Make a delicious and spicy dinner or a week's worth of make-ahead lunches! Mexican Spiced Chicken includes bell peppers and flavorful rice.
This recipe is a fantastic choice for an easy dinner with lots of flavor. It features Mexican spiced chicken breast, with flavor from chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Plus tender, fluffy rice with green chilies.
This is a meal that everyone will love!
Why you'll love this dish
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are a cinch to get to the oven and bake up full of flavor thanks to a spicy blend of Mexican seasonings. While the chicken bakes the rice cooks quickly on the stovetop. Jasmine rice is my go-to for this recipe, and for other dinner recipes.
Keep this recipe on hand not just for weeknight dinners but for tasty, make-ahead lunches, too! You can divide this dish up into single-serve containers. You'll be covered for the week with delicious, spicy chicken and rice.
Need even more chicken recipe ideas? Try homemade Chicken Sausage Patties and Sesame Noodles with Garlic Roasted Chicken.
🔪 How To Make Mexican Spiced Chicken
Step 1: Bake the chicken
Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally to make thinner cuts, and coat the pieces with olive oil. Arrange the chicken in a baking dish with sliced bell peppers. Coat the chicken with a blend of spices. Bake the chicken and peppers for about 20 minutes.
Step 2: Make the rice
Bring to a boil chicken stock and diced tomatoes with chilies. Stir in jasmine rice and cook until tender.
Step 3: Assemble the dinner
Slice the chicken. Spoon rice onto plates and top them with chicken and peppers. Sprinkle shredded Mexican-blend cheese over the top with a little cilantro.
Notes
- I always use jasmine rice because it cooks up so quickly and comes out flavorful and fluffy. Feel free to use a different variety if you wish, and adjust the cooking time as the package directs.
- The recipe makes a tasty dinner, and also works great for a week's worth of make-ahead lunches. Make it on a Sunday and have pre-made portions to get you through your work week. The recipe has directions for this option.
The recipe for this Mexican Spiced Chicken is below! I have a few other intriguing dinner ideas for you, too:
💬 What do you think of this winner, winner chicken dinner? Leave a comment and a star rating below!
📖 Recipe
Mexican Spiced Chicken
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large bell peppers, seeds and veins removed, and sliced into thin strips
- 10 ounces canned diced tomatoes with chilies (such as Ro-Tel)
- 2½ cups low-sodium chicken stock (or you can use water instead)
- 1¼ cups jasmine rice
- ¼ cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
- Chopped, fresh cilantro (optional)
Instructions
Make the chicken
- Preheat the oven to 425° F. Have ready a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Slice through the chicken breasts to make each into two thinner halves. Place the chicken pieces in the baking dish, and coat both sides with the extra virgin olive oil.
- Mix together in a small dish the cumin, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Rub this spice mixture on all of the chicken pieces, both sides. Sprinkle the strips of bell pepper over the chicken, turning them a few times to coat them with some of the oil.
- Bake the chicken and peppers for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and there is no pink remaining. Remove the pan from the oven and cover it with foil. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the rice:
- Pour the diced tomatoes with chilies and the chicken stock (or water) into a large saucepan. Bring the liquid to a boil, then stir in the jasmine rice. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan.
- Cook the rice for 15 minutes, stirring it through once or twice. The rice should be cooked and tender.
Assemble the meal:
- After the chicken has rested, slice it into thin strips.
- Spoon the cooked rice onto each plate. Top the rice with slices of the chicken and peppers, and add a few spoonfuls of the pan juices over the tops as well. Sprinkle Mexican cheese over each dish, along with a little cilantro if you'd like it. Enjoy!
OPTION: Make-Ahead Lunches
- Have ready 4-5 large, reheatable, covered containers that you can take to work.
- Let the chicken, peppers and rice cool a bit. Divide the rice between the containers. Add sliced chicken and peppers to each container, laying it over the rice.
- Add in (or pack separately) the shredded cheese and cilantro. Cover the containers tightly and store them in the refrigerator. The meals can be warmed in a microwave.
- Store leftovers or the make-ahead portions in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Makes 4-5 servings.
Notes
- I always use jasmine rice because it cooks up so quickly and comes out flavorful and fluffy. Feel free to use a different variety if you wish, and adjust the cooking time as the package directs.
- The recipe makes a tasty dinner, and also works great for a week's worth of make-ahead lunches. Make it on a Sunday and have pre-made portions to get you through your work week. The recipe has directions for this option.
Trish Corlew
So good! My family loved it!
Nancy Mock
Hi Trish! Oh that’s wonderful! Thank you for trying my recipe. I’m so happy to hear it was a hit!