One-Pot Chicken Fajita Rice is a flavorful dinner that delivers fajita flavor without the mess. Juicy chicken, tender peppers, zesty Rotel tomatoes, and fluffy rice simmer together in one skillet for a fast and satisfying meal. Best of all, it comes together in just 30 minutes using pantry staples and makes amazing leftovers.
While not a traditional Mexican dish, this Tex-Mex favorite is a fantastic option for Cinco de Mayo, weeknight dinners, or anytime you're craving bold, colorful flavor with easy cleanup.
Watch How to Make One-Pot Chicken Fajita Rice
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Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
- The Chicken: I like to use boneless and skinless chicken breasts cut into strips in this dish, cooked in olive oil.
- The "Fajita": I used traditional fajita veggies, including red bell peppers, green bell peppers, onions, and garlic cooked in more olive oil. For the spices, I used my signature blend (includes Kosher salt, garlic and onion powder, sweet paprika, black pepper, light brown sugar, dried oregano, dried thyme, dry mustard, and cayenne pepper) enhanced with chili powder, ground cumin, and sweet paprika.
- The Rice: For the rice, I used long-grain white rice that I had rinsed well.
- The Liquids: I used low-sodium chicken broth, Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, freshened at the end with fresh lime juice.
Making the One-Pot Chicken Fajita Rice: Step-by-Step
One-pot chicken fajita rice is super simple to make.
- I started by adding half of the olive oil, the chicken, and half of the spices to my 3.5-quart braiser over medium-high heat. After cooking the chicken for four to five minutes until it was no longer pink, I removed it from the pan.
- I added the remaining olive oil to the pan. Then, I added the red and green bell peppers, onions, and remaining spices. I stirred everything together and cooked the veggies for three to four minutes until they started to soften.
- Next, I added the garlic, and cooked it for about 30 seconds until it was fragrant.
- After that, I added the chicken broth, undrained Rotel tomatoes, rice, and cooked chicken. I stirred everything together, brought the mixture to a boil, and lowered the heat to low.
- I placed a paper towel on the pan, covered it with the lid, and simmered the mixture until the rice was tender and the liquid had been absorbed. This took about 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, I removed the lid and the paper towel. The rice was perfectly cooked, and the liquid had been absorbed. I squeezed some fresh lemon juice on the chicken fajita rice and gave the mixture a good stir.
I finished the chicken fajita rice with a sprinkling of minced parsley, a dollop of sour cream, and several slices of fresh lime.
If you're craving bold flavor without a pile of dishes, this One-Pot Chicken Fajita Rice is the answer. It brings all the Tex-Mex magic to your table in just 30 minutes, with juicy chicken, tender peppers, and seasoned rice simmered to perfection-all in one pan.
Whether you're celebrating Cinco de Mayo, meal prepping for the week, or simply looking for a new family favorite, this easy one-pot dinner checks every box. Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but you'll need to add more liquid and increase the simmer time to 35-40 minutes. Keep the lid on and check for doneness.
This recipe works well with chicken thighs. It's also delicious with a combination of chicken thighs and breasts.
Leftovers are delicious. Store leftovers in a covered dish in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat in the microwave with a splash of broth or lime juice to keep it moist.
Recipe Tips and Serving Suggestions
- Paper Towel Helps Minimize Mushy Rice: Whenever I cook rice or a rice dish, I always cover the pan with a paper towel before adding the lid. The reason is that the paper towel traps the condensation, preventing it from falling back onto the rice and causing mushy rice.
- Use a 3.5-quart Braiser or Deep Skillet: I like to use my 3.5-quart braiser for this recipe. The large area gives the rice plenty of room to cook evenly. If you don't have a 3.5-quart braiser, use a large, deep skillet for best results.
- Rinse the Rice Well: I always rinse the rice well to remove excess starch before cooking it. Place the uncooked rice in a wire mesh strainer, and rinse it until the water runs clear.
- Even Veggie Strips: To ensure the veggies cook evenly, cut them into even-sized strips.
- Tex-Mex Meal: I like to serve this one-pot chicken fajita rice with Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread Sticks or regular cornbread, a dollop of sour cream, sliced limes, or tortilla chips for extra crunch.
- Make it a Bowl: Add rinsed and drained black beans, shredded lettuce, and cheese to make a fajita-style bowl.
Other Cinco de Mayo Dishes
If you're a fan of Tex-Mex or Cinco de Mayo Dishes, look no farther. Here are some of my favorites.
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Recipe
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One-Pot Chicken Fajita Rice
Equipment
- 3.5 quart braiser or large deep skillet
Ingredients
Fajita Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Signature Blend (See Tip 1)
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
Chicken Fajita Rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound 16 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized strips (See Tip 2)
- Fajita seasoning from above, divided
- 1 medium to large red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
- 1 medium to large green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into strips
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed well and drained (See Tip 3)
- 1¾ cups (14 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
- 10 ounce can Rotel Original Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies, undrained (See Tip 4)
- Juice of 1 lime
- Fresh chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish
- Sour cream and lime slices for serving
Instructions
Fajita Seasoning
- In a small bowl, combine all fajita seasoning ingredients. Set aside.
Chicken Fajita Rice
- In a 3.5-quart braiser or large skillet, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, sprinkle with half of the seasoning, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the sliced bell peppers, onion, and the remaining seasoning. Sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, Rotel tomatoes, rice, and cooked chicken; stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a paper towel and lid, and simmer for 18-20 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. (See Tip 5)
- Remove the pan from the heat. Drizzle with fresh lime juice, fluff the rice, and correct the seasonings. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley. Srve with sour cream and lime slices on the side.
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings. (See Tips 6 and 7)
Video
Tips/Notes
- My signature blend is made with the following: 3 Tablespoons Kosher salt, 1 Tablespoon each of garlic powder, onion powder, sweet paprika, and light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon each of dried oregano, dried thyme, and mustard powder, and ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. As an alternative, use 1 tablespoon of store-bought fajita seasoning.
- May use chicken thighs in place of the chicken breasts.
- I like to rinse the rice in a wire mesh strainer, and allow it to drain well before adding it to the other ingredients.
- If you prefer a milder taste, use Mild Rotel Tomatoes.
- A trick I learned years ago when cooking rice is to place a paper towel on the pan before covering it with the lid. This allows the condensation to be trapped in the lid instead of dropping back onto the rice, which tends to make the rice gummy.
- Sometimes, I'll add a can of rinsed and drained black beans to the chicken fajita rice and use the mixture to make burritos or a hearty salad.
- Leftovers, if any, can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Just ensure the leftovers are cooled completely first. Additionally, leftovers can be stored in freezer-safe containers for up to two months. Reheat gently in a covered skillet with some extra chicken broth if needed.
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