Green Chile Chicken Rice Bake

This Green Chile Chicken Rice Bake is the kind of dinner I love to put together when I want something cozy, cheesy, and full of flavor without spending the evening standing over the stove. Tender chicken, rice, salsa verde, and green chiles all bake together in one dish, with sour cream and cream cheese adding a creamy finish.

The combination of salsa verde, green chiles, cumin, and fresh lime juice gives this bake plenty of flavor. Monterey Jack gets stirred right into the chicken and rice, and a generous layer of pepper Jack goes on top toward the end. You get cheese throughout the casserole and a melty topping in every serving!

There is no need to cook the chicken or rice ahead of time. Everything goes into the baking dish, gets stirred together, and heads into the oven under a snug layer of foil. That makes the prep simple and keeps the cleanup manageable, too.

Finish with fresh cilantro and let everyone scoop up a hearty serving. This is filling enough to serve on its own, but a simple green salad or some tortilla chips would be delicious alongside it.

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small cubes

• 1½ cups long grain white rice, rinsed and drained

• 2 cups chicken broth

• 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon chicken base

• 1 cup salsa verde

• 2 cans diced green chiles, undrained

• ½ cup sour cream

• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• A good pinch of salt

• Juice of 1 lime

• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

• 1½ to 2 cups shredded pepper Jack cheese

• Fresh cilantro, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. Cut the chicken breasts into small, evenly sized cubes and add them to the dish. Keeping the pieces a similar size helps them cook evenly throughout the casserole.

2. Add the rinsed and drained long grain rice, chicken broth, Better Than Bouillon, salsa verde, green chiles, sour cream, and room temperature cream cheese. Sprinkle in the cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and a good pinch of salt.

3. Add the lime juice and 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese. Stir everything together thoroughly until the cream cheese is fully mixed in and smooth. Make sure the rice is distributed evenly in the liquid. Spread the mixture into an even layer.

4. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 55 minutes. The tight cover helps hold in the steam the rice needs to cook, so crimp the foil securely around the edges of the dish.

5. Carefully remove the dish from the oven and uncover, keeping your hands and face away from the escaping steam.

6. Sprinkle 1½ to 2 cups of pepper Jack cheese evenly over the top. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the chicken reaches 165°F in the center of several pieces.

7. Remove from the oven and allow the casserole to cool for 10 to 15 minutes. This gives the rice time to settle and the creamy mixture a chance to thicken slightly. Top with fresh cilantro, scoop onto plates, and enjoy!

A Few Helpful Tips

Use regular long grain white rice for this recipe. Brown rice and instant rice have different cooking requirements and would need adjustments.

Let the cream cheese come to room temperature before mixing. Stir it in completely so the mixture is smooth, with no pieces of cream cheese remaining.

Salsa verde and pepper Jack can vary in heat, so choose versions you enjoy. The fresh cilantro at the end adds a bright finishing touch to all that creamy, cheesy goodness.