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!
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!