TikTok Viral Queso Swim Chicken and Rice
So the story goes… I scroll TikTok just as much as anybody else. Every single night I’m laying there, scrolling until I practically fall asleep with my phone in my hand. Well, one night, somewhere around two o’clock in the morning, this cheesy chicken, rice, queso situation popped up on my screen. Y’all… I was STARVING.
Did I get up and make it? Nope. I intermittent fast. That’s a story for another day.
But I could not stop thinking about that daggum recipe, just like I couldn’t stop thinking of the TikTok dirty viral spaghetti, and you know how good that was!! It was one of those TikTok viral recipes that everybody and their mother has made their own version of. And you know me… whenever I see a viral recipe, my brain immediately starts thinking, “Okay… but how would I make it?”
So that’s exactly what I did.
Hungry for more? Get my recipes first.
The dinners my family asks for on repeat, sent to you first.
Unsubscribe anytime, no hard feelings.
I changed a few things, added a little magic, and all I can say is… somebody else might’ve invented it, but I definitely perfected it. This TikTok Viral Swim Queso Chicken and Rice is hands-down one of the easiest dump-and-bake dinners you’ll ever make.
With back-to-school season here, this recipe couldn’t be more perfect. You literally dump a couple packets of Knorr Mexican Rice into a baking dish with rotisserie chicken, chicken broth, melty cheese, a few seasonings, salsa, enchilada sauce… and let the oven do all the work. The rice cooks right in the pan, the cheese gets all gooey and delicious, and every bite is loaded with creamy, cheesy, Mexican-inspired flavor.
If you’re looking for one of those dinners that everyone cleans their plate and asks for again… this is it. Trust me, you’re going to want to save this one.
Adjusting the Heat Level!!
This recipe is very easy to adjust depending on how spicy your family likes their dinner!
To Keep It Mild
- Use mild enchilada sauce.
- Choose a mild chunky salsa.
- Stick with Monterey Jack cheese.
- Serve any jalapeños or hot sauce on the side.
To Make It Spicier
- Use medium or hot salsa.
- Swap the mild enchilada sauce for a hotter version.
- Replace some or all of the Colby Jack with pepper Jack cheese.
- Add sliced jalapeños, diced green chiles, or a few dashes of Melinda’s sriracha hot sauce!
- Serve with spicy tortilla chips for even more heat.
Don’t Like Enchilada Sauce?
You can leave out the enchilada sauce and replace it with the same amount of additional salsa. Use approximately 15 ounces of salsa total so the casserole still has enough liquid for the rice to cook properly.
You can also use all mild salsa for a softer tomato flavor or a restaurant-style salsa if you do not want large tomato chunks.
Melissa Jo’s Tips!
- Add the Knorr Mexican Rice to the casserole dry and uncooked.
- Make sure the foil is sealed very tightly around the baking dish.
- Do not keep lifting the foil while the casserole is baking.
- Use 2 cups of chicken for a rice-heavy casserole or closer to 3 cups for more chicken in every serving.
- Rotisserie chicken makes this recipe extra easy, but any cooked shredded chicken will work.
- Do not add extra salt before tasting. The rice, taco seasoning, bouillon, broth, and cheese already contain plenty of seasoning.
- Pour the queso over the casserole after it comes out of the oven.
- Let the casserole cool for a few minutes before serving because that queso is going to be hot!
- Tortilla chips are technically optional, but around here, they are absolutely not optional.
🤔 Common Questions
No. Add both bags of Knorr Mexican Rice directly to the baking dish while the rice is still dry and uncooked. It cooks in the broth and sauces while the casserole is tightly covered.
Yes. Rotisserie chicken is quick and flavorful, but you can use leftover baked, roasted, grilled, or poached chicken. Just make sure the chicken is already fully cooked and shredded before adding it.
Yes. Colby Jack melts beautifully and keeps the casserole fairly mild. Cheddar, a Mexican cheese blend, or pepper Jack can also be used.
The rice needs trapped steam to cook properly. If the foil is loose and too much steam escapes, the rice may remain firm or cook unevenly.
TikTok Viral Queso Swim Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Pour both bags of uncooked Knorr Mexican Rice directly into the bottom of your 9×11-inch baking dish.
- Spread the rice out into an even layer so it cooks evenly. Remember, we are not boiling anything first and we are not dirtying another pot. The rice is going straight into the oven and soaking up all that delicious flavor while it cooks.
- Spread 2–3 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken evenly over the rice.
- You want chicken in every scoop, so break apart any really large pieces as you add it. This is also a great recipe for using up leftover cooked chicken, but rotisserie chicken keeps it extra easy. Add Knorr Chicken Bouillon Seasoning evenly over the entire casserole.
- Carefully pour the 3 cups of chicken broth evenly over the rice and chicken.
- Next, pour the mild enchilada sauce and chunky salsa across the dish. Try to distribute everything evenly so all of the rice has enough liquid and flavor surrounding it while it cooks.
- Sprinkle the taco seasoning evenly over the entire casserole.
- There is already plenty of flavor coming from the seasoned rice, salsa, enchilada sauce, and bouillon, so you do not need to add any additional salt.
- Sprinkle the shredded Colby Jack cheese evenly over the top.
- Make sure you take that cheese all the way to the edges. Nobody wants to be handed the corner of the casserole that somehow missed the cheese!
- Cover the baking dish very tightly with aluminum foil.
- This part is important. The foil traps the steam inside the dish, and that steam is what helps cook the rice. Crimp the foil firmly around every edge of the baking dish so steam cannot escape.
- Bake the tightly covered casserole at 350°F for 45 minutes.
- Do not keep opening the oven and lifting the foil to check it. Let the rice stay covered and do its thing. By the end of the cooking time, the rice should have absorbed the broth and sauces and become tender.
- Carefully remove the casserole from the oven and take off the foil, watching out for the hot steam.
- Pour or spoon the entire 16-ounce jar of Pancho’s White Queso evenly over the hot casserole. Spread it all the way across the top so every serving gets plenty of creamy queso. Then drizzle over the Enchilada sauce to your liking if any at all!
- The heat from the freshly baked casserole will warm the queso and help it settle right into the cheesy chicken and rice.
- Let the casserole cool for about 5–10 minutes before serving.
- Scoop it into bowls or onto plates and serve it with plenty of tortilla chips. You can eat it like a casserole, scoop it up like a dip, or do a little bit of both—which is exactly what we did!
Want to make this later?
We'll email this recipe straight to you, so it's waiting when you need it.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Made this? Tap a star to rate it – it only takes a second and it means the world!👝 How to Store Leftovers
Allow leftovers to cool before transferring them to an airtight container.
Store the casserole in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
Reheat individual servings in the microwave until hot. You can add a small spoonful of queso, salsa, or chicken broth before reheating if the rice has absorbed extra moisture in the refrigerator.
To reheat a larger portion, place it in a covered oven-safe dish and warm it at 325°F until heated through.
This is absolutely delicious and we’re waiting on queso to be delivered from Amazon to make it even tastier.
So happy you loved too!!!
Followed every step! Delicious and easy to make. My rice needed 10 minutes more, but everyone’s oven varies. My family loved it!! Of course, we ate it with tortilla chips