Name: Fiesta Chicken Casserole
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces rotini pasta; 2 cups chicken (cooked, shredded or diced); 15 ounces black beans (drained, rinsed); 15 ounces corn (drained, rinsed); 10 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies (undrained, or substitute Rotel); 1 cup salsa (use your favorite); 1 ounce taco seasoning; 1 cup sour cream; 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese; optional toppings (sliced black olives, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeños, diced avocado)

Fiesta chicken casserole is creamy, cheesy and full of taco flavor, with tender shredded chicken and rotini pasta baked until bubbly. Make it for Taco Tuesday or carry it to a church potluck. It’s a budget friendly dinner made mostly from pantry staples, and it takes about 45 minutes to make 6 big servings.

Jump to Recipe

Spoon lifting a cheesy scoop of fiesta chicken casserole out of a white baking dish

This casserole makes me think of Taco Tuesday every time I make it. Which is often, LOL.

My family loves it because everybody piles on their favorite taco toppings and gets it just how they like it. I love it because everything gets mixed together in one bowl. Fewer dishes to wash.

If your family’s on a taco kick too, I’ve got more Mexican casseroles listed below.

More Mexican Casseroles

Mexican Trash Casserole – crushed Doritos layered with cheesy taco beef and Rotel
Walking Taco Casserole – taco beef and black beans baked between two layers of Fritos
Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas – shredded chicken and green chiles rolled up and baked in enchilada sauce
Lazy Enchiladas – frozen taquitos and refried beans under tons of melted cheese

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Fiesta chicken casserole ingredients in labeled bowls, including chicken, black beans, corn, Rotel, salsa, sour cream, taco seasoning, cheese and rotini

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

Chicken – Any cooked, shredded chicken works. I like my air fryer shredded chicken, or grab a rotisserie chicken and skip a step.

Beans – I use black beans, but kidney or pinto beans work too. Drain and rinse them.

Corn – Plain canned corn or Mexicorn. Frozen corn works fine too.

Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles – Rotel is the easy grab here. Don’t drain it.

Salsa – I like a medium homemade salsa. Chunky salsa or salsa verde work too.

Taco Seasoning – One 1 ounce packet works. I like my homemade taco seasoning better, and I use 1.5 ounces of it (about 3 tablespoons). Fajita or Southwest seasoning work too.

Rotini – Cook it al dente. It keeps softening in the oven, and nobody wants mushy pasta.

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How To Make Fiesta Chicken Casserole

Cooked rotini pasta in a large white mixing bowl

Preheat the oven to 375°F and spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Boil the rotini for about 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain and rinse it.

Rotini topped with corn, black beans, sour cream, taco seasoning, diced tomatoes and chicken before mixing

In a large bowl, mix the chicken, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes with green chiles, taco seasoning, salsa, sour cream and pasta until everything’s coated.

Unbaked fiesta chicken casserole spread in a white 9x13 baking dish

Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.

Shredded Mexican blend cheese sprinkled over the unbaked casserole

Sprinkle the shredded Mexican blend cheese over the top.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until it’s hot all the way through and the cheese is bubbly.
Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then add your toppings and serve.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Baked fiesta chicken casserole with golden, bubbly cheese and fresh cilantro

Storage & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or oven until it’s hot all the way through.

To freeze, let it cool completely. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Freeze for up to 1 month and thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Spoonful of fiesta chicken casserole with melted cheese stretching from the dish

Variations

Ground Beef or Ground Turkey – Use browned, drained ground beef or ground turkey in place of the chicken.

Chicken Thighs – Cook and shred boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of breasts.

Bell Peppers – Stir in diced bell peppers with the beans and corn for more veggies.

Fork lifting a bite of fiesta chicken casserole from a white bowl

What To Serve With Fiesta Chicken Casserole

It’s a full meal on its own, and it makes 6 big servings. Add a side or two and it stretches to 8. I like it with a fiesta salad or some steamed broccoli, and a pan of skillet cornbread soaks up the extra sauce.

Serving spoon in a dish of fiesta chicken casserole next to a filled bowl

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Rinse the pasta after you drain it so it doesn’t clump while you mix.
Mix everything in a big bowl, not the baking dish. It’s way easier to get the sauce on every piece.
Pick your salsa by heat. Medium gives it a little kick, and hot salsa plus the taco seasoning adds up fast.
Let it sit 5 to 10 minutes before you scoop so it doesn’t slide all over the plate.
Set out the toppings (olives, cilantro, jalapeños, avocado) and let everybody build their own bowl.

More Easy Chicken Casseroles

Jalapeño Popper Chicken Casserole – chicken, penne and bacon in a creamy jalapeño cheese sauce
Buffalo Chicken Potato Casserole – shredded chicken and potatoes in buffalo sauce under bacon and mozzarella
Chicken Hashbrown Casserole – cheesy hash browns and chicken with a crunchy cornflake topping
Chicken Bubble Up Casserole – creamy pot pie filling baked under golden biscuits

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