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 melty 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.
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It’s hearty and comforting, full of flavor, and something the entire family will love. You can totally enjoy it as is and keep it low-carb, but we love serving it with some rice or stuffing it into tortillas.
Why we love this easy chicken taco casserole recipe
- made from 9 simple ingredients!
- dump, mix, and bake – simply mix all your ingredients together and bake.
- packed with protein and fiber – each piece has 35 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber!
- 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.
Are casseroles healthy?
Casseroles can be a great, healthy meal. But, since their ingredients can be so varied, it will depend on how they are made and what is in them. When making or looking for a healthy casserole recipe, look for one with protein, a decent amount of vegetables, some carbs, and healthy fats. That way, you will have a well-balanced meal.
Ingredients
- shredded chicken
- black beans
- bell pepper
- frozen corn
- salsa – any kind you like will work, you just don’t want it to be super thick. I used salsa verde.
- plain Greek yogurt
- shredded cheddar cheese
- taco seasoning
- tortilla chips – for crushing and topping for some crunch!
- salt and pepper
- oil, for greasing
- for topping – shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced avocado, sour cream/greek yogurt, cilantro…
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, salt, and pepper to your casserole dish or a large bowl and stir well to combine. Spread the mixture out evenly in your pan.
- Bake casserole. 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 on the 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 temperature 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
- flour or corn tortillas
- tortilla chips
- shredded lettuce
- diced tomatoes
- pico de gallo
- avocado or guacamole
- sour cream or greek yogurt
- fresh cilantro
- hot sauce
Meal prep taco casserole
This chicken taco bake 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 leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days. The chips will be a little soggy the longer it sits.
- freezer – this recipe would be perfect to freeze. I recommend leaving off the chips and then adding them after you reheat it. 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.
- reheating – reheat it in the microwave or in a large skillet on the stove until warmed through.
Substitutions and additions
- shredded chicken – I used chicken breasts, but chicken thighs will also work. Thighs 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 want 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, colby jack, or a Mexican blend cheese would work great.
Here are some additions:
- vegetables – the more veggies the merrier! Onion, zucchini, or mushrooms, which would all work well.
- green chiles – for a little spice.
More healthy casserole recipes
- chicken fajita casserole
- chili spaghetti squash casserole
- beef burrito casserole
- buffalo chicken casserole with rice
- jalapeno popper chicken casserole
- healthy chicken broccoli rice 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
equipment
ingredients
- 4 packed cups shredded chicken (1 pound)
- 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 cups diced bell peppers (360 grams)
- 1 cup frozen corn (120 grams)
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt (8 ounces – I use full-fat for more flavor)
- 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
- oil, for greasing
- 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, salt, and pepper to your casserole dish or a large bowl and stir well to combine. Spread the mixture out evenly in your pan.
- Bake casserole. 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!
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notes
- any kind of salsa should work, but if yours is super thick, you may need more, as it helps keep it moist
- nutrition facts do not include any additional toppings (lettuce, tomato, avocado…), but does include the tortilla chips
nutrition
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I can’t do dairy. Any suggestions on the yogurt part? Non-dairy? Not what flavor the yogurt gives. Thank you.
Yes, non-dairy will work just fine! It just helps bind it together. Hope that helps, Katlyn.
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.
Yes, it would work great to freeze. I would leave off the toppings (lettuce, tomato, chips…) until you are ready to defrost and reheat.
Can I skip the yogurt with this recipe?
Can I skit the yogurt and use extra cheese ? L
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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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!
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!