Chicken taco casserole is an easy-to-whip-up dinner withcilantro lime rice, Mexican-seasoned shredded chicken, a creamy salsa, fresh pico, shredded cheese, and a dollop of guacamole!
![Quick and Easy Loaded Chicken Taco Casserole - Fed & Fit (1) Quick and Easy Loaded Chicken Taco Casserole - Fed & Fit (1)](https://i0.wp.com/fedandfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2105_Freezer-Meals-093-660x825.jpg)
Table of Contents
- This recipe is…
- Ingredients Needed
- How to Make
- How to Serve
- How to Store and Reheat
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Favorite Casserole Recipes
- Quick and Easy Loaded Chicken Taco Casserole Recipe
This recipe is…
GFGluten Free
This chicken taco casserole dish is made up of 5 different layers: cilantro lime rice, Mexican-seasoned shredded chicken, a creamy salsa, shredded cheese, then fresh pico, guacamole, and sour cream after it comes out of the oven.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you’ll need for this chicken taco casserole:
![Quick and Easy Loaded Chicken Taco Casserole - Fed & Fit (2) Quick and Easy Loaded Chicken Taco Casserole - Fed & Fit (2)](https://i0.wp.com/fedandfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2105_Freezer-Meals-069-660x825.jpg)
- White Rice – to start, you’ll need 4 cups of cooked white rice.
- Lime Juice – a 1/4 cup of fresh lime juice (the juice from about 2 juicy limes) gets added to the rice for a punch of acidity and brightness.
- Cilantro – in addition to the lime juice, you’ll also add a 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro to the cooked rice.
- Shredded Chicken – the second layer of our taco casserole consists of about 4 cups of shredded chicken (about 2 pounds of raw chicken, cooked and shredded) mixed with several delicious spices.
- Spices + Seasonings – 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1 tablespoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, a 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, and a 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper mix with our chicken to add a really delicious taco flavor to the finished product.
- Salsa – our next layer is a creamy salsa! For this, you’ll need 16 ounces of your favorite salsa. We used a red salsa here, but feel free to use a green salsa if you prefer that.
- Sour Cream – to make the salsa nice and creamy, we’ll mix it with 1 cup of sour cream. When the casserole comes out of the oven, we’ll top each serving with an additional dollop of sour cream, so be sure to have enough for that too!
- Shredded Cheese – the last layer of our casserole is cheese! You’ll sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese over top the casserole before popping it into the oven.
- Pico de Gallo – now for the MOST fun part: toppings! When the casserole comes out of the oven, you’ll top it with 2 cups of fresh homemade pico de gallo.
- Guacamole – we love serving this casserole with a dollop of guacamole on top.
- Cilantro – a garnish of chopped fresh cilantro finishes everything off beautifully!
How to Make
This casserole is so easy and so yummy — here’s how you’ll bring it together:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Mix the rice, lime juice, and cilantro – to start, mix the cooked rice with the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Then, spread the rice evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Make the shredded chicken layer – mix the shredded chicken with the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper, and spread it evenly over the rice in the baking dish.
- Whisk together the sour cream + salsa – in a bowl, whisk together the salsa and sour cream. Pour the mixture over the chicken and rice in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle the cheese over top + bake – lastly, sprinkle the cheese over top and bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is browned.
- Garnish + serve – before plating, spread the fresh pico evenly over the casserole. Garnish individual plates with guacamole, cilantro, and additional sour cream, then serve.
How to Serve
One of the really great things about this casserole is that is a complete meal all on its own. The rice provides a healthy dose of carbohydrates, the chicken provides the protein, and the guacamole + sour cream adds some nice, healthy fats. If you really want to serve this with something else, a simple arugula side salad would be a good choice!
How to Store and Reheat
Store your casserole in an airtight container in the refrigerator or top your casserole dish with either a matching lid or parchment paper-lined (if you’d like) aluminum foil, and reheat a single serving in the microwave or pop the whole casserole into the oven!
![Quick and Easy Loaded Chicken Taco Casserole - Fed & Fit (12) Quick and Easy Loaded Chicken Taco Casserole - Fed & Fit (12)](https://i0.wp.com/fedandfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/2105_Freezer-Meals-097-660x825.jpg)
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best way to cook chicken to shred it?
There are so many options when it comes to cooking and shredding chicken. Our favorite ways to do this are either in theInstant Pot (Instant Pot shredded chicken)or theslow cooker (slow cooker shredded chicken), and if you need tocook your chicken from frozen, we have directions for that too!
Is it easier to shred chicken hot or cold?
This is totally up to you — neither way is necessarily harder or easier than the other, it’ll just depend on when you have time to shred your chicken (right after cooking or later on) and which you prefer!
Should the casserole be covered when baking?
Nope! You don’t need to cover the casserole while it bakes. In fact, we want the cheese to get slightly browned and bubbly, so it’s best to not cover it.
Can I substitute the chicken for another type of meat in this recipe?
Absolutely! Shredded pork shoulder, ground beef, or ground chicken would all be delicious options!
More Favorite Casserole Recipes
Sloppy Joe CasseroleChicken Divan Recipe (Chicken Broccoli Casserole)King Ranch Chicken CasseroleConfetti Chicken Casserole RecipeChicken Enchilada CasseroleCreamy Green Chile Enchilada CasseroleChicken Caprese CasseroleBuffalo Ranch Chicken Casserole
Quick and Easy Loaded Chicken Taco Casserole
5 from 1 vote
By Cassy
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 20 minutes mins
Total: 30 minutes mins
Servings: 8 servings
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This chicken taco casserole is an easy, delicious way to get dinner on the table!
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 4 cups shredded chicken this will be 2 pounds of chicken
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 16 ounces salsa
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups fresh pico for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
- Guacamole for garnish
- Additional sour cream for garnish
- Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Mix the rice with the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Spread the rice evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Mix the shredded chicken with the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper. Spread the seasoned shredded chicken evenly over the rice in the baking dish.
In a bowl, whisk together the salsa and sour cream. Pour the mixture over the chicken and rice in the baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese over top and bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is browned.
Before plating, spread the fresh pico evenly over the casserole. Garnish individual plates with guacamole, cilantro, and additional sour cream, then serve.
Recipe Notes
If you’re looking for theoriginaltaco casserole recipe, find it below!
Ingredients:
- 4 cups white orcauliflower rice, cooked
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 4 cups shredded chicken
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups fresh salsa
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 2 cups fresh pico, for garnish
- Guacamole, for garnish
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Mix the rice with the lime juice and chopped cilantro. Spread the seasoned rice evenly into the bottom of a 9×12 baking dish.
- Mix the shredded chicken with the chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper. Spread the seasoned shredded chicken evenly over the rice in the baking dish.
- In a bowl, whisk together the salsa and coconut milk. Pour this mixture over the chicken and rice in the baking dish. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
- Before plating, spread the fresh pico evenly over the casserole. Garnish individual plates with guacamole and cilantro.
Nutrition
Calories: 432kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 126mg | Sodium: 792mg | Potassium: 572mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 942IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 325mg | Iron: 2mg
Additional Info
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 432
Keyword: chicken casserole, taco casserole, taco chicken casserole
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Chicken Recipes Dinner Dinner Casseroles Food Gluten Free Oven
About the Author
Cassy Joy Garcia, NC
Cassy Joy Garcia, a New York Times best-selling author, of Cook Once Dinner Fix, Cook Once Eat All Week, and Fed and Fit as well as the creative force behind the popular food blog Fed & Fit.
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