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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. Salsa, spices, and chicken broth simmer until the rice is fluffy, then white queso melts over the top.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 650
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Mexican chicken and rice with queso ingredients
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1.5 cups long-grain white rice
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 cups white queso dip
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 0.25 tsp Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Fresh cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown and build flavor
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cubed chicken, season with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides for about 5 minutes, until golden with crisp edges.
  2. Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant, stirring and scraping up any browned bits.
  3. Stir in the long-grain white rice and toast it in the skillet for 2 minutes. Keep it moving so the grains look slightly glossy and lightly dry.
Simmer the rice
  1. Pour in the chicken broth, salsa, cumin, and chili powder. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
  2. Cover the skillet and simmer on low for 15 minutes. The rice should be mostly tender and you should see gentle bubbling under the lid.
Melt queso and finish
  1. Stir in the white queso dip, corn, and diced red bell pepper. Mix until the queso starts breaking down and coating the rice.
  2. Cook uncovered for 3-5 minutes until the queso is melted and the rice is tender. Watch for thick, creamy bubbling around the edges of the skillet.
  3. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot. The top should look speckled and glossy with melted queso.

Notes

Pro tip: after simmering, let the uncovered skillet sit for 2 minutes off the heat; the rice firms up and the queso thickens without drying out. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat with a splash of broth or water. Freezing is not recommended because queso can separate when thawed. If you want it lighter, use a reduced-fat white queso dip and reduced-sodium chicken broth.