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HomeRecipes

One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

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By: IsabelPosted: 10/17/18

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This Mexican Chicken and Rice features tender, juicy marinated chicken thighs and authentic Mexican rice cooked all in one pot!

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.

This Mexican Chicken and Rice recipe features tender, juicy marinated chicken thighs and authentic Mexican rice cooked all in one pot!

How to make chicken and rice

  1. Marinate chicken thighs for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with diced cilantro and fresh lime juice, if desired.

This Mexican Chicken and Rice bake features tender, juicy marinated chicken thighs and authentic Mexican rice cooked all in one pot!

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.

This Mexican Chicken and Rice recipe features tender, juicy marinated chicken thighs and authentic Mexican rice cooked all in one pot!

Like this chicken and rice bake recipe? You may also like these!

  • Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken
  • Chipotle Beef Stuffed Peppers
  • Camarones a la Diabla

Recipe

4.08 from 27 votes

Mexican Chicken and Rice

Serves: 6 servings
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This Mexican Chicken and Rice features tender, juicy marinated chicken thighs and authentic Mexican rice cooked all in one pot!
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total : 1 hour 15 minutes
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 coarse kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon 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%)
Author: Isabel Eats
Course:Main
Cuisine:Mexican
This Mexican Chicken and Rice features tender, juicy marinated chicken thighs and authentic Mexican rice cooked all in one pot!
Did you Make my Mexican Chicken and Rice?Leave a comment below and tag @isabeleats on social media!
@isabeleats
This Mexican Chicken and Rice features tender, juicy marinated chicken thighs and authentic Mexican rice cooked all in one pot! #mexican #chickenandrice #chickendinner #glutenfree #onepot

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    Authentic Mexican Rice
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    Easy Chipotle Chicken Recipe
  • Mexican cauliflower rice in skillet garnished with cilantro and lime.
    Mexican Cauliflower Rice
  • This low carb and cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Rice Chicken Casserole recipe is perfect for dinner and makes great leftovers. It's also gluten free!
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Recipe Rating:




  1. John Anthony H. says

    Posted on 3/7 at 2:08 pm

    Cumino!

    Reply
  2. Jodi Rupert says

    Posted on 6/29 at 4:00 pm

    Looking for Mexican rice recipe that is marinated for 3 days or so with a vegetable. Best I’ve ever tasted

    Reply
    • Ana @ Isabel Eats says

      Posted on 6/30 at 10:54 am

      Hi Jodi! I’m not sure about that, but we do have a recipe for authentic Mexican Rice on the blog if you wanted to check that out.

      Reply
  3. Marcus says

    Posted on 5/3 at 10:50 pm

    5 stars
    Hi! I just tried this but I messed it up and it don’t know how. I followed all the steps but some of the rice came out raw and some of it came out mushy. I used a stainless steel skillet and covered it with tin foil when I put it in the oven. I would really appreciate some help. Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Dianne Cummings says

    Posted on 4/7 at 9:00 am

    4 stars
    Good recipe, just a little bland for us. Next time I’ll spice it up a bit.

    Reply
  5. Bethany says

    Posted on 4/8 at 6:57 pm

    5 stars
    This is a go-to for me now! Have chicken marinading and a quick dinner with delicious leftovers! I’ve even subbed riced cauliflower for half of the rice!

    Reply
    • Isabel says

      Posted on 4/13 at 5:51 pm

      Ahh, thank you so much, Beth! 🙂 I’m so happy you love it. Such a good idea with the riced cauliflower, too. I’m definitely trying that next time.

      Reply
  6. Zainab says

    Posted on 1/3 at 9:26 am

    5 stars
    Hi!
    That is a nice recipe. And quite easy. But I do not have an oven. So how do I cook it on a stove?

    Reply

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Isabel Orozco-Moore, Founder of Isabel Eats
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A first-generation Mexican American who loves to cook! Here at Isabel Eats, you’ll find a mix of all your favorite authentic Mexican recipes with a twist!

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