Viral Swim Queso Chicken Casserole
This taco rice casserole is the easiest dinner I’ve made in a long time, and my family went absolutely wild for it. It’s a cheesy, saucy taco rice casserole made with rotisserie chicken, salsa, and seasoned rice, then finished with a pour of warm queso so the whole thing is practically swimming in it. If queso chicken and rice is your love language, this is about to become a weeknight staple.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Viral Swim Queso Chicken Casserole
- Main Ingredients: Casserole, Knorr Taco Rice, chicken broth, rotisserie chicken, jar salsa, packet taco seasoning, shredded Mexican cheese blend, Topping
- Why You'll Love It: This taco rice casserole bakes rotisserie chicken, Knorr taco rice, salsa, and cheese in one dish, then gets smothered in warm queso. An easy dump and bake dinner.
The queso at the end is what makes this one. The casserole is already loaded with melty cheese, but pouring warm queso over the top right before serving takes it from a good chicken and rice bake to the kind of dinner everyone goes back for seconds on.
Why You’ll Love This Swim Queso Chicken Casserole
- It’s a true dump and bake dinner. Everything goes straight into one dish with no stovetop cooking at all.
- Store-bought rotisserie chicken and seasoned rice keep the prep to about 10 minutes.
- The rice cooks right in the salsa and broth, so it soaks up all that taco flavor.
- A layer of melted Mexican cheese plus a pour of warm queso makes it extra cheesy.
- It feeds a crowd, it’s kid-friendly, and leftovers reheat beautifully.
Ingredients Needed to Make Taco Rice Casserole
The Rice and Chicken
Two bags of Knorr Taco Rice bring both the rice and a big boost of seasoning, and they cook right in the casserole dish. Two and a half cups of shredded rotisserie chicken make it hearty without any extra cooking.
The Liquid and Seasoning
Chicken broth gives the rice the liquid it needs to cook. If you can find El Paso Tinga Style chicken broth, it adds an extra smoky, savory layer. A 15-ounce jar of your favorite salsa and a packet of taco seasoning make the whole thing taste like taco night.
The Cheese
Eight ounces of shredded Mexican cheese melts over the top while it bakes, and 4ā6 ounces of your favorite queso, warmed and poured over at the end, is what gives this casserole its name.
How to Make Swim Queso Chicken Taco Rice Casserole
1
Preheat the oven to 350Ā°F.
2
Add both bags of Knorr Taco Rice, the chicken broth, shredded rotisserie chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning right into a 9×13 casserole dish. Stir everything together really well and spread it into an even layer.
3
Sprinkle the shredded Mexican cheese evenly over the top.
4
Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
5
Uncover and check the rice. If it still has a little bite, slide it back in uncovered for another 10 minutes until the rice is tender.
6
While it finishes, warm the queso in a microwave-safe bowl until it’s smooth and pourable. Pour it all over the hot casserole and dig in.
What to Serve With Taco Rice Casserole
Set out a big bowl of tortilla chips for scooping up all that queso. Easy Guacamole or Mexican Street Corn Guacamole adds something cool and fresh, and a scoop of Black Bean Mango Salsa brightens up every bite. For a side that feeds a crowd, Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad is always a hit.
What People Ask About Taco Rice Casserole
Can I make taco rice casserole with regular uncooked rice?
Not as a direct swap. The Knorr rice packets are seasoned and portioned to cook in this amount of liquid and time, so plain rice would need different liquid amounts and cook times to turn out right.
Can I use raw chicken instead of rotisserie chicken?
It’s best to use cooked chicken. The casserole bakes at a moderate temperature with the chicken mixed into the rice, so starting with cooked, shredded chicken keeps it safe and tender. Leftover baked or grilled chicken works great too.
What kind of queso should I use?
Any queso you love works. A jar of store-bought queso is the easiest, or you can use a homemade queso or a refrigerated queso dip from the deli section. Just warm it until it’s smooth and pourable.
Can I make this casserole ahead of time?
You can assemble it up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Since it will be starting cold, plan on adding about 10ā15 minutes to the covered bake time, and check that the rice is tender before adding the queso.
Storing and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the casserole covered in a 350Ā°F oven until heated through. Add a splash of broth before reheating if the rice has dried out, and a little extra warm queso on top never hurts.
This one disappeared so fast at our house that I barely got a plate for myself. Now it’s the first thing my family asks for when they hear it’s taco night.
Viral Swim Queso Chicken Casserole
Ingredients
Casserole
- 2 bags Knorr Taco Rice
- 2 cups chicken broth or El Paso Tinga Style chicken broth
- 2 1/2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 15 oz jar salsa
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 8 oz shredded Mexican cheese blend
Topping
- 4-6 oz queso your favorite
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350Ā°F.
- Add the rice, chicken broth, shredded chicken, salsa, and taco seasoning to a 9×13 casserole dish. Stir well and spread into an even layer.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- Uncover and check the rice. If it isn’t tender yet, bake uncovered for another 10 minutes.
- Warm the queso in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth and pourable, then pour it over the casserole and serve.
Notes
- Cover the dish tightly so the steam stays in and the rice cooks evenly.
- Ovens and rice can vary, so check at 45 minutes and give it the extra 10 minutes uncovered if the rice still has some bite.
- Use mild or medium salsa for a family-friendly version, or hot salsa if you like it spicy.
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