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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 mixture with cheese, bake, and then add fresh cilantro and avocado too.
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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 all 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.
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!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Hi Tieghan- My sister is about to have a baby and I’m making her some freezer meals. Could this be made ahead and frozen? And tips, if so? Thanks!
Absolutely delicious! I was also curious about the quinoa substitution but the rice was delicious as well! Thank you 🙂
Hey Mary Claire,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was wonderful! It was easy to prepare and the clean-up was a breeze. Thank you for another great recipe!
Hi Laura,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xxT
Do you have any advice on subbing the rice for quinoa, timing-wise? Super excited to make this recipe on Sunday since the chili is one of my favorites!
Hey Brianna,
So sorry, I have not tested this with quinoa so I am not sure of timing, but I bet it would work for you! Let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
Absolutely delicious! We’ve had another arctic blast move into the area, so warm, spicy comfort food was just what we needed last night! Very easy to make, and so flavorful! We had to sub some regular green bell pepper for the poblano due to produce shortages in my area, but it was still fantastic!
Hey Kate,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
So stinking good!! Definitely has some spice to it but it isn’t too much, you can still taste all the other great flavors in the dish without the heat overpowering everything. Everyone loved it! Next time I will cut back on the heat a bit so my little ones can enjoy it too because it is a really delicious and super easy dish. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Hey Cambria,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Delicious! I cut back on the spicy (1 poblano pepper and 1/4 chili powder) and it’s the perfect spicy level for me. Used brown rice, and topped it with lime, avocado and plain Greek yogurt. Working on my cooking skills and one skillet is less daunting—thank you!
Hey Leah,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Very good! I used only the jalapeño and red peppers and no poblano for a less spicy version. My hubby also added sour cream to his, and crunchy corn chips were great on the top. Looking forward to leftovers!
Hey Kim,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
This is delish!
Hey Jodi,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
My husband made this for dinner tonight. So flavorful! It was a little spicy for me but the avocado helped cool the heat. Will definitely be making this again!
Hey Ronnie,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
This is SOOO good. I made it Monday (it’s Wednesday) and honestly it gets better everyday as the flavors mesh together and the rice continues to soak up some of the liquid. I used dairy free cheeses and had no issue. Also used a spicy salsa verde since my house enjoys the heat – so yummy! A huge squeeze of lime on top is the way to go.
Hi Brittany,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
This was SO good! I baked the chicken separately, shredded, then added at the end with the salsa and cilantro. I used homemade broth instead of water. YUM!
Hey Danielle,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xxTieghan
Delicious! Not soupy like a chili, but delicious. Scooped it up with chips.
I checked 5 grocery stores with no luck on poblano peppers. Added an extra jalapeño and some extra bell peppers and still great!
Hey there,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
We had this for dinner last night, and it was such a hit. I was concerned it might be too spicy for the younger members of the family, but it wasn’t. It was the perfect dinner after an afternoon of sledding. (The only downside is that it was so good there were no leftovers for lunch even though I doubled the recipe!)
Hi Alice,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT
The flavor in this recipe is out of this world. Love that it is all made in one skillet. It made clean up a breeze! I had to adjust the cook time on the stovetop just a bit because I think the rice I chose generally takes longer to cook. I just followed Teighan’s direction to cook until most of the water was absorbed before putting it in the oven and everything worked out!
Hey Brittany,
Happy Sunday!! Love hearing that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it!! xxT
Tasted like a next level burrito bowl! Will definitely be making this again.
Hey Laura,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a great day:) xxT