Easy Burrito Casserole

Other than ice cream, burritos are my favorite thing to eat. They are bold flavors and textures wrapped in a warm tortilla. But there’s a tiny drawback to giant, filling, delicious burritos: A food coma is likely, and leftovers rarely reheat well. 

Enter Burrito Casserole: Seasoned rice, shredded chicken, beans, salsa verde, and cheese are layered in a casserole dish and baked until perfectly melty. Cut them into small, medium, or generous portions, and leftovers, if any, reheat beautifully. 

Serve Burrito Casserole with plenty of toppings—the usual suspects are sour cream, cilantro, shredded lettuce, avocados, tomatoes, and your favorite salsa. Get creative and serve the toppings on the side as a fun BYO (build-your-own) meal! It’s an easy and fun weeknight meal to share with family. 

What’s in a Burrito Casserole?

This dish is full of ingredients typically found in a chicken burrito, but in the form of a hearty layered casserole.

Rice: Long grain white rice is cooked with chicken stock and tomato paste until tender. The rice will take approximately 20 minutes to cook; however, you’ll save a bit of time (and dirty dishes!) by cooking the chicken right on top of the rice at the same time. The chicken helps flavor the rice. 

Chicken: The recipe calls for 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, but chicken thighs, or even a combination of both would work. If using chicken thighs, trim the fat off.

Seasonings: The seasonings in the recipe are a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, chili powder, and paprika. Although flavorful, the spice level is mild, so this dish can be comfortably enjoyed by the whole family. Add a pinch of cayenne to make it spicier. 

Cheese: I like Colby jack cheese in casseroles because it bakes into a pretty swirl of yellow and white, it melts well, and its mellow flavor goes well with most any ingredient. 

Tortillas: This casserole is layered (bottom, middle, and top) with three large (10-inch) flour tortillas. To fit the round tortillas into a square casserole dish, I cut each tortilla into three long strips and lay them slightly overlapping. To fill in gaps, I cut up an additional tortilla.

Beans: Any sturdy cooked beans of your choice will do. I personally love the flavor and texture of pinto beans. For this recipe, I use canned beans, but cook your own if you’d like! Avoid soft varieties like great northern beans, which fall apart easily. Rinse and drain the beans well before adding them to the casserole. 

Delicious Variations

Experiment a bit! Here are some ideas for yummy variations: 

• Make it a vegetarian dish by omitting the chicken and adding an extra 15-ounce can of beans. Replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock or water (add an extra 1/2 teaspoon salt if using water). Sautéed bell peppers and onions would also be delicious. 
• Make it spicier by adding 1/2 teaspoon cayenne. 
• Use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika. 
• Add 1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano to the rice for a boost of herby flavor. 
• Have a cheese that you’re partial to? Feel free to use it as long as it melts well! Low-moisture mozzarella is always a good choice—it melts beautifully. For a bit of zing, use sharp cheddar. Pepper jack is an easy way to add a bit of spice. You’ll need two cups. Extra cheese on top (before baking) is okay for you cheese lovers.
• Use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas for more nutty corn flavor. 
• Black beans or kidney beans will work instead of pinto beans. 

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

Transfer leftovers into a lidded container or tightly cover the baking dish with foil. Refrigerate it for up to 3 days. 

Reheat the casserole (keep the foil on) in a 350°F oven for about 25 minutes, until heated through. If you are pressed on time, cut out individual portions and reheat it covered in the microwave until heated through.

More Spiced and Baked Recipes

• Chile Relleno Casserole
• Mexican Lasagna
• Tamale Pie
• Quesadilla Pie
• Green Chile Enchiladas