Beans & Rice is a great starting point for a weeknight dinner. You can work it into so many different types of cuisines depending on the types of beans, rice and or seasoning you add to the mix. For this fun one pan meal, it takes a turn to a Mexican flavor profile by adding in some green chilies and pinto beans. Cheesy Chicken Beans & Rice is an easy to make and hearty weeknight meal.
I have included my own recipe for taco seasoning at the bottom of the recipe card. You will likely have all of these ingredients in your cupboards or pantry. If you don’t, you can find them all in the bulk bin section of your grocery or in the spice aisle. If you do not wish to put it together yourself, you can always use a pre-made packet of your favorite taco seasoning. The two keys to the final flavor of this recipe are cumin and chili powder. These are the pillars of the Mexican taste you are looking for. Cumin lends to that traditional smoky quality while the chili powder will give it a kick.
As will most one pan meals that I come up with, you really aren’t in need of a side dish for this. If you do want to stretch the meal to have for lunch over the next week, you might add a nice southwest style salad. You could also make up some simple cheese quesadillas to have on the side. If you wanted to add a bit of fun, you could serve it with your favorite salsa and some tortilla chips.
Now Let’s Get Cookin’!
Cheesy Chicken Beans & Rice
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Oil
- 2 lbs Chicken Breast diced
- ½ Large White Onion fine diced
- 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 cups Long Grain Rice
- 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning see recipe below
- 2 cans Pinto Beans drained
- 1 10oz can Green Chilies
- 1 quart Chicken Broth
- 2 cups water (less if necessary)
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese shredded
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
Instructions
- In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add half of oil. Can chicken chunks and saute until no more pink is visible. Add onions and garlic and sauté 3 minutes.
- Move chicken, onions and garlic to one side of pan. Add remaining oil to pan along with rice. Toast until golden brown.
- Add seasoning, pinto beans, green chilies and chicken broth to pan. Stir together chicken and rice. Add just enough water for everything to be completely covered (may be less than 2 cups or but shouldn't' be more). Stir to combine and let come just to a bubble.
- Reduce heat to medium and cover with lid. Let cook for 20 minutes. Remove lid and add heavy cream and cheddar cheese, stirring to combine. Replace lid and cook another 5 to 10 minutes. Stir to fully incorporate melted cheese.
- Serve in a shallow bowl and a sprinkle of parsley, if desired.
Notes
I love to link up my posts to lots of blogs around the internet – check out this Ultimate Handy Linky Party List to find some of the places I share to!
Estelle Forrest self-published this cookbook after a lot of playing around in the kitchen. You can purchase your own copy here:
AVAILABLE IN PRINT OR KINDLE eBOOK VERSIONS
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Oh I love a good one dish meal like this!