Street Corn Chicken and Rice Casserole {Easy One Pan Meal}

A birds-eye view of a baked street corn casserole on a decorative towel on the counter next to limes.

Street Corn Chicken and Rice Casserole {Easy One Pan Meal}

If you're looking for a meal that is easy and comforting, reach for this street corn–inspired chicken and rice casserole. Everything - truly everything - cooks right in the baking dish, and the result is a cheesy, slightly spicy, well-balanced meal that tastes like comfort in a pan. It captures all the bold, bright, creamy flavors of Mexican street corn but as a low prep, filling, one pan dinner! {Gluten-Free}

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword healthy comfort food, one pan meal

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 35

Servings servings

Calories 444kcal

Author Alex Evink, MS, RD

Ingredients

1-1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs diced and cubed
1½ cups enriched long-grain rice
1 cup plain Greek yogurt or mayo for classic street corn flavor
2½ cups low sodium chicken broth
⅓ cup cotija or feta, crumbled
1 large yellow or red onion, minced
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar
2 red and/or orange bell peppers, diced
Juice of ½ lime
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-1½ (15.25 ounce) cans corn, drained or 1 ½ cups frozen corn
2 teaspoons chili powder
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion and garlic powder
1 4-ounce can diced green chilies optional
Toppings: drizzle with plain Greek yogurt, more Cotija cheese, Tajín seasoning, cilantro, hot honey, avocado.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Prep ingredients: dice onions and bell peppers into very small, bite-sized pieces. Mince the garlic. Dice chicken into small cubes.
To a 9 x 13 baking dish, add uncooked rice, onion, bell peppers, corn, and raw chicken.In a bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, minced garlic, chilies (if using), and spices.
Pour mixture as evenly as possible over the casserole ingredients.Gently stir together, ensuring that the rice is fully submerged in the broth. If not, gently press ingredients down with a spoon or add 2–4 more tablespoons of broth as needed.
Sprinkle with the cotija cheese.Cover tightly with foil and bake 60–70 minutes, until chicken reaches at least 150°F AND rice is tender (no firm center). Tip: Every oven is different. If the rice still has a slight bite at 60 minutes, recover and bake an additional 10–15 minutes.
Remove foil, stir in the Greek yogurt and lime juice, sprinkle Monterey Jack over the top, and bake 10–15 more minutes until melted and bubbly. Optional (but highly recommended): broil for 1–2 minutes for crispy edges. Chicken should be 165°F at this point.
Rest 10 minutes before serving. The rice thickens and absorbs the last bit of moisture during this time. Garnish with cilantro, cotija, Tajín, or any toppings you love. Even a drizzle of hot sauce tastes amazing!

Notes

Nutritional information is just an estimation and individual ingredients and preparation may lead to slight discrepancies.

Prep this casserole ahead of time, without the broth mixture. When ready to cook, just pour the broth mixture over the casserole and follow steps 6-9!
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months!

Nutrition