Spicy Chicken Casserole Recipe

Who doesn't love a good casserole dish? While people serve some of the most well-known casseroles as sides at a Thanksgiving feast, there are also plenty of other casseroles that hit the spot year-round. Recipe developer Kristen Carli came up with this spicy chicken casserole that's filled with cheese, chicken, beans, and rice. Just reading the ingredients alone is enough to make your mouth water, so just imagine how good it tastes! Add a little bit of spicy salsa, and you have yourself an incredible and filling dinner. This recipe is great for a family-style meal, and it's perfect for a crowd. There's really no wrong occasion to serve this casserole.

Carli has come up with plenty of great simple, easy dishes in her day, and this is one of her faves. "I love that it is a one-pan meal that is nutritionally balanced: carb, protein, fat," Carli raves. We'd have to agree with her.

Keep reading to find out how to make this delightful casserole that will knock your socks off! 

The first step for this recipe is to gather all of the ingredients necessary to throw it together. For starters, you will need a cup of white rice and a few tablespoons of minced garlic. In addition, grab some chicken broth and a few cups of cooked shredded chicken. You can either use store-bought or make your own ahead of time. 

The recipe also calls for a can of black beans. Then, a little bit of hot salsa and some paprika will provide this casserole with just the right amount of spice. To complete your list, add shredded Mexican cheese. Now, it's time to get down to business!

For starters, turn your oven to 350 F so you save yourself some time. Then, grab a 9x13-inch baking dish and spray it with nonstick cooking spray. This ensures that none of the casserole will stick to the bottom of the dish. Trust us — you won't want to miss out on any of this fantastic casserole because it's sticking to the bottom. 

Now, it's time to pour the rice into the baking dish, which will be your first layer.

After you add your rice to the bottom of the dish, sprinkle the minced garlic on top to add a little more flavor. Garlic just does the trick for pretty much every recipe, right? At this time, you will also want to add in the chicken broth, which is the liquid that will help cook the rice. Chicken broth is a great alternative to cooking rice instead of regular water. "I love adding chicken broth to my rice to flavor it," Carli says. That little hint of salt really elevates the flavor of this rice more than water would. 

After adding the chicken broth, stir everything to combine.

After you have stirred the rice, it's time to add the paprika for a hint of spice. Then, you can throw in the black beans and the shredded chicken. Once again, give the entire baking dish a few good stirs to combine all the ingredients together.

The last layer that you need for this delicious casserole is shredded cheese. Now, it's ready to go into the oven. 

Once you have added all of the layers to your dish, pop it into your preheated oven. Set the timer for 30 minutes. Once your timer dings, take the casserole out of the range and serve as you wish. "I love serving this with a dollop of sour cream," Carli shares. "This is a one-pan meal. No need to serve anything with it." 

We don't think that you'll have any leftovers, but if you do, you're in luck! "Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days," Carli says. Now, there's only one thing left to do: Dig in!