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This easy one pan Mexican chicken and rice is a heathy, hearty, comfort food dinner the whole family will love! It’s delicious on it’s own or it can be used as a filling for burritos or tacos.
If you love Mexican inspired meals be sure to try out my Mexican chicken, sweet potato, and black bean skillet and my beef enchilada skillet!
Why you’ll love it
One pan – One pan, also called skillet dinners are my favorite! The meals come together quicker, you don’t have to tend to multiple pots and pans, and less dishes to wash!
Family friendly – This southwest chicken and rice has ingredients and flavors that both adults and kids will love. Black beans, corn, chicken, rice, and cheese. What’s not to love? It isn’t spicy unless you choose to make it that way.
Meal prep – If you’re someone who meal preps, this chicken and rice is a great recipe to make. It will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
The ingredients
- Green onions – I like the milder flavor of green onion in this recipe.
- Chicken breasts – Cut the chicken into bite size pieces so they cook quickly.
- Chili powder, cumin, garlic powder – The dried spice blend. These spices are commonly used in both Mexican and Southwest cooking.
- Long grain white rice – White rice should be used for this recipe because it has a faster cooking time.
- Fire roasted tomatoes – Adds a nice smoky flavor to the skillet dinner.
- Green chiles – I recommend using mild green chiles unless you really want it to be extra spicy.
- Cilantro – Fresh and flavorful herb often used in Mexican and southwest cooking.
- Black beans and corn – Adds nice texture and flavor, plus extra protein and fiber.
- Red enchilada sauce – I used mild enchilada sauce, but medium would be great too for some added heat.
- Colby Jack – Colby Jack melts beautifully, but if you prefer cheddar or Monterey Jack, go with those instead.
How to make Mexican chicken and rice
This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
Heat a large skillet that has a lid (or pot) over medium-high heat with some olive oil in it. When it’s hot, add in the green onions, chicken, spices, salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is browned, but not cooked through. It will finish cooking with the rice.
Add in the rice, corn, black beans, green chiles, cilantro, water, and enchilada sauce. Stir everything together and bring it to a low boil.
Once boiling, cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender.
You’ll need to stir the rice every few minutes to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Once the rice is cooked turn off the heat. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and cover again with the lid. Keep it covered for a few more minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Garnish with green onions, cilantro, or any of the topping suggestions listed below.
Topping ideas
I topped this Mexican inspired chicken and rice with extra green onions and cilantro since they were already being used in the recipe. But, the topping possibilities are endless!
Try topping it with avocado, sliced black olives, plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, diced tomatoes, or pico de gallo. Want to add a little crunch? Crush some tortilla chips and sprinkle them on top.
Tips for making Mexican chicken and rice
- Don’t overcook the chicken. To keep the chicken from being dry, be sure you only brown it for a couple minutes before adding in the rice and remaining ingredients.
- Grate the cheese from the block. Pre-shredded cheese, while convenient, doesn’t have nearly as good of taste and doesn’t melt as well.
- If you’re using a pan or skillet make sure it’s a little deeper so that everything fits and isn’t spilling all over the place when you stir it.
- Rinse the rice to remove some of the starch so the finished dish isn’t as thick and sticky.
Leftovers and reheating
Storage – Mexican chicken and rice will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheating – To reheat, microwave for 30 second intervals until hot or you can reheat it in a non-stick skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. You may need to add splash of water, chicken broth, or enchilada sauce to thin it out.
Freezing – Mexican chicken and rice is freezer friendly! Before freezing, let it cool completely. Transfer to an airtight, freezer safe container and store in the freezer for 2-3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before using.
More one pan dinners
Did you make this Mexican chicken and rice? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Mexican Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 green onions sliced
- 1 pound chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
- 14.5 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 4 ounce can diced green chiles
- 1 cup canned black beans drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup defrosted frozen corn
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 15 ounce can red enchilada sauce
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
Instructions
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet that has a lid (or pot) and heat it over medium-high heat. Add in the green onions, chicken, spices, salt and pepper. Cook just until the chicken is browned, but not cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the rice, corn, black beans, green chiles, water, and enchilada sauce to the skillet. Stir everything together and bring it to a low boil.
- Once boiling, cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat down to low. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Stir the rice every few minutes to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. If the liquid absorbs before the rice is cooked, add in 1/4 cup of water at a time until it’s tender.
- Once the rice is cooked turn off the heat. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and cover again with the lid. Keep it covered for another 2-3 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Garnish with green onions and cilantro or other toppings of your choice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
10/10 will make again. Delicious and a new go-to meal in my household. I made it exactly as instructed and it turned out perfect. I will say the recipe did not say when to add the fire-diced tomatoes so I added them with everything else on step 2 and turned out great. This is a new favorite of my picky husband and 11yo son. Thanks!
Again, a great recipe. the photos look amazing. Thanks for the recipe