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Mexican Chicken and Rice with Queso

Mexican chicken and rice with queso is a one-pot skillet dinner with golden, tender rice studded with browned chicken and topped with melted white queso. Salsa, cumin, and chili powder build a savory base before the queso dip is stirred in for a creamy finish.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 780
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Mexican Chicken and Rice with Queso
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice
  • 3 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 cup white queso dip
  • 1 cup corn
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 0.5 salt to taste
  • 0.5 pepper to taste
  • 0.25 fresh cilantro for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the chicken
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed chicken with salt and pepper, then brown on all sides for about 5 minutes, until the pieces are golden.
Toast the rice
  1. Add the diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir to scrape up any browned bits, then stir in the long-grain white rice and toast for 2 minutes.
Simmer the one-pot rice
  1. Pour in the chicken broth, salsa, cumin, and chili powder. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Melt queso and finish
  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, stirring occasionally so it cooks evenly.
Serve
  1. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot. Let the skillet sit for 1-2 minutes off the heat so the queso thickens slightly before serving.

Notes

For the creamiest texture, keep the heat low when the queso dip goes in so it melts smoothly without separating. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of chicken broth. Freezing is not recommended because rice texture and queso can change. If you want a lighter option, use part-skim queso dip or a reduced-fat queso and choose lower-sodium chicken broth.