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Southwest Chicken and Black Bean Casserole

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Southwest chicken casserole with black beans is made with ground chicken, peppers, black beans in a spicy fresh tomato sauce.  It’s a satisfying wholesome dinner for a chilly night.  

Chicken and black bean casserole in a casserole dish Simple and savory

Southwest Chicken Casserole with Black Beans – Perfect for Busy Weeknights

Southwest Chicken Casserole is the perfect choice for a busy weeknight dinner.  It comes together quickly and can even be made ahead of time.  It is made with all fresh ingredients, so it’s a healthy dinner that’s gluten free,

As soon as the weather starts to turn cold, this is  one of our favorite casserole dishes to serve.  We like it because it’s a little bit like chili, but the addition of tortillas and cheese makes it much more satisfying. 

Serve it with  some homemade guacamole  or sliced avocados and a salad for a filling and healthy dinner.

mexican chicken casserole simple and savorycooking

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Here Is What You Will Need

  • Lean Ground Chicken Breast (see recipe variations below for other meat and no-meat choices)
  • Bell Peppers
  • Onions
  • Fresh Chopped Garlic
  • Tomatoes  chopped fresh tomatoes are the best, if you don’t have them, use canned diced low sodium tomatoes like these diced tomatoes from Muir Glen
  • Chili Powder
  • Ground Cumin
  • Fresh Cilantro
  • Corn Tortillas
  • Black Beans
  • Cheese
  • Skillet
  • Casserole Dish

Here is how to make Southwest chicken and black bean casserole

It takes only a few simple steps to make this recipe. Below is a summary,  the full recipe details are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  1. First, brown the chicken and vegetables in a frying pan, then add the spices, black beans and tomatoes.
  2. Layer the tortillas and chicken mixture in a casserole dish. Top the dish with cheese and bake.  While the casserole is baking, make a quick salad and dinner is on the table in less than one hour.
Chicken and black bean casserole in a casserole dish overhead with fork Simple and savory

Make it ahead of time

  • Prepare all of the ingredients, and layer them into the casserole dish except for the top layer of cheese
  • Cover the casserole and store in the refrigerator for up to two days
  • Remove from refrigerator at least a half hour before baking
  • Top with cheese and bake
Chicken and black bean casserole on a plate simple and savory_

Recipe Variations

  • Use leftover chicken in place of ground chicken – add cooked (leftover) chicken after cooking the peppers and onions.  Continue with seasoning and tomatoes.
  • Ground pork, beef, or turkey and be used in place of ground chicken
  • Make Southwest Chicken and Black bean casserole vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and adding (after vegetables) 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa or 1 block crumbled tofu. Continue with seasoning and tomatoes.
  • Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days
  • Serving ideas – top your casserole with guacamole, sliced avocados, lime juice, Greek yogurt or sour cream.

Try These Southwest Chicken and Turkey Recipes

Print

Mexican Chicken and Black Bean Casserole

Chicken and black bean casserole in a casserole dish overhead with fork Simple and savory

★★★★★

5 from 7 reviews

Southwest chicken and black bean casserole has all of the flavors of the Southwest.  It’s  made with ground chicken, peppers, black beans in a spicy fresh tomato sauce.  It’s a satisfying wholesome dinner for a chilly night.  

  • Author: Anne
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 45 mins
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Mexican
Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil plus about a teaspoon to coat  casserole dish
  • 1 pound ground chicken breast
  • 2 cups chopped red bell pepper
  • 3/4 cup chopped onion
  • 3 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers
  • 4 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 2 1//2 cups chopped tomatoes – about two large tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups canned and rinsed or cooked
  • black beans
  • 6 taco sized organic corn tortillas
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 6 ounces of cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

  1. pre-heat oven to 350
  2. place the olive oil in a skillet and heat over medium. Add the chicken breast and cook until it’s 3/4 of the way cooked through
  3. add the onions, garlic, and red peppers – cook for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften
  4. stir in the chili powder, cumin, and jalapenos and mix well
  5. add the tomatoes and beans simmer on low for 5 minutes
  6. stir in the cilantro
  7. coat a casserole dish with oil and place 4 tortillas in a single layer in the dish
  8. place half of the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas and then half of the cheese
  9. place 4 tortillas on top of chicken mixture and then the meat and the cheese
  10. bake at 350 covered for 20 minutes
  11. remove cover and bake for 5 minutes more

Notes

  • pre-cooked chicken (leftover) can be used to make this recipe by adding cooking the vegetables first and adding the chicken with the seasonings
  • this recipe can be made vegetarian by omitting the chicken and adding 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa or 1 cup crumbled tofu
  • canned tomatoes can be used in place of fresh
  • Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to three days
  • Make this casserole ahead of time.  Store in refrigerator for up to two days before baking
  • Serving ideas:  guacamole, sliced avocados, lime juice, Greek yogurt or sour cream

Keywords: dinner, dinner casserole, black bean and chicken, easy dinner

Nutrition information is provided by Nutrifox,  an online calculator and is meant to be used for informational purposes only.  Even though I try to provide accurate information, these figures should still be considered as estimates.

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Comments

  3. theninjabaker says

    My late Dad didn’t need a holiday to enjoy Mexican food either. Yours looks like one he would’ve loved. Your casserole recipe is beautiful =)

    Reply

  6. eileenbakingsense says

    What a great looking casserole, and so easy too. This is a perfect healthy and easy weeknight dinner.

    Reply

  7. Liz @ Books n' Cooks says

    I’m not a big casserole person, but yours looks wonderful – crispy edges, hearty, and unlike the casseroles I know from my hubby’s family, not cream-based. You may have just convinced me to make my first casserole 🙂

    Reply

  20. Lauren says

    This recipe is so perfect for when you’re in a pinch for a quick dinner or to make ahead and bake later. Definitely a crowd pleaser too with all these southwest flavors.

    Reply

  21. Karyl Henry says

    I’m loving all the flavors in this casserole! This would make a delicious weeknight dinner. And I love how easy it is to transition this to a vegetarian dish.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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