Southwest Chicken & Rice Skillet - a one pot meal full of chicken, rice, bell peppers, corn, beans, and cheese. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and uses only one skillet for the whole meal!
The Best Easy Southwest Chicken and Rice Skillet Meal
This skillet meal actually started out as a meal we usually make while camping on the grill. With some adjustments on cooking time and ingredients, we adapted it to be able to eat it all year long. A second bonus is that the entire meal is made in one pan, so less dishes means more time for everything else!
This meal is packed full of flavor while still using common ingredients. No crazy ingredients to search for, or weird items to find.
Southwest Chicken and Rice Skillet Ingredients
- Chicken - I opt for boneless, skinless chicken breast or tenderloins but you can could use thighs if you prefer.
- Rice - My favorite is Basmati or Jasmine rice. I prefer that it's less "sticky" than typical white rice. You could really use any type of rice here.
- Taco Seasoning - I use my homemade version found here.
- Black Beans - We prefer black beans in this recipe, but you could swap for pinto beans if that's what you have on hand.
- Cheese - My favorite is cheddar. I love the flavor! If you want to go dairy free on this, you can always leave the cheese out entirely.
- Enchilada Sauce - I always use Gebhardt brand red enchilada sauce. The flavor and spice are just right. You can use whatever brand happens to be your favorite, or even make it homemade.
- Bell Peppers - Any color will do.
- Corn - This is completely optional. Sometimes I leave it out to save points, other times I leave it in. It's completely up to you. It's delicious either way.
Southwest Skillet Variations
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast - You can replace this with a variety of meats. Boneless skinless chicken thighs, ground beef, ground turkey, and even shredded beef all work great. Carnitas would also be an excellent option (check out my Carnitas recipe here).
- Basmati Rice - You can use whatever rice you like best. I just find that Basmati holds up well in the recipe without getting sticky. Jasmine and brown rice would also work well here.
- Black Beans - If you're not a fan of black beans or don't have any on hand, pinto beans, cannellini beans, and even ranch style beans all taste great.
- Bell Pepper and Corn - You can use your favorite veggies here. To up the fiber veggies, you could add broccoli or even cauliflower.
- Toppings - You don't have to stop with just cheese as a topping. Sliced green onions, sour cream, guacamole, and salsa are all delicious on top.
How to Make Skillet Chicken and Rice
(full recipe instructions with measurements and printable card are at the end of this post)
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, bell peppers, and taco seasoning, stirring and cooking until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Add the rice to the skillet followed by the water. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low heat until rice is cooked through (about 15 minutes).
- Remove lid and stir, fluffing the rice. Add in the black beans and corn.
- Cook, stirring occasionally until beans and corn have heated through.
- Pour enchilada sauce into the skillet, stirring until it is completely mixed through covering all pieces.
- Top with cheese and enjoy!
Can this Southwest Chicken recipe be made ahead of time?
While I haven't tried freezing this recipe, you could make it 2-3 days in advance and store in the refrigerator. You would just need to reheat when it's time to serve and maybe add a touch of liquid like some additional broth, water, or enchilada sauce. I'm currently testing out freezer methods so I will come back and update this post once that has been figured out.
What skillet should I use?
Any heavy bottomed skillet that heats evenly will do. I personally use the Le Creuset Cassadou. You could also opt for this less expensive alternative which would work great!
What to serve with a Southwest Chicken Skillet
This Southwest Chicken Skillet is a complete meal in itself. No need to serve anything else with it!
If you'd like to serve something on the side here are some ideas:
- A Side Salad
- Chips and Salsa
- or a Fun Margarita
One of the reasons I love this meal so much is that it's a whole meal in one pan. Less dishes and less work!
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Southwest Skillet Chicken and Rice Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast - cut into bite size chunks
- 2 whole bell peppers chopped
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1 cup rice I prefer Basmati
- 2 cups water
- 15 oz can black beans drained & rinsed
- 10 oz can red enchilada sauce
- 1 cup frozen corn optional
- 1 cup cheese shredded
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken, bell peppers, and taco seasoning, stirring and cooking until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Add the rice to the skillet followed by the water. Stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on low heat until rice is cooked through (about 15 minutes).
- Remove lid and stir, fluffing the rice. Add in the black beans and corn.
- Cook, stirring occasionally until beans and corn have heated through.
- Pour enchilada sauce into the skillet, stirring until it is completely mixed through covering all pieces.
- Top with cheese and enjoy!
Ro
Excited to try this. What is a serving size? I know it says an 1/8 but is that a cup or 3/4 cups etc.
Thanks!
kara
It comes out to about 1 cup per serving depending on how big you cut up your chicken. I hope you enjoy it!