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Mexican Brown Rice Bake – Gluten Free

February 5, 2020 by Sharon 92 Comments

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Mexican style rice is so popular why not spin it into a full meal? By using the whole grain rice this Mexican Brown Rice Bake is much more nutritious making it a fabulous gluten free choice the family will gobble up.

Mexican Brown Rice Bake

Cheesy Mexican rice casseroles are right up my alley.

They are usually tasty, filling and so useful as leftovers because they reheat so well.

This particular casserole is inspired by Mexican brown rice and beans, spinning the side dish into a spicy, zesty family friendly dinner. It is ready for you to customize with toppings like fresh avocado, sour cream or chopped cilantro.

A piece of cheesy Mexican casserole on a spatula

MEXICAN BROWN RICE BAKE

This Mexican Brown Rice Bake is my homage to home cooking. I made the refried beans and the enchilada sauce from scratch, like a true home cook, which was my culture growing up.

My mom was a real housewife, but not like one from the OC, that’s for sure. 😉

She got up before everyone, packed school lunches consisting of sandwiches on homemade bread, fresh baked cookies, and fruit from our trees. Then it was onto hot breakfasts for us four kids, followed by cleaning and organizing our massive home, and picking veggies from our garden to go with dinner.

I feel like it’s a life I would love for myself. Minus the four kids, of course. Louis the cat works for us. 😉

Healthy gluten free casserole in a white dish

This tastes fabulous with some creamy fresh avocado or a dollop of sour cream.

I hope you make it with love and share it with the ones you cherish. 🙂

Mexican Brown Rice Bake

This casserole heats up well the next day. It’s not sloppy or messy so toting it around in your lunch bag is pretty easy.

I like to spin the leftovers into a new meal and use them as a burrito filler!

HOW TO MAKE BROWN RICE:

I have two tried and true methods to cooking perfect brown rice.

Easy brown rice on a stove – Stovetop Method for Brown Rice

Brown rice for meal prep – Instant Pot Method for Brown Rice

WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE!

 

MORE GLUTEN FREE CHICKEN RECIPES:

  • Chicken Taco Salad
  • Three Bean Chicken Soup
  • Baked Chicken Fajitas
  • Chicken Fried Brown Rice
  • Gluten Free Baked Chicken Fingers
  • Chicken Vegetable Soup with Spinach

Be sure to follow me on social media! I love pinning to Pinterest, sharing on Facebook and posting pics to Instagram. See you there. 🙂

Originally posted March 18, 2015. Updated February 5, 2020.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

3.26 from 50 votes
Print
Mexican Brown Rice Bake – Gluten Free
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 
Mexican style rice is so popular why not spin it into a full on meal? By using the whole grain rice this Mexican Brown Rice Bake is much more nutritious making it a fabulous gluten free choice the family will gobble up. Packed with protein, this cheesy chicken dinner will become a staple in your home.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dinner recipes, gluten free chicken recipes
Servings: 6
Calories: 306 kcal
Author: Sharon
Ingredients
  • 2 cooked chicken breasts shredded
  • 1 cup dry brown rice
  • 1 cup refried beans
  • 3/4 cup enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup shredded cheese
  • 1/2 pepper diced
  • 2 tsp chili flakes optional
Instructions
  1. Cook brown rice –> I use this stove top method or this one for your Instant Pot
  2. Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9×9 baking dish
  3. In a mixing bowl, stir together the shredded chicken and enchilada sauce. Mix in the rice and beans and stir until it’s all combined
  4. Transfer the mixture to the prepared 9×9 dish and top with the shredded cheese, diced peppers and chili flakes
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, then broil for 2-3 to get a bit of crispiness to the layer of cheese
Nutrition Facts
Mexican Brown Rice Bake – Gluten Free
Amount Per Serving
Calories 306 Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 63mg21%
Sodium 661mg29%
Potassium 258mg7%
Carbohydrates 31g10%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 570IU11%
Vitamin C 0.6mg1%
Calcium 129mg13%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Filed Under: Gluten Free, Lunch, Meals, Recipes Tagged With: beans, brown rice, cheesy, chicken, gluten free, meals, spicy, veggies

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Olivia - Primavera Kitchen

    March 19, 2015 at 12:42 pm

    This brown rice dish looks divine. Pinning it for later 😉

    Reply
    • Sharon

      March 19, 2015 at 10:59 pm

      Thanks so much Olivia! Love the pin love. 🙂

      Reply
  2. karen

    March 19, 2015 at 12:39 pm

    Haven’t ever been to Mexico either; but LOVE their food. I think it would be the trip where I would actually gain weight, rather than lose. 😉 Love how easy this dish is, and plus…all that protein! & cheeseeeee!

    Reply
    • Sharon

      March 19, 2015 at 11:00 pm

      Cannot forget cheese. Have I mentioned I like cheese? Say cheese!

      Reply
    • Heather Mc

      November 15, 2020 at 1:10 pm

      Karen – I hope you have since been to Mexico. It is a wonderful country with warm and friendly people and great food!

      Reply
  3. Teresa

    March 25, 2015 at 8:37 pm

    This looks delicious! I spent the better part of a year travelling around Mexico and it’s well worth a longer visit. All the states have different food traditions and there is so much history and art in the cities there.

    Reply
    • Sharon

      March 25, 2015 at 11:14 pm

      Wow! What an adventure that must have been. It does look beautiful and some of the nicest people I’ve met are from Mexico. One day …

      Reply
  4. Mary

    September 7, 2015 at 9:26 pm

    This recipe looks amazing. Does it work the same with white rice?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      September 7, 2015 at 9:32 pm

      I haven’t tried it using the white, but I would assume so. Cook the rice separately and it should turn out the same. 🙂

      Reply
  5. Nyssa

    September 13, 2015 at 7:58 am

    Have made this a dozen times! Super easy to make and it’s delicious.

    Reply
    • Sharon

      September 13, 2015 at 8:03 am

      Hey thanks Nyssa! It’s a favourite around here too! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Maura Weins

    October 11, 2015 at 9:51 pm

    Can you make this and freeze for later?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      October 13, 2015 at 1:01 am

      You know, I haven’t tried it but I’m pretty sure it would be fine frozen. Let me know if you try it.

      Reply
      • Karen

        March 4, 2017 at 2:07 am

        Hi Sharon. Is 1/4 cup chilli powder supposed to be 1/4 tsp? Also the 3 tbsp cumin in refried beans right?

        Reply
        • Sharon

          March 6, 2017 at 11:17 am

          The amounts are correct for these recipes as written. Thanks!

          Reply
  7. Jeanine

    October 23, 2015 at 6:26 pm

    What is the oven supposed to be preheated to?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      October 26, 2015 at 1:39 pm

      I believe the recipe says 350.

      Reply
  8. Kristine

    November 3, 2015 at 8:48 pm

    Around how many cups of chicken?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      November 5, 2015 at 8:48 pm

      Maybe about 4?

      Reply
  9. RobynT

    February 18, 2016 at 6:39 pm

    I have been to Tijuana once also, had a drink at the original “Caesar’s Palace” hotel where they invented Caesar salad. Love the sound of this recipe, pinning for my son’s family who are all gluten intolerant. Thank you 🙂

    Reply
    • Sharon

      February 19, 2016 at 5:19 pm

      Thanks Robyn! Sounds like Tijuana was a bit more fun for you than me. We just crossed the border then came back. No time for drinks. 😉 I hope your son and family enjoy the recipe! We love it. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Amanda OBrien

    March 29, 2016 at 9:27 am

    Can you use long grain rice or is this instant?
    Should i cook the long grain rice first?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      March 29, 2016 at 12:06 pm

      I used brown rice, but any kind of cooked rice should work. One cup of dry rice, cooked. Enjoy!

      Reply
  11. Judi

    June 13, 2016 at 7:18 pm

    This was amazing. I didn’t have green pepper so I used scallions and instead of brown rice is used Jasmine rice. Thanks for sharing it will certainly be a staple in our home

    Reply
    • Sharon

      June 15, 2016 at 12:48 pm

      Thank you Judi! So happy that you enjoyed it. 🙂 I love finding those ‘staple’ dishes. Have a great week!

      Reply
  12. Sarah Elizabeth

    June 15, 2016 at 10:49 pm

    This dish is delicious and easy to make I’m in Love!

    Reply
    • Sharon

      June 17, 2016 at 11:15 am

      I love that YOU are in love. 😉 Have a great weekend Sarah!

      Reply
  13. Michelle

    August 4, 2016 at 10:53 pm

    This is the second time making this, the first time I did not have any re-fried beans because someone (boyfriend) ate them so I used black beans. This time around I have the beans but I am using ground beef instead of chicken. Both times I used white rice instead of brown, a can of green chilies instead of green peppers, and added a can of drained corn. The first time was really good but did not hold together very well, I am hoping this time it will hold together since I am using the re-fried. I like recipes like this because you can play around with it and it still turns out great. 🙂

    Reply
    • Sharon

      August 5, 2016 at 12:14 pm

      Me too! You should think about blogging. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Sarah

    September 14, 2016 at 9:21 pm

    I am made this tonight. I used ground turkey and cooked it with cumin seed, cyenne pepper, salt, pepper, onion and garlic, then put pepper jack cheese blend on top.. I am very happy how this has turned out!

    Reply
  15. Me!!

    September 28, 2016 at 10:08 pm

    How exactly do u cook the chicken?? Grill it?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      September 29, 2016 at 11:53 am

      You can use any cooked chicken. I use this marinade and cook in the oven at 375 for 40 minutes. You could totally grill it in much less time. I like to make extras when I cook up chicken, then I have it in the fridge for meals such as this one. 🙂

      Reply
  16. sue

    October 2, 2016 at 10:35 pm

    can you omit the chicken and make it vegetarian

    Reply
    • Sharon

      October 3, 2016 at 2:17 pm

      Absolutely! That is actually a great idea for meatless Monday today. 🙂

      Reply
  17. Sue

    October 8, 2016 at 11:24 am

    Covered or uncovered? Well, mine is covered and in the oven now. I added diced jalapeño and fresh cilantro. Oh and only 1/2 cup of cheese, it’s my downfall so I use it sparingly. Can’t wait to try this tasty little number!

    Reply
    • Sharon

      October 8, 2016 at 3:58 pm

      I don’t cover mine, but I can’t see how it would hurt. I hope it turned out and you loved your meal Sue!

      Reply
      • Sue

        October 8, 2016 at 8:12 pm

        No kidding the best ever! Soooo delicious. Thank you!
        Ps it came out fine by covering it.

        Reply
        • Sharon

          October 9, 2016 at 12:48 pm

          Great news! So adding jalapenos next time I make this, by the way! 🙂

          Reply
  18. Akwana

    October 18, 2016 at 1:00 am

    What kind of cheese do you use?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      October 18, 2016 at 11:33 am

      I use an organic marble cheese. Anything that’s melts good will work in this recipe. Thanks!

      Reply
  19. Todd the chef

    November 13, 2016 at 7:14 pm

    This was a very easy and tasty recipe to make. I used black beans, which gave the bake a very robust flavor and texture. I like the possibilities of variations that can be done with the existing recipe. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Sharon

      November 14, 2016 at 11:00 am

      Thanks Todd! It is definitely a recipe open to lots of variations. Have a great week!

      Reply
  20. Shannon

    December 15, 2016 at 5:35 pm

    Great recipe! This is one of the only dishes I can fix that will feed my whole family agreeable..that includes a 10 month old and 3 year old and a husband ? I left out the chili flakes for the kids..then made a soup from the leftovers..just added corn tortilla strips that I cut up and some more enchilada sauce a water and boiled it up..dinner again! Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sharon

      December 16, 2016 at 11:10 am

      Thanks so much Shannon! I love when the kiddos are happy – it’s the true test of recipe success. 😉 Happy holidays to you and the family!

      Reply
  21. Shannon

    December 17, 2016 at 11:09 am

    Has anyone ever tried this with ground beef?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      December 17, 2016 at 11:37 am

      I haven’t but I’m sure it would be delish! Let us know if you try it. 🙂

      Reply
  22. Lexie

    January 25, 2017 at 1:47 pm

    I have a question, on the recipe for the Mexican Brown rice bake, it says 3/4 cup dried brown rice…. Do you cook the rice before hand or do you just throw it in the ingredients uncooked? Sorry for asking a dumb question. Thanks for your reply.

    Reply
  23. Lexie

    January 25, 2017 at 3:05 pm

    Never mind, I completely missed the instructions #1. Duh!!!

    Reply
    • Sharon

      January 25, 2017 at 4:00 pm

      No worries! I always cook extra rice when I make a batch. It will last in the fridge for up to a week. Then you have it on hand to throw into other meals. 🙂

      Reply
  24. DC

    January 30, 2017 at 10:51 pm

    You saved two halves of a rotisserie chicken breast from being thrown out, in two days. Strangely, when I saw your recipe, my thoughts leapt, thinking how I could make this simple and easy recipe with those two and some of my favorite ingredients. I really dislike cooking because it takes up too much of my time and it is just too much. But then there it was looming out at me, as if saying – you can do this. I had the perfect amount of T.J.’s left over bottled enchilada sauce and the perfect amount of previously shredded Tilamook mild cheddar. I used T.J.’s refried black beans butI didn’t want to waste the rest of the beans. To the beans I mixed in a little EVOO and Garlic salt then added to the mix of rice sauce and chicken. With the left over beans in the can I did the same with the oil and garlic salt and a piece of chili powder, then spread them on the bottom of the baking dish. I layered the mixture over the beans and then did an all over sprinkle with garlic salt. Next. I layered the pickled Jalapeño rings, a thick covering of the cheese and then the red pepper seeds. Absolutely satisfying and delicious and what a great way to use leftover but somewhat tasteless chicken breast. This s a repeat recipe and might also try it with Ground Beef. P.S. I never write comments but for some strange reason I just did…

    Reply
    • Sharon

      January 31, 2017 at 12:56 pm

      Thanks for the great comment, DC! And I love the idea of doing this with beef. Thanks again and enjoy the rest of your week. 🙂

      Reply
  25. Laverne

    February 10, 2017 at 5:06 am

    Lovely recipe-hubby loved it.
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Sharon

      February 10, 2017 at 11:25 am

      That’s the best endorsement, Laverne! I love happy hubbies. 😉 Thanks so much.

      Reply
  26. Cristal

    February 19, 2017 at 3:25 pm

    Needed to go food shopping but I was able to make this with what we had – just needed to do a salsa concoction instead of enchilada sauce. So fast and easy and it was a hit with everyone. Will definitely make again!

    Reply
    • Sharon

      February 19, 2017 at 3:53 pm

      Awesome! Sp glad that everyone enjoyed. 🙂 Thanks so much Cristal.

      Reply
  27. pam

    April 16, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    Can you freeze this meal?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      April 17, 2017 at 9:25 am

      I haven’t personally, but I’m sure it should be fine for the freezer. Thanks Pam!

      Reply
  28. Barbara

    April 18, 2017 at 8:33 pm

    I’m gonna try this recipe this week, with an avocado sauce on it 🙂

    Reply
    • Sharon

      April 18, 2017 at 8:51 pm

      Sounds delicious! Creamy avocado would be a great pair with this recipe. Yum! Hope you enjoy. 🙂

      Reply
  29. Kristina

    November 18, 2017 at 5:41 pm

    I was just wondering if the enhalada sauce makes it spicy? Is there an alternative sauce if so?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      November 19, 2017 at 10:38 am

      The sauce definitely has chili powder spice but not a fiery heat. Maybe just crushed tomatoes would work for a milder taste?

      Reply
  30. Jenn

    January 5, 2018 at 2:51 pm

    How do you portion this out for the 21 day fix?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      January 7, 2018 at 6:57 pm

      Hey Jenn! I’m not sure, sorry. The nutrition stats are linked though, if that helps. 🙂 Have a great week!

      Reply
  31. Miss Food Fairy

    January 23, 2018 at 7:12 pm

    Sharon this looks delicious! I’m always looking for new ways to make brown rice tasty 🙂 Hubby eats a lot of brown rice when he’s working out but for me it can be a bit boring. Pinning this for later. PS I also love a lot of cheese 😉

    Reply
    • Sharon

      January 24, 2018 at 9:15 am

      Very nice to meet another cheese lover! And lucky you with a brown rice loving hubby … mine despises it! haha Hope you enjoy this one!

      Reply
  32. Dee Lattanzio

    June 10, 2018 at 5:16 pm

    Made it for dinner. Very tasty. I made everything from scratch as suggested. I think next time I would layer it with rice, beans, chicken and enchilada. Each ingredient was so tasty I would prefer tasting them rather than mixing all together. I would cover it part time as one person suggested so it is more moist.

    Reply
    • Sharon

      June 10, 2018 at 10:58 pm

      I like the layered idea! Even less time to assemble it. 🙂 Thanks so much Dee. Have a great week!

      Reply
  33. Kim

    March 10, 2019 at 7:55 am

    I would love to try this and wondering if I leave the chicken out if I would need to use fewer of the other ingredients?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      March 10, 2019 at 10:24 am

      Hey Kim! I would maybe add some black beans or kidney beans instead of the chicken to make it vegetarian and still have some protein. But, if you just wanted to leave the chicken out I would still follow the recipe as is but maybe less of the enchilada sauce as it may make it a bit ‘soupy’.

      Reply
  34. Pam

    February 5, 2020 at 12:33 pm

    Hi Olivia – First off, I loved your intro – re: minus the four kids. – HA! My husband and I thought that was hilarious 😆 I make brown rice often, especially since my husband has become disabled and we are living on a very limited income. You posted a couple of cooking methods for brown rice. Here is one that you might try, especially during the cold months and you need an excuse to heat up the kitchen.
    Baked Brown Rice
    2cups brown rice rinsed well and placed in a 2 qt oven safe dish coated in cooking spray
    Bring to a boil 3 and 1/2 cups water, a TBSP butter and 1/2 tsp salt.
    Pour the boiling mixture over the rice
    Cover tightly with foil and bake ina 375 degree oven for 1 hour.
    Carefully remove foil and fluff with a fork. – PERFECT
    Try it!
    I am looking forward to your brown rice casserole!

    Reply
    • Sharon

      February 5, 2020 at 5:57 pm

      Hey Pam!! Loved your comment. 🙂 Thanks for the new method to try! And I have yet to attempt cooking rice in the oven. I hope you enjoy the dish! Let me know.

      Reply
  35. Pam

    February 6, 2020 at 4:04 pm

    Hey right back at Cha. Let me know what you think of the Baked Brown Rice method.I never worry about it. I leave it covered until needed, and freeze any left overs in one cup measures to thaw and add to whatever. Pam

    Reply
  36. Vanessa

    May 26, 2020 at 10:58 am

    Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      May 26, 2020 at 10:12 pm

      It should be good covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.

      Reply
  37. Minerva Moser

    October 6, 2020 at 2:41 pm

    This looked, at first, like the very type of casserole I like to make and eat. Then I saw that you’ve mixed refried beans into it. That was the deal breaker. I don’t personally think pinto beans in any form should be paired with chicken. I know a lot of people do that, but it really turns my taste buds off. Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE pinto beans and make all sorts of dishes with them, just not with chicken.

    I would either substitute some beef or pork for the chicken, OR I’d substitute canned condensed split pea soup for the refried beans. But that’s not at all what your recipe is about, now, is it?

    Reply
    • Sharon

      October 6, 2020 at 4:48 pm

      I definitely have been testing out a beef based version of this recipe! I am a fan of the beans and chicken combo but I totally get that not everyone likes everything. Is it just the pinto beans with chicken or is any type of bean?

      Reply
  38. Jerri

    January 9, 2021 at 12:46 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious I used hamburger and cauliflower rice worked great.
    Thank you for a new recipe to make for dinner.

    Reply
    • Sharon

      January 9, 2021 at 2:07 pm

      I love those substitutions! I am glad to hear cauliflower rice worked, I will have to try that. Thanks!

      Reply
  39. Birdie Harms

    February 18, 2021 at 3:34 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve made this several times for lunch for my grandchildren and they love it. Now they know how to make it. It is extremely easy to put together, especially if you have cooked chicken in the freezer already. Great recipe.

    Reply
    • Sharon

      February 18, 2021 at 4:22 pm

      Hey, thanks Birdie!! I love that the grandkids are getting in the kitchen. 🙂

      Reply

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