Green Chile Rice Casserole
This creamy Green Chile Rice Casserole is the ultimate easy side dish, made with shortcut microwaveable rice so it's ready for the oven in minutes. Mild green chiles, plenty of melted cheese, and a rich, tangy sour cream base come together for ultra-comforting flavor.
Servings: 6
Calories: 341kcal
Ingredients
- 2 (8.5 ounce) packages Ready Rice Jasmine (about 3 ½ cups cooked white rice)
- 16 ounces sour cream regular or light
- 2 (4 ounce) cans diced green chiles mild, lightly drained (use fire roasted for even more flavor)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ to 2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese or Monterey Jack cheese packed
- ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese packed
- 1 to 2 green onions thinly sliced and chopped fine, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a 9-inch or 10-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Use your fingers to massage the unopened bags of cooked rice to break it up. In a large bowl, combine the rice, sour cream, green chiles, garlic powder, onion, powder, and salt.
- In a small bowl or on a cutting board, toss the shredded cheeses together to combine. Set aside.
- Spoon half of the rice mixture into the prepared baking dish. Layer half of the shredded cheese over the top. Spoon the remaining rice mixture over the top and top with the remaining cheese. Cover with foil (spray underside with nonstick cooking spray to avoid sticking to the melted cheese) and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, top with the green onions, and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until heated through.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Check package labels for gluten free.
Make Ahead Instructions: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate. When ready to bake, let the dish sit out while the oven preheats. Bake as directed, adding 5 to 10 minutes if it is still well-chilled. If the mixture seems very thick after chilling, fold in 1 to 2 tablespoons milk before baking. Let it rest 5 minutes before serving.
Add Protein: Layer 2 cups (or more) cooked shredded or chopped chicken (rotisserie works well) between the two rice layers before adding the final cheese. Keep the rest of the recipe the same. Since the chicken is already cooked, you are just heating it through.
Storage
Refrigerate: Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Warm individual portions in the microwave or reheat the whole casserole, covered with foil, in a 350 degree F oven until heated through.
Freeze: Wrap the dish tightly or transfer to a freezer-safe container, if needed, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Nutrition
Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 583mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 555IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 339mg | Iron: 1mg