Some of my favorite meals are one-skillet meals. This dish is no exception! My Mexican chicken and rice recipe is a simple one to prep and cook, and will hopefully leave you with a few leftovers for the work/school week!
I mean, how can you go wrong? We love chicken dishes, we love Mexican dishes, and there is really only one pan you need to clean, so this one is a triple threat for us! (I hope you agree).
As always, I will now walk through a few of the key ingredients and cooking tips to help you crush this meal and be the dinner time hero:
- Chicken – Typically in meals like this, I tend to like chicken thighs; however, the last time I made it, I used breasts and it was delish! If you choose breasts, I recommend cutting them the short way (not making them thinner) so they fit in the pan more easily!
- Marinade – Like most marinating dishes you read about, the longer you can let this sit, the better it will taste. I would recommend mixing this together before your workday starts (especially since it is super simple) and cooking it when you get home. Otherwise, you could do it the night before. At a minimum, you should be looking for 4 hours.
- Spices – Want a little more heat? Add some cayenne! Want a little less? Reduce or omit the chipotle chili powder. Feel free to adjust those amounts to your preference and add anything else you like! Just be sure to tell me about it, in case I want to try too!
- Tomatoes – If you can swing it, go with fire-roasted. They bring so much more flavor to the dish!
See below for full measurements and cooking instructions!
Equipment
- Oven-safe pan
Ingredients
- For the Marinade:
- 1 lb chicken breast or thighs
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 tsp. chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
- 1/2 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. paprika
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- For the rice:
- 1 shallot
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 cups rice
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
- 15 oz. diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- If needed, trim your chicken thighs or halve your chicken breasts (so they mix in the rice better).
- In a bowl, add all of the ingredients for the marinade and mix them up well.
- In a ziploc bag, add the chicken and pour over the marinade. Shake it well and let them marinate for at least 4 hours. (Although the full workday is best!)
- Once ready to cook, heat an oven-safe skillet and add a little oil.
- Sear the chicken for 3 minutes per side and then remove.
- Add a little oil and cook the shallot for a few minutes.
- Then add the garlic and the uncooked rice.
- Stir in the tomato paste.
- Add the tomatoes and chicken broth.
- Season with salt and pepper as needed, stir, and bring to a simmer. Add back the chicken, cover, and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Notes
GLUTEN-FREE SUBSTITUTIONS: For those of you who need it, I always like to talk about substitutions to make this meal gluten-free. This is a simple one, as there are no ingredients that should have gluten in them!
If you make this, please leave a comment or rate the recipe below! Also, feel free to leave a comment with anything else you want me to make! I love putting my spin on classic recipes or creating new ones!
Tried this recipe?Mention @KirksCookingAndCocktails or tag #kirkscookingandcocktails!
