Description
This Queso Chicken and Rice Bake is a creamy, cheesy Tex-Mex casserole made with tender chicken, seasoned rice, salsa con queso, and melty Mexican blend cheese. It’s the perfect easy weeknight dinner that’s family-friendly, comforting, and packed with flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 4–6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 (1 oz.) package taco seasoning mix, divided
- 1 (15 oz.) jar salsa con queso
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 (4.5 oz.) can diced green chilies
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2–3 green onions, chopped
- 2 1/2 cups cooked white rice
- 1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Chopped tomatoes, for garnish
- Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with half of the taco seasoning. Cook for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until golden brown on both sides (chicken will finish cooking in the oven).
- In a large bowl, stir together salsa con queso, milk, and diced green chilies. Add chopped red pepper, green onions, and remaining taco seasoning.
- Reserve 1 cup of the sauce mixture. Stir cooked rice into the remaining sauce mixture.
- Spread the rice mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish. Place chicken on top. Spoon the reserved sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
- Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F).
- Garnish with chopped tomatoes and fresh cilantro before serving.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut—just skip the browning step.
- Brown rice can be substituted; make sure it’s fully cooked before mixing in.
- Add black beans or corn for extra texture and flavor.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze tightly covered for up to 2 months (texture may slightly change due to queso sauce).
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg