Description
One-pan Mexican chicken and rice with black beans is a hearty, flavorful dinner made with spice-rubbed chicken thighs—ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless
- 2 tablespoons oil (for searing the chicken)
Spice Rub
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
- 2 teaspoons dried cumin
- 2 teaspoons dried coriander
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Sofrito (Veggie Herb Paste)
- 1 bunch cilantro, reserve sprigs for garnishing, chop the rest, including the tender stems
- 1 green bell pepper, large pieces
- 1 jalapeno, rough chop- seeds removed if desired- add less for less spice
- 1/2 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Beans & Rice
- 2 x 14-ounce cans of black beans, drained (3 cups, cooked with salt)
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice, like basmati
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
Instructions
- Make the spice rub: In a small bowl, mix salt, ancho chili powder, cumin, coriander, oregano, and black pepper. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the spice rub.
- Rub the chicken: Place the chicken thighs in a medium bowl and toss with the bulk of the spice rub.
- Blend sofrito: In a food processor or blender, place bell pepper, garlic, onion, cilantro, and the reserved 1 tablespoon spice mix. Pulse until mostly smooth.
- Sear chicken: In a hot pan, braiser, or large cast-iron skillet (3-quart with a tight-fitting lid), add oil and sear the chicken over medium-high heat until golden brown. Flip and sear for 2-3 minutes more. They do not need to cook through, just enough to get a crust on at least one side; they will continue to cook with the rice. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Cook the sofrito: Without cleaning out the pan, cook the veggie paste in the same pan over medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, until slightly dried. Stir in the rice until well combined, then press it into an even layer- this helps keep the rice under the broth so it steams more evenly. Add beans on top, pour broth evenly over, and arrange the chicken, crustier side up, on top.
- Simmer: Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid (or use foil with a lid over top) and cook for 35 minutes, until the rice is tender—adding a splash of broth or water and a few additional minutes to steam if needed.
- Serve with fresh tomatoes, avocado, pickled onions, sour cream, hot sauce, cilantro sprigs, warm tortillas or chips.
Notes
Chicken thighs are highly recommended; they just get more tender and meltier with time. You are welcome to use skinless chicken breasts instead, though you may want to cook them separately to prevent them from overcooking. You can also try mixing in rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken at the end.
Leftovers will keep for 5 days in a sealed container in the fridge. Tuck into burritos, tacos, or use to make bowls.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup beans/rice + 1 chicken thigh
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3.2 g
- Sodium: 410.6 mg
- Fat: 8.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 60.6 g
- Fiber: 7.1 g
- Protein: 21.1 g
- Cholesterol: 46.7 mg
