Cheesy Chicken And Rice is an easy one pot meal that only takes 20 minutes from start to finish. This simple skillet has juicy chicken, the perfect amount of spices, Queso Blanco, salsa, and rice. It’s perfect for any night of the week, and your family will ask for it over and over.
This Cheesy Chicken And Rice recipe has become one of our favorite Mexican food recipes over the years. I just love how easy one pan dinners can be. You will cook everything is the same skillet which makes clean up a breeze. This cheesy Mexican chicken and rice has the addition of queso for that rich cheese flavor with the perfect amount of spice. Try a few of our other skillet meals! Creamy Mozzarella Shrimp Pasta, Easy Creamy Chicken Marsala, and Creamy Bacon Chicken.
Ingredients for Cheesy Chicken And Rice
- Chicken: Chicken breasts are great for this recipe, but you can substitute chicken thighs.
- Oil: Use any oil that you have on hand.
- Chili Powder: Is commonly used in Mexican dishes to add that deep flavor and spice.
- Cumin: Gives off the smoky deep flavor that Mexican food is known for.
- Paprika: You can used smoked paprika if that’s what you have on hand. They both have great flavors.
- Salt: Feel free to reduce the salt to your taste.
- Garlic Powder: Is commonly used in Mexican dishes, and I prefer the milder flavor that comes from using powder instead of fresh garlic in this recipe.
- Onion Powder: When fresh onions will be to powerful in a recipe, Onion powder can give a nice little kick.
- Black Pepper: Is often used in many recipes to add flavor. Add more or less depending on your taste.
- Chicken Broth: Vegetable broth can be substituted.
- Heavy Cream: I love how heavy cream adds a richness when it comes to taste in many dishes.
- Queso Blanco: Is a creamy. mild tasting white cheese dip that can be found down the Mexican isle in your local grocery store.
- Salsa: Any salsa will work in this skillet recipe.
- Instant Rice: Using instant rice cuts down the cooking time and allows for this recipe to be simple and quick.
- Fresh Cilantro: adds a nice flavor and is commonly used in most Mexican dishes.
- Mexican Shredded Cheese: You can use shredded cheddar cheese is that’s what you have on hand.
How to make cheesy chicken and rice skillet
- Start by adding 2 Tbsp. of Olive oil and cubed chicken to your skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper and stir to coat all the chicken pieces well.
- Then reduce heat to medium and continue cooking chicken over medium heat until it is cooked through and no longer pink. Make sure to not over cook chicken pieces as they will become tough and dry.
- Add chicken pieces to a medium size bowl and set aside. Add chicken broth to the warm skillet and scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan. Next, pour in queso blanco, salsa, heavy cream, rice, and whisk ingredients together and bring to a boil.
- After whisking ingredients together, reduce heat, and cover for 5 minutes or until all the rice is fully cooked.
- Once rice is fully cooked, stir in 1/4 cup of fresh chopped cilantro and cooked chicken.
- Remove from heat and add shredded cheese to the top of the skillet, place the lid on and allow the cheese to melt for 5 minutes. Add chopped fresh cilantro for garnish and serve immediately. Enjoy!
How to store leftover chicken and rice
If you happen to have leftovers you can store them in an air tight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. If you like to meal prep, you can separate into individual containers and add a flour tortilla, sour cream, salsa, and shredded cheese to make this a delicious chicken and rice burrito.
Cheesy Chicken And Rice
Ingredients
- 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. onion powder
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 cup Queso Blanco dip
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups instant rice
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Start by adding 2 Tbsp. of Olive oil and cubed chicken to your skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
- Add chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper and stir to coat all the chicken pieces well. Cook until chicken is done and no longer pink. Do not over cook chicken pieces as they will become tough and dry.
- Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.
- Add chicken broth to the warm skillet and scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour in queso blanco, salsa, heavy cream, rice, and whisk ingredients together.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer for 5 minutes or until all rice is fully cooked.
- Once the rice is cooked stir in 1/4 cup of fresh chopped cilantro and cooked chicken.
- Remove from heat and add shredded cheese to the top of the skillet, place the lid on and allow the cheese to melt for 5 minutes. Add chopped fresh cilantro for garnish and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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