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one skillet fiesta chicken on a plate
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Fiesta Chicken

Fiesta chicken combines the wholesome goodness of a home-cooked meal with the convenience of a one-skillet wonder to craft a vibrant melody of flavors.
Course Chicken Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Chicken and Rice, Chicken Breast, Easy Chicken Dinner, Easy Dinner
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 579kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • 1/2 cup onion, diced
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed and diced
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 envelope taco seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried ground cumin
  • 1 (15-ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes, with juices
  • 1 (4-ounce) can diced green chilies
  • 1 (15-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups cheese, grated

Instructions

  • Season chicken with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoons pepper. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet with a tight-fitting lid. Add chicken in batches, in a single layer, and saute until brown for about 7 minutes. Remove to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.
  • Saute onion and red bell pepper on medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and stir, scraping up all brown bits on the bottom of the pan.
  • Add taco seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, cumin, tomatoes, diced chilies, corn, black beans, and rice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
  • Remove lid and quickly add chicken to rice. Sprinkle cheese evenly on top. Cover and cook 8 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken is heated through. Adjust seasoning, ladle into individual bowls, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.

Notes

  1. Chicken: First, cut your chicken before you brown it, and don’t overcrowd your pan. It’ll stay juicier and cook more evenly (plus, it’s quicker)Overcrowding prevents proper air circulation which can trap steam and cause burning. I've used 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes for this recipe.
    • Thighs: Feel free to use chicken thighs, just adjust the cooking time accordingly.
    • Ground chicken: works great as well so try it out!
    • Rotisserie chicken: short on time? This is even faster to prep if you skip cooking the chicken and add cubed or shredded chicken at step 4!
  2. Onion: You can use either a yellow or white onion. Both work equally as well in this one skillet fiesta chicken.
  3. Red Bell Pepper: I use red bell pepper in this fiesta chicken with rice but orange, yellow, or green bell pepper are all great choices.
  4. Canned Chiles: Canned Ortega chiles are roated poblano chiles. I love buying these beautiful little convenience peppers. Roasting and peeling them is a bit labor-intensive and for this dish, the canned version works perfectly without any compromise to flavor! Grab the can with confidence my friend! ♥
  5. Rice: I use long-grain white rice. If you'd like to switch it to brown rice, try using instant brown rice.
  6. Cheese: I use either sharp cheddar or Monterey jack, depending on which I have in my fridge. Both are delicious. If you want to spice it up a little, try pepper jack.
  7. Toppings: Fresh veggies and herbs can add a lot of extra flavors and round out the textures of this dish. Options I like are cilantro, fresh tomatoes, avocado, sour cream, red or green onions, crushed corn chips.
  8. Make it Spicy: If you'd like some heat and extra spice, try adding a hot sauce of your choice when you add the chicken broth, or try adding diced jalapeños or serranos when you saute onion and red bell pepper. You can also sub the diced tomatoes for a can of Rotel instead.
  9. More Vegetables: Instead of sauteing just one red pepper, try adding an extra orange and/or yellow popper, or instead add diced zucchini. You may need to adjust the amount of oil when the veggies are cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the recipe | Calories: 579kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1039mg | Potassium: 799mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1033IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg