Description
This Southwest Chicken and Rice recipe is a hearty and flavorful comfort dish perfect for a quick and satisfying meal. Combining tender chicken, black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes with a blend of chili powder, cumin, and paprika, it offers a delicious southwestern flair. The option to add melted cheese on top adds a creamy finish to this one-pan skillet meal, ready in just 40 minutes and perfect for family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 1 lb chicken fillet, diced
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn, frozen or canned
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium heat to prepare for sautéing the aromatics and cooking the chicken.
- Sauté onion and garlic: Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet and cook until they become soft and fragrant, which usually takes about 3-5 minutes.
- Cook the chicken: Add the diced chicken fillet to the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking.
- Add spices: Stir in chili powder, cumin, and paprika to coat the chicken and mix flavors well.
- Add beans, corn, and tomatoes: Pour in the drained black beans, corn, and diced tomatoes, stirring to combine all the ingredients evenly.
- Mix in cooked rice: Add the cooked rice to the skillet and thoroughly mix to integrate it with the other ingredients and heat it through.
- Season: Season the mixture with salt and pepper according to taste, adjusting seasoning as needed.
- Add cheese (optional): Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top, then cover the skillet and let it sit for a few minutes until the cheese melts completely.
Notes
- Use freshly cooked rice for best texture, or leftover rice can be used as well.
- For extra heat, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chopped jalapeños.
- You can substitute chicken breast with thighs or even turkey for variation.
- The cheese topping is optional but recommended for added richness.
- This dish can be served with sour cream, avocado slices, or chopped cilantro as garnishes.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To make it gluten-free, ensure all spices and canned ingredients are certified gluten-free.
