the rice as it sits as well.
- I like to use my homemade fajita seasoning for this recipe, but you can also use store-bought or sub in taco seasoning instead.
- If you don’t have cooked shredded chicken, you can use a rotisserie chicken or boil chicken breasts on the stove and shred or bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Once cooked, place chicken on a cutting board and use two forks to shred the chicken into bite-size pieces.
