One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

If you're looking for an easy, flavorful, and satisfying meal, this One-Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice recipe is it! Packed with tender chicken, seasoned rice, and bold Mexican flavors, this dish is so easy to throw together and cooks in just one pot!

If there is one dinner I know my family loves, it's chicken and rice. Lately, instead of making the traditional version, I have been making this Mexican version, and it's been such a hit!

I usually set it up like a taco bar, with shredded cheese, sour cream, pickled jalapenos, cilantro, shredded lettuce, avocado, and salsa. Then, everyone builds their bowls or tacos. 

Then, I store the leftovers for quick and easy lunches or meals on the go later in the week. It's a win-win for our family and has quickly become a favorite. 

Why We Love This Mexican Chicken and Rice

• Minimal clean up and dishes: Normally, when I think about making chicken, rice, beans, and veggies, it involves a lot of dishes! This dish has it all, cooked in just one pot! 
• Budget-friendly: This is so much more affordable than takeout! For the cost of one takeout chicken and rice bowl, you can make 4 to 6 servings at home.
• Easy to customize: Customize these bowls with your favorite toppings, such as corn salsa, avocado, and pico de gallo.

Looking for more easy one pan dinners? Try these Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas or Mexican Shrimp Skillet.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here is everything you need to make these yummy burrito bowls, including some easy swaps and substitutions. 

• Chicken: This recipe can be made with chicken breast or chicken thighs. Chicken thighs stay nice and moist! You can also swap in ground turkey and ground beef, just brown it first.
• Beans: Use canned black beans, pinto beans, or any other type of beans you like. You can also use homemade black beans or pinto beans.
• Rice: Make sure to choose rice that cooks in 15-20 minutes for the best results with this recipe. Using rice that takes longer will cause the chicken to dry out. Swap in quick-cooking brown rice or quinoa if you prefer.
• Peppers and onions: Peppers and onions add tons of flavor to this dish. Speed things up by swapping in frozen peppers and onions.
• Diced Tomatoes: Diced tomatoes are the perfect option to add flavor to the rice and chicken. Use Rotel tomatoes for more spice. 
• Taco seasoning: To keep this recipe quick and easy, taco seasoning is an easy option to add tons of flavor with one ingredient. Adjust the spices to fit your personal preferences and spice level.

How to Make One Pot Mexican Chicken Rice

Unlike traditional chicken and rice made with bone-in chicken, this version uses chicken breast and quick-cooking rice to speed things up and prevent undercooked chicken or mushy rice. 

1. Season and brown the chicken: Start by seasoning the chicken and cooking it until it is lightly browned on all sides. Make sure not to overcook the chicken, this step is to add some color and flavor to the chicken. 
2. Saute the vegetables: The peppers and onions won't fully cook unless they are sauteed first. This also adds flavor to the whole dish.
3. Cook the rice and beans: Add the beans, tomatoes, rice, broth, and remaining spices to the pan. Bring everything to a simmer and then cover the dish and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the rice is tender and has soaked up most of the liquid. The exact time will depend on the type of rice you are using. 
4. Prepare toppings: While the rice cooks, prepare any toppings you will be using. Make salsa or pico de gallo, chop cilantro, and prep any toppings you want.
5. Finish and serve: Remove from the heat and fluff the rice with a fork. Squeeze in some fresh lime juice and add all your favorite toppings. 

Toppings and Serving Ideas

There are so many ways to serve this easy meal. Here are some of my favorite toppings and serving ideas.

• Avocado or guacamole
• Corn or corn salsa
• Red or green salsa
• Pico de gallo
• Cilantro
• Diced onions or green onions
• Shredded cheese
• Queso fresco
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt
• Shredded lettuce
• Lime
• Chopped jalapenos
• Warm corn tortillas or chips

Tips for Making Mexican Chicken and Rice

Follow these tips to customize this dish and make it your own. 

• Change up the protein: While I opted for chicken breasts, chicken thighs would also work in this recipe. With thighs, you are guaranteed moist, tender chicken. To switch things up, you could also use ground turkey or lean ground beef. Leftover chicken (like from this chicken tinga recipe) would also work great. Just add it after the rice and beans have cooked.
• Make it vegetarian: To make a vegetarian version, leave out the chicken and add some extra beans. When I make a meatless dish, I like to use a combination of black beans and pinto beans.
• Change up the seasoning: If you prefer not to make your own spice blend at home, you can use your favorite store-bought taco seasoning instead. Just watch the sodium levels, as many store-bought mixes can be very high.
• Try out all the toppings: The toppings really make this dish so don't skimp! I almost always add cilantro, shredded cheese, and avocado.
• Serve it with greens: This recipe has large and filling portions. To reduce the calories, reduce the portion size slightly and serve it over a salad. There will still be plenty to eat.
• Cilantro-lime rice: To make chipotle-inspired cilantro-lime rice, add fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro to the skillet when the rice is finished cooking. This will flavor the rice, chicken, and beans.
• Use rotisserie chicken: If you are worried about the chicken, another option is to use rotisserie chicken. Just fold it in before serving.

Meal Prep and Storage

This is a great recipe for meal prep, but there are a few important steps to take to ensure it comes out great. Here is what I recommend:

• Cool completely: As soon as the dish finishes cooking, divide it into your meal-prep containers. Do not cover the containers, and let the dish cool completely. The faster this dish cools, the less likely the rice is to overcook or get mushy. I find it cools more quickly in the smaller meal-prep containers than in a large pan. You can also spread it on a cookie sheet for quick cooling.
• Pack toppings separately: Add toppings to the meal prep bowls you don't mind reheating. That means I will add cheese and some extra salsa, but I pack the cilantro, lettuce, and avocado separately.
• Serve it in different ways: To vary your meal prep during the week, serve the leftovers differently. Eat them on their own one day, in lettuce wraps another day, stuffed into peppers or tomatoes one day, or made into a burrito another day.
• Reheating: To keep the chicken and rice moist, add 1-2 tablespoons of water or chicken broth when reheating them.

Can I make this recipe in the slow cooker?

It's easy to convert this recipe into a slow cooker recipe like these slow cooker burrito bowls. I recommend preparing the chicken and beans in the slow cooker and then preparing the rice separately.

Add the chicken, spices, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, and black beans to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours, then shred or chop the chicken. Cook the rice in the chicken broth on the side and stir it into the chicken and bean mixture. 

If you are making it in the slow cooker for meal prep, let everything cool before adding the rice to the chicken. To make prep a bit easier, you could also use frozen or pre-cooked rice.