Description
All the flavors of chicken enchiladas — red sauce, cheese, black beans, tender chicken — without the fuss of rolling tortillas. Everything cooks together in one pot, and the rice absorbs the enchilada sauce as it simmers, turning into something deeply savory and just a little spicy. Top it with the usual suspects and nobody will miss the tortillas.
Ingredients
Units
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice
- 1 can (15 ounces) red enchilada sauce
- 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- Heat a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken thighs with salt, chili powder, and cumin. Sear 3 minutes per side until browned. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, cook the onion 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in the rice, enchilada sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, and chicken broth. Nestle the seared chicken thighs into the mixture.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot. Stir to combine.
- Top with shredded cheese, cover for 2 minutes to melt the cheese, then serve with sour cream, cilantro, and avocado slices.
Notes
- Searing the chicken before it goes into the pot adds a layer of flavor that you cannot get by just simmering it raw in the sauce.
- Do not lift the lid while the rice cooks — the trapped steam is what cooks the rice evenly from top to bottom.
- Store-bought enchilada sauce works perfectly here. This is a weeknight dinner, not a weekend project.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 820
- Fat: 18
- Carbohydrates: 58
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 110