One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake

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Cinco de Mayo is quickly approaching and that means I’m looking for all the Mexican recipes I can get my hands on!   Years ago I used to go out for Cinco de Mayo.   Usually I’d end up at a local Mexican restaurant drinking a margarita and enjoying my chips and salsa.   Fast forward 10 years or so and I’m way to old to be in that crowd now.

Love the flavors in this tasty One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake

Now I like to make a Cinco de Mayo feast at home.   We usually enjoy chips with either homemade salsa or guacamole, a Mexican entree, and a margarita.   I’ve made a lot of different flavors of margaritas over the years including a strawberry margarita, blood orange margarita, and a watermelon margarita.   They were all fabulous and would go perfectly with any spicy Mexican dish.

Everything you need to make a One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake

So this year I’ve been looking for a main dish that would be perfect to help celebrate.   My husband and I both love enchiladas but I hate taking the time to make the filling, roll them up, stick them in a pan, and bake them. Then I usually make rice on the side.  This leads to many dirty dishes and a lot of time.

Try this easy One Pot Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake!

This year I’m making this One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake.   Everything is made in one pan which saves time both during the cooking and during the dish washing.  When I initially tried this dish out I didn’t read the directions carefully so I cooked it in a skillet that couldn’t go into the oven so I had to switch the filling over.  When I made it for Cinco de Mayo I’ll definitely have it in an ovenproof skillet.

You'll love the flavors in this easy and delicious One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake!

The filling is really good and it’s super easy to make.  I used chicken breasts and cooked them in a Mexican seasoning I like.   If you don’t want to take the time to cook the chicken breasts you can easily use a few cups of shredded rotisserie chicken that is already cooked.  The filling consists of chicken, rice, tomatoes, and some vegetables.

Looking for an easy one pan meal? Try this tasty One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake

After everything is cooked cheese and cilantro are stirred into the mix and then tortillas are put on top.  Again, I initially did this the way it is written which is to broil it with the tortillas and cheese but I’ve learned to put it in for a few minutes with just the tortillas to crisp them up and then add the cheese and broil that as well.   After it comes out you can top it with jalapenos, cilantro, and sour cream.

Looking for an easy weeknight meal? Try this One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake!

This is a really tasty and easy to make dish.  I like that everything is made in one skillet.   The filling is slightly spicy and it makes for a hearty meal.  The tortillas and cheese on top make this dish super yummy.  My husband and I also had a few tortilla chips with this dish and used them to scoop up the leftover filling from our plates.

So grab yourself a cold margarita and enjoy this One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake for Cinco de Mayo!

Love the flavors in this tasty One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake

One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake

Yield: serves 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Make a delicious Mexican chicken enchilada dish topped with jalapenos and sour cream all in one pan for an easy Cinco de Mayo meal!

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons of your favorite Mexican seasoning
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can chopped tomatoes with jalapenos
  • 1 c. long grain white rice
  • 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 c. cilantro, chopped
  • 6 corn tortilla, cut into quarters
  • sour cream and pickled jalapenos

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Add in the chicken and Mexican seasoning and cook for 6-7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate.
  2. Heat the remaining olive oil in the same skillet over medium high heat. Add in the onion and garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Add the taco seasoning, kosher salt, and black pepper then cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
  3. Add in the tomatoes, rice, and 2 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked.
  4. Preheat the broiler.
  5. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the cooked chicken, 1 cup of cheese, and 1/4 cup of the cilantro. Mix well.
  6. Top the skillet with the corn tortilla quarters. Place in the oven and broil for 2 minutes or until the tortillas begin to crisp. Remove from oven and top with remaining cheddar cheese.
  7. Broil for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling. Remove from the oven and top with sour cream, remaining cilantro, and pickled jalapenos.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine, May 2016


Need a quick and tasty weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy? Try this delicious One Pan Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake!

4 Comments

  1. So delicious looking. I love Mexican food and eat it at least once a week. I will have to put this recipe on my menu. I am sure my family would enjoy it!

  2. I’m so glad that I’m not the only one who doesn’t read the entire recipe through before starting. You have no idea how many times I finish a step to learn that the next step should have really been the preceding step. Somehow, thankfully, it all seems to turn out well as is evident with this amazing one pan dish that you are sharing.

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