Casseroles have become one of my favorite meals, especially once the weather gets a little cooler. Easy to make, comforting and cozy, and absolutely delicious. And this chicken taco casserole recipe hits all of that and more!
This taco chicken casserole might be one of the easiest casserole recipes I’ve shared to date. We are taking your favorite taco flavors and simply mixing them all up and baking. Then it’s topped with some cheese and crushed tortilla chips for a little crunch. Talk about perfection. And of course the best part, all of the toppings and sides you can serve with it.
It’s hearty and comforting, full of flavor, and something the whole family will love. You can totally enjoy it as is and keep it low-carb, we love serving it with some rice or stuffing it into tortillas.
Why we love this chicken taco casserole
- dump and bake – does it get any easier?! Simply mix all your ingredients together and bake.
- made from 9 simple ingredients
- packed with protein – each piece has 32 grams of protein!
- healthy casserole recipe – no canned or condensed soups. We are using a mix of greek yogurt and salsa instead!
- great for meal prep – the leftovers save great and it works well for meal prep.
Ingredients
- shredded chicken breasts
- black beans
- bell peppers
- frozen corn
- salsa – any kind you like will work, you just don’t want it to be super thick. I used a hatch chili one.
- plain Greek yogurt
- taco seasoning
- shredded cheddar cheese
- tortilla chips – for crushing and topping for some crunch
- salt and pepper
- for topping – shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sour cream/greek yogurt, cilantro
- for servings – tortilla chips, tortillas, rice…
How to make chicken taco casserole
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Make your chicken mixture. Add chicken, beans, peppers, corn, salsa, greek yogurt, taco seasoning, and salt and pepper to a large bowl or your casserole dish and mix well to combine.
- Bake. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes until veggies are softened. Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Crush tortilla chips and sprinkle on top.
- Enjoy! Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sour cream/greek yogurt, and cilantro if desired, and enjoy!
How to make shredded chicken
We usually have shredded chicken in our house at all times. It makes for super easy meals during the week. My go-to way recently is the Instant Pot, but you can also make it in the slow cooker or stovetop.
- instant pot – pour water or broth into your pressure cooker to cover the bottom. Add chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Close the lid and make sure it is locked and the valve is set to seal. Set on manual mode for high pressure for 13 minutes. The amount of time will depend on how thick your breasts are. Let pressure release naturally or turn the valve to venting for quick pressure release. Remove and add to a bowl and shred with 2 forks.
- crockpot – pour water or broth into your slow cooker to cover the bottom. Add chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Remove and add to a bowl and shred with 2 forks.
- stovetop – add chicken to a large pot. Cover with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 10-16 minutes or until internal temperate reaches 165 degrees. Remove and add to a bowl and shred with 2 forks.
What to serve with taco casserole
My favorite thing about this taco casserole is all the sides and toppings you can serve it with! These are some of my favorites:
- rice – white rice, Mexican rice, or cauliflower rice
- quinoa
- tortillas
- tortilla chips
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes
- avocado or guacamole
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- cilantro
- hot sauce
Meal prep taco casserole
This recipe is great for meal prep. It should last in the fridge for 4-5 days. If needed, you can make the mixture ahead of time and then bake it the next day.
Storage and reheating
- refrigerator – store it in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. The chips will be a little soggy the longer it sits.
- reheating – reheat it in the microwave or a skillet until warmed through.
- freezer – this recipe would be perfect to freeze. I would suggest leaving off the cheese and chips and then adding them when you are ready to heat it up after it defrosts. You can either freeze the whole recipe in a large container or in individual servings. It should last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Substitutions
- chicken breasts – you can use chicken thighs instead of breasts. This will add a little more fat to the recipe. Store-bought rotisserie chicken will also work.
- black beans – kidney or pinto beans will work the same.
- frozen corn – leave it out if you don’t like corn.
- salsa – red or green will work. Use your favorite kind! You just it to be a little runny as it helps keep it moist.
- plain Greek yogurt – mayo will work instead of greek yogurt. This will add some more fat to the recipe.
- taco seasoning – you can use a mix of garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
- shredded cheddar cheese – most kinds of cheese will work. Pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or shredded mozzarella cheese would work great.
More healthy casserole recipes
- chicken fajita casserole
- chili spaghetti squash casserole
- ground beef taco casserole
- buffalo chicken casserole with rice
- jalapeno popper chicken casserole
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Chicken Taco Casserole
This chicken taco casserole makes the best, easy, and most delicious dinner recipe. Simply mix together all the ingredients and bake for a hearty and healthy meal ready in 40 minutes. Serve with your favorite sides for the ultimate taco night. High protein, gluten-free, and great for meal prep.
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equipment
ingredients
- 4 packed cups shredded chicken (1 pound)
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained (about 250 grams)
- 3 cups diced bell peppers (360 grams)
- 1 cup frozen corn (120 grams)
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt (8 ounces – I used 4% fat)
- 3/4 cup salsa (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 cup shredded cheese (2 ounces)
- 1 packed cup tortilla chips (1 ounce)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- for topping – shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sour cream/greek yogurt, cilantro
- for servings – tortilla chips, tortillas, rice…
instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Make your chicken mixture. Add chicken, beans, peppers, corn, salsa, greek yogurt, taco seasoning, and salt and pepper to a large bowl or your casserole dish and mix well to combine.
- Bake. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes until veggies are softened. Remove from oven and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Crush tortilla chips and sprinkle on top.
- Enjoy! Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sour cream/greek yogurt, and cilantro if desired. Cut into 6 equal-sized pieces and enjoy!
notes
any kind of salsa should work, but if yours is super thick, you may need more as it helps keep it moist
nutrition does not include any additional toppings (lettuce, tomato, avocado…)
nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Chicken Taco Casserole
Amount Per Serving (1 piece)
Calories 337
Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 3.9g24%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9g
Monounsaturated Fat 2.9g
Cholesterol 78mg26%
Sodium 666mg29%
Potassium 736mg21%
Carbohydrates 27g9%
Fiber 7.6g32%
Sugar 6.7g7%
Protein 35.5g71%
Vitamin A 176IU4%
Vitamin C 78mg95%
Calcium 178mg18%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe or anything from Eat the Gains, leave a comment and rating to let people know how you liked it! Also, make sure to post it and tag me so I can see all of your creations!! @eatthegains and #eatthegains on Instagram!
Katlyn says
I can’t do dairy. Any suggestions on the yogurt part? Non-dairy? Not what flavor the yogurt gives. Thank you.
Jefferson Moore says
Looks really great. Could it be frozen.it is just me. I’m always looking for meals I can freeze and then fix later in the week.
Linda says
Can I skip the yogurt with this recipe?
Linda says
Can I skit the yogurt and use extra cheese ? L
Kelly Nardo says
Hey, Linda. I’m not sure as I haven’t tried that. I would think you would need something creamy to hold it together. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!
Michelle says
Freakn yum! I am super picky & hate most vegetables LOL..so I made this with only, chicken, Nancy’s probiotics Greek yogurt (higher protein) Violife cheese & Siete spicy salsa. It was creamy & soo tasty! It didn’t need taco seasoning for me cause I used less stuff.
Kelly Nardo says
So glad you enjoyed it how you made it! I have a chicken salsa dip that sounds similar to the way you made it and it’s always so good. Thanks for trying it, Michelle!
Em says
Turned out pretty decent! I accidentally put the cheese in while mixing everything, but I think it turned out way better than if the cheese was on top! I used WAY less peppers. 3 cups seemed like over kill. I added other seasonings as well, felt like the mixture was lacking some kick. Once I got it out of the oven and into a bowl, I added 2 hot and 2 Diablo Taco Bell sauce packets and a bunch of shredded lettuce! I cracked quest nacho cheese protein chips on top and it’s excellent! Just ate left overs from last night and it’s even better the second day!
Kelly Nardo says
Love the idea of putting the cheese in it, I’ll have to try that myself. So glad you enjoyed it Em and thanks for trying it!
Kari says
Can’t read the full recipe. The ads cover it and no way to cancel them TO read it. Hopefully I’ll find a similar one that I can actually read.
Kelly says
Hey, Kari. The recipe is in the recipe card and there shouldn’t be that many ads there. Having ads on my site is how I earn money to be able to provide recipes. I will reach out to the company I work with and see if we can do anything about them. Thanks!
Sam says
Unfortunately this recipe doesn’t really work. The Greek yogurt curdled, and the whole thing came out runny and watery. There is just way too much bell pepper – I was getting straight mouthfuls.
Kelly says
Hey Sam, not sure why it didn’t work for you as it has for me and so many others. I’ve baked with greek yogurt many times before and have had no issues with it curdling. It sounds like maybe you didn’t mix it enough. There is definitely a decent amount of filling (peppers, corn, beans…) compared to chicken as I love packing them in. You can adjust it to your liking.
Amy says
Delicious and super easy! Didn’t have cooked chicken on hand so I sauteed up 1lb ground beef instead and it was still very tasty. It made about 6 servings that were pretty big and really filling, so we had plenty of leftovers which I love! Skipped the crushed chips on top and ate it more like a 7 layer dip. So good, will definitely make again!
Kelly says
Yum, that sounds so good! This recipe is really so versatile and easy to switch things up. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for trying it, Amy!