One-Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice
I love chicken and rice as much as anyone, but it can get boring real fast. This cilantro lime chicken with rice is the perfect meal to shake up your dinner. It’s an easy dinner recipe that’s flavorful and uses one pot! My kind of meal! Don’t get scared off by all the ingredients; this is super simple to make.
Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet with a lid
Ingredients
Cilantro Lime Chicken Marinade
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts approximately 2 chicken breasts cut in half
- ½ bunch cilantro chopped (about ¼ cup)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice from 2-3 limes
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
Rice
- 1 cup onion chopped, about ½ a medium onion
- ⅓ cup red bell pepper chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 ½ cups long-grain rice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup petite-diced canned tomatoes with juice
- ½ bunch cilantro chopped (about ¼ cup), plus additional tablespoon chopped for optional garnish
- 2 tablespoons diced green chiles from a 4-ounce can
- ½ lime squeezed about 1 tablespoon
- 1 cup black beans rinsed and drained
- ¾ cup Monterey Jack shredded cheese
Instructions
- Make marinade. In a small bowl, whisk together the chopped cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, minced garlic, lime zest, salt, pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
- Marinate chicken. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the marinade and set aside. Cover the chicken fully with the marinade in a medium-sized bowl or gallon-sized sealable bag. Let it marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature turning halfway through marinating time.
- Cook chicken. Preheat a large skillet that has a lid to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade and cook on skillet for 4 minutes per side or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 ℉. Remove the chicken and set it on a large plate. Brush the chicken with the remaining marinade.
- Cook veggies and rice. Wipe the skillet clean, place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pan, and heat on medium-low. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for 5-6 minutes until the onion looks more translucent. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the rice, salt, cumin, and pepper. Cook, stirring for 1-2 minutes to cook the rice briefly with the seasonings. Add the chicken broth, chopped tomatoes with juice, chopped cilantro, diced green chiles, and lime juice. Cover the skillet with the lid and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
- Add chicken, beans, cheese. While the rice cooks, chop the chicken into bite-size pieces. After the 20 minutes, add the chicken, black beans, and cheese and stir. Cover the pot and cook on low for 15 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked. Add additional broth if necessary and cook longer if needed.
- Serve. Garnish with chopped cilantro and additional toppings if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- You can be flexible with what you put with the rice, just don’t change the amount of liquid added to make sure the rice cooks completely.
- To make this more cheesy, add ¾ cup of cheese to the top of the dish and stick it under the broiler for 2 minutes to melt the cheese after the rice cooks.
- The rice may take longer to cook or need more liquid, depending on the type you use.
Nutrition
While this recipe is straightforward, you need to give each thing time to cook to develop all the flavors. Also, DON’T marinate the chicken longer than 30 minutes. The acid in the lime juice will start to break down the chicken if you leave it too long.
DON’T open the lid once the rice is cooking. This will release steam and leave you with undercooked rice (or even crunchy – yuck!). Sorry, that’s a lot of “don’ts”. It really is easy, I promise.
Tips for Success
Even thickness is key for the chicken. Cut the two breasts with the butterfly technique to even them out.
Make sure to wipe out the pan between cooking the chicken and starting the rice to prevent any sticking.
Keep the heat low enough that the rice barely simmers.
The rice is done when no liquid pools at the edges when you tilt the pan.
Ingredients and Equipment
12-inch skillet with lid: The right size matters – too small gets crowded, too large, and the rice layer is too thin.
Long-grain rice: Regular white rice works best. Brown rice needs more liquid and time.
Fresh cilantro: Use the stems, too – they have great flavor. If you love cilantro, try my southwest chicken BBQ salad with cilantro dressing.
Lime: Zest before juicing to make your life easier.
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Make It Your Own
Here are some ways to adjust the recipe, especially if you don’t like cilantro.
- Try chicken thighs instead of breasts
- Make it vegetarian with extra beans and vegetables.
- Switch the cilantro to parsley if you’re not a fan.
- Adjust the spice level by changing the amount of cayenne and green chiles.
I hope you like this easy dinner that feels like it should be complicated but really isn’t. Just basic ingredients and one pan. Just remember, DON’T RUSH.
By Katie Shaw
Katie shares simple, reliable recipes from her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, three daughters, a chocolate lab, and over thirty chickens.