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Easy Nacho Chicken Casserole Recipe is a family favorite that everyone will love. It combines all of the flavors of nachos and a casserole without much work at all.

Nacho Chicken Casserole Recipe in a white baking dish.
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Nacho chicken casserole recipe

We all love this easy casserole. It has the best flavor and it’s absolutely SO simple to make. This casserole has everything you love about chicken nachos in an easy casserole for dinner.

You will not be disappointed. It’s always a crowd pleaser and everyone asks for the recipe. You might also like our easy cowboy casserole.

The prep is minimum and takes hardly anytime at all. In fact, if you are filling really lazy you can mix it all in one dish and only have one dish for clean up

That is a win-win in my book.

Let’s make Tex Mex Casserole.

Ingredients for recipe: chicken, cream of chicken, cheese, diced tomatoes, corn, seasoning, tortilla chips.

Ingredients:

  • Cooked Chicken. It is a great time to use leftover chicken. Rotisserie chicken is a favorite here and we often use leftovers for this casserole.
  • Instant White Rice. We prefer white rice in this but you could use instant brown rice.
  • Diced tomatoes. You can also use rotel.
  • Cream of chicken soup. Any type of cream based soup should work.
  • Corn. Any type of corn will work that you have on hand. We have used frozen, fresh and canned.
  • Green Chiles. You do not want to drain these. The flavor from the juice will be amazing in the casserole.
  • Shredded Cheddar Cheese. Cheddar is delicious but other ideas include Colby or a Mexican blend.
  • Tortilla Chips. You can use any chips you like. I think corn chips, tortilla strips and Doritos would all be tasty.

How to make Nacho Casserole

  • First, heat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Next, get out a large mixing bowl. Stir together the chicken, rice, tomatoes, soup, corn, chilis, taco seasoning mix and ½ cup of the cheese.

    Make sure everything is well mixed. You can also add chili powder for a little extra heat.
Mixing bowl with chicken and vegetable mixture.
  • Finally, cover the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Oven times may vary. You just want the rice to be tender, the mixture heated through and the cheese melted.
Chicken mixture in baking dish.
  • The last step is to top the chicken mixture with tortilla chips and sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top of the casserole.
Chicken mixture in baking dish with shredded cheese and tortilla chips.
  • Put it back in the oven for 5 more minutes uncovered. You want the cheese to melt and the filling to start to bubble.

Topping ideas:

  • I like to add a little sour cream and green onion to each serving.
  • Jalapeno peppers are also delicious for those that like to spice things up.

You can use anything you normally like on nachos.

What size dish is best:

  • I also use disposable pans. This is great if you want to take a dish to someone recovering from surgery or maybe one for the freezer.
Nacho Chicken Casserole  in a white plate.

Variation Ideas

  • Meat free option. If you don’t eat meat or maybe want to try a meatless dish, substitute black beans or pinto beans instead of the chicken.
  • If you need to bulk up the casserole and don’t have enough chicken, add a can of drained canned beans. Pinto or black beans would be great. This is a simple frugal tip that no one will notice.
  • Topping substitutions. Top with Fritos or Doritos instead of tortilla chips. Another idea is to use the spicy Doritos to give this an extra kick.
  • Switch out the chicken with ground beef or ground turkey. My family enjoys it both ways and I often use a ground beef mixture.
  • Add Jalapeno peppers for extra heat in the casserole mixture.
  • Bell Peppers and Onions. Toss in some diced peppers and onions with the casserole mixture. This will give it lots of extra flavor.
  • Keto option. If you want to make a Keto Nacho Chicken Casserole, omit the tortilla chips.

Can you make this in advance?

Yes, you can. It is so handy to mix everything together the night before and pop in the oven the next day.

Just make sure to leave off the tortilla chips until you plan to bake it. Cover the baking dish and refrigerate until ready to cook.

When you are ready to bake, uncover and top with tortilla chips. Bake as normal.

How to freeze:

I like to use foil pans when I plan to freeze the casserole but it is optional. Simply put the dish together and cover and freeze.

It will keep up to 4 months in the freezer. When you are ready to bake, allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight.

Bake the next day as normal. You may have to add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.

Nacho Chicken Casserole Recipe in a white baking dish.

Nacho casserole recipe is delicious.

There are so many yummy Mexican Chicken Casserole recipes. Try mixing it up and adding new things.

Truly that is how we have found some of our favorites. When you try new things, it really opens the door to endless possibilities.

Nacho Chicken Casserole Recipe in a white baking dish.

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Nacho Chicken Casserole

4.89 from 27 votes
You will love this easy nacho chicken casserole recipe. With rice, chicken, salsa and cheese this baked nacho chicken casserole will satisfy your taste buds! Try this today! We love easy chicken casserole recipes.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Cuisine Mexican
Course Main Course
Calories 428

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked chicken diced into bite size pieces
  • 1 cup instant white rice uncooked
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 can diced tomatoes (drained) 15 oz can
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup (10 oz can)
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 can chopped green chiles (undrained)
  • 1 Tbsp taco seasoning mix
  • 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 cup broken tortilla chips

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
  • In large bowl, stir together the chicken, rice, water, tomatoes, soup, corn, chiles, taco seasoning mix and ½ cup of the cheese until well mixed.
  • Spread this mixture into the 9X13 pan.
  • Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes or until rice is tender and mixture is heated through. Top with tortilla chips and the remaining cheese.
  • Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese on top is melted.
  • Let sit for 10 minutes and then serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*If you want to make a Keto Nacho Chicken Casserole, you can omit the tortilla chips and use cauliflower rice instead of instant rice!
*This casserole can be made ahead of time!  Prepare the casserole as directed, cover and store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days until you are ready to bake.  Then following the baking instructions as outlined in the recipe. 
*Refrigerate the leftovers in an air tight container for up to 5-7 days. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving 6g, Calories 428kcal, Carbohydrates 39g, Protein 27g, Fat 19g, Saturated Fat 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat 4g, Monounsaturated Fat 6g, Trans Fat 1g, Cholesterol 73mg, Sodium 858mg, Potassium 448mg, Fiber 3g, Sugar 2g, Vitamin A 530IU, Vitamin C 15mg, Calcium 284mg, Iron 4mg

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Easy Nacho Chicken Casserole Recipe is a family favorite that the entire family will love. Enjoy all of the flavors of nachos in a casserole. This easy Nacho Chicken Casserole with tortilla chips is simple to make and packed with tons of flavor! #eatingonadime #casserolerecipes #nachorecipes #chickenrecipes

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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  1. 3 stars
    Easy enough to throw together. A great family meal with some salsa and sour cream thrown on top.