One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

published April 1, 2024 — last updated April 8, 2024

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This easy One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice recipe is packed with Tex-Mex flavor! Rice, corn, beans, and tender chicken make a complete meal in just one pot!

A skillet One pot mexican chicken and rice, vegetables, and black beans topped with four pieces of seasoned chicken.

This easy one pot meal is perfect for busy weeknight dinners. Tender chicken thighs are cooked in fragrant Tex-Mex spices and served over rice, corn, beans, and tomatoes, all cooked in one pot!

This simple chicken and rice recipe is delicious the day it is made but also an amazing make-ahead dish that tastes just as good reheated.

Ingredients laid out for a recipe, including chicken thigh fillets, white rice, diced tomatoes, black beans, corn, chicken broth, and various spices for One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

Ingredients You’ll Need

Spices – Salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder. Everything you need for a good homemade taco seasoning.
Chicken thighs – We prefer skin-on, boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. The skin gets crispy when you cook it and the dark meat of the thigh stays nice and juicy. You can easily substitute with skinless chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or a mix of legs/thighs/wings/breasts.
Olive oil – A little extra virgin olive oil is used to cook your chicken and aromatics.
Aromatics – Diced onion and garlic and cooked together until softened.
Add-ins – To keep it simple we use canned corn, black beans, and diced tomatoes. You’ll drain the corn and black beans but leave the liquid in the diced tomatoes. If you want to spice it up a bit you can use Rotel in place of the diced tomatoes.
Chicken broth – You can use regular or low-sodium broth.
White Rice – Long grain white rice is preferred for this recipe. If you use a short grain or brown rice the cooking time and required amount of liquid will vary.
Cilantro – Finely chop this herb and sprinkle it over the finished dish before serving. If you don’t like cilantro you can skip this.

If you love a good one-pot recipe make sure to try these!

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1 – Spice mix. In a medium bowl, combine the salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 tablespoon chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well.

Raw chicken thighs coated with dry rub seasoning on a black plate for One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

Step 2 – Season chicken. Remove 1 tablespoon of spice mix and set aside for later use. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with the remaining spice mixture making sure to coat all sides.

Four seasoned chicken thighs in a frying pan for Sautéed diced onions in a frying pan to make One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

Step 3 – Cook chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the seasoned chicken. Cook chicken for 5-7 minutes on each side until it is cooked through. You will know it is done when an instant-read thermometer placed in the middle of the thigh reads 165 degrees F.

Once the chicken is cooked remove the chicken and set aside on a plate.

Sautéed diced onions in a frying pan to make One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice

Step 4 – Cook aromatics. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet along with the diced onions. Cook until onions begin to soften, approximately 3-5 minutes.

Add the garlic and continue to cook for one minute.

A skillet with One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice, mixed sautéed vegetables including corn, black beans, and red peppers.

Step 5 – Add-ins. Add the corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, and remaining seasoning mix. Stir mixture together and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Step 6 – Rice. Add the rice to the pan and pour the chicken broth over it. Use your spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Make sure the broth fully covers the rice. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes.

A skillet filled with One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice, beans, corn, and vegetables.

Step 7 – Sit and Fluff. After 20 minutes remove the pan from the heat without removing the cover and let the pan sit for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the lid and use a fork to fluff the exposed rice.

Step 8 – Put it all together. Place the chicken back in with the rice and garnish with cilantro. Serve hot.

A skillet with One Pot Mexican Chicken and Rice, garnished with parsley.

Can I Substitute Chicken Breasts for Chicken Thighs?

If you prefer you can substitute chicken breasts for chicken thighs. The cooking time will vary. I love the added flavor that the crispy skin adds but you can easily substitute with skinless chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or a mix of legs/thighs/wings/breasts.

A skillet One pot mexican chicken and rice with beans and corn.

How to Store and Reheat

This is a great meal to make ahead of time and portion out for easy lunches and dinners during the week!

Refrigerator

Let the meal cool completely then portion into 4 equal portions placing each in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezer

Let the meal cool completely then portion into 4 equal portions placing each in a freezer-safe, airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Reheating

Microwave – Place the chicken and rice on a microwave-safe plate and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Stovetop – Remove the chicken from the rice and cut into thin slices. Place the rice in a small skillet with 1/4 cup of water. Place the sliced chicken on top. Heat over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes or until warmed through.

Note: If you have reheating a frozen portion of chicken and rice we suggest thawing in the refrigerator overnight. This will allow it to reheat evenly.

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Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 45

Total Time: 55