Arroz Poblano con Pollo y Queso (Creamy Poblano Rice with Chicken)
Rice cooked in a blended roasted poblano and coriander sauce with tender chicken, finished with silky queso. A comforting one-pot dinner.
Made with Queso (Mexican cheese sauce). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time55 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.64 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Roast the poblanos under a very hot grill, turning, for 15 minutes until blistered and black in patches. Cover in a bowl for 10 minutes, then peel and remove the stalks and seeds.
15 min - 2
Blend the poblanos with the coriander, 1 garlic clove and 150 ml of the stock until smooth.
- 3
Heat the oil in a wide, lidded pan and brown the chicken for 5 minutes. Add the onion and the remaining garlic and cook for 4 minutes.
9 min - 4
Stir in the rice for 1 minute. Pour in the poblano purée and the remaining stock and bring to the boil.
- 5
Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Scatter over the sweetcorn, cover again and cook for 5 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
20 min - 6
Warm your ready made queso (see the base recipe) gently, then fold it through the rice and serve straight away.
Tips
- Wash the rice until the water runs clear so it cooks up fluffy, not gluey.
- Do not lift the lid while the rice cooks. The steam does the work.
- If you cannot find poblanos, use 2 green peppers and 1 jalapeño.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 hour and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat once only, until steaming hot all the way through. Do not freeze.
Questions
Is it spicy?
No, poblanos are mild. Add a jalapeño to the blend for more heat.
Can I make it vegetarian?
Yes. Leave out the chicken, use vegetable stock and add 200 g sweetcorn and a tin of drained black beans.
Why must I cool rice quickly?
Cooked rice can carry bacteria that survive cooking. Cooling within an hour and chilling it makes it safe to keep.
More made with queso (mexican cheese sauce)
Nachos con Queso Chipotle (Smoky Cheese Nachos)
GFEFNFPescado al Horno con Rajas y Queso (Baked Fish with Poblano and Queso)
EFNFHamburguesa Norteña con Queso y Rajas (Northern Style Queso Burger)
NFEnfrijoladas de Frijol Negro con Queso (Black Bean Sauce Tortillas with Queso)
EFNFVDouble check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.