This Mexican Chicken and Rice features tender, juicy marinated chicken thighs and authentic Mexican rice cooked all in one pot!
Is there anything better than making dinner all in one pot? I don’t think so! All the food is ready at the same time, the saute pan used to cook the food also doubles as a pretty serving dish and you only have to hand wash one pan at the end of the night. It’s amazing! So when I was thinking about what I wanted to cook for dinner, this chicken and rice recipe was a no-brainer.
The rice is the classic authentic Mexican rice recipe that I grew up eating made with lightly toasted rice cooked in a simple tomato, onion and garlic broth. I then cooked it with chicken thighs that I marinated in chili powder, paprika, oregano, cumin and a few other ingredients to really tenderize the meat.
The result is a delicious one pot meal that your whole family will love. If you’re like me and only feeding one other person in the house (e.g. my husband), this makes great leftovers that you can pack for lunch the next day or enjoy for dinner throughout the week.
How to make chicken and rice
- Marinate chicken thighs for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- Partially cook chicken thighs in 2 batches in a large oven-safe saute pan with some olive oil until the outside of the chicken is no longer pink. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and start cooking the rice in the same saute pan. Saute rice for 10 minutes, until rice begins to brown slightly.
- Add in the onions, minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in water, tomato paste and a generous pinch of salt. Stir together to mix until the tomato paste has fully dissolved.
- Cover the saute pan with a lid or foil, place it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then, remove it from the oven, place the partially cooked chicken thighs on top of the rice, cover and cook for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid or foil and bake for another 5 minutes uncovered. Check the temperature of the chicken thighs to make sure they’re cooked through using a meat thermometer like this one or by slicing into one.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with diced cilantro and fresh lime juice, if desired.
Tips for making this chicken and rice recipe
- Use a large oven-safe saute pan or skillet like this one that holds about 5 quarts. This ensures that the rice has enough space to expand while still having enough room for the chicken.
- Make sure to toast the rice all the way just as if you were making authentic Mexican rice by itself.
- I recommend using boneless skinless chicken thighs because they don’t leave the rice as greasy as it would be if you used skin-on thighs.
- You can also use boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer. Just make sure to add them in a little earlier in the cooking process since they’re often thicker and larger than thighs.
Like this chicken and rice bake recipe? You may also like these!
Mexican Chicken and Rice
servings: 6 servings
This Mexican Chicken and Rice features tender, juicy marinated chicken thighs and authentic Mexican rice cooked all in one pot!
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
For the rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 medium white onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- salt, to taste
- optional garnish: chopped cilantro and lime wedges
Instructions
- In a large freezer bag (or bowl), add chicken, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, vinegar, onion powder, chili powder, paprika, salt, oregano and cumin. Seal the bag and shake up to completely coat the chicken with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
- Heat a large oven-safe saute pan/deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add half of the chicken thighs to the pan and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Transfer the chicken onto a plate and cook the remaining chicken the same way.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In the same saute pan/skillet, add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. (If the skillet is already very greasy and has enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan due to cooking the chicken, you can omit this last addition of oil.)
- Add the rice and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice begins to brown slightly. At this point, some grains of rice may even pop. That’s okay. This step adds some nuttiness and more depth of flavor to the rice.
- Add in the onions and minced garlic. Saute for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the water, tomato paste and a generous pinch of salt. Stir together to mix until the tomato paste has fully dissolved.
- Cover the saute pan with a lid or foil, place it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove it from oven, place the partially cooked chicken thighs on top of the rice, cover and cook for another 15 minutes.
- Remove the lid or foil and bake for another 5 minutes uncovered. Check the temperature of the chicken thighs to make sure they’re cooked through using a meat thermometer like this one or by slicing into one.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with diced cilantro and fresh lime juice, if desired.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1/6th of recipe, Calories: 441kcal (22%), Carbohydrates: 51g (17%), Protein: 27g (54%), Fat: 14g (22%), Saturated Fat: 2g (10%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 95mg (32%), Sodium: 210mg (9%), Potassium: 137mg (4%), Fiber: 2g (8%), Sugar: 0g, Vitamin A: 250IU (5%), Vitamin C: 2.5mg (3%), Calcium: 10mg (1%), Iron: 3.8mg (21%)
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