Cheesy Southwest Chicken Rice
This creamy and cheesy one-pot dish combines tender chicken, fluffy rice, black beans, and spices, delivering a flavorful, comforting Mexican-American meal with a rich cheese finish.
Equipment
- 1 large pot for cooking all ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced
- 1 cup long-grain white rice rinsed
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup cream cheese softened
- 1 medium onion diced
- 1 bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 can 15 oz black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn frozen or canned
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp oil for cooking
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat and cook diced chicken until browned, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the pot and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in black beans, corn, rinsed rice, chicken broth, salsa, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, then bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.
- Remove pot from heat, stir in cream cheese and half the shredded cheddar until melted and creamy.
- Top with remaining cheddar cheese, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
- Serve warm, garnished with fresh cilantro if desired.
Notes
- Make ahead and refrigerate up to 3 days.
- Freeze cooled leftovers up to 2 months in airtight container.
- Swap quinoa for rice for a healthier version.
- Add jalapeños or spicy salsa for extra heat.