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.
I just made this for dinner n I checked it at 45min n the rice was really overlooked idk what I did wrong. Flavors great but mushy rice is a no go. I used jasmine rice, cut up chicken thighs n also added some canned diced jalapeños n siracha n it does have great flavor just need to check it at 30min next time.
I just made this tonight and was delicious! I replaced the rice with quinoa and I worked out great. I added some cayenne pepper, hot sauce and chopped up a fresh jalapeno. Might add 2 next time.
My child cannot have corn, due to allergies. Is there something I can use in its place?
I think I’d just make it minus the corn instead of trying to replace it with something.
Very simple dish to make the only change i made was chicken tenders instead of breast and I forgot the green onions on top but still great. This recipe did take a little longer to cook but all in all really good.
I made this today with brown rice & it came out great! I microwaved the brown rice in some chicken broth for 10 minutes beforehand, and it came out perfect and on-time. Delicious!
wow! another inexpensive, easy, super tasty recipe! i may end up ditching all my other recipe websites in favor of yours!
I made this dish and while it tasted really good, my rice came out undercooked in some spots and overcooked in others. Any ideas what I might have done wrong?
Hmm, maybe just make sure it’s really well stirred before it goes in the oven so there are no clumps of rice. That might help.
This looks amazing!! We are making this tonight and will post the results on our page! Thanks for sharing your lovely dish!
You could even do this in your crockpot. Do it in the am or the night before and then put it in the crockpot
I like that idea!
I would make my own salsa and use fresh beans. Bottled salsa has added sugar, and preservatives. Fresh beans are a low cost way to bring this to a new level.
I have a random question. Do you think I could have everything prepped and ready to pop in the oven but keep in the the fridge until time to cook? I have company coming over tomorrow and want to find something I can prep then have my husband throw in the oven for me. Cooking and him aren’t the best of friends but he can preheat and toss in the oven like a champ.
Yes, you could probably do that, although starting it out cold from the fridge like that will likely increase the cooking time. Without having tried it, I’m not sure how much longer you’ll need to bake :P
Could you leave the rice out of this recipe, I just can’t do rice. Or could something else be substituted.
Well, the Taco Chicken Bowls are pretty much the same thing, but spooned over rice instead of with the rice mixed in, so I think it would work. It will probably be a bit waterier, though, because the rice is not there to soak up the moisture… so you’ll probably want to skip the chicken broth.
FANTASTIC! Made this tonight for my family and they gobbledygook it up. Will make again. Thank you for sharing.
Do you think quinoa would work instead of rice? I only have brown rice and didn’t factor the extra time it will need.
Hmm, honestly I’m not sure. I haven’t done a lot of cooking with quinoa. I’ve only cooked it on the stove top, so I’m not sure what adjustments might need to be make for the oven.
I tried it quinoa and it tasted great. Followed everything else exactly just used 1 cup quinoa instead of 1 cup rice. I plan on making it again this week. Thanks for a great recipe!
Awesome! Thanks for letting us all know that it works with quinoa! :D
What a great idea to use the quinoa! Did you have to adjust the baking time or did you use the quicker cooking quinoa? I am always looking for new uses for the “heat in the microwave,90 second quinoa” since I bought it by mistake. Thanks to anyone with advice.
I was wondering if you could make this without the rice? Would the recipe change a lot?
BTW I love your website, I have been on a budget lately and your recipes are so easy and so cheap to make!! Thanks so much!!
Well, you would have to adjust it some because the rice soaks up a lot of the moisture. You could probably just bake some chicken in salsa and beans without the broth, though. And it wouldn’t have to bake as long because you only have to wait for the chicken to cook through and not for the rice to cook (which takes much longer than the chicken). Maybe a half hour or so in the oven.