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This simple One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake makes for the best weeknight dinner. It’s an awesome twist on classic chili. Made with poblano peppers, jalapeños (for just the right amount of heat), and seasoned chicken. It’s spicy, creamy, and so delicious, with a bit of rice baked right into the sauce. Top each quick skillet dinner with cheese, bake, and then add fresh cilantro and avocado too.
Really feeling like January is all about these sheet pan, one skillet dinners. Easy and simple, but still so flavorful – can’t go wrong there. I got a question this week about sharing more 5 ingredient recipes. The funny thing is, I actually have one coming soon. But in general, I find 5 ingredients just isn’t enough to make a recipe good. And around here, if anything is lacking in flavor, people start requesting the chili flakes and hot sauce.
All that said, I love a simple, easy recipe. It just needs to have some spices, you know? This chicken is exactly that, simple but flavorful, and we just love a dinner all made in one skillet.
Here are the details
As the title announces, this dish call comes together in a skillet. I use my Staub skillet, but any oven safe skillet is great!
Cook up some onions and peppers along with the chicken and seasonings. I love to use a mix of chili powder, paprika, and lots of cumin.
Add in the rice, then pour the water right into the skillet to cook the rice. Once the rice is cooked, I stir in lots of salsa verde, which is key. It adds the best, mellow spiciness.
To finish, I top with cheese and then throw the entire skillet into the oven to finish cooking. Super simple.
And then, because I love a good chili with all the toppings – lots of avocados, cilantro, and green onions. In my book, these are key, I highly recommend you do the same. I also throw on jalapeños, which I’m sure comes as no surprise. Yogurt or sour cream would be a great addition as well!
What’s great about this chili bake is that it incorporates a variety of flavors and textures. Yet it’s all made simply in ONE skillet. It’s even packed with vegetables too.
This is in my rotation of recipes to make when family comes into town in just over a week. I’ve already made it twice since photographing it. It’s just so good, and it’s different, which is nice for your average weeknight.
Looking for other weeknight chicken recipes? Here are some favorites:
Lemon Butter Dijon Chicken and Orzo with Feta Sauce
Cheesy Cuban Chicken Rice Bake
Lemon Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Avocado Goddess Sauce
Lastly, if you make this One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 779 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 jalapeño, seeded if desired, and chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 1 cup long grain rice
- 2 1/2 cups salsa verde
- 1 can white beans, drained
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- avocado and green onions, for serving
- lime zest and juice, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425° F.2. In a large oven safe skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and chicken and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, poblano peppers, bell pepper, cumin, paprika, chili powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook 5-10 minutes, until very fragrant. Stir in the rice, cook 1-2 minutes, until lightly toasted. Add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Place the lid on the skillet and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked into the rice, but not all of it. Stir in the salsa verde, beans, and cilantro. 3. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the cheeses over the chicken/rice. Bake 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted.4. Serve topped as desired with avocado, cilantro, and lime. Enjoy!
This was a big hit with my four young kids. They said I had to make it again. Love one-pot recipes!
Hi Renelle,
Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it turned out well for you! Xx
Any tips on how to make ahead and freeze?
Hi Emily,
I would go ahead and fully make this recipe, freeze in the skillet, and then reheat covered on low. I hope you love this dish! xT
Our family loves your recipes! Any ideas on how to tamper down the spice of the salsa verde? I could blend in some avacados, but any other ideas or subs? I love it personally, but our littles (2 and 4) are still learning to like spicy and looking for ways to adapt some of the spice 🙂
Hi there! You could definitely use less salsa verde and maybe add some chicken broth to supplement for the liquid
OMG!!!! just got a foot of snow outside and was looking for a “hot and alot meal”. this was it! so flavorful and love the one pot meal. the only thing i changed (this is minor), is i used no salt chicken stock instead of water…an absolute great dinner after cleaning up snow and lighting the fire!!! thank you for an awesome recipe!!!
Stay warm and cozy over there! Thanks for trying out the recipe! xT
We love this and other recipes and use your website to cook our dinners every night, but find that the amount of spices added is overpowering.
This recipe has become a staple in my house since I found it. I have made it with, and without the rice and it is amazing either way!
Thank you for taking the time to try out this recipe! So glad to hear you enjoyed it! xT
This was amazing! Here’s how I made it a bit more toddler-friendly and with what I had in my pantry:
– can of mild hatch green chilies instead of poblanos and jalapeños
– cut the spices back by about a third
– added juice of 1 lime at the end
– added 1 diced tomato at the end
– topped with lime crema (1 cup green yogurt, zest of 1 lime, juice of 1 lime)
– no pepper jack, just shredded whatever was in the fridge
I also used instant pot pre-cooked rice to cut prep time (so no water, cooked the chicken longer before adding ingredients, and just barely tossed it in the oven to melt)
Thank you so so much for giving this recipe a try! Hope you’re having a lovely week! xT
This recipe is delicious. Everyone loved it
Thanks Cristina! xT
Last night I made this yummy recipe for the first time, Tieghan, and it was fantastic. The sweet summer tomatoes and all of the other fresh vegetable melded so well with the spices and herbs! We loved it! Thanks so much!
Thank you so so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! xT
Yummy! We loved it. It will become one of our favorite winter meals.
Always enjoy trying your recipes and most of the time they become a keeper.
Hi Sheryl,
Happy Friday!🍂 I love to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks a lot for trying it and your comment! xx
I am not really one for writing reviews but this meal was PHENOMENAL. Like maybe the best thing I’ve ever made. I had 3 servings (I say shamefully). My 1 and 3 year olds had 2 plates (which is not normal) and cleared them. It’s just the right amount of spice. Next time I am going to experiment adding everything into the crockpot for the day (minus the rice until the end). Thank you Tieghan! You are so talented.
Thanks so much for trying this recipe Meredith!! I love to hear that it was a winner and appreciate you making it! Thanks so much for your kind message! xx
Great flavors! Next time I will pull the chicken out early, shred it and add it back in with the beans, etc before putting it in the oven.
Hi Sharon,
Wonderful!! I’m so glad to hear that this recipe was a winner, I appreciate you making it and your comment! xx
This looks like a great recipe to make ahead of time and take camping. Do you have an instant pot version of this recipe? And what might you change if using cauliflower rice instead of long grain rice?
Hi Terri,
So sorry, I’ve never tested this recipe in the instant pot and I’m sure the cauliflower rice could work but you would probably have to make some adjustments. Let me know if I can help in any other way! xx