Swim Queso Chicken and Rice is an easy dump and bake casserole made with seasoned rice, rotisserie chicken, salsa and melted Monterey Jack cheese, then finished with warm queso poured over the top.
From the recipe collection of Tara Ippolito
I kept seeing swim queso chicken and rice circulating online and knew I had to give it a try. Anything involving creamy queso, tender chicken and cheesy rice is always going to get my attention! Especially when the whole thing can be thrown together right in one baking dish.
This is the kind of low effort dinner that is perfect for a busy weeknight. There is no need to cook the rice ahead of time, dirty a bunch of pans or spend forever prepping ingredients. Just stir everything together, cover the baking dish tightly, let the oven do the work and pour plenty of warm queso over the top before serving.
Reasons You'll Love It
- Easy Clean Up- Everything cooks right in one baking dish. So no extra dishes to do!
- Easy To Make- This is an easy dump and bake recipe made with simple ingredients.
- Family Favorite- Creamy, cheesy and full of flavor the whole family will love.
- Perfect For Busy Nights- This dinner will be ready to eat in a hour with just 10 minutes of prep time.
Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make this delicious Tex-Mex meal. You can find the full ingredients list along with measurements and instructions on the recipe card below.
- Knorr Mexican Rice: Using seasoned packaged rice makes this recipe extra easy while adding plenty of flavor without needing a long list of spices.
- Chicken broth: The rice absorbs the broth while the casserole bakes, making it tender and flavorful.
- Salsa: Salsa adds tomatoes, peppers, onions and a little extra moisture to the casserole. Use mild, medium or hot depending on how spicy you want it.
- Rotisserie chicken: Precooked rotisserie chicken keeps the prep time short and makes this a great recipe for busy nights.
- Taco seasoning: A packet of taco seasoning adds the bold Tex-Mex flavor that ties everything together.
- Monterey Jack cheese: Monterey Jack melts beautifully and creates a creamy, cheesy layer over the chicken and rice.
- Queso: Warm queso poured over the finished casserole is what gives the recipe its “swim queso” name and makes every serving extra rich and
How To Make It
Here’s now to make this delicious dinner. You can find the full ingredients list along with instructions on the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Add the Mexican rice, chicken broth, salsa, diced rotisserie chicken and taco seasoning to the prepared baking dish. Stir everything together until the ingredients are evenly combined and the rice is completely submerged in the liquid.
- Sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the top. Cover the baking dish very tightly with aluminum foil. Press the foil firmly around the edges of the dish so that steam cannot escape while the casserole cooks. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and take off the foil. Be careful when removing it because hot steam will escape. Check that the rice is tender. Pour the warm queso evenly over the top of the casserole. Serve warm with your favorite toppings and sides.
Important Note About The Rice
Covering the casserole dish very tightly with foil is the most important step in this recipe. The rice needs the trapped steam to cook properly. If the foil is loose or steam escapes while it is baking, the rice may still be firm when the casserole comes out of the oven.
If the rice is not completely tender after 45 minutes, add a small splash of chicken broth if the casserole looks dry, cover it tightly again and return it to the oven for another 5 to 10 minutes.
Pro Tips
- Seal the foil very tightly. The rice cooks in the steam trapped inside the casserole dish, so firmly press the foil around every edge before putting it into the oven.
- Shred the cheese yourself when possible. Freshly shredded Monterey Jack melts more smoothly than bagged cheese, which often has a coating to keep the shreds from sticking together.
- Make sure the rice is covered with liquid. Stir everything well before adding the cheese so there are no dry patches of rice sitting on top.
- Warm the queso before pouring it over the casserole. This makes it easier to spread evenly and keeps the finished dish hot and creamy.
Variations
- Make it spicier: Use hot salsa, pepper Jack cheese, spicy queso or sliced jalapeños.
- Add beans: Stir in a drained and rinsed can of black beans before baking.
- Add corn: Mix in a cup of drained canned corn or thawed frozen corn for a little extra texture and sweetness.
- Add extra toppings: Finish each serving with crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, sour cream and fresh cilantro.
Storage
Let the chicken and rice cool completely and place it into a food safe air tight container. It will last in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Swim Queso Chicken And Rice Recipe
Equipment
- 9" x 13" baking dish
Ingredients
- 2 Bags Knorr Mexican Rice
- 3 Cups Chicken Broth
- 15 Oz Jar Salsa
- 2-3 Cups Rotisserie Chicken, shredded
- 1 Oz Taco Seasoning
- 2 Cups Monterey Jack Cheese, hand shredded
- 15 Oz Jar Queso
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the Mexican rice, chicken broth, salsa, diced rotisserie chicken and taco seasoning to the prepared baking dish. Stir everything together until the ingredients are evenly combined and the rice is completely submerged in the liquid.
- Sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack cheese evenly over the top. Cover the baking dish very tightly with aluminum foil. Press the foil firmly around the edges of the dish so that steam cannot escape while the casserole cooks. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and take off the foil. Be careful when removing it because hot steam will escape. Check that the rice is tender. Pour the warm queso evenly over the top of the casserole. Serve warm with your favorite toppings and sides.
Video
Other Easy Tex Mex Recipes
If you like super easy to make Tex Mex recipes like this one, you have to try these White Chicken Enchiladas, Easy Tamale Pie & Chicken Fajita Rice Skillet.
Diane Cohen says
Easy and delicious!
Al Dente Diva says
I’m so glad your family enjoyed it!!
MamaK says
My picky kids loved this and super easy to make! They went back for seconds. I did have to cook longer for rice but just 10 mins and was perfect.