High-Protein Fajita Chicken and Rice Skillet

Move over Chili’s, we’re taking the daring flavors of sizzlin’ fajitas and cooking up a brand new one pan meal that’s full of protein, veggies, and fiber.

This one pan fajita hen and rice skillet has unimaginable Southwest spices, juicy hen, fajita greens, and fluffy turmeric rice all simmered collectively. It takes simply quarter-hour to prep and we’ve been LOVING this one for a simple weeknight meal. Serve it up with a number of recent toppings, and don’t neglect to take a look at my favourite solution to eat leftovers!

Ingredients on this fajita hen and rice

I do know the ingredient checklist appears lengthy, but it surely’s actually simply veggies, hen, and pantry staples when it comes all the way down to it! The spice combination actually makes the dish. Here’s what you’ll want:

Spices: we’re packing the flavour on this skillet with a mix of cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. You’ll additionally want recent turmeric for that lovely rice impressed by my mother’s turmeric rice recipe.
Chicken: I like to make use of boneless skinless hen thighs on this recipe as a result of it stays juicy and flavorful.
Veggies & produce: get a rainbow of coloration in your plate with purple, orange, and inexperienced bell pepper, corn, onion, and garlic. I prefer to garnish with cilantro, scallions, and jalapeño slices, too.
Rice: be at liberty to make use of basmati or jasmine rice on this recipe!
Beans: a full can of black beans provides further protein and a beautiful increase of fiber.
Cheese: what are hen fajitas with out a little melty cheese? You’ll stir in a shredded Mexican cheese mix for further savory goodness.

Customize this hen fajita rice skillet

There are a number of straightforward methods to make this skillet dinner your personal:

Choose your veggies. Feel free to make use of what veggies you’ve gotten available! In the summer time you would throw in zucchini or yellow squash, too.
Go dairy-free. Simply omit the cheese or use your favourite dairy-free cheese shreds.
Pick your spiciness stage. If you’re making this dish for kiddos or are delicate to spice, be at liberty to omit the cayenne pepper.

Can I exploit a unique grain?

I’d not advocate swapping the white rice for brown rice as a result of brown rice takes for much longer to prepare dinner. I haven’t examined it, however you would strive utilizing quinoa or cauliflower rice as an alternative! Let me know within the feedback when you strive it.

How to make this straightforward fajita hen and rice

Season the hen. Start by mixing all the spices collectively in a small bowl. Add the hen to a large bowl, then sprinkle in among the spice combination and use tongs to coat the hen properly.
Cook the hen. Heat oil in a big oven-safe skillet or braiser, then prepare dinner the hen thighs and set them apart on a plate.
Cook the veggies. Add just a little extra oil, then add the veggies and prepare dinner till they start to melt. Stir within the turmeric, garlic, and the remainder of the spices, then stir within the rice.
Simmer & bake the skillet. Stir within the broth, corn, and beans, then nestle the hen into the skillet. Bring every little thing to a mild boil, then cowl, switch to the oven, and bake it up.
Cheese, garnish & serve. Remove the skillet from the oven, sprinkle on some cheese, then bake once more uncovered. Add your fav garnishes and serve it up!

Our favourite toppings & garnishes

I really like jazzing up my plate with a number of recent, flavorful toppings like:

Storing tips

The is the right meal prep dinner recipe and makes glorious leftovers! Let the pan cool fully, divide the entire thing into 4 separate meal prep containers, and place them within the fridge for as much as 3-4 days. You may even fry among the rice up the subsequent day and prime with a fried egg for a fajita fried rice-inspired lunch.

More one pan meals

Get all of my one pan meals right here!

I hope you like this hen fajita rice skillet! If you make it you should definitely depart a remark and a ranking so I understand how you preferred it. Enjoy, xo!

The
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook

125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day

One Pan Southwest Chicken and Rice Fajita Skillet

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Serves6 servings

One pan fajita hen and rice skillet full of daring Southwest seasonings, tons of lovely veggies, and loads of protein from each black beans and hen. This straightforward hen fajita rice skillet is scrumptious topped with salsa, avocado, and pickled purple onion, and makes unimaginable leftovers. The good weeknight meal that is bursting with taste!

Ingredients

Spice combination
1 ½ teaspoons cumin
1 ½ teaspoons floor coriander
1 ½ teaspoon chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt (or sub adobo seasoning)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder
Optional: ¼ teaspoon cayenne (provided that you want just a little warmth)
Freshly floor black pepper
For the skillet
1 ½ kilos boneless skinless hen thighs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or avocado oil, divided
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 purple bell pepper, sliced
1 orange bell pepper, sliced
1 inexperienced bell pepper, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 tablespoons of recent grated turmeric (if you don’t need yellow fingers put on gloves)
1 cup jasmine or basmati rice, rinsed and drained
1 ¾ cup low-sodium hen broth (or water)
¾ cup corn off the cob, from 1 giant ear or corn (or use frozen or canned corn)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
¾ cup shredded Mexican cheese mix
⅓ cup chopped recent cilantro
2 scallions, thinly sliced
For serving
1 lime, lower into wedges
Plain Greek yogurt
Sliced avocado (or guacamole)
Your favourite salsa
Jalapeno slices
Pickled purple onion (this makes it so fabulous!)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 levels F.
In a small bowl, add the spices: cumin, coriander, chili powder, paprika, salt, oregano, garlic powder, cayenne (if utilizing) and a number of grinds of black pepper. Mix till properly mixed.
Add hen to a big bowl and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the spice combination, (reserving the remaining spice combination for later.) Toss properly with tongs to coat the hen within the spices.
Place an oven-safe giant dutch oven or a 3.5 quart braiser over medium-high warmth and add within the oil. Once oil is scorching, add within the hen and prepare dinner till golden brown, about 3 to five minutes per aspect. Remove from the pan and switch to a plate.
Reduce warmth to low and add in one other tablespoon of oil, then instantly add within the onion and bell peppers. Cook, stirring sometimes for five to eight minutes till peppers barely soften. Next add the recent turmeric, garlic and remaining spice combination and prepare dinner till the garlic is aromatic, 30 seconds. Immediately add within the rice and stir for an additional 30 seconds to coat it with the spices. Next stir within the broth, corn and black beans. Arrange the hen on prime, together with any gathered hen juices on the plate, and gently nestle into the rice combination. Bring to a mild boil.
Cover, switch the pan to the oven and bake for 25 minutes till the rice is tender.
Remove from the oven and prime with shredded cheese. Place again within the oven and bake uncovered for a further 5 minutes till the cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro and inexperienced onion. Top with a squeeze of recent lime juice.
Serve with toppings of alternative: yogurt, avocado slices (or guac), salsa, jalapeno and pickled purple onions. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

This makes glorious leftovers! You may even fry among the rice up the subsequent day and prime with a fried egg for a fajita fried rice-inspired lunch.
If you don’t have recent turmeric, you possibly can sub 1 teaspoon of floor turmeric.