Healthy chicken taco casserole with brown rice and veggies is an easy all-in-one weeknight dinner with a cheese and crunchy tortilla chip topping!

A baked chicken taco casserole with cheese and tortilla chips on top in a glass baking dish with sprinkled cilantro on top.

Today we're doing yet another fun twist on taco night!

My go-to is our basic turkey tacos (or a turkey taco salad version of them) but I love fish tacos, vegetarian tacos, exotic-flavored tacos and oh, taco pizza is amazing. Basically never met a taco I didn’t like.

Today I’m bringing you a newer favorite!

This healthy chicken taco casserole is a super easy one to prep and has all the great taco flavors baked right in.

Close up of a baked chicken taco casserole with cheese and tortilla chips on top in a glass baking dish with sprinkled cilantro on it.

We’ve got the taco-flavored chicken breasts, some steamed rice, salsa and zucchini for a hit of veggies. Healthy and everything you need for a complete dinner.

Plus there’s a cheesy topping layer and then a crunchy tortilla chip topping layer for a little fun.

You will be winning at taco night for sure!

And I love that I can prep it ahead earlier in the day and bake it off when we're ready for dinner.

OK, let's get cooking.

Ingredients laid out in separate bowls for making a taco chicken casserole with brown rice, zucchini and cheese.

A glass casserole dish with a chicken, rice and veggie mix spread out.

A glass casserole dish with a chicken, rice and veggie mix spread out with shredded cheddar cheese on top.

Recipe Notes:

Prep: The rice and chicken for this recipe needs to be already cooked. Please plan accordingly. I cooked 1 cup of dry brown rice to use for this recipe. And I used my homemade taco seasoning on some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and grilled them the day before. (You can also bake them at 375 for about 30 minutes, until cooked through.)

Chips: You can use gluten-free tortilla chips to make this recipe gluten-free.

Salsa: Use homemade salsa or your favorite brand of store-bought salsa.

Beans: You can substitute black beans for the chicken if you want a vegetarian version. You could also just add black beans into this mix if you wanted some extra oomph.

Corn: You could also add in ½ to 1 cup of corn if you’d like.

A white plate with a cheesy chicken and rice mixture with sour cream, salsa and jalapenos on top.

If you have taco lovers in your house, give this healthy chicken taco casserole a try to switch things up.

Oh and you might also want to check out this baked taco mac and cheese. SO much yum.

Hope you have a wonderful week!

XO,

Kathryn

Close up of a baked chicken taco casserole with cheese and tortilla chips on top in a glass baking dish with sprinkled cilantro on top and a bowl of salsa to the side.

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4.08 from 13 votes

Healthy Chicken Taco Casserole

Healthy chicken taco casserole with brown rice and veggies is an easy all-in-one weeknight dinner with a cheese and crunchy tortilla chip topping!

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned with taco seasoning and cooked (grill or bake)
3 cups cooked brown rice, (from about 1 cup uncooked)
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 cup salsa
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 heaping cup crushed tortilla chips

For serving:

Greek yogurt or sour cream, extra salsa or cheese, chopped cilantro, diced avocado, pickled jalapeños, hot sauce or any other favorite toppings!

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray a 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine cooked chicken, cooked rice, zucchini, salsa and green chilies. Add to the prepared casserole dish and top with cheddar cheese.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly.
Add crushed tortilla chips to the top and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.
Serve hot with desired toppings.

Notes

Prep: The rice and chicken for this recipe both need to be already cooked. Please plan accordingly.

Cheese: You could substitute Monterey Jack or a Mexican blend cheese for the cheddar cheese if you prefer.

Leftovers: Once cooled, leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through. (Note that the tortilla chips will lose their crunch. You can replace them with fresh ones if desired.)

Video

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!

You might also like this healthy chicken fajita casserole for another hands-off dinner.

Comments

Tara | Treble in the Kitchen

February 21, 2017 at 3:05 pm

Yum! Love a good casserole for a week night meal. So simple and there is usually leftovers!

- Kathryn
  
  February 22, 2017 at 8:05 pm
  
  I'm so with you! Sometimes I even hide a little bit to keep as leftovers 😉
  
Michelle | A Latte Food

February 21, 2017 at 4:29 pm

I love casseroles! This looks SO amazing! Loving the flavors here (and that crunchy topping!)

- Kathryn
  
  February 22, 2017 at 8:06 pm
  
  Me too - and yes, that crunchy topping totally makes it! Brings home the taco texture!
  
Kristen Chidsey

February 21, 2017 at 8:29 pm

Looks great! My family would absolutely LOVE this!

- Kathryn
  
  February 22, 2017 at 8:04 pm
  
  It's a total winner in our house!
  
Serena

February 22, 2017 at 9:18 am

Looks like dinner tonight for our family. Really! LOVE the video.

- Kathryn
  
  February 22, 2017 at 8:04 pm
  
  Yay, I hope you love it Serena!!
  
fabiola@notjustbaked

February 22, 2017 at 2:07 pm

This looks so good to me right now!

- Kathryn
  
  February 22, 2017 at 8:11 pm
  
  It always hits the spot! I hope you try it soon!
  
Megan @ MegUnprocessed

February 23, 2017 at 2:38 am

This is such a flavorful dish.

- Kathryn
  
  February 24, 2017 at 4:18 pm
  
  Yes, it really is! 😊
  
Sonali- The Foodie Physician

February 23, 2017 at 1:47 pm

Taco casserole is an awesome concept! Quick, easy and tasty makes for a perfect family dinner.

- Kathryn
  
  February 24, 2017 at 4:19 pm
  
  Thanks Sonali! It's definitely a family favorite here! 😊
  
Liz Weiss

February 26, 2017 at 9:01 am

I love the simplicity of your recipe. Comfort food at its best!

- Kathryn
  
  February 26, 2017 at 12:45 pm
  
  Absolutely! Thanks so much Liz 😊
  
Ada Landreth

March 05, 2017 at 4:43 pm

Made 4x the recipe to feed 20 hungry college students at church today and it was a hit among them. Used all three--black beans, corn, and chicken--to make it hearty.

- Kathryn
  
  March 05, 2017 at 9:14 pm
  
  Yay, I'm so happy to hear it was a hit! Thanks so much for sharing 😊
  
Khadeeja

February 18, 2020 at 12:52 pm

Hi, could canned salmon be substituted for the chicken in this recipe?

- Kathryn Doherty
  
  February 19, 2020 at 9:23 am
  
  I'm not sure, as I've not tried making this with canned salmon. Would love to hear if you do though!