One-Pot Chicken Fajita Rice
One-pot chicken fajita rice with Rotel tomatoes, bold Tex-Mex flavor, and minimal cleanup—ready in 30 minutes. Perfect weeknight dinner!
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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