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One-Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

This fabulous Mexican Chicken and Rice comes together in one skillet in way less than an hour. It's loaded with fresh veggies, lean chicken and lots of south-of-border flavor!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Mexican, TexMex
Keyword chicken and rice, Mexican Chicken and Rice
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 42 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 400 kcal
Author Chris Scheuer

Ingredients

For the rub:

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

For the chicken and rice:

  • 1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs trimmed of excess fat and cut into servcing size pieces
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium sweet yellow onion diced small
  • 2 medium yellow, orange or red bell peppers diced small (I use red, orange and yellow mini peppers, see Café Tips for conversion)
  • 1 medium jalapeños halved, seeded and finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 1 cup basmati rice (uncooked)
  • 1½ cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 15 ounces canned black beans (1 can) rinsed and well drained
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

To finish:

  • ¾ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1-2 medium jalapeños halved, seeded and finely chopped
  • Serve with lime wedges sliced fresh red chilies, sour cream, avocado slices and/or tortilla chips, for optional garnishes
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  1. For the rub:

  2. Combine all of the rub ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the mixture.

  3. Place the chicken pieces on a work surface and sprinkle generously on both sides with the spice rub. Use all of the remaining rub.

For the chicken and rice:

  1. Place a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and butter and swirl the pan until the butter is melted and bubbly. Add the chicken and cook, uncovered for 5-7 minutes until the underside is deeply brown and slightly charred in places. The pan should be hot enough for the chicken to sizzle a bit as it cooks but not spatter wildly all over the stove top. If it’s spattering too much, reduced the heat a bit.

  2. Flip the chicken to the opposite side and cook for another 5-6 minutes, again until nicely browned. Remove from the pan to a clean plate. Cover lightly with foil and set aside.

  3. Add the onion, peppers and jalapeño to the drippings in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly softened. Add the rice, garlic and reserved spices to the pan. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

  4. Add the chicken broth and black beans and salt to the pan and bring the mixture to a full boil. Cover the pan and reduce heat to very low. Cook for 12 minutes.

To finish:

  1. Remove the cover and add the finely chopped cilantro and jalapeño. Stir and fluff with a fork. Nestle the chicken into the rice and drizzle any juices from the plate over the chicken. Cover tightly and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Serve with any or all of the garnishes. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

See Café Tips above in the post for more detailed instructions and tips.

Nutrition Facts
One-Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice
Amount Per Serving
Calories 400 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 95mg32%
Sodium 1294mg56%
Potassium 671mg19%
Carbohydrates 50g17%
Fiber 8g33%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 671IU13%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 75mg8%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.