One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice made with chicken thighs and seasoned Mexican rice with vegetables baked until tender in the oven.
One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice is so full of flavor and EASY! Plus the rice combines to make this deliciously soft, creamy and crispy texture that meant I was standing at the counter scooping up every last bit so it didn’t get wasted in the sink.
While this isn’t a classic arroz con pollo this is a definite take on the recipe. We love cooking chicken and rice in the same pot together, it makes such an easy meal with the smallest amount of cleanup!
The chicken in the dish is browned before being added to the pot with the rice, and the rice itself bakes in the oven. Topping the chicken with herbs and spices and the liquids from the chicken releasing into the rice while it is cooking makes for the richest flavors.
The rice in this dish is a variation of a super easy Mexican rice that uses salsa and chicken broth in making it. Depending on what I have on hand I’ve previously used fresh or jarred salsa. While they do taste different they are both completely delicious.
Totally off topic but awesome chef’s tip? If I have something like leftover Chimichurri Sauce I make rice with it! Add ½ cup or so (drain almost all the oil) and add to chicken broth for amazing rice.
Want to make the Mexican Chicken & Rice with white meat?
From a reader, Bryce, who made the One Pot Greek Chicken and Rice recipe with boneless chicken breasts:
Just FYI for anyone in the future wondering if you could make this with boneless Chicken Breast–You absolutely can, and it is delicious! I followed the pan-searing directions for the chicken, but after removing them, I set them aside until 25 minutes into cooking the rice portion in the oven. After 25 minutes, I added the chicken breast and continued cooking it for another 25 minutes. I made it for my neighbors in need, but I also made it for us. We loved it, and they did too! Thank you!
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Other versions of this chicken and rice casserole:
- Spanish Olives Chicken and Rice (One Pan!)
- One Pot Greek Chicken and Rice
- Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
Tools Used:
Better Than Bouillon: I rarely buy boxes of broth because I keep the beef, chicken, and vegetable versions of this Better Than Bouillon.
Cast Iron Skillet: This is my most used pan in my kitchen, heavy, keeps heat well and gives the BEST sear ever.
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Ingredients
- 5 chicken thighs bone in and skin on
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cups white rice uncooked
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup salsa
- 1/2 red bell pepper minced
- Parsley minced for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Heat the cast iron skillet on high heat.
- Season your chicken to taste with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, kosher salt and cayenne pepper.
- Add the chicken, skin side down and cook until browned, 4-5 minutes.
- Flip and cook an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Push the chicken to the side (or onto a plate).
- Add the olive oil to your cast iron skillet and heat on medium-high.
- Add in the onions and start to cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Once the onions are mostly melted add in the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds while stirring.
- Add in the uncooked rice, salsa and red bell pepper and cook for a minute until boiling.
- Pour in the chicken stock and put the chicken back in skin side up.
- Bake covered with foil for 35-40 minutes.
Nutrition
I received my first braiser for Xmas and this was the first recipe I tried in it. Absolutely amazing dish! I couldn’t stop eating the rice, and chicken was perfect. I used bone in chicken breast with back attached and it was so tender and juicy. I also added some bacon to the rice. Love this recipe! Will definitely be trying it again!
The flavors of the recipe were really good. But even after cooking it for 55 mins and adding more broth, there were still hard grains of rice.
That’s disappointing. Did you use a cast iron skillet that was pre-heated in the oven? When you added the uncooked rice, salsa and red pepper did you cook until the liquid was boiling? I really appreciate you trying the recipe. Another thought would be to use an oven thermometer to see if the temp is accurate. I’ve had problems with ovens varying in heat and finally, did you open the oven door while baking? The blast of cool air can drop the heat quickly.
Sorry, but your instructions NEVER mention “a cast iron skillet that was pre-heated in the oven”.
“Heat the cast iron skillet on high heat” SEEMS to indicate heating it on the stovetop.
Which is it???
While you don’t need to preheat the cast iron skillet in the oven for this recipe, it can be a helpful solution to ensure it is hot enough. Thank you for trying to help clarify, heating the skillet on the stovetop, as written in the recipe, should be sufficient but there are other options available.
Great, my family loved it!
So glad to hear Ivy and thanks for the five star rating!
Although it is a crockpot meal, I took the recipe and made it in a cast iron dutch oven over fire. Browned up the chick, then threw in the onions, then added the rest of the ingredients minus the biscuits. Then we added the biscuits towards the end after shredding the chicken up. Put some hot coals on the lid of the Dutch oven till slightly browned on top. OH MY GOODNESS! So tasty. My husband just said he could eat this forever. Will be repeating and trying in a Dutch oven at home in and then also in the crockpot. Delicious!
Love it! So glad you enjoyed it and I enjoyed reading your feedback on using the Dutch Oven!
Could I remove the bone from the chicken thigh before cooking? If so would I need to adjust the recipe since thigh would be thinner?
Boneless meat does take less time (anywhere from 5 – 20 minutes!). Follow the recipe and check your meat to see if the largest part of the meat is at 165 degrees. If so, the meat is done!
I just made this recipe. It was so good. I cooked an ear of corn and added it. I added some red kidney beans too like someone suggested. My husband loved it and asked me to make it again. Thank You, I will be back to look at more of your recipes.
Glad you guys enjoyed the recipe!
Glad to see the comment from Bryce about using b/s chicken breasts. I have a husband who won’t eat chicken thighs, and I’ved passed on many a recipe where thighs are used…I will try this one, preparing it with the substitution that Bryce suggests, as it sounds so good.
. Every. Cooking blog that I’ve been on has always had at least one recipe that didn’t come out too good. So far I haven’t hit that one here. Do you have one that doesn’t turn out so good? Hmmm, maybe not. Loved all that I’ve tried, so far.
First of all, love your “Feisty Granny” user name! Secondly, thanks so much for the high praise 🙂
I made this exact recipe and it came out so bland to my familys taste ? i dont know what i did wrong. The chicken had a beautiful juicy texture and my babies loved that part. I’m going to try making it again and adjusting spice levels
I doubled the cumin and chili powder and garlic
I made this tonight and the flavor is amazing!!! I doubled the recipe and used boneless skinless chicken thighs and also added a can of drained and rinsed black beans to it, so good!!!! I will definitely make this again!!
This is a family favorite! I also make just the rice with no chicken. I just include the spices onto the cooked onion then blend
My wife loves when I make this recipe. Today I used hot salsa which made the rice spicy delicious. Thanks for your wonderful dishes.
Thank you for this recipe. My 8 year old liked it and so did my picky husband. One lady fron the comments took out the amount of the spices in the recipe. Don’t do it! This recipe is perfect the way it is.
I am going to make this today June 7, 2022….but try to alter it….doubling it would’ve too much….but 5 pcsof chicken for 4 adults is not enough. And probably need more rice, so I will let you know how it turns out and how I changed it.