I’m still all about these easy, one dish dinners. This one is very similar to the ultra popular Taco Chicken Bowls, but it’s made in the oven and takes about an hour, as opposed to eight in a slow cooker. The directions go something like this: dump, stir, cover, cook, eat, be happy.
One little jar of salsa adds so much flavor to this dish that I almost feel like it’s cheating and the little bit of cheddar on top really made it rich and satisfying. Next time I might even try a little dollop of sour cream! Either way, this recipe was a no brainer to make and a definite tummy pleaser!
I used a couple Budget Bytes tricks to make it more affordable. As usual, I used reconstituted bouillon for the broth instead of canned chicken broth. I’ve also been buying big 2lb. bags of shredded cheese and then dividing them into four freezer bags (2 cups each, the same size as normal bags of shredded cheese) and this really saves me a lot. Then there’s the chicken. I still only buy my chicken breasts on sale. I can usually get them for $1.99/lb. (sometimes less!) if I really keep an eye out. I know not everyone will be able to find this deal, but it’s worth mentioning and looking out for!
Salsa Chicken Casserole
Salsa Chicken Casserole
Servings 6Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice ($0.33)
- 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed ($0.52)
- 1 15oz. can black beans ($1.39)
- 1 16oz. jar salsa ($1.99)
- 1 cup chicken broth ($0.15)
- 1/2 Tbsp chili powder ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano ($0.03)
- 2 chicken breasts (about 1.5 lbs. total) ($2.99)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ($0.94)
- 2 green onions, sliced ($0.17)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Drain and briefly rinse the black beans. Add the dry rice, black beans, corn, salsa, chicken broth, chili powder, and oregano to an 8×8 inch casserole dish. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Cut the chicken breasts into three pieces each. Push the chicken pieces down into the rice salsa mixture in the casserole dish. Try to push them down as far into the liquid as they’ll go. Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil. Bake for one hour.
- Take the casserole dish out of the oven, test the rice with a fork to make sure it is tender. If it is not, recover the dish, return it to the oven, and bake for 10-15 minutes more. When the rice is tender, sprinkle the cheese over top and return the casserole to the oven for a few minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Add the sliced green onions on top after baking and serve hot.
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Notes
Nutrition
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Step By Step Photos
Add the rice, beans, corn, and salsa to an 8×8 casserole dish. BUT, drain and rinse the beans first and thaw the corn first. I didn’t thaw my corn and it slowed my casserole down.
Add a cup of chicken broth to give the rice enough liquid to cook in (it will also get some liquid from the salsa). I decided after the fact to add a little extra chili powder and oregano, but you don’t have to stir the other ingredients together first. Stir those spices right in.
Cut each chicken breast into three pieces. My chicken was still partially frozen (I forgot to put it in the fridge the night before). If it was completely thawed, I would have flattened these pieces out a little bit more.
Push the chicken pieces down into the rice mixture – probably more so than I did here (I learn as I go, too).
Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil to hold all the steam in, and bake it in a preheated 375 degree oven for one hour. After an hour, use a fork to test some of the rice and make sure that it’s tender. If it’s not, simply recover the dish and bake a little bit longer (10-15 minutes). If your chicken and corn were thawed (unlike mine), you probably won’t need to put it back in the oven.
Once you know the rice is fully cooked, sprinkle some cheese over top and pop it back in the oven for just a few more minutes to melt the cheese. Then, when it comes out, add the sliced green onions on top. The end!
Want to look closer? Why not! nom.
Easy dinners make me happy.
Made this as written with 2 changes: I added a half tsp of onion powder and at the half hour mark I turned the oven up to 400. Came out great. The only thing I would change is seasoning the chicken with taco seasoning before baking.
Can I cook the rice ahead of time? I am making this to be frozen for someone. If I cook e rice ahead of time and then throw it in the dish with all the other ingredients, will that affect the rice if it’s already cooked when it goes into the oven?
I love this recipe and I’ve tried it many times but I have to tell you 375 for an hour does not get it done! This needs to be modified big-time as many reviewer’s have said. The cook time at 375 is probably about two hours unless you like crispy rice. So far mine has been in for an hour and 40 minutes, 40 of those minutes I raise the temperature to 400 the rice is still not cooked. Next time I make this because it is a good recipe, I’m going to skip the rice bake the chicken for an hour with all the other ingredients and cook my rice in a pot
Great recipe!! I love it!! What sides did y’all fix with this? Thank you!
I love these Black Bean and Avocado Enchilada Meal Prep
After reading some of the comments I was a little worried about the baking time. But this recipe was perfect in every way. So easy to put together and throw in the oven. Baking time was just a little over an hour because I let it go about 15 minutes extra, but I don’t think that was needed.
This is definitely going in my recipe box. Simple to make, and tastes very good! Thank you for the time it takes you to bring these recipes to us.
I made this in the crock pot today, turned out great. I did it in two steps, first I put seasoned chicken (chili powder, oregano) in crockpot with about 1 cup chicken broth. Cooked on low about 4 hours.
Then I removed chicken from crockpot, added black beans, corn, rice, added chicken back in on top and added chicken broth to cover rice, cooked for about 21/2 hours, then added jar of salsa on top, then cooked another hour, then added shredded cheddar cheese on top cooked for 30 min more with top off crockpot.
Wellllll this is frustrating. I didn’t read the comments before we started this and so far we’re an hour and twenty minutes in and the rice is definitely raw. So much for eating dinner at a decent time.
So yummy! Do you know how I could convert the recipe to be able to make it in my slow cooker? Thanks!
I’m not sure how well the rice will hold up in the slow cooker. It might over cook.
love this dish but apparently my oven is heated by a candle or yours is heated by the sun because after an hour and 15 mins the chicken still looked raw and was less than 100 degrees by a thermometer. taste great but an hour to cook is a pipe dream and frustrating when your family is waiting on a meal that takes over double the time to cook if you have a recommendation please share because I do love the taste when it’s finally done.
Oh no I’m so sorry Caleb! I’d suggest getting a cheap oven thermometer to put in your oven. The digital read out on my oven is off sometimes by 10 degrees and that can really make a difference. Hope that helps!
Oh my goodness
This dish is so stinking good!
Made exactly as written except I added a small can of mild green chilies.
Renting a house with other families and my night to cook dinner will definitely be this!!
Easy and oh so good!
Where would you say this recipe is originated from? I’m making it for a school project!
It’s definitely an American-style recipe. It has some southwest flavors, so maybe a bit of Tex-Mex, but it’s overwhelmingly American.
Fantastic recipe! I used salsa verde, brown rice and 2 cups of chicken broth. I baked for 90 min covered tightly in dutch oven then uncovered, added cheese and cooked for about 15 min more. Thank you!
This recipe is good but need some modifications. One the ingredients as listed WILL NOT fit in and 8” square baking dish. Second – you can plan on this baking about twice the recommended cook time unless you like crispy rice.
That is so correct! I thought the baking dish would be too small and it was!
Love the simplicity of this dish! I would like to mix all the ingredients together, freeze and bake at a later time. Do you know if that would work with the rice being raw and then freeze and cook later? I’m preparing freezer meals for when my baby comes. Thanks!
Hmm, that’s a really tough call. Unfortunately I can’t say for sure without testing that method.
Made this tonight and it was delish!! Can’t believe how quick and easy it was to pull together – i literally made most of it with a baby on my hip haha.
I made with Brown rice; I doubled the broth, used a Dutch oven covered in foil plus lid, and cooked it for 75 minutes at 375, plus an additional 15 at 400. Then I removed the chicken, shredded it and mixed it back in, covered with cheese and back in the oven until melted. Topped with cilantro instead of green onion, and served with a homemade guac, hot sauce, and a dollop of sour cream.
Like your idea of shredding the chicken. Thanks