Name: Cheesy Mexican Chicken And Rice
Prep time: 16 min
Cook time: 29 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound chicken breast (cut into one inch cubes); 6 teaspoons taco seasoning (-divided); ½ teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons olive oil; ½ medium onion (diced); 2 teaspoons minced garlic; 2 cups chicken broth (low sodium); 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies (canned Rotel or similar product); 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 2 cups corn (frozen or drained from a can); 15.5 ounces black beans (canned, drained); 1 medium red bell pepper (chopped); 1 cup long grain white rice; 1 medium lime; 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded (I used sharp cheddar, shredded)

This cheesy Mexican chicken and rice is a hearty meal made all in one pot. Full of tender chicken, flavorful rice, hearty black beans, and plump pieces of corn cooked all in one pot. This recipe is easy to customize with fresh toppings that are delicious on top!

Mexican rice with chicken, vegetables and cheese in a skillet with a wooden spoon lifting a spoonful.

Table of Contents

Why We Love One Pot Mexican Chicken And Rice

Flavors The Whole Family Loves – This dish is packed full of kid and family-friendly flavors, is filling, and the leftovers are just as delicious.
Easy To Customize – I love using different toppings on the table to allow each member of my family to customize their bowl. Fresh vegetables,, crunchy tortilla strips or creamy sour cream, can really take this dish up. Plus it’s easy to make a little more spicy for those who love spice! See some of my ideas below in the article to add to the top of your bowl.
One Pot Dinner – One pot meals means cleanup is a breeze, and I can spend less time cleaning in the kitchen.

Love easy Mexican-inspired dinners? My ground beef burrito bowl is a similar one pot dinner you’ll love. Or try the crock pot shredded chicken tacos, baked salsa chicken breast, or sheet pan chicken fajitas for more dinner ideas you’ll love.

Ingredients For One Pot Mexican Chicken And Rice

Ingredients for mexican chicken and rice in bowls on a counter from overhead with text labels.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions below in the recipe card.

chicken breast cut into one inch cubes, I used boneless skinless chicken breasts but chicken thighs could also be used
taco seasoning -divided
salt
olive oil
onion diced
minced garlic
chicken broth low sodium
diced tomatoes with green chilies canned Rotel or similar product, can use mild or spicy depending on your preference
tomato paste
frozen corn – can use canned corn that has been drained
black beans drained, can swap for kidney beans or leave the beans out if you prefer
red bell pepper chopped, can leave out if you prefer
long grain white rice – brown rice can be swapped but will need to cook longer and you may need to add extra chicken broth or water
lime – just the juice
cheddar cheese shredded I used sharp cheddar but you can use shredded monetary jack cheese, crumbly cotija cheese, or a shredded Mexican cheese blend. You could also mix in some queso or your favorite cheese dip.

How To Make Cheesy Mexican Chicken And Rice

Place the cubed chicken, two teaspoons of taco seasoning and the salt into a large bowl. Mix well until the chicken pieces are fully coated.

Diced raw chicken breast in a large bowl on a counter with salt and taco seasoning in small bowls nearby.

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Place the onion and the garlic in the pan, heating and stirring to soften the onions, about two minutes.

A skillet with oil and onions cooking with garlic and raw chicken covered in spices in bowls nearby.

Add chicken to the onions and stir well. Continue stirring and cooking the chicken until it just begins to brown and there is not more pink on the outside, about 6-8 minutes. Note that the chicken will continue to cook so a tiny bit of pink on the inside is ok.

Chicken pieces in a skillet with spices cooking with tomatoes, broth, taco seasoning and tomato paste in bowls nearby.

Place the chicken broth, tomatoes, four teaspoons of taco seasoning and tomato paste in the pan. Gently stir until the taco seasoning and the tomato paste have dissolved into the liquid.

Tomatoes in a tomato and broth liquid, onions and chicken pieces in a pan with corn, beans, rice and other ingredients in bowls nearby on the counter.

Add the rice, corn, black beans, and bell pepper to the pan. Stir the mixture well so the seasoning dissolves into the pan. Turn the burner to high and bring to a boil. Then cover the pan and bring the heat down to a simmer (medium low) so that the entire edge of the pan is bubbling, but not the center.

Mexican chicken and rice in a pan with black beans, diced red pepper, corn and rice in a tomato liquid.

Cook the rice mixture for 20 minutes, then give the rice mixture a good stir so any liquid on top is fully mixed in. Cover and cook on medium for another 3-4 minutes or until the liquid is mostly absorbed.
Squeeze the juice from one lime over the entire dish and stir. Add more salt to taste if needed.

A person holding a lime squeezing it over a pan of Mexican chicken and rice.

Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top and cover. Allow the rice to sit for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese melts, Serve with your favorite garnishes in a bowl, or load into tortillas to make burritos if you prefer. Enjoy!

A skillet full of mexican chicken and rice with vegetables covered in melted cheese with sour cream and sliced lime in bowls nearby on the counter.

Cheesy Chicken And Rice Variation Ideas

Use Leftover Cooked Chicken – You can use rotisserie chicken or leftover precooked chicken cut into bite-sized pieces easily in this recipe. Skip the part at the beginning when you add the chicken and just add the chicken when you add the tomatoes, broth and rice. The liquid in the pan will be enough to heat the precooked chicken as the rice cooks in the liquid.

Swap The Beans– Use pinto beans or kidney beans in an easy one-to-one swap. Or if you don’t enjoy beans you can leave them out altogether. If I was to leave out the beans I would double the corn or bell pepper.

Use A Beef or Vegetable Broth– I tend to default to chicken broth, but you can use a beef or vegetable broth. You can also use the equivalent by rehydrating bullion or using a base like Better Than Bullion with water. (Try the roasted chicken or the sofrito variations!)

Serve With Tortillas– While this is a burrito bowl recipe, you can serve this mixture in large tortillas to make burritos!

Cheesy Mexican Chicken And Rice Toppings Ideas

A bowl of mexican chicken and rice in a bowl with avocado and sour cream on top with more bowls of toppings and a skillet full of more rice nearby..

Avocado – or try my easy guacamole!

Sour Cream – A dollop adds a lot of creaminess!

Avocado Cream Sauce – This sauce is so good. I haven’t made it myself, but I have bought it at the grocery.

Cilantro – Top with fresh cilantro to bring a little more freshness, or non-cilantro fans can add fresh parsley.

Salsa – Use your favorite salsa, whether it be a mild pico de gallo, a hot salsa, a restaurant style smooth salsa, or something with a twist like a salsa verde, corn and black bean salsa or a pineapple salsa. Or sometimes I’ll even add a few diced cherry tomatoes on top as it gives it a great texture difference.

Hot Sauce – Hot sauce lets you customize the heat level at the table giving more flavor while still satisfying picky eaters.

Tortilla Strips– Use tortilla stipes or crushed tortilla chips to add a little crunch on top.

Diced Onions- A little extra diced onion on top can give a little bit of crunch! For adults, pickled red onions are another great addition though are usually harder to convince kids to try.

Lettuce– Add some fresh greens on top, whether it be spinach, spring mix, romaine, cabbage, or whatever you happen to have on hand.

What Can I Swap For Tomato Paste?

Tomato paste isn’t a deal breaker for this recipe, but it does add concentrated tomato flavor. When I am out of tomato paste I’ll add a thicker salsa, preferably one that’s really flavorful in its place. I did just a tablespoon per batch and it was still delicious.

I have also used a little tomato sauce in a pinch from a jar of marinara, but be careful it isn’t one that has a lot of basil or has meat as it may throw off the flavor. You can substitute pasta sauce tablespoon for tablespoon in this recipe.

Here are some other ideas to swap for tomato paste.

What Do I Do With The Leftover Tomato Paste?

If you don’t think you will use it in time you can freeze it! I freeze it on a cookie sheet on parchment paper or lightly aluminum foil in one tablespoon scoops. Once frozen, I add the scoops of tomato paste to a freezer safe zip-top bag or container. The next time I need tomato paste I pull what I need from the freezer. In many recipes (like this recipe) frozen tomato paste can go straight into the pan as is, but you could defrost it in the microwave or loosen it up with a little hot pasta water.

Can I Substitute Brown Rice?

You can substitute brown rice. I haven’t tried it with this recipe, but brown rice usually needs a little more liquid and cooked a little longer. I would add 1/4 cup more broth. I would expect brown rice to need about 45 minutes to cook fully.

Can I Use Minute Rice?

Minute Rice or other quick rice doesn’t substitute cup for cup, unfortunately, and I don’t recommend using it in this dish.

You’ll likely end up with a really mushy dish. Minute rice needs a different amount of water, rice and a different cook time to make the same amount of rice as regular long-grained rice.

How Long Will Mexican Chicken And Rice Last?

Expect leftovers of this Mexican chicken and rice will last for about three days when stored in a covered airtight container in the refrigerator.

Does This Mexican Chicken And Rice Freeze?

Leftovers of this recipe also freeze easily and can be reheated in the microwave for convenience. When reheating on the hstovetop I sometimes add a little extra water or chicken broth a little at a time as needed.

Can I Freeze Leftover Mexican Chicken And Rice As Burritos?

Sometimes I’ll wrap leftovers in warm flour tortillas with a little extra cheese and freeze as burritos. When reheating a frozen burrito it can help to wrap a paper towel that you dampen with a little bit of water to reheat in the microwave. You can also reheat in the oven, but expect it will take 30-45 minutes at 350.

As burritos, they can also be reheated in the air fryer. I haven’t reheated them in the air fryer so I’m not quite sure how long but I would start with 350 degrees for 10 minutes and test from there. If you reheat them this way, let me know in the comments how it goes!