One Skillet Cheesy Green Chili Chicken and Rice

One Skillet Cheesy Green Chili Chicken and Rice is the thing to throw together when you want to put something satisfying, full of flavor, and easy on the table.

One Skillet Cheesy Green Chili Chicken and Rice is the thing to throw together when you want to put something satisfying, full of flavor, and easy on the table. Think of it as a Tex-Mex version of a basic chicken and rice casserole – remember the kind that used cream of mushroom soup? There’s no cream of mushroom here, but there is nutty rice, tangy salsa verde, and creamy cheese, and then there’s the herby freshness of cilantro. There’s also the acidic pop of tomatoes and an avocado-lime relish (salsa? pico?) that goes over the top. Everything is seasoned in layers – chicken, rice, avocado-lime relish – making this a super flavorful supper.

Although One Skillet Cheesy Green Chili Chicken and Rice requires some cooking time (stovetop and oven, both), it’s all done in, as the name says, one skillet. So not much cleaning up to do. Also, we use instant rice to keep the cook time quick. 

We’re a couple weeks late for Cinco de Mayo, but we think every day is a good day for some cheesy chili chicken and rice.

One Skillet Cheesy Green Chili Chicken and Rice

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and pat dry
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup salsa verde
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack 
1 ½ cups chicken broth
1 cup instant brown rice

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large, oven-proof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and place in the hot skillet. Sear the chicken on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate.

Add another tablespoon olive oil to the same skillet and warm it over medium heat. Saute the onion until it is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the cream cheese and salsa verde to the skillet, and stir until the cream cheese has melted. Stir in the tomato, cilantro, and Monterrey Jack, then stir in the chicken broth and rice. Nestle the chicken breasts in the rice. Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes. Let the chicken and rice rest for about 10 minutes before serving. To serve, top with the Avocado-Lime Relish, recipe follows.

Avocado-Lime Relish

1 avocado, chopped
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Stir all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.