Chicken Burrito Casserole

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This easy chicken burrito casserole is a hearty, delicious one dish delight that the whole family will fall in love with.

Chicken Burrito Casserole on a plate served with sour cream and avocado.

Packed with fantastic flavors, from the tender chicken to the onions, peppers and melted cheese, with plenty of protein, its comfort food made easy! Here's how to it.

Why you'll love this chicken burrito casserole

The perfect recipe to use up leftover chicken
This casserole dish is the ultimate comfort food
The Mexican flavors are absolutely delicious
It's definitely a keeper recipe! The whole family will love this recipe

Equipment needed for this recipe

Baking dish – you'll need a quality casserole dish
Mixing bowl – you'll need a mixing bowl to mix up the chicken broth, olive oil, and tomato paste

How to make chicken burrito casserole

For this recipe, you need shredded rotisserie chicken, corn, brown rice, black beans, peppers, onion, oil, tomato paste, jalapenos, broth and spices.

Place the rice, chopped onion and peppers, jalapenos, tomato paste and spices in a large baking dish. I used a 9x13in one.

Give everything a good stir.

Add the broth and stir well again.

Add the chicken, beans, and corn.

Give everything one last good stir.

Top with copious amounts of grated cheese. Cover with foil first and bake. In the last stretch, remove the foil and bake until the cheese bubbles and form a delectable crust. See photo below.

Chicken Burrito Casserole just out the oven in a white and black dish.

Recipe tips

Use cooked rotisserie chicken for an extra special chicken burrito casserole that is super easy to prepare
Use pre-cooked rice for this recipe. Leftover rice is ideal
Make sure you fully cover the dish with aluminum foil
When it's cooked, remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest for a few minutes. This will allow it to set and give you a better texture when you serve it
Use homemade chicken stock to elevate this dish to another level!

What to serve with a chicken burrito casserole

Salad

I love a healthy, green salad with this recipe. This pear and rocket salad is ideal. You could also keep it simple and serve with shredded lettuce and a scattering of rocket.

Tortilla chips with guacamole

The classic Mexican side. If you like, you can scatter tortilla chips on top of this casserole as soon as it comes out of the oven, but I prefer a bowl on the side, with a generous portion of homemade guacamole.

Fries

To dial up the indulgent levels a notch, make a batch of delicious fries. You can opt for standard potato fries, but why not put a Latin American twist on your dish and make some yuca fries?

Wine pairing

I like a vibrant, fruity wine to balance the rich, creamy flavors and the hint of spice in this recipe. Plump for a Sauvignon Blanc, a Chen Blanc, or a dry German Riesling to harmonize with the rich, creamy qualities of this dish.

Popular variations

Swap the chicken for ground beef and make a beef burrito casserole
Add chili powder or hot sauce for a spicy twist
Add cayenne pepper for a little earthiness
Add fresh garlic or garlic powder if you're a garlic lover like me
Add a squeeze of lime juice for a citrus twist
Bring some sweet flavor with a handful of fresh corn or canned corn
Use enchilada sauce to make this recipe even more flavorful

Substitutions

You can replace cheddar with other types of cheese. Monterey Jack, pepper jack, gouda or a Mexican blend cheese would work equally well
Use cauliflower rice in place of brown rice for a healthier alternative
Taco seasoning can be used instead of fajita seasoning
You can use vegetable broth in place of chicken broth, but you'll lose a bit of richness
If you don't have leftover rice and you're in a rush, you can use instant rice
Use pinto beans or kidney beans if you prefer them to black beans

What spices enhance chicken burrito flavor?

Warm, earthy spices bring a wonderful aroma to this dish. The likes of cumin and coriander are typical spices found throughout lots of different Mexican dishes, while spices like cayenne pepper and smoked paprika are also ideal to add extra flavor.

Many of these spices are contained in Mexican seasoning, which you can buy from most quality grocery stores.

Can I use raw chicken for this recipe?

This recipe calls for cooked chicken. If you use raw chicken, your casserole might end up too watery. I recommend using leftover chicken breasts, chicken thigh or rotisserie chicken, or cooking the chicken before you start to make this recipe.

Can I use canned chicken?

At a pinch, yes, but I would recommend using leftover chicken. Canned chicken lacks quality and might end up too rubbery in this dish.

What's the best rice for chicken burrito casserole?

Long grain rice is certainly the best option for this recipe. You could also use long grain white rice like jasmine rice or basmati rice. Long grain rice ensures you get fluffy rice that absorbs the liquid, producing better results.

Definitely avoid using short grain rice – the types used in Italian and Japanese cooking. The rice will end up too mushy.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes, you can. The best way is to assemble it and leave it covered in the fridge overnight. Then, the next day, when you're ready to serve it, pop it in the oven and cook as per the instructions below.

How do you store chicken burrito casserole leftovers?

This easy chicken burrito casserole is great for leftovers. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within two days.

You can also freeze it, although it won't be as tasty. Make sure your container is freezable and don't keep it frozen for more than six months.

More casserole recipes

One tray casserole recipes are so easy to make and taste fantastic. My family loved each of the following, all of which are super simple and extremely tasty.

Chicken cobbler casserole – it might have been a TikTok craze, but his recipe has an old-school charm to it and is definitely not a 'flash in the pan'
Brioche French toast casserole – pure indulgence! This is the ultimate luxury breakfast to have when you need a little pick me up. Weekend treats don't get much better
Game casserole – a hearty and warming casserole that makes a great alternative to other types of meat. Game is lean, healthy and extremely tasty
Leftover turkey casserole – an ideal leftover recipe for the Holiday Season or any time of year!
Hamburger hashbrown casserole – luscious layers of ground beef, hash browns and veggies, topped with golden melted cheese for a wonderfully comforting dish

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