This one-pan Mexican chicken and rice skillet recipe is a great one for busy weeknights or those nights when you don’t feel like cooking! Rice, enchilada sauce, broth, green chiles, tomatoes, and chicken are combined in a skillet and baked together. The rice comes out super tender and fluffy and the chicken thighs are moist and flavorful from cooking in the broth mixture.
Skillet meals are a great way to combine protein, veggies, and a carb into one simple dish. This is a dump and go recipe, meaning everything is combined in an oven-safe skillet and transferred to the oven. The most time consuming task here is seasoning the chicken thighs, and I know you can handle that!
There is not chopping or dicing here and nothing needs to be sautéed or cooked before hand! You will also like this Creamy Tater Tot Casserole, Chicken Sloppy Joes, or Green Chile Chicken! Check out all my Entree Recipes for more dinner inspiration!
Recipe Highlights
- One pan meal: who doesn’t love a one pan meal? Fewer dishes means less cleaning and we can all get behind that. I love that this dish comes together directly in the skillet, no need for mixing bowls or sheet pans needed.
- No prep recipe: this recipe doesn’t call for chopped onions or peppers, no minced garlic (even though you can add as much as you’d like), and no precooked chicken. Combine all uncooked ingredients, even the rice, in a skillet and pop in the oven to bake.
- Good for meal prep: this chicken and rice is great reheated as a meal prepped lunch or dinner in a rush. If you know you have a busy week ahead of you, make this meal to keep portioned in the fridge and reheat as needed.
- Family friendly: kids and adults will love this dish, it’s flavorful yet still mild enough for the picky eaters. This is a balanced meal with protein, carbs, and veggies sure to keep everyone full, serve with a salad or taco toppings for a complete dinner.
What is Mexican Chicken & Rice
This Mexican chicken and rice is a simple one pan wonder. Raw chicken thighs and uncooked rice are combined in a large oven-safe dish and combined with liquid and seasonings. Everything is covered and cooked together until the chicken is tender and juicy and the rice is nice and fluffy. No chopping or sautéing, simply pop the pan into the oven and everything cooks together.
Key Ingredients
- Long grain rice: like Jasmine or Basmati rice, this method may not work as well with other types of rice like brown rice.
- Enchilada sauce: canned red enchilada is a quick way to add flavor and moisture. Homemade red enchilada sauce can work as well.
- Green chiles: canned diced green chiles are a quick short cut ingredients that add a bit of heat and flavor to this dish!
- Diced tomatoes: canned tomatoes are a easy short cut that add a lot of flavor, regular petite diced tomatoes will work as well but I like the extra flavor from the fire roasted ones, such as rotel tomatoes.
- Chicken stock: any chicken broth or stock of choice can used. Beef broth, vegetable broth, or use homemade stock or bone broth.
- Chicken: use boneless skinless chicken thighs, boneless skinless chicken breast, chicken tenders, leftover roasted chicken or leftover shredded rotisserie chicken for this recipe. I recommend chicken thighs for their tenderness.
- Seasonings: this dish is seasoned with kosher salt, fresh cracked black pepper, ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, and onion powder. Any seasoning blend will work, or use taco seasoning for a quick shortcut.
- Garnishes: avocado, chopped cilantro, jalapeno, and sour cream are my go to. Other fresh toppings like shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips (for a little crunch), green onions, diced onions, guacamole, or Pico de Gallo make great additions.
How to Make This Skillet Chicken
Let’s talk a little about how to make this One-Pan Mexican Chicken and Rice Skillet Recipe (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Quick overview:
- Combine rice, stock, tomatoes, chiles, and enchilada sauce in a skillet.
- Combine seasoning blend and season both sides of the chicken.
- Add chicken into the skillet, cover, and bake.
- In a large oven-safe skillet or casserole dish with a tight fitting lid combine the rice, stock, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, and green chiles. Stir to combine.
- In a small bowl combine ground cumin, salt, pepper, chili powder, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Stir to combine. Evenly season both sides of the chicken thighs, rubbing in the seasoning well.
3. Place the seasoned chicken thighs into the skillet with the other ingredients, nestle them in so they are partially submerged in the liquid.
4. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F) and the rice is tender.
5. Enjoy immediately with your favorite toppings!
More Weeknight Dinner Recipes
If you enjoyed this skillet chicken and rice, try these other simple recipes that are perfect for hectic weeknights or Sunday family dinner!
- Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas Recipe – a simple, crockpot meal that can simmer all day and be ready for dinner with minimal prep!
- Honey Lime Marinated Chicken Bowls – simple marinated chicken grilled with peppers and serve over rice.
- Breaded Sesame Chicken Tacos – using store-bought premade sesame chicken makes these tacos quick and simple yet so flavorful.
- Lightened Up Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas – a lighter way to make the classic chicken enchiladas.
Tools I Recommend
- Large Braising Pan: I love this non-stick sauté pan for several things, it is oven safe making it perfect for one-skillet meals that need to cook on the stove and bake in the oven. I like the high walls of the pan for keeping messes at bay.
- Rubber Spatula – a must have! I like these because they don’t come apart so I don’t have to worry about water getting inside the spatula and causing mold.
Storage & Reheating
Leftovers of this Mexican chicken skillet can be cooled completely and transferred to an airtight container. You can store chicken and rice together or pack them in separate containers. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat, pop in the microwave for a few minutes or reheat in a sauté pan on the stove top.
Recipe Variations
- Mix in a can black beans before baking for extra substance and more protein.
- Top with shredded cheese before transferring into the oven for a gooey cheese topping.
- Serve with tortillas to create chicken tacos and serve rice on the side.
- Before baking sauté bell peppers and onions to incorporate extra veggies.
Recipe Serving Suggestions
The best way to serve this chicken and rice skillet meal is fresh out of the oven while the rice is fluffy and tender. If you’re looking to elevate this dish, try serving your Mexican chicken with some of these fresh side dishes:
- Lettuce Salad Recipe – this salad is super light and packed with flavor. Lettuce, tomatoes, chopped bacon, and avocado tossed in a roasted garlic ranch.
- Mexican Black Beans – a great, easy side dish that adds extra protein to this dish.
- Simple Butter Lettuce Salad – a simple salad that adds some freshness to this dish!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Cooking rice and chicken at the same time is a great way to infuse flavors. It also utilizes the cooking liquid from the rice to keep the chicken moist and tender.
Some cuts of chicken like chicken thighs (especially bone-in) can benefit from cooking covered, this helps create even cooking. In this case, we bake both covered and uncovered, starting covered keeps the chicken tender and perfectly steams the rice. Finishing uncovered allows any extra liquid to evaporate.
Depending on the amount of rice and the cooking liquid, rice can cook as fast as 20 minutes in the oven or take an hour plus. This recipe takes just over an hour to create perfectly tender, fluffy rice.
One-Pan Mexican Chicken and Rice Skillet Recipe
Equipment
- 4 quart Oven-safe Braiser or shallow Dutch oven, Oven-safe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Uncooked Jasmine rice, rinsed
- 10 oz. Red enchilada sauce
- 10 oz. Petite diced tomatoes
- 4 oz. Diced green chiles , not drained
- 2 cups Chicken stock
- 6-8 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 2 pounds
- 1 tbsp Garlic powder
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1/2 tsp Chili powder
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp Onion powder
- Cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large oven-safe 4 quart braising pan combine, rice, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, green chiles, and chicken stock, stir to combine.1 1/2 cups Uncooked Jasmine rice, 10 oz. Red enchilada sauce , 10 oz. Petite diced tomatoes , 4 oz. Diced green chiles , 2 cups Chicken stock
- In a small bowl combine the seasonings. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the chicken thighs evenly and rub in well, coating all sides. Add the seasoned chicken thighs into the pan with the other ingredients.6-8 Boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1 tbsp Garlic powder, 2 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp Ground cumin, 1 tsp Paprika, 1/2 tsp Chili powder, Fresh cracked black pepper , 1 tsp Onion powder
- Cover and carefully transfer to the preheated oven. Bake covered for 45 minutes, remove the lid and bake uncovered for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender. Chicken should temp at 165 degrees F before consuming.
- Serve immediately garnished fresh cilantro and desired toppings!Cilantro
Nutrition
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Great recipe! Easy and great end results.
Happy to hear it turned out!