One-Pan Mexican Chicken and Rice
DASH-friendly weeknight Mexican chicken and rice in one pan. Fifteen minutes of active time, then the oven does the rest. Family-friendly — the girls will eat this.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain rice (uncooked)
- 1 can (14.5 oz) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) no-salt-added black beans, drained
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- Juice of 1 lime
Toppings:
- 1 avocado, diced
- Fresh cilantro
- Plain Greek yogurt (sour cream sub)
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Heat olive oil in an oven-safe pan (12” skillet or Dutch oven) over medium heat. Sauté onion 3-4 minutes, add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add rice, stir to coat. Pour in diced tomatoes, broth, black beans, corn, and all spices. Stir to combine.
- Nestle chicken thighs into the rice mixture. Squeeze lime juice over everything.
- Cover tightly with foil or lid. Bake 35-40 minutes until rice is tender and chicken hits 165°F.
- Let rest 5 minutes covered. Top with avocado, cilantro, yogurt, and lime wedges.
Notes
DASH-friendly: No-salt-added tomatoes and beans, low-sodium broth — the spice blend carries all the flavor. One pan = one cleanup. Doubles easily for meal prep. Swap chicken for ground turkey to make it even faster.