This Chicken Fajita Casserole with Rice is zesty, cheesy, and packed full of flavor. It’s the perfect weeknight meal when you are craving some hearty comfort food.
This is an oven-baked chicken casserole that is a very quick prep dinner. Throw it in the oven and let the stove handle the rest. Then ring the dinner bell and dive in.
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Why I Love This Recipe
This delicious casserole is the perfect weeknight meal when you are in need of some hearty comfort food. It has a zesty, cheesy flavor that will have your taste buds doing backflips!
- One Pot Dinner
- Easy Prep
- Oven Baked
- Creamy Chicken Dish
- Family Friendly
- Budget Friendly
Make sure to check out my air fryer fajita stuffed chicken recipe as well.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to help you make this recipe. All of these ingredients are easy to find at your local grocery or you may already have them on hand which can save you a trip to the store. Find the full list of ingredients and amounts in the recipe card below.
Cream Cheese – So the base is cream cheese. It will give it a nice rich texture. Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature.
Sour Cream – You will use sour cream with cream cheese. It really helps make the sauce not as thick.
Fajita Seasoning Mix – So you can use a packet of seasoning or you can make your homemade fajita seasoning.
Rice – I used a minute of rice for this dish. It is going to fluff up and become nice and tender.
Diced Chicken – Use any cooked chicken for this recipe. The biggest thing is if you use pre-cooked chicken make sure it doesn’t have a ton of spices used.
Peppers and Onions – I used red and green bell peppers, then onion. Now yellow or white onions work best.
Cheese – Fiesta cheese is delicious, but any Mexican style cheese works.
Variations / Options / Add-Ins
Yogurt: Instead of sour cream swap with plain Greek yogurt for added protein.
Crunchy topping: Crush up some tortilla chips and place them on top of the casserole for the last 5 minutes of cooking. This will add more crunchy flavor and texture.
Steak: Swap the chicken with cooked steak for a steak fajita casserole. Or even a ground beef mixture.
How to Make Chicken Fajita Casserole with Rice
Making this easy casserole recipe is so simple. Just follow the recipe below and you will have a comfort food casserole that your entire family will enjoy in no time at all.
Step 1: Preheat the oven and prepare the pan
Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: Mix together the ingredients in a bowl
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and fajita seasoning until well blended. Add the chicken, rice, bell peppers, onions, and 1 cup of cheese to the cream cheese mixture, stirring to combine.
Step 3: Add the chicken mixture to the casserole dish and bake
Transfer the ingredients to the prepared casserole dishes. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake, covered, for 50 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 10 additional minutes.
Serving Suggestions
So this dish is a meal in one. But you could serve it with a side of vegetables of your choice. Or you could even pair it with a crisp green salad.
Pro Tips
- Depending on the oven you will need to cook less or more. Once the cheese bubbles and becomes golden brown it is ready.
- You need to use minute rice as long-grain rice would need more liquid and a longer cook time.
- You can half the recipe if you don’t want a huge batch made to serve your family or friends.
Storage
Refrigerate – You can refrigerate any leftovers you don’t eat. Just place in an airtight container and it will store for up to 3 days.
Freezing – This casserole can be frozen but it will alter the texture a bit. The rice can soften a bit and the sauce can clump up a bit. But I find the flavor is still delicious.
FAQs
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions for this recipe.
Want to create a healthier version? Stir in the riced cauliflower and then bake the same. It will be delicious and it will bake up perfectly.
Add on sliced avocado, sour cream, pico de gallo, or any other toppings of your choice. The toppings can be endless.
There are so many different types of cheese that you can use on fajita, I like to use cheddar, Colby jack, or mexican blend shredded cheese. However, you can also use white American or queso.
More Mexican Recipes
If you like this chicken fajita casserole, give these recipes a try:
Want to make this delicious recipe? Print the recipe card below, and pin it below so you can come back to it!
Chicken Fajita Casserole With Rice
Equipment
- Casserole Dish
- Large bowl
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons fajita seasoning mix
- 4 cups cooked and diced chicken breast
- 1 cup uncooked instant rice
- 1 green bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 onion diced
- 2 cups shredded fiesta blend cheese divided
- Your favorite toppings diced tomatoes, diced avocado, freshly chopped cilantro as garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Prepare a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray
- In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and fajita seasoning until well blended. Add the chicken, rice, bell peppers, onions, and 1 cup of cheese to the cream cheese mixture, stirring to combine.
- Transfer the ingredients to the prepared casserole dishes. Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake, covered, for 50 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 10 additional minutes.