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    Home » Casserole Recipes

    Southwestern Chicken Casserole

    Modified: May 11, 2025 · Published: Jan 20, 2016 by Vicky · This post may contain affiliate links · 28 Comments

    223 shares
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     My husband thinks I am a culinary genius after the delicious and easy dinner I served this weekend. I made a Southwestern Chicken Casserole, and while I did accept all of his compliments, I know what really bumped this dish up a notch was the four cheeses used in the chicken breading .If you love dinner casseroles be sure to check out our Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole and our Stuffed Shells Recipe. You'll also enjoy these Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich Recipe.

    Southwestern Chicken Casserole - Easy dinner recipe and a great way to liven up chicken. Yummy!

    Southwestern Chicken Casserole

    I made this in a 8 inch casserole dish since this was just for my husband and I and our young kids who don't eat very much. You can easily double the recipe and make it in a larger casserole dish.

    Get your brown rice cooking and get to work on preparing the chicken. For this recipe, you'll be using nugget sized pieces of chicken.

    chicken

    Then it is simply a matter of combining the four cheeses with the Shake and bake seasoned panko bread crumbs and coating the chicken pieces. The chicken will get cooked separately.

    breaded chicken

    While the chicken is baking, you can assemble the rest of your chicken casserole.

    rice in casserole dish
    easy southwestern chicken casserole

    Then just add the chicken. Look how crispy the chicken is after being breaded in the cheesy panko bread crumbs. You could just serve this and your family would be happy!

    breaded chicken

    Simply add the cooked chicken to the casserole, top with some yummy cheese and pop in the oven.

    southwest casserole
    cheesy chicken casserole

    Bake and top with ranch dressing and tortilla strips for a little extra crunch.

    Southwestern Chicken Casserole

    The Southwestern Chicken Casserole got rave reviews. Even my kids liked it. Well, after they picked out the beans and corn. They are pretty picky. My husband had no idea how I prepared the meal, but he kept asking what I did to the chicken. He could tell this was no ordinary breading. I just told him that I am a wizard in the kitchen and he believed me.

    Southwestern Casserole recipe

    FAQs For Southwestern Casserole

    Can I make this casserole ahead of time?

    Yes! You can assemble it a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to bake. Great for busy nights or meal prep.

    Is this recipe spicy?

    It has mild heat, but you can easily adjust the spice level. Use mild salsa or skip the jalapeños if you're cooking for kids or sensitive eaters.

    How should I store leftovers?

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until warmed through.

    📖 Recipe

    Southwestern Casserole

    Vicky
    Southwestern Chicken Casserole - Easy dinner recipe and a great way to liven up chicken. Yummy! 
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 hour hr
    Cook Time 55 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine southwestern
    Servings 6
    Calories 676 kcal

    Video

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 pack of Shake and Bake seasoned panko mix
    • 1 cup Mexican four cheese blend
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • ¼ teaspoon cumin
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 cups of brown rice
    • 6 frozen chicken breasts small to medium sized
    • ½ can of black beans
    • ½ can of corn
    • 1 cup of shredded cheese – can use cheddar or a cheddar and jack mix
    • ½ cup Tortilla strips salad toppers
    • ¼ cup Ranch dressing

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    • Cook brown rice according to package directions.
    • Cut chicken breasts into nugget size pieces.
    • In a large zip top bag, combine the cheese and breadcrumb mixture with the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and onion powder .
    • Drop in your chicken pieces and shake to coat.
    • Place on a greased tray and bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
    • Spread the cooked brown rice on a greased 8 inch baking dish.
    • Next, spread ½ a can of black beans and ½ a can of corn on top of the rice.
    • Top with the cooked, breaded chicken.
    • Sprinkle 1 ½ cups of shredded cheese on top of chicken pieces.
    • Lower oven temperature to 325 and bake for 25 minutes.
    • Drizzle some ranch dressing on top and sprinkle tortilla strips on top..

    Nutrition

    Calories: 676kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 62gFat: 23gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 179mgSodium: 648mgPotassium: 1047mgFiber: 2gVitamin A: 415IUVitamin C: 3.1mgCalcium: 385mgIron: 2.2mg
    Keyword Southwestern Casserole
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
    southwest-chicken-salad.jpg

    If you liked this Southwestern Chicken Casserole, you'll love:

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    Southwest Chicken Salad Recipe

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    Comments

      5 from 5 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Mary says

      April 25, 2018 at 9:22 am

      What a great idea for a weeknight!

      Reply
    2. Jenni LeBaron says

      April 24, 2018 at 11:46 am

      What a hearty, warm dish. This would be a favorite in my house.

      Reply
    « Older Comments
    Vicky from Mess for Less

    I'm Vicky, the founder of Mess For Less, which I started in 2011 to share easy, family-friendly recipes. With over a decade of experience as a home chef and recipe developer, I love creating meals that bring people together. I also design play and learning activities for kids, using my background as a former teacher with a Master’s degree in education. Learn more about me.

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