Mexican Noodle Casserole
This Mexican Noodle Casserole is a quick dinner when you’re craving Mexican but don’t want to fuss. It’s cheesy and has all of the comforting, signature flavors of your favorite enchiladas.
🍽️ Recipe Name: Mexican Noodle Casserole
⏰ Ready In: 30 minutes
⏳ Prep Time: 10 minutes
🔥 Cook Time: 20 minutes
👥 Serves: 8
🥕Main Ingredients: chicken, noodles, tomato sauce, salsa, spices, cheeses
🍳 Special Equipment: 9×9 casserole dish
⭐ Why You’ll Love It: Cheesy, saucy, and packed with bold flavor. All the comfort of enchiladas in an easy casserole.
If you enjoy easy baked casseroles like this, this vintage Casserole Marie Blanche from Jackie Kennedy is another one that people keep coming back to.
You can either use chicken or ground beef for this casserole. They are equally good.
It has all the delicious flavors of enchiladas without the rolling. This casserole is perfect for busy weeknights and easy enough to bring along to a potluck.
If you’re looking for another simple baked option, this spaghetti casserole is a great way to use up leftovers, too.
What You Need
- Meat: Use one large chicken breast or one pound ground beef.
- Noodles: Try egg noodles or your favorite pasta shape. Rotini is a good choice since it holds the sauce and cheese well.
- Tomato Sauce: I didn’t have any tomato sauce in the house, so I substituted tomato soup concentrate.
- Salsa: I like to use a thick and chunky salsa for more texture.
- Diced Green Chiles: You can use a can of green chiles. I always have previously roasted peppers in the freezer, so I generally use those.
- Garlic: Use garlic powder to season the meat.
- Cumin: Adds an earthy note.
- Chili Powder: Adds a nice kick to the dish.
- Cheese: I use multiple types of cheese for a more well-rounded flavor. I had cheddar and Velveeta slices in the fridge, so I used them.
How to Make It
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Season the chicken well with spices, salt and pepper. If you use ground beef, season that too.
Mix the seasoning into the chicken pieces. Sauté the chicken or beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally.
Cook the noodles in salted, boiling water in a large pan, according to package directions. Drain.
Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. If your casserole dish is big enough to mix in, do it and save yourself a bowl to wash.
Bake the casserole in a preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until heated through.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Although you could freeze leftovers, the noodles will get soggy.
Additions
You can add lots of different ingredients to this casserole, if you’d like. Some delicious additions are;
- Beans: Add a can of black beans or kidney beans to boost the dish’s protein.
- Corn: Try adding canned or frozen corn to the casserole.
- Olives: Sliced black olives add color and a bit of briny flavor.
- Onion: Sauté diced onion after the meat comes out of the skillet.
Delicious Toppings
- Sour Cream: Adds a tangy, creamy note to the dish.
- Jalapeños: Finely diced or pickled peppers for a bit of a kick.
- Lettuce: Shred lettuce to add color and add a fresh note.
- Tomatoes: Dice fresh tomatoes and sprinkle them on a serving.
- Green Onions: Slice the green tops of scallions to top the casserole.
- Cilantro: Finely chop cilantro and sprinkle it on top.
More Fast Dinners
If you need more quick dinners like this, here are a few easy options to try next.
- Crockpot Chicken Enchilada Casserole
- Easy Spanish Rice with Ground Beef
- Mexican Beef and Rice Skillet
- Pasta with Ham and Peas
- Instant Pot Sloppy Joes
Helpful Tools
Connect with us through our social media pages! Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter.
Please ask any questions or share your comments in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you.
I hope you enjoyed the recipe today.
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
Cheesy Mexican Noodle Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken breast or 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 can tomato sauce
- ½ cup Salsa of your choice
- 1 can diced green chilies
- 4 slices Velveeta
- 1½ cups cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions.
- Cut the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces.
- Season with spices, salt and pepper. If you're using ground beef, season that well.
- Sauté the chicken or brown the beef in a large skillet with a splash of olive oil.
- Grate the cheese, break the slices into chunks. Reserve half of the slices for the top. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl or a casserole dish. Mix well.
- Turn the casserole into a casserole dish. Dot the top with the remaining cheese chunks.
- Bake the casserole for 20 minutes until it's heated through.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
- Beans: Add a can of black beans or kidney beans to boost the dish’s protein.
- Corn: Try adding canned or frozen corn to the casserole.
- Olives: Sliced black olives add color and a bit of briny flavor.
- Onion: Sauté diced onion after the meat comes out of the skillet.
- Sour Cream: Adds a tangy, creamy note to the dish.
- Jalapeños: Finely dice peppers for a bit of a kick.
- Lettuce: Shred lettuce to add color and add a fresh note.
- Tomatoes: Dice fresh tomatoes and sprinkle them on a serving.
- Green Onions: Slice the green tops of scallions to top the casserole.
- Cilantro: Finely chop cilantro and sprinkle it on top.
