Mexican Chili Chicken Casserole

The flavor combination in this Mexican Chili Chicken Casserole is AWESOME. It sounds a bit strange, but when I first saw the recipe, I was, like, “Really? A can of chili?” Then I tasted it, and I was, like, “Holy Crap! This is DELICIOUS!!!” ….and I’ve been making it regularly ever since. Now it’s your turn to have your mind blown. I even made a Slow Cooker Version for those times when you only have five minutes to dump things in a crockpot before running out the door. You’ll love both versions.

I got this recipe in college from my friend, Alison. We were both newly married and getting used to cooking more regularly. I’m so glad she shared this recipe with me. It has been one of our family’s absolute favorites for years now. I love how easy it is to throw together. I can keep all of the ingredients needed on hand in my pantry and freezer. So even when I haven’t been doing great meal planning, I almost always have what’s needed to throw this pan of perfection together.

Family-Favorite Mexican Recipes

step-by-step photos for how to make Mexican chicken chili casserole

Tips for making Mexican Chicken Chili Casserole

This casserole tastes delish slapped into a tortilla. Great way to serve leftovers.
To make this extra easy to make, I use canned chicken or pre-cooked shredded chicken that I keep on hand in my freezer. You can use raw chicken, if you want. Just cut it into small pieces and saute it before adding it to the casserole.
The brand of chili you use will also affect the flavor. I usually use Hormel or try to save and freeze a couple of cups of homemade chili when I make it to use later in this recipe.
A can of Herdez Chili Verde is the perfect size for the cup of salsa verde needed in this recipe and is very easy to keep on hand.
Don’t use day-old rice for this recipe. It needs to be freshly cooked rice.

chef’s tools:

Mexican Chili Chicken Casserole

Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

50 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

Unlikely ingredients come together to make one of the most delicious casseroles you'll ever eat! You've gotta try this Mexican Chili Chicken Casserole!

Author: Recipe from my friend, Alison

Recipe type: Casserole/Dinner/Mexican

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

6-8 cups cooked rice (freshly cooked minute rice or freshly cooked regular long-grain rice) *I generally cook 2½ - 3 cups of rice to get this amount.
2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed (or two cans of chicken as pictured above)
1 (15 ounce) can chili or 2 cups homemade chili
1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup chili verde salsa
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about ⅔ cup)
1 (2 ounce) can sliced olives
2-3 cups shredded cheese of your choice (We like Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, or mild cheddar.)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and put the cooked rice evenly on the bottom.
Next, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the chicken, chili, cream of chicken soup, chili verde salsa, and onion. Stir until well mixed.
Spread the mixture over the cooked rice.
Next, top with shredded cheese and sliced olives.
Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes or until nice and bubbly. If the cheese starts to brown too quickly, you can cover it lightly with foil.
Serve and enjoy!