So, you remember how much you love those Taco Chicken Bowls? And how they’re so easy because you just pour everything into the slow cooker and press go? Well guess what… You can do it in a skillet, too! Except this Southwest Chicken Skillet only takes about 30 minutes! #nolies
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As long as you have some precooked chicken, whether from a store bought rotisserie or some shredded chicken that you made yourself, those yummy taco chicken bowls are about a half hour away from being in your belly. This Southwest Chicken Skillet version may even be a bit easier because there’s no need to cook the rice separately—it cooks right along with the beans, salsa, and other goods in the skillet. It’s ridiculously simple and it’s so tasty that today after I ate some for lunch I said, “I wish I had ten more bowls of that.”
Other Topping Ideas
I don’t know why beans, rice, and salsa are so good together, but I hope I never stop discovering new ways to eat them together. This is my favorite way so far. If you want to make it even more fancy, you can experiment with more toppings, like sour cream, diced avocado, or cilantro. Maybe even some crispy tortilla strips for crunch? Yum!!
Southwest Chicken Skillet
Servings 4 to 6Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice* ($0.33)
- 1 cup salsa ($0.65)
- 1.5-2 cups precooked shredded chicken** ($3.50)
- 1 15oz. can black beans ($0.49)
- 1 Tbsp chili powder*** ($0.30)
- 1 3/4 cups chicken broth**** ($0.23)
- 1 cup shredded cheese ($1.00)
- 2-3 green onions, sliced ($0.26)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, combine the rice, salsa, chicken, black beans (drained), chili powder, and chicken broth. Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Place a tight fitting lid on the skillet, turn the heat on to high, and let the skillet come to a full boil. As soon as the skillet comes to a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Make sure it is simmering the entire time, turning the heat up slightly if needed (you should be able to hear it simmer quietly).
- After 15 minutes, turn off the heat, and let it rest with the lid in place for 5 more minutes. Finally, remove the lid, and fluff the mixture with a fork. All of the liquid should be absorbed and the rice should be tender. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded cheese over top, replace the lid, and let it sit for a few minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Meanwhile, slice the green onions. Sprinkle the green onions over the melted cheese and serve hot.
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Notes
Nutrition
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Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Southwest Chicken Skillet – Step by Step Photos
First step – so easy. In a large skillet combine 1 cup uncooked long grain white rice, 1 cup salsa, 1.5-2 cups of shredded chicken, 15oz. can black beans (drained), and 1 Tbsp chili powder. Try to use a heavy skillet with a thick bottom because that will help the rice cook evenly and help prevent it from scorching on the bottom.
Add 1.75 cups of chicken broth.
Stir everything together well. You really want to make sure the rice is evenly distributed throughout the skillet. Place a lid on the skillet, turn the heat up to high, and let it come to a full boil. As soon as it reaches a full boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer undisturbed for 15 minutes. Make sure it’s simmering the whole time. Turn the heat up just slightly if it stops simmering, but keep it as low as possible to prevent the rice from scorching or sticking to the bottom.
After 15 minutes, turn the heat off and let it sit for 5 minutes without removing the lid. Finally remove the lid and it should look like this – all of the liquid is absorbed and if you dig down with a fork to where the rice is, it should be tender. Most of the meat and beans will be on top and the rice will be underneath.
Fluff it up with a fork to mix everything back together. Sprinkle the shredded cheese over top, then place the lid back on top and allow the steam to melt the cheese. Once melted, sprinkle the green onions over top.
And that’s it! you’re ready to dig in.
Now that I have some pre-cooked shredded chicken in my freezer, I can have this Southwest Chicken Skillet ANYTIME I WANT! Woot!
AWESOME DISH!! I have not stop eating it since I made it! At the end, I added 1-8oz. Can of whole sweet corn and when fished out, cut a fresh tomato on top! Making this for my family when I visit this week in Ohio. THANK YOU❣️
I love how this recipe tastes, I’ve made it a bunch of times but the one problem I’ve run into almost every time I make it is that the rice doesn’t fully cook, and I usually have to turn the stove back on after that 5 min period when I’ve opened the lid to stir. Any tips on what could be causing this/how to adjust the cook time to prevent it is appreciated! Otherwise the recipe is a hit and good for low energy week nights.
I had the same problem. What works for me is reducing the heat and adding 1/2 cup water. I also increase the time by 10 mins. 5 uncovered and then 10 total covered stirring once in the middle. Hope this helps!
Man, this was seriously good! I kept eating after I was full! The family loved it.
Made a few changes due to ingredients on hand: 1 can mild Rotel in place of salsa; my own taco seasoning in place of powd chili; corn in place of black beans; black olives sliced in place of onion.
I highly recommend the olives. So glad I came across your recipe and thanks for posting!
Turned out tasty and it was super easy to make. Also quite filling! It just took the rice twice as long to cook. Not sure why but will definitely make this one again.
We have been making this routinely for the past couple years. I usually don’t have pre-cooked chicken, so I just cook chicken thighs or breast in the same pot, then continue on. We top it with the shredded cheese and pickled jalapeños. Just want to say thanks for the easy/cheap recipe we use almost every other week.
Very good! I would substitute taco seasoning or fajita seasoning for the chili powder. Served with sour cream and salsa.
We love it as is! Thank you!
Love this! But made I’ve made some tweaks over the numerous times I’ve made it:
I pan fry then shred 1 lbs chicken breast
In the same skillet I sautee some minced garlic quick then add the rice, beans, stock, shredded chicken PLUS taco seasoning, cumin, paprika, tumeric, onion powder, coriander, salt + pepper, and chili powder, stir then cook and add more stock if needed.
I add freshly chopped cilantro, purple onions, diced tomatoes and scallions then added shredded white cheddar on top and broil on high for 5ish minutes until crispy!
This way just packs some more punch and is a little fresher, plus I absolutely hate canned salsa with a burning passion. Sometimes if I’m feeling extra fancy I’ll stir it all together, let it cool, then wrap it all up in eggroll wrappers and fry. Yum!
I really want to make this, but the sodium content is SO high, and I absolutely dislike jarred salsa. Would it work to use unsalted chicken broth and a cup of diced tomatoes with extra chili powder? I would probably add some hot sauce to kick it up. What do you think? Thanks!
Yes, you definitely can!
Yikes. Thanks for pointing out the sodium content. //// I never eat rotisserie chicken — a lot of sodium. //// I make this with wild rice blend (and sometimes long-grain white — after all, it IS better tasting with white). I often use fresh tomatoes — either chopped or blended in the blender. SO MUCH better with fresh tomatoes — but more expensive also. I use different hot sauces. Sometimes jalapeno peppers. Red, black or pinto beans — sometimes all three — usually dried beans that I have soaked over night — SO MUCH better and no sodium (canned has sodium). Much less cheese — less sodium. Sometimes no cheese. //// The way I cook it IS more expensive and DOES TAKE more time. But — I’m retired. I have time.
Yum! I changed it a bit, for anyone that’s interested:
Made it larger by using the whole rotisserie chicken, did 1.5x rice and chicken stock, 1 can black beans 1 can pinto beans, 1 red pepper, and used cilantro instead of green onion at the end. I used medium pace salsa, I think it may have been too bland for me with mild. I use better than bouillon which is pretty salty, so I used less than recommended for the 2.6 c of broth. Turned out delicious and just barely fit in my pan (same style as pics in the recipe) so I wouldn’t recommend increasing it any more!
Soooo easy and fast. This is great for low energy nights, and I usually have most of the stuff on hand for it!
This dish is simple quick and easy! All around good meal. I adjusted some of the ingredients to make it a more heart healthy (personal lifestyle). I used unsalted chicken brother, a no-salt seasoning on the chicken and no-salt added black beans. Great recipe, will use again.
Looks so delicious! Definitely trying this.
What is 1 serving measured at? 1 or 2 cups?
I don’t have an exact volume for this one, but depending on your appetite it could make between four to six servings.
Would happily pay $50 for a version of this with brown rice! I make this recipe every week and love it, but would like to make it a bit healthier by subbing a healthier grain!
I might have found what you need. I just Google the recipe with brown rice and found this
https://cravinghomecooked.com/southwest-chicken-and-rice-skillet/#wprm-recipe-container-8598
Will a cast iron skillet work alright for this?
If it has a lid, then yes. You need a lid in order to cook the rice properly. :) And make sure the skillet is well seasoned, since there is a fair amount of acid in the salsa.
We absolutely love this recipe. We make it about once every other week. We add in some frozen sweet corn as well. Everyone we show this recipe to loves it and is in their regular rotation too.
My skillet is not that deep, can I use my pot instead?
As long as it’s pretty wide. In a narrower pot the contents might be too deep causing it to cook differently.
This was a hit with my clan. My family are mostly picky eaters. It will be put on a bi weekly rotation:)
Could cut the rice in amount in half.
You’d also need to cut the amount of broth in half because the rice absorbs the liquid. It might still might end up a little bit more saucy and soggy if the amount of salsa isn’t reduced.
I buy a Costco chicken and cut it up the night before. A delicious dinner is ready in no time the next day. Thanks!
Hi! Absolutely love this recipe and make it often. You write that one cannot substitute brown rice while following the same recipe. If you’d be willing to share any instructions for how one COULD sub brown rice, I’d be very grateful!
The issue is that brown rice requires more liquid and a much longer cooking time than white rice, so you’d need to adjust the quantities of ingredients and the cook time to compensate. Because brown rice can take close to 45 minutes to cook, you’d then be overcooking the chicken. There may be ways around this but it would require us to redevelop and retest the recipe before offering concrete advice. :)
Hi Cody – As someone who often subs brown rice in these recipes, parboiled brown rice works great. You can either do this yourself by cooking the brown rice until about 15-20 minutes remain, draining, and then adding to other ingredients. Or you can buy instant brown rice, which has a cook time about the same as white rice. Just keep an eye on the liquid, since whole grains tend to suck up a lot more moisture.
So easy and tasty! I should have tasted it earlier in the cooking though. It was a bit mild, and I would have added more chili powder.
I added corn and onions, used 1 can of rotel instead of salsa since that’s what i had in the pantry. I also put some garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, paprika to it. Turned out pretty decent but needs a little more salt. It was my second time making this, and my rice did turn out a little mushy – maybe i got it too hot at the beginning? or added a little too much broth? Any suggestions on how to not get mushy rice when making?
Hi Caroline. It’s hard for me to say as I am not there with you. Besides making sure you are only using 1 3/4 cups of broth, make sure that you are cooking on high until it comes the mixture comes to a FULL boil, and then lower the heat and simmer, making sure the lid is on the whole time. I hope this works for you. xoxo -Monti
This was super quick, easy and tasty with leftover cooked chicken we had in the freezer!
Delicious and so easy to make. Thank you for the recipe.
I’d forgotten about this recipe until I got the email today! You just solved my “What am I going to make for dinner?” dilemma! Thanks!
Can I sub cauliflower rice? Have a boy who can’t eat rice. Thanks
We have a similar recipe called Southwest Cauliflower Rice that I bet, with some tweaking, could be combined with this recipe to suit your family’s needs! Good luck! ~ Marion :)
Here’s the link: https://www.budgetbytes.com/southwest-cauliflower-rice/
I added maybe a cup of frozen corn, topped with Mexican shredded cheese, sour cream, and diced avocado. Hubs and I ate it with tortilla chips. So good!
Very good!
I saw an opportunity for this to be a rice cooker meal and it worked well. Throw everything in the rice cooker and just wait for it to tell you it’s done. My favorite kind of recipe
I made this recipe and my family loved it! I didn’t have salsa on hand, so I used a can of Rotel tomatoes instead. I also added a bag of frozen corn and we put it on tortillas to stretch it even farther. We were able to get two big family meals out of this recipe that way and will be making again soon!
Oh, I had Rotel and salsa and thought about swapping out and saving the salsa for later. It’s good to know the Rotel will work if I’m ever out of salsa!
This was the kind of delicious where I had to come and review immediately after I finished eating it. Used rotisserie chicken breast, and made some small tweaks: used 19oz of beans since that’s the size the cans seem to come in Canada, used salsa verde because it’s my favourite, and about 1/4 cup of the broth was vegetable since I used up all the chicken broth. I left the cheese off so I can add it as I take servings for lunch through the week. Will top with some plain Greek yogurt when I have my next serving!
Ooh and next time, I think I’ll had a little cayenne, too!
I’m in Canada too. The only places I find the smaller cans of beans are Costco and Dollar Tree. (Southern Ontario). I often will use most of a can and leave the extra for my weird kids that will eat plain beans in their lunches.
How much is a serving?
About 1.5 to 2 cups. XOXO -Monti
Made this tonight. We used canned chicken and canned turkey as we’re trying to rotate our emergency pantry. You absolutely should not use brown rice (as stated, but imma rebel) haha, took FOREVER but it did turn out … eventually. I can’t leave well enough alone so, I added frozen corn, frozen spinach cubes, peas, small amount of salt and pepper, cumin and garlic powder and then close to when the rice was done, I added a whole diced onion and 4 cloves of garlic. Then covered in cheese as directed and served with curtido (Salvadoran saurkraut of sorts … it is definitely worth the effort to make this and add it as a side) We ate it with tortillas and it was amazing. I love pantry and freezer meals and I want to thank you for posting such an amazing recipe. White rice is now on the grocery list so when I make it again, I have it on hand.
So we had to substitute for what we currently have on hand such as veggie broth and using green salsa instead of red but wwoooaahhh was this delicious! Family is feeling under the weather so needed an easy meal and this was it.
Thank you for always being there with a delicious meal!
Ohhh, thanks for this note! I’m going to try it with green salsa!
We loved it, easy to make!
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I can’t rave about it enough. It’s so versatile, delicious, simple, and budget friendly!!
I’ve used both rotisserie chicken (with chicken stock) and taco-seasoned ground beef (with beef stock). I’m convinced it could be just as tasty w/out meat too! I have added some combination of mild green chiles, diced tomatoes, and frozen corn in too. I always add some garlic powder and cumin as well and I think it really brings out some tasty flavors.
I have served it in hard taco shells or with crunched up chips mixed in. Top it with sour cream, lettuce, and/or avocado and you have yourself a delicious southwest style meal!
So good. So easy. Definitely a keeper. I made exactly as per recipe, but reading some of the comments definitely gave me some ideas. I am cooking only for myself, so having something I can freeze in smaller portions is a real bonus. I had already made and frozen my chicken so won’t be doing that this go round, but definitely next time!
I know a lot of your recipes are aimed at young singles and/or busy households with hard to please kids. I’m none of those. I live in a senior community where meals that I don’t like (but still have to pay for) are provided. This leaves me cooking for myself more often than I’d like. Also, being a senior, I don’t often have the energy to whip up a meal just because I don’t like what’s being served in the dining room. I’m much happier if I can reach in the freezer and pull something out that I made on a day when I was feeling peppier. LOL
To date, I haven’t made anything from this site that I didn’t like. Thank you!!!
Needs more seasoning for my liking but otherwise quick easy and good!
Loved this!! Will hold on to this recipe forevs.
Can you use instant white rice, and if so, would you reduce the amount of chicken broth in the recipe?
Using instant rice would probably require a different cook time and a different amount of liquid, but I would need to test it with that type of rice before offering specific suggestions.
Just made it, absolutely delicious! I can’t believe how easy it is.
Hey! Have you tried this with quinoa instead of white rice? Would liquid/cook time be the same?? Thanks!!
I haven’t tried that, unfortunately. You probably would want to adjust the liquid and cook time to match the cooking requirements of the quinoa. :)
Made this tonight with sausage and green pepper added. It is great to throw some in a tortilla, with chips, or by itself. Great meal for a college student who only tries to cook two or three times a week.
This looks great, and I can’t wait to try it. How good would this be for meal prep? Would it re-heat well?
Yes, this one is awesome as leftovers/meal prep! :)
Hi, I’d like to make this but I can’t get mexican salsa in supermarkets here, could I sub it with some tomato passata/tomato sauce and add some soffritto? Or is the passata too dense..? Eventually a mix of passata and broth..? Help pls
Hmm, honestly I can’t estimate how well passata would work without actually testing it. It’s a little too different from the original ingredients to guess. If you have canned diced tomatoes something like that might work better than passata.
Thanks, I’ll give them a try
Pretty awesome! I was skeptical to try because my latin side taste buds, we are used to using alot more seasoning (adobo, achiote) but my husband and I were satisfied and i had to substitute the chili powder for taco seasoning powder since I didn’t have any, but it worked just as great the flavor all combined. I also threw in cilantro and corn and a splash of lemon juice. Even my son enjoyed it!
Delicious and easy to follow recipe. Loved It.
Great recipe! I forgot to grab chicken but I used some leftover spicy Italian sausage and it came out amazing. I browned the sausage before adding the other ingredients, and used about half as much chili powder since it was already spicy. This has become my favorite meal!
We only eat brown rice in my house and I just throw it in precooked! It’s works well and I love this dish!
This is a mainstay in our house and usually makes it on the meal plan once or twice a month. I add in chopped bell pepper and frozen corn just to get more veggies in. Super quick and easy and good for lunch the next day.
I’ve made this many times using whatever I have. Usually I like spicy chicken sausage ( the kind you sqeeze out of the casing,) but tonight I cut up raw chcken thighs in 1 tbl of olive oil. Then, I followed the directions. I haven’t eaten, yet, but I peeked and it looks good!
We like this so much it’s on our regular dinner rotation. I sub in an equal amount of cajun seasoning (usually spice house or penzey’s) to save time. Thank you so much for this recipe!
You don’t even need the pre-cooked chicken for this! I tend to chop up a chicken breast for this, and it cooks at the same time as the rice. Comes out properly cooked each time.
This is a great recipe and very versatile. Thanks for posting this comment. We made this tonight with raw chicken breast cut up in about 1 inch chunks and it came out great.
Great tip! I’m gonna try this – thank you!
This was a fantastic way to use up leftover turkey after 3 days of standard Thanksgiving leftovers! I wanted more veg so sauted some diced onions and bell peppers for a few minutes before adding the chili powder and then everything else. I also used short-grained rice since were almost out of long-grain and have a lot of short-grain from an accidental overstock. It turned out great and the chewiness of the short-grain rice was really nice!
This has quickly become a go-to for me! I like things a little spicier, so I added some smoked paprika and cayenne pepper and it came out great! I topped it with avocado and sour cream as well. 10/10 would recommend using the Raleys brand salsa for this, it’s chunky and flavorful. Thanks for another slam dunk, Beth! 🥰
So good! I didn’t have any chicken so I used double the beans. I also used half and half of Chile powder and southwestern seasoning. It turned out great even with the substitutions!
How long does this meal last in the freezer?
This meal should last up to six months in the freezer if stored properly.
I added some corn and broke up some tortilla chips at the end with the shredded cheese topped it with sour cream and it was great! Not to mention it was so quick and easy, definitely a new favorite recipe for me. Thanks!
Delish! Made this tonight, so good!
I saw that note about brown rice. That’s all I use. Reading the recipe, I was not able to see how to do the recipe using brown rice. Might you have any thoughts? The recipe looks good but I won’t eat white rice.
I’m making it now and am at 45 minutes and it still isn’t soft. I keep adding liquid as it’s getting low
I don’t understand why you are rating the recipe with two stars. She clearly said that you couldn’t use brown rice.
You just have to find and make a different recipe, I think! It’s not fair to find random recipes online and criticize them because you don’t happen to like the ingredients. I would look for something that specifically calls for brown rice.
So good! And simple! I love making a huge dinner on Sunday for leftovers- so I added an onion, red pepper, and some frozen corn to bulk this up! Topped with sour cream, tortilla chips, and cilantro. I think this will be a new go to!
This is so delicious and easy! Thank you for sharing!
We loved this one! Very filling. If it were just me, I’d get 5-6 servings. With my husband more like 4. In case it’s helpful to anyone else, I’ll include our version of the ingredients. We used better than bullion roasted chicken base, white basmati rice, 5 oz shredded rotisserie chicken ( no skin), and cheap giant jug style medium pace salsa. So good! Going in our rotation! I only have a 9 inch nonstick frying pan that’s 2 inches deep and it all fit great. Took the exact amount of time per the recipe and the rice was kind of brown and crispy on the bottom, which we liked. We topped with sour cream and crumbled (stale lol) tortilla chips and chives (didn’t have green onions but chives grow in our garden). Would recommend.
This recipe is amazing . Great weeknight dinner just chuck everything in one pan . And cook !
Can you make this in a pot as long as it has a lid? Worried my skillet isn’t big enough for everything.
Yes should be okay!
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious. I used canned chicken since the store was out of all poultry yesterday… We have a bean hater, so I added them at the end after setting some bean-less aside… Also added a can of sweet corn.
I did have one problem though, the rice took WAY longer to cook and I kept having to add some water to let it cook longer. Anyone have any advice there? I just used Mahatma long-grain white rice… Maybe instant rice next time?
While I love this site, pretty much everything the author makes with rice you have to double the liquids for. I typically add a 15 oz can of chicken broth and then a similar amount of water. It’s usually perfect at the end of the cooking time – if you have a little extra liquid at the end, you can let it simmer with the lid off for a couple minutes and it’s perfect!
Made this recipe today and it’s so so delicious, especially with some sour cream on the side!!
I have enjoyed every recipe I’ve made from this site, and this is no exception! I bought a 3 pound container of ground turkey, was looking for different recipes to meal prep with it, and this was the perfect recipe to use 0.5 pounds of the ground turkey. I also used 1 lb to make a double batch of your beef (turkey for me) and cabbage stir fry, which was also easy and delicious. Thank you!
Could you use canned chicken in this??
Yes most definitely!
This made for a simple, hearty meal! Thanks!
If I don’t have salsa on hand, do you think I could use Rotel?
Yes that can work in a pinch.
Looks great! This might be a silly question but can this be made in a regular frying pan/sauté pan instead of a skillet? As long as there’s a lid? Thanks!
Yes as long as there is a lid you should be fine, however the bottom may cook a little hotter so you’ll have to stir a few times to make sure it cooks evenly.
Super easy, hearty, and tasty. Served with guacamole and salsa on the side.
Just made this, and I can say with confidence that it’ll be added to the regular rotation for dinner. So good and so simple! We topped with sour cream, avocado, and tortilla strips to serve. Highly recommend!
Wahoo! Happy to hear we made the cut Breanna.
Any thoughts on making this in bulk and freezing for reheating at a later date? We love this recipe. Considering making it for a freezer meal exchange
But not sure how it would come out
Yes, it can be frozen, even in individual servings. I find that it freezes really well with no noticeable texture changes. :)
I just made your Sweet Potato Chorizo Skillet(a family favorite, BTW) last night, which is remarkably similar to this recipe. I will probably just substitute cooked left-over rotisserie chicken for the Chorizo!
Oh yes! That’s a great one and good swap too!
This recipe is really easy and super delicious! Instead of using a rotisserie chicken, I just cooked cubed chicken thighs. I also used this in a dutch oven and it worked perfectly. I substituted brown rice instead of white (as it was the only rice I had), and it just takes a bit longer. The end result is exactly the same! Delicious recipe, and I will be sharing and making this one again.
Great swaps with what you had on hand Jonathan! Thank you for sharing.
Made this til the other day to go with a slow cooker Mexican pulled pork so I left out the chicken. This was a great side to the dish and perfect for burrito filling with the leftovers.
Yum! Thanks Rae!
Really tasty! I added sautéed onions and garlic as well as a yellow pepper and corn and the flavor was delicious! Only reason I took off a star is because from following the recipe, it is too much broth for the rice. It’s very mushy. Next time I will decrease they amount of broth and hopefully it will be perfect!
Happy to hear it Stephanie!
Can this be made in an Instant Pot? How
Unfortunately I haven’t tried anything like this in an Instant Pot, so I can’t advise.
I included a chopped green pepper and a can of corn, always adding more veggies, and this was really good. Will feed two of us for 2-3 days, which is always nice.
Yum!!
Can dishes like this be stored and reheated, I worry when it comes to reheating chicken?
Yes most definitely!
Recipe was hearty. Although I thought it was quite bland. I used half store bought salsa and half home made, blended right before. I will be making again but adding a few tweaks
Could I add frozen corn to this (like in the slow cooker taco chicken?). If so, at what stage should add it?
This was great! Next time I will make it with chilli beans and add black olives.
Silly question. Is it 1 and 3/4 cups of broth? Thanks
Yes 1 and 3/4 cups together.
I don’t have a large skillet. Could this be done in a pot and still work ok if it has a lid? I worry about it not fitting and cooking evenly in the pan I have.
Oh yes that would be just fine. Enjoy Priya!
Ho-ly-cow. I doubled the recipe because I had 550g of chicken strips I bought 30% off. For a delicious heat I used half chili powder and half Chipotle chili powder. I forgot that I was doubling the recipe, and only bought one can of black beans, but luckily I had a can of chickpeas on hand. It was an amazing addition. Topped with sour cream and green onions that I resprouted from store bought onions, I felt very frugal! It tasted amazing, and I can’t wait to have leftovers!
This was so delicious and so easy! We will def be making this again! The filling would be also be delicious wrapped in a tortilla! Thanks Beth! Love your site
I absolutely love this recipe. I’ve been making it for months and often have to make double batches because my boyfriend eats it like the zombie apocalypse has started and he doesn’t know when his next meal is. I throw in a can of corn for just a little punch of sweet and he (who hates vegetables) insists they’re included now.
Thank you! I love your site and recipes and so does my wallet!
It was absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe but I used less chilli because I felt nervous about my kids (4 & 6 y/o). They actually repeat ;) . I served with avocado and nachos. I was a super hit! thank you :)
Wow this recipe is a keeper!!! it came together in minutes and was a fantastic dish. I didn’t have any white rice but I had elbow pasta elbow macaroni pasta and it was outstanding
Made this tonite and it was delicious. Followed recipe exactly and in 30 mins we were enjoying a hearty meal. Thank you for your easy to follow yummy recipes ! Love this account!
Do you think this would work with quinoa in place of the rice?
That would probably work, although you may need to adjust the broth ratios to match what is needed to cook quinoa.
What kind of salsa do you use?
I just buy generic at whatever store I’m at. :P
I love this recipe. I’ve been making it for years and it’s a fav for myself and hubby.
OMG!! This was delicious. I didn’t use the black beans due to dislike and added sour cream on top. I didn’t have regular rice that wasn’t in cook-in bags, so I used basmati smoked rice (fingers crossed). The smokiness came through and this meal was devoured in 3 servings!! Thanks for the recipe.
Love this! We always have leftover salsa that we don’t know what to do with, this is a perfect way to throw together a lazy Monday meal!
Is it okay to cook the rice separate and then add it into the skillet after it is done? I don’t have a deep skillet and am concerned about it spilling over the edges.
The only problem you’ll run into there is that the rice will not absorb all of the flavors that are in the rest of the ingredients, the way it does when it’s all cooked together. That being said, it will still probably be pretty good. Just make sure you’re cooking the rice in the broth listed in the ingredient list instead of adding the broth to the pan with the other ingredients.
We throw this into a tortilla with sour cream and it makes delicious burritos! Excellent as leftovers too!
Does this freeze well please? I always freeze leftover rice, but I’m not sure about the salsa. Thanks!
Yes, this one freezes great!
So delicious! I wish this was on the app so I could save it so I can make it agai ! I love it!
I used lactose free cheese and was still amazing!
This one is supposed to be on the app (it was previously, not sure why it disappeared). I will message the app developers right now to make sure it gets added again. :)
This recipe is amazing! I sauteed 2 cloves of garlic and some diced onion in oil before adding all the ingredients with some thinly sliced red bell pepper and minced cilantro that was starting to go limp in the fridge. It came together really quickly and easily and was amazing. I started making it at 9pm on a Saturday night because–well, grad school. Can’t wait to have it for lunch today!
Hi Beth! Unfortunately the rice was too hard after I tried this recipe :( I think it might be because I didn’t turn the heat up enough when simmering? I thought it was simmering enough but maybe I should overcompensate since my skillet is pretty big for my burner. What do you think?
Yes, I would try turning the heat up just a smidge, and make sure you’re using a thick and heavy skillet. If the walls are too thin they won’t transmit the heat evenly and you’ll have cold spots around the edges where the rice won’t be simmering as well, and might not cook through.
One of my go to meals. Quick, easy, and full of flavor.
One question though. Could I sub out the rice for quinoa?
Yes, I’m sure that would work, but you may need to adjust the liquid amount since quinoa probably doesn’t require the same amount of liquid to cook as rice. :)
Hi! This looks delicious! I’m going to try this, but use cauliflower rice instead of rice. I suppose the cooking time is for the rice to absorb the liquid? So, should I reduce cooking time and amount of liquid?
Yes, the cooking time is to cook the rice. Unfortunately using cauli rice will change this recipe a lot and I wouldn’t be able to guess the best method without testing it. In addition to the different cooking time, cauliflower releases water as it cooks rather than absorbing liquid like regular rice, so that would drastically change the outcome. If you reduce the broth, you’ll also be reducing the flavor.
Hi Beth! This looks soooo good! Could you sub “caulirice” in this easily?
No, unfortunately riced cauliflower releases moisture when its cooked whereas regular rice absorbs moisture when it is cooked, so it would definitely not turn out the same. :(
This was AMAZING! My hubs doesn’t like the texture of beans or the chunks in salsa, so I puréed them both with an immersion blender before adding to the skillet. The finished product didn’t look as pretty as yours, but the flavors were on point. Even my kiddos enjoyed it!
We made this with leftover thanksgiving turkey and it was great as a way to use turkey when we were sick of usual thanksgiving flavors. I left out the chili powder due to my spice-averse 3 yo and it was still tasty!
My family loved this dish and it was super easy to make. Almost like fast food! My only challenge is that I live in southeast Asia and it is impossible to find the kind of chili powder here that you use for this recipe. I have to ask my American friends to bring it with them when they visit me. I wish I knew how to use local seasonings to get the same flavor! There are many wonderful spices here, but none have the southwestern/Mexican flavor.
I cooked this in the instant pot with brown rice (reduced chicken broth down to 1.25 cups) for 22 minutes. It was sooooo good. Simple, flavorful, and filling…and about 1/6 the cost of chipotle.
Hi, Beth! I have a question about shredded chicken. It seems like a very versatile ingredient, but I’m apprehensive about buying rotisserie chickens (just unfamiliar with how to pick one and how to prepare it). Do you have any advice about making my own shredded chicken from frozen breasts or thighs? It seems like a great thing to keep in the freezer. I just don’t know where to start! Thanks!!!
I have an old tutorial, but I want to redo it, so in the mean time, check out this tutorial by my fellow blogger, Erin. It’s a great step by step guide!
I just made this and it turned out great! Thank you! Does it freeze well? I’d like to take the leftovers to work on monday..
This one does freeze pretty good. :)
how do you suggest reheating this one best?
Hi Catherine! You could just reheat slowly in the microwave in 1-2 minute increments.
This recipe is FIRE! Awesome, thanks for sharing. I added a can of refried beans and it made the texture so creamy and delicious!
Why does the “Salsa Chicken Casserole” recipe take me here when I click it?
The other recipe has been removed from the site, but we can email the pdf of the recipe for you to keep if you wish. Just email us at support@budgetbytes.com.
I had pinned your recipe for Salsa Chicken Casserole, but now that pin is bringing me here. The picture of Salsa Chicken Casserole shows up at the bottom of the post as a related recipe, but when I click on it, it brings me back here. Did you remove that recipe? If not, where can I find it? Thanks!
You should be able to access it now. :) Sorry about the trouble.
Can I make this vegetarian?
Yep, you can leave out the chicken and use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth, or do what I usually do and just serve a bowl of rice with the black beans, salsa, and cheese on top. It’s a lot faster and easier, and just as good! :)
This recipe is so simple yet so delicious. It’s a perfect weeknight meal.
So easy and delicious. First time I made it, I made the mistake of buying medium salsa AND adding all that chile powder… That was a hot one haha
I make the same recipe but stir in about 1/3-1/2 cup sour cream before serving. Also, pintos can be substituted for black beans in a pinch. Really good.
Would this cook well in an instant pot?
That would probably work. I’d probably try using the rice function.
Pretty yummy stuff!! I used ancho chili powder for more of a kick. I also added green chilies and corn and then bought flour tortillas to make this skillet into wraps. I am a fan!!
This was super simple to make. It also was a hit.
Hi Beth,
You mentioned using a large skillet. Would a 28cm one suffice or would I have to alter the recipe portions?
Yes, that is similar in size to the skillet I used. :) Just make sure it’s a couple inches deep. If it’s particularly shallow, that can reduce the capacity as well.
This is absolutely scrumptious! I knew even before trying the recipe that I’d love it — I, too, love any beans-and-rice combo — but the finished product was much more than the sum of its parts. My 12-year-old daughter made it for the family a few days ago, and we demolished it. I was so sad not to have leftovers (I didn’t even get seconds!) that I decided I’d make it again tonight, and make a double batch!
Made this tonight after getting the quick and easy weeknight dinners email. WOW this is better than the fast casual burrito places! I had leftover rice so it only took 5 minutes to assemble. A dollop of sour cream made this super decadent!
I love getting the emails with recipes emphasizing different aspects of them. I sometimes miss a good recipe the first time around. Sometimes I need to see it 5 times before it sinks in that I’d love it!
So glad the email was helpful!! That’s exactly what I was hoping to achieve. :) Thank you for the feedback!
Do you have the recipe for the steak bowls Taco bell used to offer?
Unfortunately I’ve never had those! :(
Wow so good! Even my 7years old love it… And she hated beans I had precooked chicken that i did not know what to do with it
Has anyone froze this? I was thinking of making it ahead and freezing some as I will be having surgery next month & wanted to put away some meals in the freezer.
My best description for this would be Mexican jambalaya! But much quicker and easier than jambalaya. I think it has a lot of potential for sneaking in veggies and using different proteins and spices. I added a roasted poblano pepper and a dried arbol chili. Snuck in a couple carrots, too. And I used Monterey jack cheese… May be even better with a sharper cheese.
How would you adapt this recipe for the instant pot?
Since the only ingredient that isn’t cooked is the rice, I think you could use the rice function on the IP and get a similar result. Keep in mind this is only a guess and I haven’t actually tested it.
James I cooking mine tonight in my electric pressure cooker. I soaked the rice for a few minutes while getting everything else ready – then cooked everything as directed on high for 5 minutes, quick release. Worked perfectly and was about TEN MINUTES TOTAL. Amazing!
I tried the same thing as the other commenter, Sophie, and this did not work in the instant pot. I even added more liquid, but got a scorched rice bottom. Perhaps if you play around with it, it may work, but not as the recipe is written.
That’s weird Megan. I just made it again and it worked perfectly. Did you soak the rice first? I soaked it, then drained and just dumped all the ingredients in, stirred, and cooked. I use a Breville pressure cooker.
A rare recie that everyone in the family loves. It will be added to our go to recies.
Apparently my P is sticking hahaha. That is suppose to be recipes both times :)
I very much appreciate these one pot recipes as I’m getting ready for an extended camping trip and these seem like great options for healthier meals for which I can also plan ahead in regards to supplies. Quick question, would you recommend a 10″ or 12″ skillet for these? Thank you!
Delicious! Quick, inexpensive meal when I was already “cooked out” for the day. I did add a can of drained and rinsed corn at the end. I felt we needed a little bit of veg and it added a nice crunch.
This was the first recipe I tried from this website. If all the recipes on here are this tasty it’s going to be my new go to for new recipes and ideas. I sauteed celery and sweet red pepper in the pan before adding all the other ingredients. I also did half the chili powder because I was concerned it might be too hot. Well it wasn’t too hot so I know I’ll do the 1 tablespoon next time. Other than that it was very tasty, easy and fast. I will be making it again.
Super easy and delicious!! Very flavorful! It is even great with some tortilla chips! This is totally in the rotation!
Delicious. Everyone in the family liked it. I made a taco salad and the others made burritos. I added 1/2 of a can of corn as someone had suggested. When we made our meals we added sour cream. The recipe produces more than 4-6 servings.
This recipe is amazing! The only thing I changed was swapped out the chicken broth for water and 2 bouillon cubes. I didn’t use any cheese, but it was still so yummy. Even the kids ate it and they hate beans. :)
I really liked how simple this was, yet it has plenty of flavor! My only issue was that my rice burned on the bottom. I was able to save some of it, but I guess I had it on too high. I will definitely try this again.
You saved this broke grad student’s life! Thank you for this delicious recipe. Filling enough for an entire apartment.
Great recipe! I add a teaspoon of cumin and garlic powder, also a can of corn (drained). It says 4-6 servings but it’s so filling it could honestly serve up to 8!
Loved it. Only I added oregano, garlic and onions to it. And i wanted brown rice and didnt want to “fiddle around” with it too much. So I added all the ingredients into the rice cooker and let that cook everything for me. Worked perfect and I didn’t have to worry if the rice was done or if I added too much liquid this way. Everyone was impressed.
Just made this tonight for the family….and NO complaints for my tweenaged children! I served it with a Mexican salad on the side, and we all enjoyed it!
I made this using a whole rotisserie chicken I bought from Walmart for$2.50, and added a little can of corn. Plenty for all five us and we loved it! Thanks!
We REALLY liked this one! It’s a keeper! :)
I made my chicken in a crock pot with onions , jalepeno ,peppers, vegetable broth garlic cloves and chili poeder.After shredding the chicken I put it in the pan with the salsa vegetable broth and beans . I had precooked frozen rice from Trader Joe’s so I warmed it it in the microwave and added it to the pan and warmed everything. so easy my family loves this recipe, Thank you for sharing
Do you think this could be made in a rice cooker?
Probably!
Yes it can. I just did it tonight, and I didn’t have to worry about adding too much liquid or not for my brown rice.
Made this for dinner, it was pretty good. I did boil and shredded the chicken , used the chicken broth. I did add corn, topped with shredded cheddar cheese and garnished with a little sour cream. This was pretty much an enchilada dinner minus the tortilla and so simple. Will definitely make again.
Thank you
Syl
I was worried there wouldn’t be enough rice after seeing what it looked like after 10 minutes so I doubled the rice. It was a bad idea; I had to add another cup of salsa and more chili powder for all the bulking that caused.
Definitely follow the recipe; it’s good!
I love this recipe and have been making it for years. My preferred method is to throw everything into a crock pot. I use raw chicken and throw in some frozen corn as well. I also wait to add the beans right before serving otherwise they get a little mushy. 8 hours on low and the chicken should easily shred. Really simple and always delicious. You can spice it up with some lime juice or throw in a chopped Chipotle pepper if you’re looking for an added twist. But those are just my suggestions, recipe is also perfect the way Beth wrote it.
You add the rice in the beginning as well?
Looks and sounds delicious! Can I make this in a cast iron skillet?
Cool, super, j’aime ça !!
I love this recipe and would like cook it for a large group of around 30 people. Any issue with doubling everything up and using a deeper pot instead of a skillet? Thanks!
I’m really not sure how well it will work in a larger quantity. There might be issues with even transfer of heat in a differently shaped vessel.
We love love love this dish! Since making it for the first time we have made it almost every week. So easy and so tasty!
All of my pans are too thin at the bottom for this recipe :( does anyone know if it will work in a slow cooker?
Also black beans are difficult to find where I come from, would kidney beans be an okay substitute?
I think the Slow Cooker Taco Chicken Bowls on this site are quite similar! :)
Monterey does not have two Rs. Just FYI.
This was so good and quick to make! Definitely a keeper. I used brown rice instead of white rice, simply doubled the amount of liquid and cooked longer, about 45 minutes. I didn’t have any precooked shredded chicken on hand so I boiled a chicken breast until cooked through, then shredded it to be used with this recipe. Thank you!!
Same with substituting 1 cup of brown rice for 1 cup of white rice. I upped the broth to 2 cups and simmered for 45 minutes, let stand for 10 minutes. I have a vegetarian in the house so I used veggie better than bouillon and cooked the chicken on the side. (Tip for easy peasy shredded chicken on the side: Instant Pot chicken breast for 5 minutes in 1.5 cups cold water w chili powder, cumin, oregano; 10 minutes natural release. Then throw cooked breasts in your KitchenAid w paddle attachment. Turn to “stir;” chicken meat will shred right up in a minute.)
Wow, what awewsome and easy meal. This will be added to our recipe rotation!
So easy to make in a short period of time! Love it.
The first time I made this, I wound up with a few burnt tough bits on the bottom – I think I’ll add a little more broth and cook on a slightly lower temp next time to keep it nice and moist. Delicious other than my cooking fail :)
Excellent! I didn’t have any salsa, so I tweaked with Rotel added about 1/2 -1 tsp adobo sauce, 2 T cilantro and 2 tsp homemade taco seasoning. I also dumped in roughly 1 cup cooked corn (from leftovers i wanted to use up….I cold also have used those to make corn fritters to go wit this. They wold be more work, but…yum.)
The skillet recipes on this site have truly created a great learning space for me to jump off from. Thank you for sharing them!
Omgoodness, I added about 1/2 tsp “mango habenero” sauce from buffalo wild wings to my serving, (my dh doesn’t like that I heat up everything so I have learned to add heat to my own dishes vs the whole meal) added just enough zing and a tad of tang….even more delish! This is going into the rotation!!!!
Love this recipe! I’ve made it so many times.
I’m a vegetarian so left out the chicken and bumped the rice up to 2 cups. I also added a tsp. of ground cumin and some chopped yellow onion for extra flavor. I was surprised that it was ready in about 15 minutes (I guess I had the heat up too high?) but the rice was cooked and the flavors great. So easy and delicious! Thanks!
For a broke grad student with no extra time for extravagant meals, this was perfect. Thank you so much! (I also squeezed a tinyyyy bit of lime juice on the top when I was done and it was really good).
So perfect
Made this tonight for my roommates and they all loved it! There’s only a little left for my lunch tomorrow and I made a double batch! It was wonderful!
Taking the ovwvriee, this post is first class
This is a delicious recipe. It’s so simple to prepare that it reminds me of a more delicious and healthier version of a box of chicken helper.
Yum! This is delicious. And fast. It gave me a good excuse to use up a chicken a roasted a few days ago. I used brown rice in mine. I parboiled the brown rice for about 20 minutes, then proceeded with the recipe as written. It worked great. The rice was fluffy and cooked thoroughly.
I agree with other’s opinions on the salsa. I used mild (what I had on hand) and it does make the dish a little bland. I’ll experiment with another type of salsa and probably throw in a hot pepper next time; I added some cayenne, as I do with most southwest dishes, but it didn’t add much heat. Still tasty, though!
Thanks! Worked great for 5 days of lunch. Cheap easy meal prep.
Hi Beth! I’m sure you’ve been asked this before but is this freezer friendly? I want to portion out and freeze but not sure how it would hold up with the cheese an everything.
Yep, this one works great in the freezer. Cheese, surprisingly, freezes really well. You can even freeze extra block or shredded cheese. :)
Thank you for always replying, your blog is the best! I plan my meals throughout the week with your recipes ;)
I made this and included a can of hominy, almost makes it taste like it’s in a corn tortilla.
This recipe is so good.
had this for dinner tonight and i wish i had taken you more seriously when you said you wished for ten more bowls. all i can say is next time i make this, i will have to double it. the only change i made was to use beans i made myself in my crockpot.
So I took a crack at making this with brown rice, and since I was currently out of beans (I make all mine from dry and store them in ziplock in the freezer) I used green lentils. Doubled the liquid. So so so so so good. Took a little bit longer, but not bad. I’ve made this twice for my night shifts now, as the big dose of complex carbs and protein (and general tastiness) keeps my stomach full without sending me into a carb coma the way white rice does. Super excellent!
I’m currently a college student at Texas A&M with little spending money due to the fact that I pay all of my own bills. This recipe has been a LIFE SAVER! I’ve made it 3 times in the past 4 weeks and I’m about to make it again! It’s so easy and delicious and my best friend and her roommate have asked for the recipe. Thank you so much for everything you do!
Hands down one of my favorite dishes – it’s so easy and delicious. I usually squeeze a bit of lime over the cheese and serve on tortillas or as it is!
Love this recipe… I use it and tweak it all the time
Most recent version also included red onion, cooked down ahead of time, a few cloves of garlic and a can of corn. So good!! I Tupperware it without cheese, then add the cheese when I reheat leftovers.
For reasons I won’t go into, I needed a dinner recipe that I could make without having to pay much attention to it, and with ingredients I already had. It needed to meet those criteria, but also be satisfying for my hardworking and active husband, and my picky little homeschooler. I used canned chicken (like you’d use for chicken salad sandwiches or something), but everything else was as listed in the recipe. At the end, I warmed up some flour tortillas we had left over from our last Taco Tuesday to serve on the side.
This recipe was easy to follow, big on taste, and small on cost–ALL things that I LOVE. We were all very happy with the flavor of this meal. Cleanup was a snap, since everything is just done in the one skillet. I would make this again (and probably will).
This is my second of your recipes to try, and you are now 2 for 2….in YUM! I had some leftover green chile pork I made in the crock pot when I came across this recipe. I had just a little over a cup left, so I figured I would sub it out for the cooked chicken in this recipe. I kept all of the seasonings, used one can of chicken broth (it’s almost 1 3/4 cup of broth), and made up the last little bit of liquid with water.
I cooked this exactly as written and it was perfect. Having a good heavy bottom pan will make a difference between burning this or cooking it evenly. After it was cooked, I fluffed it with a fork and the put all the toppings on the side: shredded cheese, sour cream, diced avocado, black olives, and pickled jalapenos. Hubby had 2 big bowls and said he bet this would make some good nachos! However, I don’t think I will get the chance out of this batch, since we both took some leftovers today for our lunch.
This is a definite keeper! I might try it next time with ground turkey for kind of a Mexican version of dirty rice!!!
Just tried this tonight, it was absolutely amazing! Finished it off with some Cholula sauce too, amazing!
I haven’t even finished this and had to write a review! This is beyond delicious and easy. The only issue was I had to add another cup of chicken stock cause all my liquid was gone after 10 mins. This is definitely on my rotation now.
Followed recipe to a ‘T’ and still ended up with a layer of burnt black rice at the bottom and dry chicken. Not a fan. Will stick to the recipe for Taco Chicken Bowls.
Would this recipe work with short grain rice and just using plain water instead of chicken broth?
Short grain rice may require a different rice/liquid ratio and it will definitely have a different end texture, since short grain rice is much more sticky.
I NEVER comment on things like this, but I had to after making this for dinner tonight. It’s incredible, like the inside of the best burrito you’ve ever tasted! I could easily have eaten half the amount it made.. but on the upside, I know what I’m having for the next 3 nights now!
Cheers for a great recipe :)
Is there a reason (other than the fact that the meat needs to be shredded) that I can’t use fresh chicken? It seems that the recipe’s cook time is long enough to cook chicken, but probably won’t be shreddable…
Thoughts?
You definitely can. I’d sauté it in the skillet before adding the rest of the ingredients, just to make sure it’s cooked through. And I think I’d cut it into small pieces. :)
Hi Beth,
Love this recipe and have made it multiple times. I was just wondering if it can be doubled? Would the timing remain the same?
Hmm, it’s hard to say. It should stay relatively the same, but it may depend on the size and shape of the skillet that you use and how well it distributes the heat.
Wow, this was great! I cut up 12 oz of chicken breasts into bite sized pieces and sauteed it with cumin and chili powder before introducing the rest of the ingredients. As a commenter mentioned, I served it in flour tortillas. O.M.G. Delicious.
Yes, this was very good. I did saute some onions and garlic.
The recipe came out great and was a hit with the family.
Thanks! Great, easy dinner. I added corn I had on hand which was good, too.
We added Spanish sweet corn as well, magnificent!
This was so good and easy after a long day at work. I used my own chicken broth but did forget to add salt to compensate for better-than-bouillon. I usually add 1/2 t. salt per cup. One I added the salt, the flavors really shined. The dish surprises with flavor from such simple ingredients. I’d like it a little soupier, so I thought I might try half a cup of rice next time.
Oh my word. So simple and easy. I had to chang mine around a little to the ingredients I had on hand,but i will definitely be making this again. Great recipe.
This is so tasty inside a tortilla.
I didn’t have a lid to my large skillet. I’m a college student. Instead, I cooked the rice on less liquid (mostly chicken stock) in a rice cooker and added it to the ingredients in the skillet. I had the skillet going with all the ingredients while the rice cooker was working. Everything came together nicely this way.
Also, green chiles are a great addition to this recipe.
I have chicken breast in the freezer, I know what I will be making this week with them :D Looks Delish!
This sounds delicious! Can you sub uncooked quinoa instead of rice?
I have seen similar recipes made with quinoa, although the liquid to quinoa ratio may be different than it is for rice.
OMG this came out AMAZING!!! will be making again and again
Hi there! Absolutely love your work.
When you say 1 cup of salsa, what exactly do you mean? Im aussie so not particularly clued in haha.
Cheers
In the U.S. salsa is a slightly cooked mixture of tomato, onion, jalapeńo (usually), and other southwest spices. Salsa can be “fresh” (uncooked), but the type I used for this recipe is store bought salsa from a jar, which is usually cooked and a bit more saucy. I hope that helps!
Holy moly this is amazing! I didn’t have any cheese at hand but had all of the other ingredients! Fantastic and super easy! Thanks for sharing!
Our under 10 (years old) crowd loved this, thank you!
Made this last night! I didn’t have precooked chicken, so I used 3 bone-in chicken thighs. I browned the thighs really well on both sides in the skillet, then took them out and poured off most of the fat, then added the rest of the ingredients. Once everything was nicely distributed I nestled the chicken back in the pan and let everything simmer. After 30 mins I pulled the chicken out, shredded it with two forks, then added it back to the pan and fluffed/stirred the rice. I think I will do it this way in the future, even though it’s a bit more work, because chicken thighs don’t overcook and you get the added flavor from cooking the chicken and rice at the same time. And really, it didn’t actually take much longer since I prepped the other ingredients while the chicken browned. Every other part of this recipe was so easy, and it made a ton of food. I can’t wait to eat my leftovers for lunch!
I tried making this tonight, and my rice was all burnt at the bottom of the pan while there was still stock at the top. I had it on the lowest heat possible so that it was just about simmering.
How could I prevent this from happening next time?
It sounds like you may have a very thin pot or one that doesn’t conduct heat well? Or maybe your particular stove just doesn’t go down very low. :(
I really enjoyed this recipe! It was easy to make, delicious, filling and gluten free! I think you could substitute things in the recipe pretty easily as well as far as using different types of beans, meat or tofu or other meat substitute. Delicious with Crystal hot sauce on it! Thanks Beth. :)
I have all these ingredients and cooked brown rice that I would like to get rid of. Any suggestions on how to alter this recipe with cooked rice?
Oh, yes, that would be so much easier. I would just mix the ingredients (minus the broth) and heat them over medium or medium-low until heated through. The end! :) The only difference is that using uncooked rice you’ll have a bit more flavor because the broth, salsa, and chili powder kind of cooks into the rice and flavors it.
So I’ve made this a few times more or less as the recipe calls for, and it’s amazing, simple, quick–everything I want in a mid-week recipe.
Last night, though, I had no pre-made shredded chicken and that sounded like a lot of work (it was a lazy night…) so I used shredded beef. For shiggles I put in beef broth rather than chicken broth. The only salsa I had was less-spicy-more-fruity.
The beef flavor overtook the salsa for the most part, so rather than the spicy flavors I’ve gotten from making the recipe as-written, I got something that was much more hearty (beefy, if you will) with undertones of sweet and spice. Definitely just as delicious, though!
Yum. I added 1/2 chopped yellow onion. Added Sour cream then sprinkled chopped green onion on top of individual serving. My 17 yr. old went back for 2nds.
So good! I added some frozen corn to bulk it up a little bit more and nixed the cheese. Ate leftovers in a quesadilla with some monterrey jack, and it was even better the next day!
I made this for dinner tonight! I added some frozen sweet corn after reading some earlier suggestions, and considering both my husband and I are vegetarians, I subbed your normal chicken for some Quorn brand “chick’n cutlets” and it was amazing! I love all of your recipes that I’ve tried (and I’ve tried a lot of them) and have used Quorn in several with fantastic results every single time.
This says to use chili powder but not the red chili powder only the kind used to spice chili. Can you please be more specific? I have red chili powder but I have no clue what spices make up the powder used to spice chili??? Can you please help?! Thanks
Here’s a link to the product. It’s a common spice sold in the U.S., but I have a lot of readers from over seas, so I always put that note in there. :) I’ll add the link to the recipe, too.
Hi Beth! First comment on your website after trying a few of your great recipes. Keep up the awesome work!
Question: If I’m buying raw chicken breasts, how many should I get to fill the 2 cups after cooking and shredding?
Well, it really depends on the size of the chicken breast. For me it’s usually about 1 to 1.5 breasts.
Such a tasty and FAST recipe! Only changes were to add extra broth (because my stove is touchy and tried scorching my rice before it was done), and I added sliced black olives when I added the green onions. It was done fast and so good, I actually ate TWO plates. lol Will be experimenting with other flavors as this has actually jambalaya style feel to me… :)
awesome recipe!
I used diced tomatoes with chilies instead of salsa and avocados instead of green onions. Wow, this is an EASY tasty dish. I have your book, thanks for everything you do Beth!
I made my own pulled chicken (I had some boneless skinless breasts in the freezer) with half a packet of taco seasoning, then added the rest of the packet to the skillet. I also swapped the black beans for pinto beans, and as a result the dish was not as pretty as the original. But it was delicious!! And the recipe made a TON of food. I will definitely make this again.
Hmm, my dad can’t eat beans do to them not agreeing with his health, so I wonder if I can take those out and sub in, say, celery and carrots?
I’m not sure if celery and carrots would fit the southwest theme, but if you like them, it’s worth a shot! :)
I used a can of corn, a green pepper and a red pepper instead of beans. Worked well.
I’m a pretty bad cook but I made this super easily and I think I died and went to food heaven while I was eating it. 10/10 cooking this all the time
This recipe is AMAZING! It’s soo yummy, my boyfriend and I love it. I went with the suggestion from the other comments and used medium/hot salsa for more flavour and I also added in some corn. I didn’t have any precooked shredded chicken so I quickly cooked some, but I also added some spice to the chicken for extra flavour and it was great! So easy to make and so tasty, best recipe ever. :)
YUMMY!!! I knew by the smell of things while I was cooking that it would be good, but I had no idea it would that delicious. The only changes I made was a can of diced tomatoes with green chilies (no salsa), and added a package of taco seasoning. We will eat the leftovers in soft tortilla shells tomorrow. Super tasty! Thanks Beth!
This is so good I ate myself into a super food coma. this will be a new staple! I added Serrano pepper and leeks.
I made this last night and it turned out well! I actually ended up doing it the crock pot. I had dried black beans on hand, so I tossed those in before I went to work. I drained them when I got home, and it occurred to me that I didn’t really have to dirty a skillet, so I just tossed the chicken and salsa in the pot with them. About two hours before we planned to eat, I added the rice and stock, then tossed to cheese in right before dinner. Worked great! Solid week night meal.
OMG! The family devoured it. Another hit!
I picked up a rotisserie chicken yesterday with the impending snow storm and made this for dinner. It was delicious! This will definitely be making its way into our rotation and it would be great wrapped in a tortilla and eaten as a burrito. Thanks for another great one Beth!
Has anyone tried to make this in a cast iron skillet? Anyone try it with uncooked chicken? Love some feedback!
Very similar to mine except I use about 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts with southwest seasoning (Mrs.Dash is a great one-no salt) then when almost done I add the salsa (16 oz jar), chicken broth, black beans, rice and I also use green chilis.( Have used bell peppers, onion and corn before different ways and love both versions.)
Cover then cook till rice is done. Delicious. So this one sounds easier and quicker-which is always a plus – I just happened to like my chicken getting seasoned while I cook it-tastes awesome.
I added one teaspoon cumin, one tspn smoked paprika, one tspn salt, one tspn smoked chipotle peppers. Topped with the onions plus fresh cilantro leaves and diced tomatoes. When I make this again I’ll up the chicken stock to two cups but cook for the same amount of time.
Another awesome dish. Will make again & again.
Super quick, easy and delicious recipe! I picked up a rotisserie chicken and added a can of corn to bulk it up. I did have to stir quite a bit to prevent sticking and add more broth to the pot I used since I didn’t have a heavy-bottomed one. The results were delicious and everyone went back for more. Will make again soon!
OMG! I just made this and it is incredible! I made my own salsa (I´m from Mexico so it´s prohibited to use store bought haha no it´s not) and added a serrano pepper to give it an extra kick and it turned out AWESOME! I can´t believe this only uses one pot, I love this recipe to death. Thank you!!
My only disappointment in this came from not having a tight fitting lid for my skillet. I had to simmer the mixture for a lot longer for the rice to finally cook. Next time, I’ll just cook it separately in my rice cooker.
Overall, the flavor is pretty good. I added a bunch more spices & herbs: smoked paprika, chile powder, Mexican oregano, cumin, black pepper, salt, garlic powder. Next time I might add a couple diced serranos.
I think I screwed something up… the rice didn’t really cook properly, but overall pretty good.
I can burn water (ask if you’re curious), and I was able to make this pretty easy. However, I think I used too weak of salsa as it didn’t have much bite left after cooking, and it was brilliant with hot sauce.
How would you recommend I do to add heat to this dish next time I cook it up?
Thanks again for putting this up, as I’m both a visual learner and a numbers guy, so I was able to grok this easily!
An easy way to add heat to any dish is to add a pinch (or two) of cayenne pepper. That should take care of it. :) OR, you could slice up a jalapeno and add that in the beginning, although that might be a little more difficult to control the level of heat.
This recipe jumped out at me so I decided to have a go. Here in the UK the ingredients came to £8, *but* I have enough to make about three meals – two really big ones – so it’s still very good value. I substituted spring onions for green onions and red kidney beans for black beans.
The bit in point one about using a heavy skillet is a great piece of advice – I used a nondescript metal pot and ended up with a layer of burned rice. That’ll teach me to skimp on kitchenware.
Taste-wise it’s surprisingly mild. I wolfed it down too quickly to remember the taste but I think I was expecting it to be really hot. I didn’t add any sauces or olive oil and the result was a bit dry, so perhaps I overcooked it. From prep to plate took about forty minutes in total and I like the easiness – “dump ingredients in pot, wait” – so I’m probably going to be absolutely sick of this in a week, ’cause it’s all I’m going to eat!
Yep, the flavor in this dish really depends on what type of salsa you get. So if you get a mild salsa, it probably won’t taste like much. Experiment with different salsas and you might get more flavor next time. :)
jfyi spring onions and green onions are the same thing just different names depending on which side of the pond you live. like courgettes and zucchini and eggplant and aubergine…
This looks absolutely delicious and I plan to try it later in the week! However, would it work to substitute pinto beans for the black beans in the recipe? I’m not much a fan of black beans, but I don’t have enough experience cooking with beans to feel confident in just subbing them out.
Yep, that should work just fine. :)
Can you use minute rice in this or will it get too mushy.
You’d definitely need to adjust the amount of liquid, but I’ve never used minute rice so I’m not sure how to adjust it. :(
i used 10min brown rice yesterday night and it was delicious
What kind of salsa did you use? It looks like Pace
I don’t remember specifically, but I tend to just buy the generic store brand. So, unless there was something else on sale, it was generic. :)
I’m the oldest sibling in a large family, so when I make this I usually double it and add a can of corn, then serve with tortillas or cornbread. The only problem I have with this recipe is that the leftovers somehow manage to disappear before I can pack any up for lunches.
Can’t wait to try the recipe. I just wanted to comment that the app you use, Ziplist, it seems like they no longer support their Android app. I don’t know if you’ve had similar issues, or with the iPhone app, but maybe consider switching services so that we can all use it? Thanks!
Hmm, they still advertise that they have an Android app. I would suggest contacting their support to see what’s up. I’m sorry it’s not working for you. :(
This was the most brilliant way to use up the rest of my thanksgiving left.
Fantastic recipe!
I did this last night and love it! simple and easy to do yet the result if amazing.. juicy & delicious
I want to make this!
but for increasing the rice, do you just increase the broth proportionally?
Yes, you’ll absolutely need to increase the broth, so if you increase the rice by 50%, increase the broth by 50% as well.
I made this tonight using a pot (I dont have a skillet) and it came out beautifully. Great recipe Beth, once again!!
I’m just preparing this for the second time in two weeks – it’s a new favourite. Like many of your recipes, it’s so easy to alter the ingredients to suit your pantry! I only had about a cupful of chicken, so I’ve chucked some frozen corn in there to bulk it out… just waiting for the cheese to melt & it looks and smells amazing!
I also love that it only uses one pan, and if you chop up your spring onion with scissors, you don’t even need to wash a chopping board afterwards!
Thanks Beth, you are an absolute marvel!
Made this for my friends after I returned from a vacation to the US and was recommended this website- even with UK food prices I was able to keep it under £5 ($8)! Fed two servings to three people. I have recently been diagnosed with a gluten and lactose intolerance and have been finding it a little difficult to transition, however this was so quick and easy to make (not to mention TASTY)- I just replaced my cheese with a lactose-free alternative.
I’m curious what the point is of using cooked chicken when the recipe cooks long enough to just have used raw? I don’t usually have leftover cooked chicken around with five kids. But I like the recipe. Think I could just chop up raw chicken breast and throw it in. Any thoughts?
Yep, I was just trying to use up my pre-cooked and shredded chicken from another blog post. :) If you chop your raw chicken up small enough, it should definitely cook through in the amount of time that the skillet cooks.
I’m a longtime reader, and now cooked a meal from your recipe. I must say, the end result was exceptional, I did not have a chance to make shredded chicken, so I cooked the chicken and diced up beforehand. From there I added all the ingredients together and let it cooked as the recipe stated. The only thing I forgot was the green onions but my stomach grumbled and I decided to have a plate with avocados and tortillas. I look forward to making this another time and I have a lot of leftovers. Thanks!
I just want to say that this recipe was sooo delicious. My boyfriend and I are really picky eaters and we also both hate doing dishes. This was made in 1 pot(!) AND satisfied both of us. I could eat this for days! Thank you :)
let me also state that this recipe is gluten free! which has helped me in my gluten free stint.
I have cooked this almost weekly since your post. On occasion I cook a double batch. While its sitting I also cook up a dozen eggs. Makes for excellent breakfast burritos. We were able to make a full meal for 4, with 2 left over dishes and 10 breakfast burritos off that double batch. This is a huge time saver for me. Thank you.
Jason
Hi, I love your site and your recipes. My husband and I are homesteaders in Kentucky, and I’ve been using your recipes over the past year to help plan basic meals and our garden. I made this tonight with our own chickens we butchered for the first time this year, and it was great! Thanks for your work. Here is a blog post I made that includes links to your site: http://www.fullcircleky.com/farm-updates/tastes-like-chicken
Awesome recipe, I cooked ground beef and brown onions first before putting everything else in, and added some chopped silverbeet near the end. Definitely a keeper!
I made this last night, and while it turned out awesome (I added some white onion to the mix along with a dash of cumin) I think I need better cookware. Maybe 1/3 or 1/4 of the rice was undercooked when the 30 minutes were up, and keeping it on longer didn’t help as it only made the already cooked rice even mushier.
The undercooked rice was still edible, though. I think the culprit is the stock pot I’m using, all the undercooked rice was isolated to one region of the pot so maybe if I rotated the pot during cooking? I got the same results when I tried the chorizo and sweet potato skillet recipe from awhile ago too.
Or maybe I should just finally give in and buy a heavy-bottomed deep skillet.
Yep, rotating the pot might help in the mean time. :) A good pot is priceless and will last you a lifetime!
This recipe has quickly become a staple in our household– it’s so easy and tasty! I found it a bit dry and under-flavored the first time I made it, following the recipe, but it’s so simple, I was determined to work it out. The next time I added a half-cup more liquid, a small can of ‘mexicorn’ (it’s a green giant product, I think) and half a white onion and was really pleased with the results.
Thanks for the great base recipe! I feel like this is one you can really switch up depending on what you have on hand and feel like eating that night!
I’ve been out of college for 10 years (this recipe is featured in the 10 college friendly recipes email) and I am definitely making this tonight. Stopping to get a rotisserie chicken I’ll use the extra to make chicken salad wraps for lunch tomorrow! in fact, i’ll probably be making at least half of the recipes listed in the email over the next couple of weeks lol they sound so yummy!
Just finished making this with shredded Oaxaca cheese, and it’s so much food!!! Haha, I think I’m gonna put this in tortillas tomorrow for lunch. Glad to hear it freezes well :)
Sorry this comment was supposed to go in the thread for the chorizo sweet potato skillet.
WOW I am super impressed with your website! I also am a nerd when it comes to numbers so I absolutely love what you are doing here! (I shamefully admit that I do the same thing but with games where you grow food and cook dishes, and I figure out which ones will bring in the most profit) I tried this recipe tonight with stuff I had on hand. I didn’t know you could cook rice with a bunch of other things simmering in there. It’s opened up a whole world for me! lol
The only meat I had was a roll of turkey sausage so I cooked that up and threw it in there. How could I go wrong adding more delicious flavor, right? It turned out so good. My only complaint about the dish is my own fault. I subbed brown rice and used too much liquid and then overcooked the rice while trying to get it to evaporate. Trial and error. Thanks so much for your hard work–I will definitely be passing on this valuable resource!!
I don’t like beans but I kept them in anyway. Super good. I probably put in a little more chicken than it called for, after poaching it in broth and using the resulting stock/broth in the recipe later. I also added a dash of dried ancho and chipotle chile to boost it up. I would probably add a spoonful of sour cream to the top if I had some. At under $6 for supplies, this is definitely a keeper.
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was super tasty. It really does only take 5 minutes to put together! :D
SO GOOD! I didn’t have any salsa so I just threw a can of rotel, onion, lime juice and salt and pepper into the blender for a quick fix. We loved it :)
I made this and then put it into flour tortillas, fried them in a dry pan to crisp them up like a delicious, crispy burrito. Absolutely lovely and a big hit with all the Mexican food lovers in my house :)
I have made this twice and love it. I was wondering if it can be frozen in separate servings (once it has cooled) or will it comprise the texture?
Yes, it can be frozen in individual servings. I find that it freezes really well with no noticeable texture changes. :)
This was so good my husband even ate the BEANS, which I have caught him hiding under napkins before. This is in the keeper file for sure.
From the standpoint of someone who is much less than adept in the kitchen, I really loved this recipe! I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions to give it a little more kick, besides jalepeños? We are making it (again) tonight & will try the cayenne pepper. I know absolutely nothing about herbs & spices when it comes to cooking, so share your wisdom please! :)
Yep, try adding a dash of cayenne pepper along with the chili powder in the beginning. Also, you can try using a spicier salsa and topping it with pepper jack cheese. :)
I bet this would take a little can of chipotle peppers in adobo really well.
Have you considered making your own green salsa? I used my homemade salsa for this skillet, and I got just the right amount of kick I wanted because I could control the amount of chilies in the salsa. If you can get a hold of some tomatillos in your area at an affordable price, homemade salsa verde is amazing and surprisingly easy to make :)
I just made this with brown rice in my rice cooker & it was delicious! I upped the broth to accommodate the brown rice, but I shouldn’t have since I used a rice cooker. Oh well! Now I know for next time.
Hi That Girl,
Did you put all the ingredients in your rice cooker and make it? I am planning on subbing brown rice too so I’m trying to figure out the best way to make it with the brown rice.
This recipe sums up everything I love about your site. I had the ingredients on hand, it came together within minutes, and was totally and utterly scrumptious. My boyfriend and I didn’t even have to pause our movie marathon, and cleanup was a breeze.
Is this something I could make with raw chicken in a rice cooker? I have a bunch of skinned thighs I’d like to use up and I wondered if cooking the chicken along with the rice would require more liquid or less – any thoughts? (Loved the SW steak bowls which I had last week, btw!)
I don’t think you’ll need to adjust the water any. Meat actually has quite a bit of water in it and it usually lets off water as it cooks, but not enough to have to reduce the amount needed to cook the rice. :)
Fab – thank you so much! That’s my dinner sorted then :D
Like always, amazing. Best text mex thing i ever made. Im never using that over processed over salty taco seasoning again because this was SO much better and had such a more authentic flavour. We had it in a torillia and avocado and sour cream but it would be really good on its own too. My fav part is that it requires very little effort. All you have to do is cook the chicken and put everything together in the pan and leave it.. checking on it every now and then of course. I added more water occasionally because I thought the mixture was getting too dry but I used a skillet without a lid so the water evaporated a lot. Also i added some cayenne for a spicy kick.. all around great recipe!
Any ideas for a substitution for the cheese? I have a lactose intolerant SO.
It’s still really good even without cheese. Maybe add some diced avocado to get that rich creamy flavor!
I just came upon this website recently and made two of your dishes already. They were delicious. This has been such a goldmine to find. Thank you!
I have made this recipe twice now, and I’m making it again tonight. The first time, I followed the recipe exactly and found that while it boiled dry after about 20 minutes and was a little burnt on the bottom, it was still delicious. The second time I used 1-3/4 cups of chicken broth and it was perfect. I am making it again tonight, but this time with shredded chicken thighs that I cooked on my slow cooker, and I am also using a salsa verde, and possibly adding some corn. As someone who normally hates rice, I am very glad to have found a recipe with rice in it that I enjoy eating.
This was delicious!
I made it with a few alterations: I used diced pieces of ham steak instead of chicken and added some diced jalapenos (for extra heat). I also added a few corn kernels.
Definitely a new go-to recipe for me!
Looks delicious. Did your chicken taco bowl. I’m wondering where you get your salsa? The cheapest where I shop is $2.99. So a cup is gonna be half of that. Just curious how I could save there
Thank you! You found a math error for me. It was a large jar of generic, store brand salsa for $2.35 with just over 2.5 cups in volume. Looks like when I was calculating the cost per cup using the tablespoon serving size on the label, I miscalculated by a factor of 2! It should be $0.88 per cup. Fixing now. Thanks!!
This turned out really well except that my rice was slightly crunchy :( I also noticed that when all the ingredients were combined with the broth before cooking, mine looked way less liquidy than yours. I used 2 cups chicken – do you think I should just up the amount of chicken broth to 1 3/4 cup or so?
Yes. I actually made it a second time just the other night with 1 3/4 cup broth and it worked REALLY well, so I think I’m going to update the recipe. :)
Love this! FYI – I used instant brown rice and simmered for around 20 minutes (maybe actually a minute or two too long), just make sure you check in on it.
I don’t think I’ve ever cooked a recipe that required using so few places and utensils. Washing the dishes took 2 minutes. The meal itself was surprisingly full of flavors. Will cook it again!
I made this 2 nights ago, and – score! – the leftovers make a FANTASTIC filling for a burrito! I mean, like, Qdoba-worthy! So hearty and delicious! So I got a yummy hot dinner AND a wonderful next-day lunch. Score!
I will note – I had to add more chicken broth as mine boiled dry when I was making it (and the rice wasn’t cooked through yet). I think I added another cup or so. But yes, DELICIOUS!!!
Made this last week with leftover roast pork, making it again this week with chicken. If you do it with pork, try adding some BBQ sauce, it’s yum x
Winner, winner, chicken dinner! I made the Taco Chicken Bowls awhile back, but haven’t made them again since the first time because I’m not one to use my slow cooker very often…but this recipe is perfect and delicious! Yesterday I cooked three chicken breasts and now I have two baggies of shredded chicken in the freezer to make this again, and again, thank goodness. I just love it! It was quick, easy and so delicious! Once again, a great recipe. Thanks Beth!
I Made a Double Batch in my Huge Skillet. Added 1 drained can corn. Southwestern should include corn. Just sayin’ :) Very Yummy! Can’t go wrong w/ this easy cheesy chicken black bean Salsa Meal! Family favorite now.
I made this last night and absolutely loved how easy and yummy it was! But when I went to clean-up I realized I completed scorched the bottom of my pan, leaving me with burnt rice glued to the bottom. What’s the best way to simmer without over cooking and potentially ruining your pans? (I’m new in the kitchen if you can’t tell)
Having a nice heavy pan with a thick bottom does wonders because it really evens out the heat through the sides and bottom of the pan. The other tip I have is to find the “sweet spot” with the burner where the liquid is just barely simmering. You don’t want it so low that it stops bubbling, but if it goes too high you risk scorching. :) It’s something you’ll get better at with time. I usually listen to see if I can hear the simmering through the lid.
I made this last night–and it is soooooo good!!! So easy and so so good!
Could this be frozen in individual portions and reheated in the microwave oven? I plan on making a batch as grab and go lunches.
Yes, rice dishes like this are excellent for freezing. :)
This looks amazing! If I were going to use brown rice, I’d probably just cook it separately in my rice cooker, reduce the liquid, and add the rice in at the end. I’m lazy like that though.
I just made this and it is delicious!! Kid-approved as well as my toddler just inhaled it. I added some Tapatio to my serving for a little extra heat.
How do I adjust the liquid and cooking time so I can use brown rice for increased nutritional value?
This is a great base recipe that sounds like it can be easily adapted to other add-ins. Would you please let me know how I would adjust it so I can use brown rice instead of white? Thanks!
I think I would increase the broth to 2 cups and you’ll probably need an extra 20 minutes or so of simmering.
Made this tonight and my family gobbled it up! I was amazed that so few ingredients had such a rich flavor. Great recipe, Beth!
I cheated a bit and used some precooked quinoa I had in the freezer. Probably not as good as it would have been with the rice but not bad. :)
I don’t have any chicken but have some ground beef. Do you think that it would taste good with the beef? I was thinking I would brown it first, remove it from the pan and then stick it in at the end before putting on the cheese.
I think that’s an excellent plan!
This is going to be tonight’s Sunday supper. I am hooked on your recipes. (I’ve made Kung Pao Chicken four times since you’ve posted it and am cooking my way through your book.) Thanks so much for breathing new life into my repertoire!
i know you use a stainless steel skillet here, but is it possible to use a cast iron pan as well?
Yep, a cast iron will work really well because it heats very evenly. Just make sure you have a lid. :)
Oh, my kids would love this. Me too! Pinned.
This looks delicious! I’m just wondering about how many cups you would say this ends up making? I want to adapt this for using my rice cooker (wouldn’t exactly be hard), though I’m not entirely sure mine is big enough for all of this
It was about six cups total. :)
This looks so good, I can’t wait to make it! I don’t have any chili powder though, do you have any suggestions on creating one from other spices?
Try adding a little cumin, garlic powder, and maybe a touch of oregano. You’ll still be missing that mild chile pepper flavor, though. The salsa carries most of the flavor weight in this dish, so I’m sure it will still be awesome!
Thank you very much! I’ll give it a shot, tonight! And afterwards, I’ll get some real chili powder.
LOVE LOve love!!! Making this tomorrow. Since I’m trying to eat less meat, I’ll try doubling the beans… maybe use pintos and black. Yummumum
I’m a veg and I was just going to skip the chicken, but I love the idea of adding pinto beans too! Thanks!
I am really, really enjoying all of the one-pot meals you’ve been doing lately! There’s something about them that’s even easier than your other recipes – not that anything is ever particularly time consuming or hard. They just have a lovely, beautiful way of combining flavors!
Presto – I can make this. I have leftover chicken and all else in my pantry. Thanks!
This looks so yummy!
Yes!! Thank you for these one dish/pot/skillet meals! Exactly what I need
This looks fantastic and will be a great way to use up reserved chicken after making stock. I only have basmati rice – any idea if the cooking time would need to be adjusted for that? So many of your recipes are go-to staples for us, thanks for all of your efforts!
Basmati should cook in a similar time to long grain white rice. It’s usually just brown and white that have the major differences in cooking time. :)
How did yours turn out? I made it using reserved chicken ftom stock and it came out a little bland. I’m thinking it was either the extra moisture in the chicken or just three loss of flavor due to making the stock, but I don’t know.