Description
Home cooks will adore this chicken fajita casserole recipe that combines Mexican-inspired flavors with comforting, cheesy goodness. Spicy peppers, tender chicken, and melted cheese create a quick weeknight dinner you can easily prepare and enjoy with family.
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (950 mL) shredded cooked chicken (about 2 large breasts)
- 1 (8 oz/226 g) package shredded Mexican blend cheese (about 2 cups)
- 2 cups (400 g) instant rice
- 1 (10.5 oz/298 g) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup (240 mL) sour cream
- 1 cup (150 g) frozen diced onion and bell pepper blend
- 1 (10 oz/283 g) can diced tomatoes with chilies (like Rotel), undrained
- 1 ½ cups (360 mL) chicken broth
- 1 (1.12 oz/32 g) packet fajita seasoning (McCormick)
Instructions
- Prepare Oven and Dish: Preheat to 350°F and lightly spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with nonstick coating to ensure easy release.
- Create Flavor Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine shredded chicken, raw rice, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, chopped onions, diced bell peppers, tomatoes with chilies, chicken broth, and fajita seasoning, mixing until ingredients are fully integrated and evenly distributed.
- Cheese Integration: Fold approximately half of the shredded cheese into the mixture, ensuring a uniform distribution that will provide pockets of melted goodness throughout the casserole.
- Layer and Cover: Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish, then tightly cover with aluminum foil to lock in moisture and promote consistent cooking.
- Initial Baking Phase: Place in preheated oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, allowing rice to become tender and absorb the flavorful liquid while maintaining a moist texture.
- Final Cheese Topping: Remove foil, sprinkle remaining cheese over the surface, and return to oven for 3-5 minutes until cheese melts into a golden, bubbling layer.
- Rest and Serve: Allow casserole to rest for 5 minutes, enabling ingredients to set and flavors to meld before serving a comforting, cheesy dish.
Notes
- Prep Ahead Strategy: Mix ingredients the night before and refrigerate to save time and enhance flavor melding.
- Liquid Balance Tip: Adjust chicken broth quantity based on rice type to prevent dryness or sogginess.
- Cheese Melting Hack: Use freshly shredded cheese for smoother, more even melting compared to pre-packaged varieties.
- Customization Option: Swap proteins like ground turkey or beef for varied taste profiles and dietary preferences.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg