Swim Queso Chicken and Rice Casserole
An easy and chicken and rice casserole you can have in the oven with just 10 minutes of prep time. Packed with juicy chicken, tender rice and lots of flavor!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 525kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups parboiled medium grain rice rinsed
- ½ cup broken up vermicelli or capellini noodles
- 1 (15-oz) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn either frozen or canned works
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 2 cups salsa one 15-oz jar; I get the large Costco jars so I measure out ~2 cups
- 4 tablespoons taco seasoning divided use
- onion & garlic powder, salt & pepper to taste
- 1.5 to 2 pounds chicken tenders OR chicken breast cut into strips
- 2-3 cups shredded cheese Colby Jack, Monterey Jack or Cheddar work best
- 1-2 cups queso homemade or store-bought; so far my kids have hated every single queso I bought so I have to make my own 🫠
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Put "dry" ingredients in the dish: Add the rice, vermicelli, black beans and corn to a 9x13 inch casserole dish.1 ½ cups parboiled medium grain rice, ½ cup broken up vermicelli or capellini noodles, 1 (15-oz) can black beans, 1 cup corn
- Add liquids and seasoning: Stir together the chicken broth, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning plus other seasonings to taste. Pour into the casserole dish, add the salsa and stir to combine.3 cups chicken broth, ¼ cup tomato paste, 2 cups salsa, 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, onion & garlic powder, salt & pepper
- Add seasoned chicken: Season the chicken tenders with the remaining taco seasoning (and any other seasoning you like) and nestle into the rice mixture.2 tablespoons taco seasoning, 1.5 to 2 pounds chicken tenders
- Add cheese and bake: Top with the shredded cheese, cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the rice and chicken are done. Serve topped with warmed queso.2-3 cups shredded cheese, 1-2 cups queso
Video
Notes
This makes 8 servings for my family of 6, but my kids are not huge eaters. It may be 6 servings for 6 hungry people.
Refrigerate leftovers within an hour and store covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat fully to 165°F before eating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 1680mg | Potassium: 952mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1016IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 302mg | Iron: 3mg