Mexican Chicken and Rice Bake
The ultimate comfort food, Mexican Chicken and Rice Bake is an easy weeknight dinner packed with flavor. Tender chicken, fluffy rice, and vibrant spices come together in one dish. You won’t want to wait to make this crowd-pleaser tonight!
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Oven
- Cutting Board
- Frying Pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Wooden Spoon
- Chef's Knife
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 cloves garlic pressed
- 2 tbsp butter
- 6 pieces bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1.5 cups long grain white rice uncooked
- 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
- 2.5 cups chicken broth very hot (see note)
- 12 ounces salsa prepared
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Pico de Gallo
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400˚F (200˚C). This ensures that your bake will start cooking evenly right from the beginning.
- In a large casserole dish (I typically use a 9×13 inch dish), add the diced yellow onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Bake these for about 10 minutes until they become fragrant and start to soften slightly. You’ll love the aroma that fills your kitchen!
- While the vegetables are baking, take your chicken thighs and remove the skin. This is optional, but it helps reduce the fat content and allows the seasoning to penetrate the meat better. Generously season both sides of the chicken with taco seasoning.
- After 10 minutes, bring out the casserole dish from the oven. Add the long grain white rice, black beans, and salsa to the pan. Mix these ingredients together gently so that everything is evenly distributed. This is where the magic begins to happen!
- Now, lay the seasoned chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture. Pour the very hot chicken broth into the casserole dish, making sure to cover the rice and beans completely. Cover the dish tightly with foil to keep the moisture in.
- Bake this in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. The goal here is to allow the rice to absorb all the flavors and cook through. It’ll be hard to wait, but it will be worth it!
- Once 30 minutes is up, remove the foil and gently stir the rice and beans underneath the chicken using a fork. This helps to distribute the flavors better.
- Top everything with your shredded cheddar cheese, and pop it back in the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on it until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- When it’s done, you’ll see the edges bubbling and the cheese melted beautifully on top. Remove the dish from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes.
- Serve warm, and don’t forget to add your garnishes of cilantro and Pico de Gallo for that fresh touch!
Notes
- Salsa: salsa verde or another type of your favorite salsa will also work well.
- Black beans: pinto or kidney beans would also work well.
- Cheddar cheese: feel free to substitute Monterey Jack or another favorite type of cheese.