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Mexican Chicken and Rice with Queso

Mexican chicken and rice with queso is an easy one-pot skillet meal with golden, tender rice studded with browned chicken pieces. Stir in white queso dip at the end to create a creamy, melted topping.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 660
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

One-pot base and seasoning
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 salt
  • 1 pepper
Queso topping mix-ins
  • 2 cup white queso dip
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 fresh cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown the chicken
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then brown on all sides for about 5 minutes, until lightly golden.
Build flavor and toast the rice
  1. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the long-grain white rice and toast for 2 minutes.
Simmer until the rice is tender
  1. Pour in the chicken broth, salsa, cumin, and chili powder, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until the rice absorbs most of the liquid.
Melt queso and finish the skillet
  1. Stir in the white queso dip, corn, and diced red bell pepper. Cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes until the queso is melted and the rice is tender, with a creamy bubbling surface.
Serve
  1. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot. Look for steady steam rising from the skillet before plating.

Notes

For best texture, keep the skillet covered during the 15-minute simmer so the rice cooks evenly; if it looks dry, add a splash of broth. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days in a sealed container. Freezing is not recommended since queso can separate after thawing. To make it lighter, use reduced-fat white queso dip and skip added salt if your salsa is salty.