Southwestern Nachos: My 25-Year, Open-a-Few-Cans Weeknight Dinner
This is the dinner I make when I’m flat worn out and supper still has to happen. Southwestern Nachos come together from a handful of pantry cans and a package of yellow rice, bake up hot and bubbly under a blanket of sharp cheddar, and get served nacho-style with chips and sour cream. It’s fast, it’s a genuine crowd-pleaser, and yes — it tastes a whole lot like those burrito bowls everybody sells now, except I’ve been making mine for a couple of decades longer.
A Little Story First
I’ll be honest with you — the day I made this, I was tired. I’d been putting up corn for two and a half days straight, so my freezer was full but my energy tank was empty. My hair and makeup person didn’t even show up. (That would be Darren. Turns out I am the hair and makeup person. He does like to complain there’s too much work.)
That’s exactly the kind of night this dish was made for. When you don’t have it in you to fuss over supper, you open a bunch of cans, cook a little rice, and let the oven carry you the rest of the way. Our family has loved this one for 25 years, and it’s never once let me down on a hard day.
Now, I know what a lot of you are thinking — this looks an awful lot like a burrito bowl. And you’re right, all the pieces are there. You can absolutely call it that if you want to. But we’ve always called it Southwestern Nachos, because we eat it like nachos: you get a good scoop in the middle of your plate, ring it with chips, and load up a little onto each one. Make-your-own nachos, right at the table.
Southwestern Nachos
Prep time: 15 minutes • Cook time: 45 minutes • Serves: about 6
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cups water (or per your rice package directions)
- 1 (5 oz) package yellow rice
- 2 (12.5 oz) cans canned chicken breast, drained
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes & green chilies, drained slightly
- 1 to 1½ cups corn (frozen or canned, drained)
- 1 cup salsa (medium)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1½ to 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Tortilla chips, for serving
- Sour cream and your favorite toppings, for serving
Instructions
- Get the rice going. Bring 1⅔ cups water to a boil (or however much your package calls for). Stir in your 5 oz package of yellow rice, drop the heat to low, cover, and let it cook about 20 minutes. This does most of the work while you get everything else ready.
- Add the chicken. When you add the rice, go ahead and dump in your two cans of chicken and break it up a little with your spoon. If you’ve only got one can on hand, don’t fret — I’ve made it that way plenty of times and it’s just fine.
- Rinse your corn and beans. While the rice cooks, run your corn under hot water to thaw it, and drain and rinse your black beans right alongside it. Little things you can knock out while you wait.
- Mix it all together. Once the rice and chicken are done, stir in the drained Ro-Tel, black beans, corn, salsa, salt, and cumin. Several of these pieces are already seasoned, so we don’t need a heavy hand with the salt. Give it a good stir.
- Into the dish. Pour everything into a 9×13 casserole dish and spread it out even.
- Cheese it up. Cover the whole top with sharp cheddar — I aim for a cup and a half and usually sneak it closer to two. Truthfully, I don’t measure. Just give it a good, generous coating.
- Bake. Slide it into a 350°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until it’s hot, bubbly, and the cheese is melted. Mine took right at 25.
- Serve nacho-style. Scoop a good portion into the middle of each plate, add a dollop of sour cream, and ring the edge with tortilla chips. Then top each chip and eat it just like a nacho.
A little tip: Our medium salsa brings just enough kick for us. If your crowd likes heat, a splash of hot sauce or Tabasco stirred in does the trick — I’d rather you add it than sweat through supper.
FAQ
Can I make Southwestern Nachos ahead of time?
Yes. You can mix everything and get it in the casserole dish ahead of time, then cheese it and bake when you’re ready. Since almost everything’s already cooked, you’re really just warming it through and melting the cheese.
What’s the difference between this and a burrito bowl?
Honestly, not much — same family of flavors and ingredients. The difference is how you eat it: we serve it with chips and build little nachos instead of eating it out of a bowl with a fork. Call it whichever you like.
Can I use fresh chicken instead of canned?
You sure can. Canned chicken is what makes this a true no-effort night, but leftover shredded rotisserie or cooked chicken breast works beautifully. You’ll want roughly 2 to 2½ cups.
How do I make it spicier?
Reach for a hotter salsa, leave the Ro-Tel juice in, or stir in a splash of hot sauce. A pinch of chili powder or some diced jalapeño will get you there too.
What toppings go well with it?
Sour cream is our standard, but green onions, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, avocado or guacamole, black olives, and extra salsa are all right at home here. Set them out and let everyone build their own.
Can I swap the cheese?
Absolutely. Sharp cheddar is my go-to, but a Mexican blend, Monterey Jack, or pepper jack (for a little heat) would all be delicious.
Southwestern Nachos
Ingredients
Main
- 1 2/3 cups water or per rice package directions
- 1 5 oz package yellow rice
- 2 12.5 oz cans canned chicken breast, drained
- 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 10 oz can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes & green chilies, drained slightly
- 1 to 1 1/2 cups corn frozen or canned, drained
- 1 cup salsa medium
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
For Serving
- Tortilla chips
- Sour cream
- Optional toppings: green onions lettuce, tomato, avocado, olives
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil, stir in the yellow rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook about 20 minutes.
- When you add the rice, stir in the canned chicken and break it up. (One can works in a pinch.)
- While the rice cooks, thaw corn under hot water and drain & rinse the black beans.
- Once rice and chicken are done, stir in the Ro-Tel, black beans, corn, salsa, salt, and cumin. Go easy on the salt — several components are already seasoned.
- Pour into a 9×13 casserole dish and spread evenly.
- Top with a generous, even coating of shredded sharp cheddar.
- Bake at 350°F for 20 to 30 minutes, until hot, bubbly, and melted.
- Scoop onto plates, add sour cream, and ring with tortilla chips. Serve nacho-style.
Video
Notes
- Heat: medium salsa gives a mild kick. For more, use a hotter salsa, leave the Ro-Tel juice in, or add a splash of hot sauce.
- Make-ahead: assemble through step 5, refrigerate, then cheese and bake.
- Chicken swap: ~2 to 2 1/2 cups cooked/rotisserie chicken instead of canned.
