Southwest Chicken & Rice Skillet

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 & 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 & 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.

How to make Chicken & Rice Skillet

(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 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!

More Southwest Inspired Recipes You Might Like

• Taco Pie
• Tex-Mex Chicken & Rice Casserole
• Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

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