Can we pause Monday for a moment and laugh at me? We could all use a little humor.
This weekend my mom and aunt were in town to spectate the Twin Cities Marathon, and we planned a Saturday dinner for Marc (who was supposed to run but is injured) and one of his friends who ran. We chose my Butternut Squash and Bacon Macaroni and Cheese with Salted Caramel Apple Crisp with Pretzel Crumb Topping for dessert. Delicious.
As my mom made the grocery list from my recipe, she read the blog post aloud — like moms do — and pointed out a funny typo. Instead of “kill two birds with one stone,” I had written “kill one bird with two stones.” Not exactly the punch line I intended, but we laughed about it for a while. You can’t take yourself too seriously.
Now, onto the food. After making my One Pot Weeknight Spaghetti, I’ve become hooked on one-skillet meals. They’re simple, practical, and so versatile. You can use pasta, rice, quinoa, couscous — any grain works. Since Mexican night is a weekly tradition in our house, I decided to make a Mexican-style one-skillet dinner.
We loved this dinner. It was hearty and filling, packed with vegetables and topped with ooey-gooey melted cheese. Leftovers were excellent, which matters a lot for our family of three (plus a 3-month-old who isn’t eating solid food yet). We used the leftovers as burrito filling, over salads, and simply reheated with extra cheese on top — because you can never have too much cheese.
To make this even easier, cook the chicken a day or two ahead or use a rotisserie chicken. Then start at the step where you cook the peppers, add the remaining ingredients, and simmer until the rice is tender. That’s it — dinner is ready.
One Skillet Mexican Chicken and Rice
6
Taylor Ellingson
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium chicken breasts, cut into 1″ chunks
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup black beans
- 1 cup corn (frozen, canned, or fresh)
- 1 cup salsa
- 1 (8 oz) can diced green chiles
- 1 cup white rice
- 2 cups vegetable broth (one 15 oz can)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
- Sliced green onions and cilantro for topping
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced chicken and cook until browned on each side, then remove from the skillet.
- Add the bell peppers and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cook 5–7 minutes until softened — they don’t need to be fully cooked.
- Return the chicken to the skillet. Add black beans, corn, salsa, diced green chiles, rice, vegetable broth, water, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15–17 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice has absorbed the liquid.
- Top with shredded cheese. Either remove from heat and cover with a lid to melt the cheese, or if your skillet is oven-safe, place under the broiler until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
- Serve topped with sliced green onions and cilantro. Enjoy!
