This Mexican chicken casserole recipe will become a mainstay in your weeknight dinner rotation. A cross between a tamale pie and chicken enchiladas, this easy chicken casserole features all of the Mexican-inspired flavors we love, packed into one simple dish!
Pre-cooked shredded chicken, black beans, corn, aromatics, and red enchilada sauce come together for that delicious filling, while a buttery cornbread topping gives it the perfect crust. It’s comfort food to the core. And we are here for it!
Why You’ll Love this Mexican Chicken Bake
Our Mexican chicken casserole is a spinoff of our Mexican cornbread casserole. It has a similar cornbread topping and those Tex-Mex flavors we love.
But instead of the pork and smoky chipotle we used in that recipe, this casserole features a filling that uses pre-cooked chicken for convenience.
It’s an “ease-meets-flavor” dish in every way, from the list of simple ingredients in the cheesy filling (like frozen corn and canned beans) to the cornbread topping that bakes into a beautiful golden crust.
Mexican chicken casserole is:
- filling and flavorful
- the perfect family-style dish
- easy enough for a busy weeknight
- hearty and satisfying comfort food
Ingredients for Mexican Chicken Casserole
To make our Mexican chicken casserole, you will need:
- Onion and garlic
- El Mariachi seasoning (see notes for substitutes)
- Flour. Use this for the filling and the cornbread topping.
- Salt. For the filling and the cornbread topping.
- Enchilada sauce. Use either a can of store-bought sauce or our red chile enchilada sauce.
- Cooked shredded chicken. Either a rotisserie chicken or shredded Instant Pot chicken.
- Frozen corn.
- Black beans. From a can or make a batch of Instant Pot black beans.
- Diced green chiles. You can also use a roasted poblano pepper.
- Cheddar cheese. This goes in the filling and the cornbread topping.
- Cornmeal.
- Sugar.
- Baking powder and baking soda.
- Buttermilk or milk.
- Melted butter.
- Eggs.
How to Make Mexican Chicken Casserole
With a prep time of only 20 minutes, this hearty, one-dish meal offers a big reward with little effort required.
Scroll to the bottom of the page to view the entire Mexican chicken casserole recipe (and printable recipe card). Here’s a quick summary of the cooking process:
- Make the chicken casserole filling: Cook the onions and garlic. Add the seasoning, flour, and salt, then pour in the enchilada sauce. Let it thicken for a few minutes, then remove it from the heat and mix in the rest of the filling ingredients. Pour it into the casserole dish.
- Make the cornbread topping: Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, butter, and eggs. Fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, then fold in the shredded cheese.
- Bake the casserole: Pour the batter on top of the chicken mixture and transfer the dish to the oven.
Recipe Tips
- We like using Spiceology’s El Mariachi seasoning but you can also substitute that blend with the following spice mix:
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Both frozen corn and canned corn work well.
- If your skillet isn’t large enough to hold the entire chicken mixture, transfer the sauce to a large bowl and stir in the chicken, corn, beans, chiles, and cheese.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Mexican chicken casserole recipe is so good with a variety of sides! We like to serve it with Instant Pot Spanish rice, Mexican red rice, mole sauce and this chili relleno dip, but any dishes with Mexican-inspired flavors will work well.
You can shred either dark meat or light meat as long as it is cooked thoroughly. Rotisserie chicken always shreds easily. Grilled chicken breast or chicken legs will also shred well if you cook them long enough.
To reheat this Mexican chicken casserole, cover it with foil and heat in a 300°F oven until it is warmed through. The foil will prevent the cornbread topping from overcooking.
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Some Other Recipes We Are Sure You Will Love
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Mexican Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
Casserole
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon El Mariachi seasoning see notes
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 can 20 ounces enchilada sauce
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1-1/2 cups frozen corn
- 1 can black beans drained
- 1 can 7-ounces diced green chiles
- 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Cornbread Topping
- 1-1/2 cups cornmeal
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1-1/4 cups buttermilk or milk
- 6 tablespoons butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Instructions
For the Chicken Casserole
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spray a 13 x 9-inch casserole dish (3-1/2 quart dish) with non-stick cooking spray.
- Heat the oil in a large 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until the garlic is fragrant. Add the seasoning blend, flour, and salt. Stir for 30 seconds to 1 minute then pour in the enchilada sauce. Cook, stirring constantly until slightly thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in the shredded chicken, corn, beans, chiles, and cheese.
- Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish.
Make the Cornbread Topping
- Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, and eggs.
- Fold the wet mixture into the dry mixture then fold in the shredded cheese.
- Pour the batter over the top of the chicken casserole and spread it out.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cornbread comes out clean.
- Let the casserole sit for 10 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
angiesrecipes
Friday 3rd of June 2022
It looks very inviting and makes a perfect complete meal!