One‑Pan Tex‑Mex Chicken & Rice Skillet

Name: One‑Pan Tex‑Mex Chicken & Rice Skillet
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 piece yellow onion; 1 piece red bell pepper; 1 piece green bell pepper; 3 clove garlic; 1 cup long-grain white rice; 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes; 2 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 1 15-ounce can black beans; 1 cup corn kernels; 1 tbsp chili powder; 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp kosher salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper; 1 piece bay leaf; 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 0.25 cup fresh cilantro; 2 tbsp lime juice; 1 piece jalapeño

A single-skillet Tex‑Mex weeknight meal: browned chicken simmered with rice, tomatoes, black beans and corn until tender, finished with cheddar and cilantro. Minimal washing up and reliable results for family dinners or meal prep.

AI image

50 min

start to finish

15 min

hands on

Some skill

difficulty

servings

6 servings

Ingredients

Contains dairy. Cooking for an allergy? Check the label on every packet you use — brands differ, and we can only tell you what the recipe calls for.

Roughly, per serving

550 kcal40g protein42g carbs24g fat

An estimate, not a lab analysis.

Method

Pat the chicken pieces dry and season them with half the kosher salt and half the black pepper.
Heat the oil in a large 12-inch ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add the chicken in a single layer and sear, turning occasionally, until golden and mostly cooked through; transfer chicken to a plate.
Add the sliced onion and bell peppers to the skillet and sauté until softened and edges begin to brown.
Add the minced garlic, chili powder, ground cumin and smoked paprika and stir 30–45 seconds until fragrant.
Stir in the rinsed rice and toast it briefly, stirring to coat the grains in the spice mixture.
Pour in the diced tomatoes (with their juices), chicken broth, drained black beans, corn, the bay leaf (if using), and the remaining salt and pepper; scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Return the seared chicken to the skillet, nestling pieces into the rice in an even layer.
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover the skillet tightly and reduce heat to low so the rice cooks gently.
Turn off the heat and let the skillet rest, covered, to steam for flavor and to finish the chicken.
Remove the lid, stir gently to fluff the rice and distribute the chicken, then sprinkle the shredded cheddar over the top and replace the lid for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
Finish by stirring in lime juice, scattering chopped cilantro and sliced jalapeño over the top, and serve straight from the pan.

Worth knowing

If using chicken breast, reduce searing time slightly and ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Thighs stay juicier for this one‑pan method.
If you want a browned cheese crust, place the ovenproof skillet under a hot broiler for 2–3 minutes after adding cheese — watch closely.
To make this dairy-free, skip the cheddar or use a dairy-free meltable cheese; the recipe otherwise remains the same.
For brown rice use 1 3/4 cups brown rice and 2 1/4 cups broth; increase simmer time to 35–40 minutes and check for tenderness.

Make it yours

Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.

Gluten-freeOne panMeal prepKid friendly

More Tex-Mex cooking

An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Tex-Mex cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be gluten-free as listed.