Casserole is the ideal comfort dish. I’m not sure if it’s because you get a hot and bubbling whole dinner in one dish or because they don’t skimp on the carbs and cheese, but they just have a way of warming you right up. This Fiesta Chicken Casserole is no exception; it has a zesty comfort that is easy to enjoy, but the rapid preparation time also earns some important points.

One of the benefits of casseroles is that they are essentially one-dish meals, which is why I like ones that require little preparation. What’s the point of pulling a complete meal out of the oven if you have to first chop, sauté, and boil a bunch of stuff? This is more of a “dump and bake” procedure. While it does call for pre-cooked chicken (leftover rotisserie chicken, anyone?), there is no need to boil the rice ahead of time.

You just combine the ingredients – instant rice, chicken, Ro-Tel, black beans, corn, sour cream, and, of course, cheese – and season generously with taco seasoning before covering the dish with foil and placing in a hot oven.Thirty minutes later, you’ll have a zesty and comforting supper to enjoy! There isn’t much work to be done here (apart from whisking everything together), and you still get a creamy, tasty, satisfying supper. It’s a bake that’s definitely worth celebrating.