Southwest Chicken Dinner

Name: Southwest Chicken Dinner
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings.
Ingredients: 2 cups water; 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 cup uncooked long grain rice; 1 tablespoon taco seasoning; 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each); 1 cup canned black beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; 1 teaspoon grated lime zest; 2 tablespoons lime juice; Pico de gallo, shredded Mexican cheese blend, sour cream, avocado, shredded lettuce or lime wedges, optional

My family loves to order those gigantic takeout Tex-Mex burritos, but they can be expensive and we always have leftovers. I created a lighter, no-guilt alternative with the flavors they love, and that skips the tortilla. —Marquisha Turner, Aurora, Colorado

Ingredients

2 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1 cup canned black beans or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
2 tablespoons lime juice
Pico de gallo, shredded Mexican cheese blend, sour cream, avocado, shredded lettuce or lime wedges, optional

Directions

In a large saucepan, combine water, 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 15-17 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
Meanwhile, sprinkle taco seasoning over both sides of chicken. In a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add chicken; cook 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 165°.
In a microwave, heat beans until warmed. To serve, gently stir cilantro, lime zest and lime juice into rice; divide among four bowls. Cut chicken into slices. Place chicken and beans over rice; top as desired.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving (calculated without optional toppings): 398 calories, 7g fat (1g saturated fat), 63mg cholesterol, 678mg sodium, 52g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 3g fiber), 30g protein.

Originally published as Burrito in a Bowl in Simple & Delicious June/July 2016

Reviews

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Average Rating:

AllisonO

Mar 4, 2018

"Better than the restaurant version" was my husband's reaction! This is a fantastic "copycat" recipe if you're into the fast-food big burrito places but want to control the salt and other questionable ingredients. Or if you simply live too far from one of those restaurants when a craving hits! It's also incredibly easy to customize to your tastes.While the amount of chicken the recipe called for was perfect for our family, I will double the rice mixture the next time I make it. With the rice, there's no need for the added carbs of a tortilla!
justmbeth

Nov 17, 2016

This is a keeper! Easy to put together but very light and flavorful, especially with the addition of the toppings. We added sour cream, salsa, Mexican blend cheese, and jalapenos.
amsm

Jul 5, 2016

This dish is tasty and quick! I topped mine with sour cream and green onion. I would definitely make this again and experiment with different toppings!
fensternat

Jun 15, 2016

Yum! I substituted brown rice, and we used cheddar and sour cream for toppings. Will definitely make again.
hkpepin

May 22, 2016

Excellent! i would absolutely make these again - both flavorful and quick. I omitted the lime peel and substituted a chicken rice side for the long grain rice, but otherwise made no changes. I decided to use some leftover pinto beans and added some guacamole and Mexican cheese at the end. My family gobbled it up. Came together in about 30 minutes, no one complained, and everyone ate. Making this one again!