Mexican Chicken Casserole is so easy to make! Your family will be raving for more of this creamy casserole loaded with Tex-Mex flavors!
Mexican food is one of my favorites! I always drool at chicken enchilada recipes (like my husband’s favorite chicken enchilada recipe). However, this casserole is a crazy easy weeknight meal that everyone will love! The tomatoes, green chiles, black beans, salsa, chicken, and gooey cheese in this recipe are all SO enticing!
The Best Casserole Around
Grab a rotisserie chicken or some packaged cooked chicken and dinner is made in 45 minutes flat with almost no work for you! Healthy black beans and lean protein make this recipe one that you will be happy to serve to your family.
Don’t you just want to dive right into this easy casserole recipe? The kids will love the ooey gooey cheese factor! I used to add sour cream, but I really didn’t think it was necessary with all the creamy sauce and cheese on top. You can always serve with a dollop on top!
Mexican Casserole Ingredients
CHICKEN: Using pre-cooked chicken from the grocery store makes this recipe so easy to whip up. If you’re cooking chicken yourself, any cut will work!
CREAM CHEESE: I make this creamy Mexican chicken casserole with melted cream cheese and shredded cheese. Colby Jack and cheddar are my favorites, but any cheese that melts well will work.
TOMATOES & CHILES: I use freshly diced tomatoes and a can of diced green chiles, but you can also make this Mexican chicken casserole with Rotel! Just be sure you drain all the canning liquid to avoid a soggy casserole.
If you’re looking for a low-carb Mexican chicken casserole, simply omit the beans and tortilla chips! Or if you want the crunch, use keto tortilla chips.
How to Make Mexican Chicken Casserole
STEP ONE: Heat the cooked chicken, salsa, and cream cheese in a large skillet until the cream cheese melts and the chicken is warm.
STEP TWO: Add the black beans and green chiles and keep heating the mixture until everything is warmed through.
STEP THREE: Start with a layer of crushed tortilla chips in a greased baking dish. Then, add the chicken mixture. Now, add the tomatoes, followed by the green onions and shredded cheese.
STEP FOUR; Bake until the casserole is hot and bubbly. That’s it! This is one of my favorite easy Mexican chicken casserole recipes because there’s barely any cleanup! Let the oven do most of the work for dinner tonight.
Can I Put Raw Chicken in a Casserole?
To be safe, I always use cooked chicken in casseroles. Luckily, the cream cheese and veggies keep the chicken nice and moist.
However, you CAN use raw chicken in a pinch. If you do, place the chicken over the tortilla chips and top with the cream cheese/veggie mixture. When the cooking time is up, make sure the chicken has cooked to at least 160 degrees F internal temperature. If needed, continue cooking the casserole to hit that safe food temp.
Boiling and shredding chicken can be a pain, but a rotisserie chicken from your local grocery store makes using cooked chicken a breeze!
What to Serve with Mexican Chicken Casserole
You can always keep it simple with some Mexican rice alongside this chicken and black bean casserole.
Black bean soup is an easy, heart-healthy dish. Skip the meat for a hearty side dish recipe for a cold day!
When the weather gets warm, I can’t stop making corn. Try this lightly charred Mexican street corn for a magnificent flavor explosion in every kernel.
More Yummy Mexican-Inspired Recipes
- Taco Casserole
- Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
- Instant Pot Taco Soup
- Chicken Enchilada Casserole
*This post originally posted on 04/27/2015.
Ingredients
- 13 ounces cooked chicken diced
- 1 cup salsa
- 4 ounces light cream cheese
- 4 ounces diced green chiles
- 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 tomato diced
- 2 green onions sliced
- 2 cups Mexican cheese blend shredded
- 1 cup tortilla chips crushed
- Sour cream for garnish
- Green onion thinly sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease the inside of an 8-inch x 8-inch casserole dish. Set aside
- Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken, salsa, and cream cheese to the pan and stir until cheese is melted. Add the black beans and chiles and cook until everything is warmed through.
- Place a layer of crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of the casserole dish. Then top the chips with the chicken mixture and spread into an even layer. Top the casserole off with tomatoes, green onions, and cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes until hot and bubbling. Remove from the oven and cut into 6 portions. We like to top with casserole with sour cream and green onions.
bc in edmond says
this sounds yummy! what is the texture of the tortilla chips after the casserole is baked – are they soft or somewhat crispy? soft worries me a little – I don’t want the casserole to taste mushy 🙂 – thanks!
Tara says
They aren’t mushy, they are just a nice base to the casserole.
bc in edmond says
thank you – I’m sure I’ll make this soon!
Barb says
The chips stay crunchy. Loved the texture they gave the dish. I didn’t have black beans so I used corn. I also used left over turkey instead of chicken. Delicious!
Great recipe…a keeper 🙂
Aubrey Cota says
Thank you!
Bridget says
This was a HUGE hit! We eat mostly paleo so I skipped the tortilla chips and probably used more cheese than indicated but otherwise made it as directed. My picky 5 year old asked for thirds! Will definitely make this again.
Tara N says
I am thrilled you like it, and five year old approved!!
Liz says
Thank you for the nice recipe.
The Southern Stylista says
I made this for myself and my husband tonight (adjusted to fit what leftovers we had in our fridge!) and it was so good, husband approved for sure!
xoxo, SS
The Southern Stylista
Tara N says
Great to hear, thanks for taking the time to comment!!
Jill Bracchi says
So good! Thanks for the recipe!