Description
A flavorful one-skillet Mexican Chicken and Rice recipe featuring ground chicken cooked with smoky spices, poblano pepper, salsa verde, and fresh vegetables, topped with melted Mexican cheeses and served with vibrant garnishes like avocado, cilantro, and lime for a complete and comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 poblano pepper, chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 cup long grain rice
- 2 cups salsa verde
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- 2 cups fresh or frozen corn
- 1 1/2 cups Mexican cheeses (cheddar, pepper jack, or colby jack)
For Serving
- plain Greek yogurt
- baby basil leaves or chopped cilantro
- chopped scallions
- cubed or sliced avocado
- lots of fresh limes
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F to prepare for melting the cheese later in the recipe.
- Cook Chicken and Vegetables: In a large oven-safe skillet, melt the butter and add ground chicken, chopped onion, and poblano pepper. Season with smoked paprika, chipotle chile powder, and garlic powder. Break up the meat and cook for about 10 minutes until the chicken is browned and vegetables are softened.
- Add Rice and Liquids: Stir in the long grain rice, salsa verde, hot sauce, sliced zucchini, frozen or fresh corn, and 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer with Lid: Cover the skillet with a lid and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Let the rice cook gently for 15 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed but some moisture remains.
- Add Cheese and Bake: Remove the skillet from heat and sprinkle the Mexican cheeses evenly over the top. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
- Serve and Garnish: Spoon the cheesy chicken and rice onto plates and top with plain Greek yogurt, chopped scallions, avocado slices, baby basil or chopped cilantro, and fresh lime wedges. Enjoy while hot!
Notes
- Use a large oven-safe skillet to allow for stove-to-oven cooking without transferring dishes.
- If you don’t have poblano peppers, substitute with mild green bell peppers or jalapeños for extra heat.
- Long grain rice is preferred for fluffier texture; avoid using instant rice in this recipe.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce based on your spice tolerance.
- For a vegetarian version, replace ground chicken with plant-based meat alternatives or extra vegetables and use vegetarian cheese.
- Cover the skillet tightly while simmering to ensure even rice cooking.
- Add fresh herbs like cilantro or basil at serving to preserve their bright flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
