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    🏠Home » Recipes » Mexican Recipes

    30-Minute Mexican Chicken and Rice

    Sep 10, 2013 · Modified: Feb 18, 2022 by Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan · 11 Comments

    Recipe Table of Contents    
    4.28 from 18 votes

    30 minutes, one pan, and minimal skill will get you a tasty, healthy weeknight dinner. A complete meal all in one bursting with tender chicken, tasty rice, and a great Mexican attitude.

    chicken and rice on white plate

    Jump To:
    • 🐓The Chicken
    • 🌶️The Rotel
    • 📖Tex-Mex Casseroles
    • 🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
    • Recipe

    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    Introduction

    This is my quick and easy version of a Mexican flavored chicken and rice dinner. By using Minute Rice as the base and Rotel for most of the flavoring, it comes together in under 30 minutes.

    What I wanted:

    1. I didn't want that bland white rice taste. The rice needed some "pop" to it.
    2. I wanted chicken included in the cooking method. Precooked chicken would work, but the is planning ahead, and I don't usually have that.
    3. Some great taste with a little spice.
    4. Easy and quick enough, I can do it after a 12 hour day.
    5. It must use things I always have — no special trip to the store.

    Start with a couple of skinless boneless chicken breasts then add some onion, garlic, a few spices, a can each of RoTel and chicken broth. Finally, some minute rice and you are done. Really good.

    I have no inspiration recipe for this. I wanted to do a stovetop chicken and rice, but Google was not my friend this time. Way too many recipes with cans of soup again. And again, I refuse to participate in that farce. I wanted tasty rice with a little spice.

    My Rating

    My rating system of a 4 out of 5 so very nice.

    High 4 or low 5.

    🐓The Chicken

    While I chose skinless boneless chicken breast, you can use chicken tenders or skinless thighs. This is not a recipe that will produce wonderful skin on the chicken. But bone-in thighs are OK.

    Precooked chicken, like rotisserie chicken, would work well for this recipe. Add about 3 cups of shredded chicken after cooking the onion along with the chicken broth.

    🌶️The Rotel

    Rotel is diced tomatoes with some mild green chilies along with a few spices. It comes in various heat levels, so use the version you want.

    If you don't have, or don't want to use Rotel, then drain a 14-15 oz. can of diced tomatoes. A can of mild chilies would be nice to add, also.

    📖Tex-Mex Casseroles

    Easy Taco Casserole

    Easy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

    This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.

    Casserole Recipes, Easy Dinner Recipes, Low Fat Recipes, Mexican Recipes
    Blue ribbon divider used for visual effect

    🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions

    raw chicken, rice and other ingredients

    Start with things I always have on hand.

    raw chicken trimmed on red board with knife

    Trim and cut two skinless boneless chicken breasts. Cut into convent size pieces.

    butter melting in large fry pan

    Take 1 tablespoon butter and melt over medium-high heat.

    frying pieces of chicken in black pan

    When the butter is starting to bubble, add the chicken. Cook about 5 minutes per side initially. While the chicken is cooking, dice a small or ½ medium onion and crush two large cloves of garlic.

    browned chicken with onion in black pan

    After the chicken has cooked 10 minutes, add the onion and garlic. Cook until chicken has an internal temp of 160°. About five more minutes. (a total of 15 minutes)

    adding rice to skillet with chicken and liquid

    Add one 14.5 oz can chicken broth, a 10.5 oz can RoTel, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Mix well and bring to boil over medium-high heat.

    adding rice to skillet with chicken and liquid

    Add 2 cup Minute Rice and stir in well and get most of the rice off the top of the chicken.

    rice and chicken on large spoon over pan

    Cover and remove from heat. In 5 minutes, stir well, and serve. It is done in 25 minutes.

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    Recipe

    chicken and rice on white plate

    30-Minute Mexican Chicken and Rice

    From Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
    30 minutes, one pan, and minimal skill will get you a tasty, healthy weeknight dinner. A complete meal all in one bursting with tender chicken, tasty rice, and a great Mexican attitude.
    Tap to leave a Rating
    4.28 from 18 votes
    Print Email CollectionCollected
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Cook Time: 23 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings #/Adjust if desired 4 servings

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Convert to Metric
    • 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts
    • 1 tablespoons butter
    • 14.5 oz chicken broth
    • 10.5 oz RoTel
    • 1 onion - small or ½ medium
    • 2 cloves garlic - large crushed
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon pepper
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 2 cups Minute Rice
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Take 1 tablespoon butter and melt over medium-high heat.
    • When the butter is starting to bubble, add the chicken. Cook about 5 minutes per side initially. While the chicken is cooking, dice a small or ½ medium onion, and crush two large cloves of garlic.
      raw chicken, rice and other ingredients
    • After the chicken has cooked 10 minutes, add the onion and garlic. Cook until chicken has an internal temp of 160°. About five more minutes. (a total of 15 minutes)
    • Add one 14.5 oz can chicken broth, a 10.5 oz can RoTel, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Mix well and bring to boil over medium-high heat.
      adding rotel to pan with chicken
    • Add 2 cup Minute Rice and stir in well and get most of the rice off the top of the chicken.
      adding rice to skillet with chicken and liquid
    • Cover and remove from heat. In 5 minutes, stir well, and serve. Done in 25 minutes.
      rice and chicken on large spoon over pan
    See the step-by-step photos in the post. Some recipes have an option to display the photos here with a switch above these instructions but the photos DO NOT print.

    Your Own Private Notes

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    Recipe Notes

    Pro Tips

    1. You can use chicken thighs if you wish, and even bone-in should be fine.
    2. You can use precooked chicken, like a rotisserie chicken. Cook the onion, then add with the broth.
    3. This is made for Minute Rice, simmering for other rice will overcook everything else.
    4. Good refrigerated for 3-4 days. I never recommend freezing rice.

    To adjust the recipe size:

    You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.

    Nutrition Estimate

    Nutrition Facts
    30-Minute Mexican Chicken and Rice
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 297 Calories from Fat 54
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 6g9%
    Saturated Fat 2g10%
    Cholesterol 44mg15%
    Sodium 433mg18%
    Potassium 499mg14%
    Carbohydrates 43g14%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 19g38%
    Vitamin A 340IU7%
    Vitamin C 10mg12%
    Calcium 49mg5%
    Iron 4mg22%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Serving size is my estimate of a normal size unless stated otherwise. The number of servings per recipe is stated above. This is home cooking, and there are many variables. All nutritional information are estimates and may vary from your actual results. To taste ingredients such as salt will be my estimate of the average used.
    Course : Main dish
    Cuisine : Mexican

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    Originally Published September 10, 2013. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.

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    1. Phil Trokanski

      November 15, 2021 at 7:13 pm

      Hi Dr.Dan,
      Question how big a pan is this 12 inch?

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan

        November 15, 2021 at 8:44 pm

        Hi Phil,

        Welcome to the blog.

        That is a 12 inch. It will probably fit in a slightly smaller if that is all you have with a lid. Do not use cast iron due to the tomatoes.

        Enjoy your dinner.

        Dan

    2. Mrs B

      August 27, 2016 at 9:26 pm

      I do a similar dish. I brown chicken and onion first then set aside. I then dry fry long grain rice in oil until rice changes colour. Then I add stock and taco sauce. Cover and simmer until rice is nearly done, then re add chicken and onions and some peas and corn. Takes a lot longer than your recipe.

      Reply
      • DrDan

        August 29, 2016 at 9:30 pm

        Hi Mrs. B
        I really like chicken and rice variations. I was "rice impaired" for many yrs and defaulted fool proof minute rice recipes. I still like it so it creeps into my cooking especially in dishes like this.

        Thanks for the note
        Dan

    3. jessica mcmanus

      October 28, 2013 at 1:48 pm

      random question:)
      I've noticed you use different forms of salt (ionized, kosher etc) how much does the form of salt you use influence a dish? Is it bad to use one over the other? Ive googled this question before when trying one of the tenderloin recipes but it was kinda confusing!

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell

        October 28, 2013 at 7:16 pm

        Let's talk basic salt. Table salt as pictured above. This is what I tend to use when cooking where it just dissolves. Diamond Crystal Kosher salt is larger grained and it take 50%. Morton kosher is even larger grain and it takes twice as much. So the equivalent is :

        1 teaspoon table salt = 1 1/4 teaspoon Morton kosher salt = 2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt

        Outside of baking, salt is mostly to taste anyways. I always picture what I used but if I say salt, it is table salt or equivalent. If I say course salt I try to mean the salt pictured but really substitute back and forth between the Morton and Diamond Crystal since they are close.

        Sea salt is about like Morton. The fancier designer salts (various seas salts etc.) seems strange to me. Somebody has much better taste buds than I do... The only difference is some trace minerals.

        Remember salt is just sodium chloride, nothing magic. Anymore I tend to keep the Diamond Crystal next to the stove and just equilibrate when I measure.

    4. John Whelan

      September 28, 2013 at 5:51 pm

      Looks good, but I only have/use long grain rice.

      Reply
    5. Chris

      September 16, 2013 at 6:17 pm

      Pinned it, I like Mexican rice so one with chicken is even better, right?

      Reply
    6. Heidi Menocal

      September 11, 2013 at 10:44 am

      My mother used to make something like this with ground beef and regular rice. She called it spanish rice. I think I might try your version with long grain rice as I am not a fan of minute rice.

      Reply
      • Dan Mikesell

        September 11, 2013 at 11:28 am

        I'm sure a standard rice would do but I have never had good luck with them. I initially was going to do this stove top to oven with only partly cooking the chicken and long grain rice but I "chickened" out plus time is a big issue for me right now. If you do it, let me know. Dan
        PS Note to others, DO NOT just substitute other rices into this technique. The technique needs to match the rice used.

      • Heidi Menocal

        September 12, 2013 at 11:01 am

        I will try it soon with long grain rice. I will add more broth and less rice.

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