Pollo Loco -Mexican Chicken and Rice with Queso
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This recipe for Pollo Loco is inspired by my FAVORITE dish at just about any Mexican restaurant I’ve ever been to. It’s essentially Mexican Chicken and Rice covered with white queso also known as heaven on earth and your about thirty minutes away from having it on your plate!
I don’t know about y’all, but my mom and I LOVE Pollo Loco! We used to have lunch dates ALL the time and we would constantly go to our favorite Mexican restaurant and order the Pollo Loco! Basically, it’s rice and grilled chicken covered in white queso. It’s kind of magic. It might be called something different at your local restaurant. I’ve seen a couple different names, but usually it’s Pollo Loco around here. Probably about 10 years ago my mom started making it at home with super simple ingredients and the rest is history! It was actually helpful that she started making it at home because that meant I could finally try other Mexican dishes and begin to love them too!
Pollo Loco translates to crazy chicken which must be because most people who eat this dish are crazy for it, right? Haha. The recipe calls for just a few simple ingredients and it comes together in under 30 minutes! The most work you need to do is slice up the chicken. Honestly, 25 minutes of the 30 minutes is hands off. Just sit back and read that magazine, y’all. You deserve a break.
Let’s be honest here plates with Queso are not super skinny alright? I know. You don’t need to tell me twice, but that’s the beauty in skinny-ish you can balance it with a delicious salad or vegetables and call it a day because it’s homemade pollo loco night and clap your hands!!
Because I don’t have access to any set in stone nutritional data from a Mexican restaurant I can’t accurately compare nutritional data because I’m sure it widely varies. I’m going to take a wild guess here and assume that a homemade version of Pollo Loco where you control the amount of oil and queso is going to be at least 45.6% healthier. This is not a fact, but it’s a strong guess.
Anyway there’s not much else to write about this recipe, friends. It’s just delicious. It’s one of my favorite meals to make at home when I’m feeling a little more indulgent and my whole family loves when it’s on the menu!
Also, VEEERY budget friendly! We all need a little more of that these days, unfortunately.
How to make Pollo Loco:
Gather your ingredients! These are a little different from the average ingredients list you’ll find here, but they are the exact ones we’ve been using in this Pollo Loco dish for years!
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (or chicken tenderloins) cut into small bite size chunks
- 1 tsp Goya adobo seasoning– this is a fantastic seasoning blend that I use a lot.
- 1 tomato bouillon cube- I know from using this item in other recipes that not everyone can find it. If you can’t find it just leave it out of this recipe.
- 10 oz pkg Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice– My mom has been buying this brand of rice for probably 15-ish years. She started using it for the homemade pollo loco so i’ve personally never strayed from it. You can probably use a different brand, but measurements may be different. I am able to find this in all different grocery stores near the other rice.
- Queso (see next step)
- 2.5 cups water and a couple splashes of milk
Except for the Queso! The brand of Queso will range probably from store to store/area, but Pancho’s is the one I get most in East TN. There are quite a few different brands next to this one and I have had them all, but I tend to grab this one most.
I find mine in two different areas usually. The “fancy cheese” section in the store may have a couple different types. I find it in the refrigerated section near dairy where you can find fresh tortillas, chorizo, crema etc. I’ve always been able to find it in in grocery stores all over the Midwest and here in the South. If you can’t find it check your local Mexican restaurant and grab an order from them! I would stay away from the shelf stable cheeses. They just don’t taste as good in this recipe. Honestly, they are terrible in this recipe please don’t do it.
I’ll add a link here when I get homemade queso here on the site. It’s actually super easy. I was going to do it and show it here, but my store was out of white American cheese and I didn’t want to go to a different store.
After you cut your chicken into small bite size pieces season liberally with adobo seasoning.
*If using chicken tenderloins just be sure to remove the tendon
You can use a large skillet with a lid or a dutch oven here. Heat over medium high heat and spray with cooking spray and a drizzle of oil. Add chicken when the pan is hot. Cook for a few minutes and then turn the pieces and cook for another minute or so until cooked through.
When the chicken is finished cooking add the rice in with it.
Crush the tomato bouillon cube on top and add in 2.5 cups water. Stir together and then bring to a boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce to low and continue to cook for about 20-25 minutes. Take a small bite from the top when its done cooking to check if the rice is done. If it has a bite put the cap back on and let it continue to cook for a bit longer.
note: since posting the recipe I’ve gotten some feedback saying the rice remained crunchy no matter what. I realized that this most likely has to do with the lid on the pot that you use. If there is a small hole on your lid (steam vent) this will cause your rice to not cook properly. Adding more water/cooking longer will not fix this. people with this problem have said they stick a peice of foil in the hole or cover it with tape and this resolves the issue. my pans don’t have that hole so this isn’t a issue everyone will have.
tip: when cutting chicken into small pieces make sure to cut against the grain.
Time for the most important thing! Add in about 1/3 cup queso (3 ounces if you wanna weigh it out) and about 2 tablespoons of whatever milk you have on hand (can even use water if you’re out of milk).
You can do this one of two ways. Mostly, I add the queso and milk straight in and fluff the rice with a fork. Other times, I heat up the queso separately and measure it out for each individual serving. That way I am SURE to get every last drop I’m spending my points and calories on on. If you know, you know! Haha Either way works. I usually heat up extra queso if others want more too.
My mom usually makes the chicken separately too. But, I just figured one pot, get it done all at once so it’s all warm and ready to go at the same time with less dishes. The most beautiful thing about one pot dishes!
Pollo Loco has been such a staple recipe in my life for so many years. It’s truly no fuss or frills, but perfectly delicious and hits the spot every time. When life gets complicated and crazy, I can always count on this dish to warm me up and put a smile on my face. Who can ever be sad with queso is involved? When life gets tough, just add queso.
I like to add a nice Southwestern inspired type of salad on the side or some quick black beans! It rounds everything out nicely.
Other Chicken and Rice recipe you’ll love:
- Mom’s Chicken and Rice
- Cheesy Italian Rice Skillet
- Cajun Chicken, Sausage, and Rice Skillet
- Buffalo Chicken N’ Rice
Pollo Loco – Mexican Chicken and Rice with Queso
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1.5 lbs uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast cut into small bite size pieces
- 1 tsp Goya Adobo Seasoning
- 1 10 oz pkg Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice (Arroz Amarillo) (these packages are easy to find, but sometimes different sizes. Just weigh out 10 ounces if you can only find the family size package and use the rest later)
- 1 cube Knorr Tomato Bouillon (optional)
- 2½ cups water
- 3 oz White Queso Dip *see notes
- 2 tbsp milk skim, 1%, 2%, or whole all work
- cooking spray
Instructions
- If the chicken seems "wet" pat it dry with a paper towel and then sprinkle with the adobo seasoning and rub it in all over.
- Heat oil in a large dutch oven or non stick large deep skillet with tight fitting lid over medium heat. Add diced chicken breast and cook on one side for about 3 minutes and then turn and continue to cook for a few minutes.
- When the chicken is cooked and browned add in the package of rice, crushed up tomato bouillon, and water. Stir and bring to a boil for one minute. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and let cook for at least 20 minutes before checking the rice for doneness. It should be done between 20-25 minutes.
- When rice is cooked add in queso and milk then fluff all together with fork. Serve warm!*see notes about rice cooking*
Do you mix the queso and milk together then put on top? Thank you!
Do you mix the queso and milk together then put on top?
Made for dinner tonight! Served with warm tortillas and a side of Mexican black beans, just like they do at our local Mexican restaurant. Zero leftovers! So good!
I could cry this was so good….and so easy!!!
SO GOOD!!
I’ve made this twice now and my rice sticks badly to the bottom of the pan before the 20 minutes are up. Do you have any suggestions how to help this?
Hi Carolyn. I’m so sorry to hear that! This might be the pan that you are using. I primarily make this in either an enameled cast iron dutch oven or use a non stick pot from calphalon. I’m wondering if you are using stainless steel maybe? Or perhaps if using nonstick, it’s a bit older of a pan and the non stick part might be wearing down. My other suggestion is the heat while simmering might be just too high. Unfortunately this hasn’t happened to me when I’ve made it so it’s hard to troubleshoot without more information. Please let me know about your pans/heat and I’ll gladly try to help more. Thank you! -Star
I too had problems with the rice completely cooking. I had a tight fitting lid, no leaks, no holes and had to add another 1/4 cup of water and about 11 minutes of cook time to get the rice done. Maybe I turned it down too low on ‘simmer’. Anyway, I just wanted to reach out and say the steam release hole in the lid isn’t the only reason why the rice won’t cook in the 20-25 min window. I will def make again!
Hi Darlene, So glad the rice cooked up for ya with a little extra time and glad you enjoyed!
What kind of queso am I looking for it won’t load on my end I just need the name brand
the brand I use is Pancho’s, but you can use any refrigerated white queso cheese sometimes known as white cheese dip. Can you elaborate on what wasn’t loading? Everything looks good on my end. Thank you!
How well does this reheat?
Reheats super well!
I made this tonight and it was awesome! My husband loves chicken and yellow rice. He immediately asked if we could add it into our dinner rotation!
Made it last night per the recipe. Really easy and very very good. Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed, Michael. Thanks so much for letting me know!
Super easy to put together and very tasty! I ended up making my own white queso because I couldn’t find anything not on the shelf. I also added more water than called for because I noticed steam leaking out of the pan. Definitely putting this in the dinner rotation.
Made this for my husband & parents last night and it was a hit!!! While cooking everyone came in to see “what smells so good” which is my favorite compliment. I added a little more queso than the recipe calls for bc I believe I should measure that with my soul sometimes, but other than that followed the recipe to a T. Everything was perfect! Can’t wait to add this to our rotation!
queso should definetely be measured with your soul. HAHA! Love it. So happy y’all enjoyed it!
The flavor is great, but my rice was crunchy. I read the notes and covered the hole on my lid with tape but it didn’t help. Added 10 more minutes of cooking time – still crunchy. Any suggestions? I’d love to try it again but want to get the rice fully cooked!
Hi Kerri- sorry to hear! Are you using the Vigo brand of rice? If using a different type of rice brown, jasmine, etc. this could be the problem.
I stuff the hole with tinfoil. And then I wrap the whole cover with tinfoil while it simmers. My rice always turns out nice lol.
I made this for the first time tonight and the husband said it was his new favorite! I’m not a huge fan of rice, but apparently what I needed was to add queso to it! Seriously, this was delicious and will be on regular rotation.
Absolutely delicious! I love your recipes Star! The only change I made was my package of 10 oz rice said 3 1/2 cups of water. I used exactly that amount. It turned out perfect! I had a lid with a small hole in it but it didn’t seem to affect mine at all. Again, I just used one more cup of water and it was delicious and perfect. Thank you again for a wonderful, easy recipe!
This was SO GOOD!!! Definitely a repeat meal in our house. I added a little extra chicken (and seasoning) because our family has lots of boys! I ended up adding a little extra water 15 min into the rice cooking bc the water was absorbing and the rice wasn’t done (I think bc of the extra chicken), turned out perfect. Oddly, I live in Phoenix and my store didn’t have anything besides “shelf stable” queso, so I found a recipe and made that myself too. 10/10 recommend this meal!
This dinner was fantastic! Took me a bit to gather the ingredients, as I had to shop several local stores. I added a little salsa & sour cream to the top. Definitely going in my dinner rotation. Thanks for posting!
This was delicious. Super easy to make with great flavor! Will definitely be part of the rotation in our house.
Has anyone made this with brown rice? I’d like to cut down on the ww points.
Absolutely! It more than likely won’t need as much time or water added though.
I wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did!! So delicious!!
Well I am from East Tennessee and that is the only place that I have ever seen Pollo Loco in the Mexican restaurants, and I have traveled the US! Thanks for this simple recipe! I have been wanting some Pollo Loco for some time but the problem is….I am in Idaho! I may try my own queso from the white Velveeta Queso Blanco!
So good! We loved it. Will definitely make again!
Made this tonight and my life is forever changed!! It is SO GOOD! The only thing I changed was I used shrimp instead of chicken. Delish! Will definitely be adding this to the supper rotation. Thank you STAR! You are the best! ♥️
Hey Megan! I’m so happy it worked out so well with shrimp too!! Thanks so much for letting me know because I know someone else reading up on these comments will benefit from that. So happy you loved it! =)
I am unable to find the vigo yellow rice around where I live. Will the Old El Paso cheesy mexican rice work with this recipe? What other rice will work with the recipe?
Mahatma yellow rice will work too.
I made this tonight and added some sautéed bell peppers and zucchini before adding the queso. Delish!
Oh my gosh! Cooked exactly as directed. Rice was done in 20 minutes and it was so good! Husband will eat with tortilla chips next time.
I’m so happy you love this one!
Love this recipe and have made it several times. I add a can of green chilis and chopped pablanos. Yum!
Yum! Delicious additions
I wonder if anyone has used cauliflower rice? I think that would really cut down on my WW points.
Hi Paula! I haven’t used cauliflower rice, but I have made the recipe and then mixed cauliflower rice in to bulk the veggies up and it was super yummy! My suggestion if using cauliflower rice only is to cook the chicken until its done mix in the cauliflower rice and season it with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, garlic powder. Heat until just warmed through (the 20 plus cook time would make the cauliflower rice mush). Add queso. Like I said, I haven’t done this- but this is how I would do it if I were to try it out.
What I did do: I cooked the recipe as is then heated 3 cups of riced cauliflower to a separate skillet. Seasoned with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder. Mixed one cup into one portion of my helping.
I used cauliflower rice instead and it turned out great! I’m sure real rice would have had a better texture but the super low points (for me the only points was the queso cheese so it came out to 1 point for 4 ounces) so with all savings of points I added tortilla chips, sour cream and black beans and it was such a nice hearty meal that felt like it should have been more points!
I roughly converted the 10oz of dry rice to equal 30 oz when it’s cooked so I threw about 20-30 oz of cauli rice in the pan after the chicken was *mostly* cooked and then added the bullion cube and let it cook for about 10 minutes or until the rice wasn’t hard. Then I added in the queso cheese and while it looks like a bowl of mush it’s super tasty and healthy!
Thanks for letting me know how that substitution worked! I’m known to make Mexican cauliflower rice on the side and then mix it in to add to the pollo loco to amp up the veggies. Love knowing it was super tasty using just cauliflower rice! Happy you enjoyed it too!
This recipe is a keeper! It came together easily and tasted fantastic. My husband can be a picky eater…but he said to put this recipe on our regular menu rotation.
Great one pot meal! I was worried about finding the rice but it was easy to find right in my regular grocery store! If you need other uses for the tomato bouillon, check out the recipe for Instant Pot Mexican Rice, also a great choice!
Amazing recipes as is but I have started making my own version. Instead of the tomato Boullion, I add a can of crushed tomatoes. I also cook mushrooms and onions with the chicken.
Such a great recipe, thank you for providing a good base!
Love when people give my recipes their own spin! This sounds delicious ..minus the mushrooms only because I don’t like mushrooms, kidding! 😉 so glad you’re enjoying it!
This was delicious! I added the green chiles and black beans, and my kids and husband loved it! There were almost no leftovers!
This was absolutely delicious. Made it tonight for my boyfriend and his 15 year old son. The teen had 2 huge plates and said he could eat it every day. Think this is the highest compliment my cooking has received lol. Thanks for the easy yummy recipes Starr
Another great recipe!! Thank you so much. You never disappoint. This one was so easy and delish. Will definitely be in our dinner rotation.
We really liked the recipe the only problems I had was it seemed really salty. I might leave the bouillon cube out next time. I also had crunchy parts to the rice. I used my dutch oven and the lid fit tight with no hole for steam. The only thing I can think of is it might be too wide for the burner. Other than that it was fantastic and filling. I was able to find the same brand rice (it was buy one get one at publix) and the same queso (I could eat that with a spoon). Even have leftovers for lunch and the ingredients werent expensive. My husband and son ate theirs with tortillas, and my 9 year old ate the chicken. Definitely will make again.
I really liked the dish, however, I agree on the salty-ness, and will likely leave the bouillon cube out next time to see if that changes it at all.
omitting the tomato bouillon should help, you can also use less adobo seasoning too.
My super picky teen loves this recipe and requests it often! I add in the green chiles, as some have suggested, and canned black beans. Thank you for sharing it!
Always a good dinner when a picky teenager eats the meal! Love adding black beans to stretch it out a bit and the green Chile addition also sounds yummy!
This might be one of my favorite meals, ever!!! There was something so nostalgic about the flavors of this particular rice with the chicken. My husband was in love with it too!! Said it reminded him of his grandma’s cooking when he was young. Will definitely be putting this into a regular dinner rotation!
This makes me so happy to see. Glad it brought on a bout of nostalgia for your husband, that’s my favorite kind of review!
We are obsessed with this recipe
I made this tonight. I couldn’t find adobo seasoning, so I made my own. Other than that I followed everything to the tee. It was delicious! Just as good as it is at the restaurant. Thanks for the recipe!
I can’t find Goya seasoning or Pancho’s queso in Central IL. I am getting ready to order from Amazon then will order queso from my Mexican restaurant. I cannot wait to make this.
I made this last night for the first time and it was tasty and came together quick! Definitely going into rotation.
The only change I’d make for next time is less adobo on the chicken. I found it a little salty between that, the bullion, and the salt in the rice. (I’d likely up the spices on the chicken to make up for it!)
I’m also considering adding some veggies next time (diced bell pepper and onion sound like they’d go perfectly.)
love the veggie addition! I often find myself doing some quick fajita veggies on the side and throwing them on top!
Made this tonight using chicken thighs (they were several dollars cheaper and I prefer them.) And I added a pack of shelf stable caulirice when I added the cheese. I felt the caulirice would add some bulk and cut the sodium. I topped with diced tomato and scallions. Highly, highly recommend. delicious.
Love to bulk rice up with riced cauliflower! Great idea! Thanks Katie!
Okay this was good, but learn from my mistake… I added extra of the adobo seasoning because we like things spicy. Didn’t realize the main ingredient was salt 🙂 soooo, it was a little too salty but that’s my own fault! Will make again but won’t add extra adobo 🙂
oh no! oops! I should make a note of that just in case others think the same. If I didn’t know what adobo was I may have done the same. Add a little cayenne pepper for a kick next time. Happy you enjoyed despite that!
This is very flavorful and easy to make.
made for dinner last night and everyone loved it! even my toddler ate it. i had leftovers today with guacamole and pinto beans in a tortilla to make a burrito and it was fantastic! thanks for the great recipe!
DELICIOUS! This was fairly easy to make and who doesnt love a 1 pot meal?! Best thing about this: every member of my family ate it and asked me to make it again!!! Thank you!
My family loves this! We do not stir the queso in so each person can add as much or as little as they prefer to their own bowl.
Obsessed! Seriously delicious! I made it exactly according to the recipe and it’s a winner! Thank you, Star!
So happy you enjoyed, Brandi!
Gahhhh this is so delicious. My household is obsessed!!
Can you use Mexican rice?
You can! I haven’t found a pre-packaged brand of Mexican rice that I love personally, but if you have one- it’ll def work! Just follow the same instructions
Wow! You hit this one out of the park! What an easy, bowlful of deliciousness! This one is going into the rotation! Cooked up perfectly! Thank you for another recipe going into the rotation!
So delicious! My husband said it was the best thing he’s had in a while (should I be offended!?). We had some leftover shrimp we needed to use so I tossed them in along with some green chilis and oh my gosh, new favorite recipe! I’m making this for the second time as I type
I’ve made this 3 times now in the last 3 weeks. Hubby loves it and it will remain a staple. My lid stays on tight and I have no issues on the rice but mine usually is done in 15 min vs the 20 minutes on the package. I put cheese in the mixture & make a little to drizzle on top. Thanks for posting this receipe!
I’m so so happy y’all enjoy this, Rebecca! Thanks so much for letting me know.
Excellent and especially easy. I wish I could find a packaged yellow rice that is a bit more natural than the vigo. Too much salt for me to make regularly and too processed for my system. But it’s so easy with the packaged version!!! Avocado is so good with it. Garden sliced tomatoes would be awesome too.
Excellent recipe!! Definitely adding this one to my recipe rotation!
Super yummy. Couldn’t find the tomato bouillon, but I added a couple spoonfuls of salsa, subbed half the water for chicken broth, and also added a few diced green chiles. Cooked in the instant pot (browned the chicken first), then cooked for 11 minutes + 10 minute natural release. Once rice was done, mixed in the rest.
Delicious!!!
So good! I got the wrong cheese so I used the pepper jack laughing cow wedges and it tasted great!!
Can’t wait to try it
Delicious. Teenager approved. Haha
Never had an issue with the rice not being cooked.
Also I buy the large container of white cheese dip from Sam’s club.
I have not tried a Skinnyish Dish that I haven’t loved. This one is a favorite by far. It’s so filling, and I love that I don’t have to cringe when entering WW points. ❤️
So good and easy! I added a diced bell pepper when sautéing the chicken to get a veggie in too.
This is seriously FANTASTIC.. make it.
Easy awesome dinner! Great for the whole family!
Amazing and so easy to get started and let it simmer while I do something else! Thank you!
I live in CA and cannot find this queso dip ANYWHERE. Is there anything I can use as a sub?
I had never made anything like this, so I was excited to make this recipe and it did not disappoint! My husband dubbed it company worthy! Couldn’t find any brand of adobo seasoning in my store so made a homemade version I found online which wasn’t very spicy so I used 2 tsp. of it. Still needed more oomph, so I went for a can of green chilis but was out, so used a can of Rotel (I think this was a winning addition – more veggies, few calories). This was the first time I ever used the Vigo rice and the tomato boullion and liked both of those products, so thanks for that tip.
I’m so so happy you and your husband enjoyed, Brenda! Thank you for letting me know and the addition of rotel sounds perfect! I’ll have to try that soon!
Crazy good & crazy easy!!! Made homemade queso to go with it. Star this recipe slaps, hard!!!
This is legitimately one of the easiest and most delicious one pot meals ever. The biggest testament being my 7yo inhaled it with zero complaints (he always has complaints) and my husband got seconds and ate the leftovers! He never does that! We added black beans mixed in but otherwise followed the recipe exactly minus the tomato bullion because it was nowhere to be found. So good!
This was really good! I know it’s a win because my picky teen finished it off before he went to bed. Will definitely make it again.
This was delicious. My very picky kids ate it too! (I did have to mix their portion with sour cream), I didn’t have bouillon but I used chicken stock instead of water and it returned what I imagine is a similar flavor. Definitely making this again-thanks for sharing!
Made this tonight for dinner. Delicious and super simple!
Amazing! Will definitely be making this again!
Ridiculously good, ridiculously easy. Stop thinking about it and make this ASAP!!! Everything Starr touches is gold.
oh my gosh I WISH! You’re way too nice. thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe!!
Super easy, one pan, really yummy! Perfect for a week night.
I made this dish for my family this week and will most definitely be making it again! Thank you!
When the recipe was first posted via Instagram stories, I immediately screen grabbed every slide. This is my favorite dish at Mexican restaurants, so I was so excited to be able to try and make it at home. We love it so much; I have been making it bi-weekly since it’s been posted!
Very yummy! And the 1.5 cup serving is very filling! I cut up some avocado with it and it was amazing.
This was delicious! I made with Knorr vegetable bouillon since I couldn’t find tomato. It actually turned out really salty, so I’ll probably leave the bouillon out next time. Could have been the queso I used, too. Either way, I will definitely be making it again.
This was fantastic! My husband loved it too. We at it with a fork the first night and then turned the leftovers into burritos with cuban style black beans and other fixins. Super easy weeknight meal.
Mmmm leftover burritos sounds so good with this!
Can you *please* add the queso recipe for those of us that can’t buy it? Thanks
Yes ma’am! That’s on my list of to-dos. Sorry for the wait!
Whipped this up in no time tonight, using my instant pot shredded chicken from the fridge (appreciate that easy recipe too)! Delicious! We’ve loved every single one of your recipes we’ve tried. Thank you!!
yay!!! I’m so happy you enjoyed and glad to know the shredded chicken worked well in this recipe too. Thank you for letting me know, Jenny!
Made this tonight. It was quick, easy, and delicious. I’ve shared the recipe with my son attending med school and he’s made it twice already!
So happy you enjoyed!
Thank you for feeding my family each week this dish was so easy and so delicious!
You’re so welcome!!
We made this on Saturday night for a dinner in and it was amazing! It tasted like a dish we get from the local Mexican restaurant. We did top ours with some sautéed peppers and onions which added the perfect crispness to the dish. I am having leftovers tonight it was so good! This will go into my meal queue for sure!
This is so yummy! Very easy to make. Looking forward to the leftovers
Delicious! This meal will definitely will be a new go-to for me. It was easy to make and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. The only thing I omitted was the tomato bullion cube as I could not find it locally.
I had to pause eating this pollo loco to rave about it. It’s so so easy and even more delicious! I think this will be on our weekly dinner rotation from here on out. So so good!!
I definitely meant onto put 5 stars!! Silly phone didn’t record it correctly!
I made this last night and it was fast, easy and delicious. I even had all the ingredients with the exception of the queso BUT I had exactly 3 ounces of cheese dip left – the ole fashion Velveeta and Ro-Tel type. I used that and it was great. I will make again and next time I will use the white queso but the cheese dip worked in a pinch. Thank you for your hard work bringing us these recipes. I can’t wait to try more.
This was AMAZING! Everyone in my family loved it and it was so quick and easy to prepare!
It was an easy, quick and delicious meal!!! My son even ate his leftovers in his school lunch the next day!
Just when I thought your recipes couldn’t get any better, you’ve done it again! This is AWESOME! Where I’m from, we call this ACP (Arroz con Pollo) at the Mexican restaurants. My family and I love this and it’s seriously just as good as from a restaurant only BETTER because it’s “skinnyish” and made at home! Thank you for the amazing recipes!
Arroz Con Pollo makes a lot more sense to be honest! haha I’m so happy you enjoyed it =)
this was so $%^$ing good. And it took just a few minutes of actual effort!
I’m not too fond of Mexican food because it’s usually spicy. Is this dish spicy?
That’s going to depend mostly on the queso that you add to it. The brand of queso I use isn’t spicy, but some include chopped chiles or jalapeños. The rice itself isn’t spicy.
I so appreciate you adding the WW personal point conversation mechanism. I know if must not be easy but count me as one appreciative fan. This looks delicious and within my WW PP allowance (self imposed) for dinners.
I’m so happy that it’s helpful! Working on getting the older recipes updated as well.
So good! Threw in a can of black beans to bulk it out a bit and it was great! Had never had this at el pollo loco but now never need to.
I didn’t actually know there was a restaurant called that. Haha I don’t believe this dish is on their menu for whatever reason, but you can find it at a lot of different Mexican restaurants.
This was a huge hit with my family tonight! We couldn’t find your suggested queso so got Inca instead and it was great! I did have to add an extra cup of water but am still figuring out my electric burner…after 5 years, ha! Will be adding this to dinner rotation!
Would the Goya chicken & tomato bouillon work?
Should work!
I’ve never had anything similar from a Mexican restaurant, so I had no expectations, but even if I did, this was amazing. So much flavor! Can’t wait for leftovers!
AMAZING!!!!!!! This dish is full of flavor. I am excited about lunch this week!!
SO happy you enjoyed!
Not sure we will go get Arroz Con Pollo at the restaurant again!! I mean ALL that queso stays with us! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this tasteful recipe!
Thank you so much Star! This was delicious And what I absolutely love about your recipes – is that they always hit the right notes with seasoning. Your recipes always have flavor and I can’t help but taste test along the way.
I was determined to follow your recipe to a T – so I found the tomato seasoning via Amazon, but when it arrived, it was the powder and not cubes – so 1Tsp did the trick. I also *almost* used the Tostitos shelf stable queso (that was the only one I could find at the store) and then when I reviewed your notes, I decided to keep searching and was able to find a refrigerated brand called “Cacique” Queso Dip. It’s a 16oz container, but the measurements turned out to be about 1/3 cup. I was also a little generous with the adobe seasoning on the chicken, I sprinkled free handed over the cut up chicken, mixed with my hands. It wasn’t until later that I realized it was only 1 tsp (whoops) but it came out great anyways! I literally wanted to pile drive the whole pot into my mouth it was that good! Love recipes like this & like Moms chicken & rice. They take about 30 mins and when they are done – they are soooo good, hardly a chance to leftovers!
Arroz con Pollo over in my neck of the woods usually has peas & carrots mixed in – so I think for a side of veggies, that’s what I would make on the side, but probably mix in on my own plate.
Congrats on another great recipe! ❤️
We’re snowed in and my mom is staying with us. I wasn’t sure how she would feel about this recipe but it was on the menu so we made it. I lost track of how many times she said it was so good and she asked for the recipe multiple times. The rest of the house LOVED it, too! We all agreed we’ll be making it again. Thanks for another winner recipe!
That’s so awesome! So glad your mama enjoyed and it was a hit with the fam!
Tried this recipe for the first time tonight and was a huge hit with the family!
Made this tonight for dinner!! Winner with everyone!!! Thanks Star for another amazing recipe!!
Made this for the first time tonight. Even the picky eaters asked for seconds! Thank you!
New favorite Star!! Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Flavor was amazing! We finished it with green onion. I’m so glad I saw this on IG and that we tried it. We will for sure be making it again. Thank you!!!!
I have this all made for dinner tonight but the written recipe doesn’t say anything about sprinkling the adobo seasoning on the chicken before browning? I’ll add it to my printed recipe but maybe make an addition for others in the future? Looks delicious!
Apologies! I’ll edit. Glad you enjoyed!
Making this tonight. I have everything, even the bouillon. I already know the flavor combo is going to be excellent. Thank you.
This was delish! I couldn’t find the tomato bouillon, so I just left it out. I couldn’t find that brand queso, so I used another one that was in the fancy cheese section. For some reason it didn’t have much Mexican flavor to it, so I’m wondering if maybe the queso I used didn’t have enough flavor to contribute to the dish. Either way, it tasted amazing! It was like a really flavorful cheesy chicken and rice. Even my picky son who doesn’t like cheesy things and my picky husband (who usually only will eat cilantro lime white rice) loved it! I did order tomato bouillon online, so I’ll be able to add it to the recipe next time. Hopefully I can find a better queso to use next time too. Thanks for another great dinner idea! @lizkopniske
Can’t wait to make this!!! We love vigo rice!
Perfect comfort meal.
I had to make this based off your IG highlight video last week. It was sooo good! The saffron rice packet made it so simple and added so much flavor!! Delicious and didn’t feel like we were eating “skinnyish”Thank you!!!
Yesss so happy you got to make them already!!