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Creamy One-Pot Cheesy Southwest Chicken & Rice

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A quick and easy one-pot meal combining creamy cheese, smoky Southwest spices, chicken, and rice for a comforting family dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup long-grain white rice (190 g)
  • 2 ½ cups chicken broth (600 ml), low-sodium preferred
  • 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (170 g)
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened (115 g)
  • 1 can diced green chilies (about 4 oz / 115 g)
  • 1 cup diced bell peppers (red and green mix, about 150 g)
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp Southwest seasoning blend (chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)
  • Lime wedges (optional, for serving)

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: Chop chicken into bite-sized pieces, dice bell peppers and onion, mince garlic, and soften cream cheese if refrigerated.
  2. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large deep skillet or wide sauté pan.
  3. Sauté chicken pieces with light salt and pepper for 5-6 minutes until mostly cooked but not browned. Remove and set aside.
  4. In the same pan, sauté onion, bell peppers, and garlic for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
  5. Add Southwest seasoning blend and diced green chilies; stir and toast spices for about 1 minute.
  6. Return chicken to the pan, add rice, and stir to coat grains with the mixture.
  7. Pour in chicken broth, stir well, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low.
  8. Cover and simmer for 18-20 minutes without lifting the lid, allowing rice to absorb broth and chicken to finish cooking.
  9. Check rice for tenderness; if needed, add a splash more broth or water and cook a few minutes longer.
  10. Turn heat off or very low; stir in softened cream cheese and shredded cheddar until melted and creamy.
  11. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges if desired.

Notes

Use room-temperature cream cheese to avoid lumps. Do not lift the lid during simmering to ensure perfectly cooked rice. If rice sticks, add broth and gently scrape. Rest dish 5 minutes off heat before serving. For dairy-free, substitute cream cheese and cheddar with alternatives. Brown rice requires longer cooking and more liquid.

Nutrition

Keywords: one-pot, cheesy, chicken, rice, Southwest, creamy, quick dinner, family meal, comfort food

Find it online: https://cooltastes.com/creamy-one-pot-cheesy-southwest-chicken-and-rice-easy-recipe-for-family-meals/