Queso Chicken and Rice (One Pot Recipe)

By Editor On Feb 20, 2025

Creamy, cheesy, and packed with flavor, Queso Chicken and Rice is the ultimate one-pan meal. Tender chicken, rich queso sauce, and fluffy rice combine for a comforting, effortless dinner.

Queso Chicken Recipe

Ready in just 60 minutes, most of the cooking time is hands-off, making this Queso Chicken recipe a perfect low-effort meal. Plus, with only one baking dish, cleanup is a breeze!

Velveeta, beans and rotel in a baking dish.

Main Ingredients and Substitutions

Here are the main ingredients required to make queso chicken and rice. Check the recipe card below for the complete list:

Chicken – I use boneless skinless chicken breasts for this chicken recipe, but boneless skinless chicken thighs also work well. Just make sure you thaw the chicken before baking.
Rotel – fresh diced tomatoes and green chiles are a great alternative.
Velveeta – You can substitute it with leftover queso dip if you have any. I’ve used Smoked Queso Dip, Rotel Dip, Green Chili Queso, and Mexican Cheese Dip with success.
Seasonings – Instead of the custom mix of spices I use to season the chicken, you can use 1-2 tbsp of taco seasoning.
Black Beans – You can use pinto beans or omit them altogether.
Cooked Rice – Any type of cooked rice works. I love using leftover Mexican Rice, Mexican Green Rice or Cilantro Lime Rice.
Optional Garnishes – fresh cilantro, avocado slices, salsa and/or lime wedges.

Velveeta, beans and rice mixed in a white baking dish.

Chicken Con Queso Variations

Stretch Your Dollar: Add up to 4 cups of rice to stretch the meal further.

Cream Cheese: You can throw in a block of cream cheese (cubed) for an even creamier dish.

Vegetables: For added flavor and nutrition, you can add canned corn (drained), diced onions, or peppers.

What to Serve with Queso Chicken and Rice

Queso chicken bake is a meal by itself, but if you want to serve it with some sides, I recommend:

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
Grease a 9×13 baking dish. Add the cubed Velveeta, ROTEL, black beans, cooked rice and stir to combine.
In a small mixing bowl, combine the cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder and salt. Evenly sprinkle the seasoning mix over both sides of the chicken and place on top of the Velveeta mixture.
Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the chicken is 165˚F.
Transfer the cooked chicken to serving plates. Use a large spoon to stir the queso rice mixture until fully combined. Scoop the queso rice over the chicken and garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately for best texture.

Nutrition