Flavorful rice layered with black beans, corn, rotisserie chicken, and lots of gooey cheese to make a delicious and versatile family dinner recipe on a budget.
Easy dinner recipe for a large family with kids!
The combination of these taco inspired ingredients come together to create a kid friendly meal you can load up with all of your favorite toppings. Throw in some avocado and fresh tomatoes and you’ve got a yummy meal with just about every food group included.
Feeding a family these days can seriously drain your bank account, especially if you have hungry kids who eat three meals a day and are always snacking in-between. The great thing about Mexican food is that most of the ingredients are budget friendly and yet totally delicious!
Add this budget recipe to your dinner menu for busy weeknights! Your picky eaters might even go back for seconds.
There are so many unique and versatile ways to throw together a taco casserole with whatever ingredients you have on hand. Start with some sort of rice for filler, add a can of beans, some optional corn, the protein of your choice, gobs of shredded cheese, and you’ve got the base of a delicious casserole that can be further flavored with all of your favorite toppings.
To make this casserole extra lazy, I decided to use Mexican Style instant rice and rotisserie chicken, which can usually be bought already pulled at most grocery stores. However, you can use the rice, chicken, and seasoning of your choice! You could even opt for taco seasoned ground beef or make it vegetarian with a variety of beans and veggies such as zucchini or bell peppers.
2 (6.4oz) boxes Mexican rice (boxed instructions also require butter and water)
1 small rotisserie chicken (pulled)
½ cup chunky salsa
⅓ sour cream
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 can black beans (rinsed & drained)
1 can corn (drained)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Step One: Cook The Rice
Cook the rice according to the package instructions which should require butter and water simmered in a sauce pan for about 15 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, stir in ½ cup of chunky salsa, ⅓ cup sour cream, and about a tablespoon of taco seasoning for extra flavor.
As a reference, each box of rice that I used came with about 1 cup of dry rice, so I used 2 cups total. You can choose any rice that you’d like including Spanish rice or your own seasoned white rice.
Step Two: Layer Your Casserole Dish
Spread the creamy rice mixture onto the bottom of a greased 9×13 baking dish. Evenly top with the drained beans and corn followed by the chicken and shredded cheese.
Bake, uncovered, in a 350° F oven for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy with any and all of your favorite toppings such as avocado, tomatoes, jalapenos, chopped lettuce, green onion, cilantro, lime juice, hot sauce, extra sour cream, etc.
If you have a family with picky eaters to feed, you’ve got to have a yummy, Mexican inspired casserole dish on hand for busy weeknights! It’s a budget friendly way to serve a crowd, plus the mixture reheats well so you’ll have plenty of leftovers if you’re only serving a few.
If you’re looking for easy dinner recipes for a large family with kids, add this yummy chicken casserole to your dinner menu! It’s versatile, cheap to make, and quick to prepare with common ingredients.
2 (6.4oz) boxes Mexican Style rice
(requires butter & water to make) *see notes
1 small rotisserie chicken
(pulled)
½ cup chunky salsa
⅓ cup sour cream
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1 (15oz) can black beans
(rinsed & drained)
1 (15oz) can corn
(drained)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Instructions
Cook the rice according to the package directions, using butter and water as instructed. Simmer in a saucepan for approximately 15 minutes. Once the rice is cooked, stir in ½ cup chunky salsa, ⅓ cup sour cream, and about 1 tablespoon taco seasoning.
While the rice is cooking, preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Pull the rotisserie chicken and prepare the drained beans and corn.
Spread the creamy Mexican rice evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Add the black beans and corn, followed by the pulled chicken and shredded Mexican cheese.
Bake uncovered for 15–20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Serve warm with your favorite taco-inspired toppings such as avocado and fresh chopped tomatoes.
Notes
Each box of Mexican Style Rice provides about 1 cup of dry rice, so this recipe uses approximately 2 cups of dry rice altogether. Spanish rice or seasoned instant white rice can also be used.
For a smaller family, prepare only one box of rice and reduce the remaining ingredients as needed.
Pre-pulled rotisserie chicken is a convenient shortcut and makes this casserole even faster to assemble.
Feel free to change the beans, vegetables, cheese, or protein according to what you have available.
Taste the rice mixture before assembling the casserole and add more taco seasoning or other spices if desired.
Great toppings include avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeños, green onions, lettuce, lime juice, hot sauce, and sour cream.
You can replace the chicken with taco-seasoned ground beef, or leave out the meat and add extra beans and vegetables for a vegetarian version.
Leftovers reheat well, making this an excellent option for busy families who want more than one meal from the recipe.
Don’t forget to pin and save this easy family dinner recipe for later! 🙂
