Chicken Fiesta
This one-pot chicken fiesta is a Mexican style chicken and rice dish with peppers, black beans, diced tomatoes, green chilies and cheese. It’s a flavorful and easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love!
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 packet taco seasoning (or 2 ½T homemade)
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies (optional)
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Season the cubed chicken pieces with ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet (with a lid), then add the chicken and sauté for 7-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through. Remove the chicken to a bowl and keep warm.
- To the pan, add the onion and bell peppers and sauté for about 5 minutes, until softened.
- Add the taco seasoning and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and black pepper. Add the broth, black beans, tomatoes, green chilies and rice. Stir well to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and let simmer on low for 20 minutes.
- Add the chicken back in, stir to combine, then top with the shredded cheddar cheese. Cover the pan and continue to cook on low for another 10 minutes.
- Serve hot with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Notes
Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work great for this recipe, but you could also substitute chicken thighs. Make sure to cut the chicken into small pieces - about ½ inch cubes - so it cooks through evenly and incorporates well with the rice mixture. You can also sub cooked rotisserie chicken. Skip cooking the chicken in the beginning and add it to the skillet as directed at the end to warm through.
Rice: Regular white rice is a must for this recipe. I otherwise almost only eat brown rice, but it just won’t cook through in time.
Taco seasoning: Homemade taco seasoning is my favorite, but you can substitute store-bought as well.
Beans: Black beans are our go-to but you could substitute pinto beans if you prefer. Kidney beans would also work.
Tomatoes: Fire-roasted diced tomatoes add some extra oomph to this dish, but regular diced tomatoes or petite diced tomatoes would be fine too.
Diced green chilies: These are optional, but add great flavor so use ‘em if you got ‘em!
Cheese: We love shredded cheddar cheese (that's what I have here - it's a white cheddar) but you could substitute Monterey Jack, Colby Jack or even Pepper Jack for a little kick. Or use a Mexican blend cheese.
Corn: Feel free to add some fresh, frozen or canned corn here if you'd like.
Toppings: Sliced or diced avocado, guacamole, salsa or pico de gallo, fresh chopped cilantro, Greek yogurt or sour cream, jalapeno slices, pickled red onions, hot sauce or sriracha, etc.
Leftovers: Once cooled, the leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Reheat in individual portions in the microwave until hot. Or freeze for up to 4-5 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat in the microwave.
Video
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 620kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 68g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 173mg | Sodium: 1214mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g
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