Mexican Chicken & Rice Casserole with Broccoli & Tortilla Strips

Mexican Chicken & Rice Casserole

with Broccoli & Tortilla Strips

50 MIN
4 Servings
Wellness at Blue Apron
Find recipes that suit your lifestyle with our new nutritionist-approved dietary tags.
Vegetarian
These recipes don’t contain meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.* They’re made with fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. *Select artisanal cheeses may contain animal-derived rennet.
Carb Conscious
These meals have 48g or less of net carbs (total carbs minus dietary fiber) per serving. They replace refined carbohydrates from sources like white flour, rice, and cane sugar with high-fiber foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
600 Calories Or Less
Coming in at 600 calories or less per serving, these recipes are ideal for those choosing to monitor their caloric intake without sacrificing flavor. The US Food & Drug Administration uses 2000 calorie daily intake for general advice. The 600 calorie cap equates to 30% of the total 2000 calories per day based on 3 meals per day with 200 calories remaining for snack or beverage.
Wellness Grain
These recipes feature grains such as barley, quinoa, farro, orzo, couscous and more, handpicked by our Culinary team in collaboration with our Registered Dietitian.
Pescatarian
These recipes feature a wide array of nutritious seafood options like salmon, cod, tilapia, crab, and shrimp. While these dishes never contain meat, pork or poultry, they may contain animal derived ingredients such as milk, butter, cheese and/or honey.
To view a recipe's full nutrition information, head to your Upcoming page at blueapron.com, click on a specific recipe, then head to the Nutrition tab and select 'View Full Nutrition.' Nutrition Facts Panels are available up to 1.5 weeks in advance

From the Test Kitchen

Zesty Mexican spices liven up this loaded casserole of chicken, rice, beans, and broccoli—all topped with a layer of cheddar before baking. The dish is complete with crispy tortilla strips and a side of cooling sour cream for dolloping.

Get Plans
  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    720 Cals (est.)
View Full Nutrition
Nutrition Label
Download
fresh
ingredients
time-saving
tips & techniques
Cook the rice:
1 Cook the rice:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a medium pot, combine the rice, half the spice blend, a big pinch of salt, and 2 cups of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork.

Prepare the ingredients:
2 Prepare the ingredients:

While the rice cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the broccoli stem; cut the broccoli into small pieces. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Drain and rinse the beans. Grate the cheese on the large side of a box grater. Stack the tortillas. Cut in half; cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips.

Cook the chicken:
3 Cook the chicken:

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In a large, high-sided pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer and cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.

Cook the vegetables:
4 Cook the vegetables:

Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan of reserved fond and heat on medium-high until hot. Add the broccoli pieces, chopped garlic, and sliced white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add 3/4 cup of water (carefully, as the water may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until the broccoli is softened and the water has cooked off. Add the beans, tomatoes, and remaining spice blend; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat.

Assemble & bake the casserole:
5 Assemble & bake the casserole:

Add the cooked chicken, cooked rice, vinegar, and half the grated cheese to the pan of cooked vegetables; stir to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a baking dish and top with the remaining grated cheese. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 2 minutes.

Toast the tortilla strips & serve your dish:
6 Toast the tortilla strips & serve your dish:

While the casserole bakes, place the tortilla strips on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Toast in the oven 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Remove from the oven and immediately season with salt. Top the baked casserole with the toasted tortilla strips and sliced green tops of the scallions. Serve the sour cream on the side. Enjoy!

Tips from Home Chefs

Cook the rice:
1 Cook the rice:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. In a medium pot, combine the rice, half the spice blend, a big pinch of salt, and 2 cups of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook, without stirring, 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Turn off the heat and fluff with a fork.

2 Prepare the ingredients:

While the rice cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut off and discard the bottom 1/2 inch of the broccoli stem; cut the broccoli into small pieces. Peel and roughly chop the garlic. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Drain and rinse the beans. Grate the cheese on the large side of a box grater. Stack the tortillas. Cut in half; cut crosswise into ¼-inch-wide strips.

Prepare the ingredients:
Cook the chicken:
3 Cook the chicken:

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper. In a large, high-sided pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken in an even layer and cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a plate.

4 Cook the vegetables:

Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan of reserved fond and heat on medium-high until hot. Add the broccoli pieces, chopped garlic, and sliced white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add 3/4 cup of water (carefully, as the water may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until the broccoli is softened and the water has cooked off. Add the beans, tomatoes, and remaining spice blend; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until thoroughly combined. Turn off the heat.

Cook the vegetables:
Assemble & bake the casserole:
5 Assemble & bake the casserole:

Add the cooked chicken, cooked rice, vinegar, and half the grated cheese to the pan of cooked vegetables; stir to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a baking dish and top with the remaining grated cheese. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until heated through and the cheese is melted. Remove from the oven and let stand for at least 2 minutes.

6 Toast the tortilla strips & serve your dish:

While the casserole bakes, place the tortilla strips on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Arrange in an even layer. Toast in the oven 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly browned and crispy. Remove from the oven and immediately season with salt. Top the baked casserole with the toasted tortilla strips and sliced green tops of the scallions. Serve the sour cream on the side. Enjoy!

Toast the tortilla strips & serve your dish:
Browse Steps
1 of 6