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
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!
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!