Rice, chicken and veggies all cooked up in the same skillet! Â Make this simple Southwest Chicken and Rice Skillet once and you will be making it over and over again!
I am truly in love with Southwest flavors lately and this whole skillet thing is just up my alley! Â Throw it all together in one pan and dinner is done!
You can make this with fresh chicken that you sauté in the skillet or a precooked version like store bought rotisserie chicken or even ground chicken or turkey.  They are all good and will work great!
We are still  getting used to our ’empty nest’ around here.  It’s just me and Mr. Spatula these days and it sure has changed the way I cook.  For years it was our daughter, and her now fiancé, most every night.  I’ve gone from 4 to 2 and Mr. Spatula and I don’t eat much these days.  I’ve  noticed that I am always adding notes to my blog posts like:  ‘makes tons’,  ‘enough to feed your friends’, ‘great for lunch the next day’, however, I do believe I have lost my perspective on exactly what ‘tons’ is….but can I say… this makes tons!  Ha!  Really it does!
Why we love this Southwest Chicken and Rice Skillet!
We top salads, put it in tortillas and eat it just on it’s own for days! And what it does for your lunchbox…wooo hoo!. Taco salads…yay! Â It also make a great chip dip we found!
You can get fairly creative with this as well.  Add more heat with a fresh jalapeño or hot sauce.  Maybe sneak a few more veggies in.  The kids will never know what hit ’em.  I wouldn’t hesitate to add a carrot or two or even spinach.  Top with sour cream, salsa or avocado!
NOTES: If using precooked chicken: Omit steps 1-3. Â Just toss in your precooked chicken following the directions when rice is done.
Looking for more fresh and fast recipe ideas? Â Check out my Pinterest Board for Fast, Fresh and Healthy meals here.
You can also try our Easy Skillet Mushroom and Pork Chop dinner!
To one skillet dinners that feed you for days!
Clink!
Kathi
Southwest Chicken and Rice Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken cut into bite sized pieces breasts or thighs or both will work. See notes above when using precooked chicken
- 1 poblano pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 red pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup fresh or frozen corn
- 1 14 oz can chopped diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- Pinch of chili pepper flakes . more if you like it spicy
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup grated cheese
- 1/3 cup sliced green onions
Instructions
- Heat skillet to medium high.
- Add cut up chicken breasts and sauté for about 5 minutes until cooked through.
- Remove chicken and set aside.
- Saute, poblano and red pepper until just soft.
- Add beans, corn and tomatoes,chicken broth and spices.
- Heat to a simmer.
- Add rice.
- Put lid on skillet and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.
- Add chicken and combine.
- Top with grated cheese and sliced green onions.
Nutrition
Dear Kathi and Rachel,
I will not waste your time by leaving a non-review. I don’t see the point of commenters saying “I can’t wait to try it.” People, just make it and leave a review!
I will now get off my “pet peeve” soapbox and review this recipe.
It is wonderful. It went together in a short time and turned out delicious. Everyone loved it. I always try to follow a new recipe exactly as written, and if I decide to make it again, may make changes.
This came out perfect the first time requiring virtually no changes. I will admit that I’ve never heard of a “poblano” pepper, so I used a Green Bell pepper instead. And I used olive oil to saute the chicken and vegetables as no oil was listed. When the closest grocery store is over an hour’s drive away through hot, flat desert, you use what you have.
For this, and all other meals prepared in my home, I use all organic ingredients because conventional food in this country is awful. As an example, I dislike the idea of deadly Round-Up on and in my produce. You needn’t worry with organic.
The point is, I will make this again and again. Especially when I am strapped for time and need something easy to put together, and be delicious at the same time. I can’t wait to make it for a casual dinner for guests.
Your web site is great and this recipe in particular is perfection. Thank you for posting it.
Joe
Joe, we are printing and framing this as I type! What a wonderful and thoughtful review and we appreciate it so very very much! p.s. A great sub for a poblano is a hatch, anaheim or pasilla pepper (which are all the same thing) and I will update the recipe with those suggestions. Thank you again! Kathi and Rachel
Thank you for your kind words.
Here’s something you might want to add to this recipe – tortillas!
I had some leftover chicken & rice, and decided to serve it in homemade flour tortillas. You simply can’t imagine how good it is. What a great recipe!
The tortilla recipe I use makes them simple to make, especially if you roll them out on a pastry cloth. Quick and easy.
All my best to you both,
Joe
Keeper recipe for sure! I used brown rice and more chicken broth, just takes a little longer for the rice to get tender. It was delicious! I’ve made it twice in the past week. I’m always on the search for new things to try and this did not disappoint. Thank you!
I am so glad you love this recipe. It is in serious need of some picture updating! Thanks for the brown rice tip!
I made this last night with a store-bought roasted chicken….it was fast, easy, super delicious! I placed the final skillet dish on the table — with the melted cheese and green onions on top and the colours looked amazing. My husband loved it. The only addition: I sauteed about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of diced onions just before the red peppers were added. Definitely a keeper! This is the ultimate “pantry” meal because most of the ingredients can be pulled out of the cupboard or freezer.
Kathi this looks wonderful. My husband and I have been empty nesters for a while now too. It sure takes a bit of adjusting to. Sometimes I miss the activity that extra bodies bring to the household but the quiet calm is becoming more welcoming.
This looks great. I love these one dish meals, and I too am wild for southwest flavors. I will have to try this. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!