• Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
Easy Family Recipes
Free Recipe Club
  • New? Start here
  • ✱ Recipe Index
  • Meal Plans
  • Chicken
  • Dinners
  • 🍲 One Dish Recipes
  • Home
  • New? Start Here
  • Recipe Index
  • Meal Plans
  • Chicken
  • Dinners
  • 🍲 One Dish Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Salad
    • Soup
    • Side Dish
    • Dairy Free
    • Gluten Free
    • Low Carb
    • Vegetarian
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Ground Turkey
    • Pork
    • Pasta
    • Rice
    • Crock Pot
    • Grill
    • Instant Pot
    • Oven
    • Stove top
    • Casserole
    • One Dish
  • About
  • Press
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Use – Disclosure Policy
Search
Home / Recipes / Chicken Recipes / Green Chile Chicken and Rice

Green Chile Chicken and Rice

Jump to Recipe
GF

Author:

Kimber Matherne

Updated:

May 22, 2024

This site runs ads and generates income from affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

This Green Chile Chicken and Rice is an easy one dish meal packed with Southwestern flavor!  It is quick and easy to put together and feeds a crowd so it is a great meal to make when you have a crowd or need something to bring to a potluck. As a bonus it is just as delicious as it is easy with tender chicken nestled in creamy rice, all flavored with delicious southwest flavors like green chile, cumin, and garlic.

Green Chile Chicken and Rice Recipe this Recipe

Table of contents

Toggle
  • Green Chile Chicken and Rice Recipe
  • How to Serve Green Chile Chicken and Rice
  • How to Make Green Chile Chicken and Rice
  • Green Chile Chicken and Rice Recipe

Green Chile Chicken and Rice

At the beginning of the year I posted a recipe we really love for Green Chile Chicken.  The dish is awesome because it has these delicious southwest flavors, it bakes all in one casserole dish and everyone loves it so much so that I even reworked it once before to be a Green Chile Chicken Crock Pot Recipe.  I have had so much great feedback on the recipe in emails, messages, and comments on the blog, but in one comment, the reader asked if she could bake rice right in with the chicken and it got me thinking.

What a great idea! I knew it was possible, but also was certain that the recipe would have to be modified for it to come out with perfectly fluffy rice, tender chicken and everything combining just right. So it was time to get to work.

I tweaked and reworked a few things, then crossed my fingers that I wouldn’t have to make this recipe 8 more times before I got it right.

It was my LUCKY day!  It came out perfect.  SO PERFECT!

Out of all the recipes that I had made that week, this was the one that I just couldn’t stop eating.  So with a little skill and a lot of luck, I am excited to pass on this recipe for Green Chile Chicken and Rice.

How to make Green Chile Chicken and Rice

How to Serve Green Chile Chicken and Rice

In this recipe, everything is baked all in one dish. You do have a lot going on between the rice, the chicken, the cheese and all the flavors.  Since the chicken breast is just laid right on top to bake, when it is finished cooking you have a few options on how to serve it.

You can serve a whole, or half chicken breast right on top of the rice it is cooked in for a full meal of course, or you can take the chicken out of the dish and either shred it or chop it up into bite sized pieces and then stir it back into the rice.  It is really up to the preference of the person and the presentation you are going for. My husband prefers a chicken breast whole, while the kids like it shredded and mixed in. My only tip for this is that when you shred it and stir it in, it tends to make the casserole go a lot farther so if you made this Green Chile Chicken and Rice up for a crowd then I recommend shredding or chopping the chicken and stirring it in to the rice.

Chicken and Rice with Green Chiles

How to Make Green Chile Chicken and Rice

This recipe is super simple, the beauty of it being that you can make something so delicious all in just one dish. I am going to walk through the recipe below step by step and give you all of my tips and notes from when I made it to hopefully answer all of your questions, but if you just want the quick version feel free to scroll down to the recipe card below.

Green Chile Chicken Rice Ingredients

Green Chile Chicken and Rice Ingredients

This dish has very simple ingredients that you mostly keep on hand, so it makes a great recipe that you can just throw together on a crazy night.

  • 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed– This will be about 2 pounds of chicken breast.  If your chicken breasts are extra thick, you may want to slice them in half butterfly style, otherwise just trim any fat or gristle on the chicken.
  • 2 cups chicken broth- You can use canned, or try out this easy homemade chicken broth that I keep in the freezer.  It has so much flavor!
  • 2 cups quick cooking rice- I use Minute brand white or brown rice depending on what I have on hand
  • 1 8 oz package Philadelphia cream cheese, softened- Use original or light cream cheese
  • 2 4 oz can chopped green chiles– I prefer Old El Paso brand because they are more crushed and the flavor really incorporates well in the dish.  You can also use one of the larger 7 oz cans which is slightly less total volume but it will still work.
  • 1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Garnish (optional)

  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Green Chile Chicken and Rice Casserole

Green Chile Chicken and Rice Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
  2. In a large bowl, mix chicken broth, rice, cream cheese, green chiles, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper together until combined.  Then pour the mixture in a large casserole dish.Green Chile Chicken Rice Step 1Make sure that the cream cheese is very soft so it will evenly combine in the mixture.  If it isn’t softened, you can put it in the bottom of the bowl first and heat it in the microwave on 15-30 second increments, stirring in between until the cream cheese is soft and smooth.
    Green Chile Chicken Rice Step 2
  3. Lay the chicken breasts evenly spaced on top of the rice mixture and gently press them into the mixture.  Cover the top of the casserole with cheese.
    You will want to use a large casserole dish so that it has enough space for everything to cook and for the chicken to lay flat on top of the mixture without overlapping.  If they are packed in too tight, it will take longer to cook.
    Green Chile Chicken Rice Step 3
  4. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40-50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (165˚F internal temperature.) Depending on how deep your dish is may impact how long the casserole needs to bake.  Start at 40 minutes and check it adding 5 additional minutes until it is done.
  5. Serve hot, either with full chicken breasts, or shred chicken and mix into rice. As I mentioned before, both methods are really tasty, it just depends on your preference and how you want to serve it up! Garnish it with cilantro to finish it off and enjoy!
Green Chile Chicken and Rice Casserole

If you get a chance to make it, I would love it if you would take a moment to leave me a note.  It just makes my day to know people are making my recipes.  Or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @easyfamilyrecipes so I can see what you are cooking!  And before you go… don’t forget to sign up for my Hungry Email Club for more easy recipes, where  I send out a hefty serving of dinner inspiration each week.

Green Chile Chicken Recipe

Green Chile Chicken and Rice

By: Kimber Matherne
4.41 from 5 votes
This Green Chile Chicken and Rice is a super flavorful one dish meal.  It packs in all of the southwest flavors you love into a creamy rice dish to compliment the tender chicken breasts baked on top.
Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
Cook Time: 40 minutes mins
Total Time: 50 minutes mins
8 servings
Rate this Recipe Print Pin SaveSaved!

Ingredients 

  • 4 Boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups quick cooking rice
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 8 oz chopped green chilis, (2 cans)
  • 1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper

Garnish

  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
  • In a large bowl, mix chicken broth, rice, cream cheese, green chiles, garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper together until combined.  Then spread the mixture in a large casserole dish.
  • Lay the chicken breasts evenly spaced on top of the rice mixture and gently press them into the mixture.  Cover the top of the casserole with cheese.
  • Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 40-50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (165˚F internal temperature.)
  • Serve hot, either with full chicken breasts, or shred chicken and mix into rice.  Enjoy!
Last step!Share a picture on Instagram and tag me at @easyfamilyrecipes!

Recipe Notes

This can be served with the chicken breasts kept whole, or after baking you can remove the chicken, chop or shred it and then mix it back into the rice.  Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 363kcal (18%), Carbohydrates: 22g (7%), Protein: 31g (62%), Fat: 16g (25%), Saturated Fat: 9g (56%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 118mg (39%), Sodium: 600mg (26%), Potassium: 0mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 0IU, Vitamin C: 0mg, Calcium: 0mg, Iron: 0mg

Loved this recipe?

Spread the love. It helps support my website and makes my day!

Email to a Friend Rate Recipe

You may also like…

  • Green Chile Chicken in Casserole Dish
    Green Chile Chicken
  • Slow Cooker Chicken Taco recipe
    Green Chile Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
  • Slow Cooker Green Chile Chicken Serving Ideas
    Crockpot Green Chile Chicken
  • Creamy crockpot chicken wild rice soup recipe prepared and served in a bowl.
    Crock Pot Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Sign up to join our free recipe club & receive new recipes each week!

4.41 from 5 votes

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Did you make this recipe? Rate it:




12 responses

  1. Cindy Randolph
    October 9, 2023

    My rice didn’t cook all the way through but it had great flavor.

    Reply
  2. Nikki Poteet
    August 9, 2022

    2 stars
    This recipe was much less flavorful than I had hoped. I doubled the green chilis at the end to try to add some more flavor, but it was still very plain. If I make it again, I will not add rice to the dish, but make cilantro lime rice separately. All the same ingredients, (doubling green chilis and increasing spices) cooked in a slow cooker with the chicken would make wonderful shredded chicken to have with cilantro lime rice.

    Reply
  3. Ash ley
    April 1, 2021

    5 stars
    Yummy! I made as a one pan stove top recipe and cooked chicken first then added the rest.

    Reply
  4. Cheryl
    January 19, 2021

    This recipe was so good. I just happened to run across it online and decided to give it a try. It was a hit for sure. Will definitely be making it again.

    Reply
  5. Julia
    October 13, 2020

    I made this for dinner and my family loved it! Great recipe! Thanks so much!

    Reply
  6. Delma Meyer
    July 1, 2020

    I don’t use instant rice. Have you ever heard of anyone using regular white rice? It sounds amazing!

    Reply
    1. Kimber Matherne
      February 5, 2021

      I have used Jasmine rice. You need to adjust the liquid to the correct ratio for the brand you use, then cook about 10-20 minutes longer to make sure the rice cooks through.

      Reply
  7. Lindsay Buchanan
    April 2, 2020

    5 stars
    I needed something new while we are on quarantine and came across your recipe. Thought I would give it a try and it was a hit. I didn’t have cumin but I did have some chicken chili mix and used about half a package with it. Definitely keeping this one for future use! 🙂

    Reply
  8. Raunda
    November 24, 2019

    Amazing! I even forgot the spices the first time I made it and itvwas still delicious. I have made it several more times and it has become a family staple. I was wondering if this xasserole would freeze well?

    Reply
  9. Susan
    December 2, 2018

    Do i cook the rice first

    Reply
    1. M Martin
      September 1, 2019

      5 stars
      No the instant rice cooks in the casserole.

      Reply
  10. Caitlin
    March 10, 2018

    5 stars

    This was great! My entire family loved it, and it was even better the next day. I sprinkled a little taco seasoning on the chicken breasts for some added flavor. Served with a few tortilla chips and salsa on the plate. Thanks for sharing your recipes with other busy families. Looking forward to trying more.

    Reply
Kimber Easy Family Recipes Headshot

Hey there!

I’m Kimber. Mom of 3 and home cook.

Learn More

Need a done-for-you meal plan?

Free Meal Plan

Recipe Key

LC Low Carb IP Instant Pot DF Dairy Free D Dessert GF Gluten Free S Soup V Vegetarian CA Casserole CP Crock Pot A Appetizers

Sign up to join our free recipe club & receive new recipes each week!

Popular Posts

  • Million Dollar Chicken Bake

    Million Dollar Chicken Bake

  • Cheeseburger Pasta

    Cheeseburger Pasta

  • Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti

    Million Dollar Baked Spaghetti

  • Mexican Street Corn Casserole

    Mexican Street Corn Casserole

  • Crock Pot Tuscan Chicken

    Crock Pot Tuscan Chicken

  • Mexican Street Corn Chicken

    Mexican Street Corn Chicken

Fall Potluck Staples

  • Black Bean and Corn Salsa

    Black Bean and Corn Salsa

  • Jiffy Corn Casserole

    Jiffy Corn Casserole

  • Crock Pot Pork Carnitas

    Crock Pot Pork Carnitas

  • 3 Ingredient Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos

    3 Ingredient Crock Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos

  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cracker Cookies

    Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Cracker Cookies

  • White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

    White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

Browse by Course
Appetizer
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Dessert
Salad
Soup
Browse All Recipes

🖤

Reader Favorites

  • Ranch Chicken Bites
    Chicken

    Ranch Chicken Bites

  • Taco Skillet Dinner
    Beef

    Taco Skillet Dinner

  • Salsa Fresca Chicken
    Chicken

    Salsa Fresca Chicken

  • Crock Pot BBQ Chicken – 3 Ingredients!
    Chicken

    Crock Pot BBQ Chicken – 3 Ingredients!

Featured On

Free Recipe Club

Subscribe to email updates for new recipes delivered to your inbox!

Sign me up!

Psst! Looking for more
family-friendly recipes?

Check out our sister site over at:

ThePinningMama.com
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • About
  • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosure Policy

© 2013-2024 · Site by MRD and OC

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.