Enchilada night usually means rolling tortillas and babysitting a baking dish. This skillet skips both: bite-size chicken sears first, then rice simmers in enchilada sauce and broth until tender.
One 12-inch pan handles browning, simmering, and the cheese melt, giving you saucy chili-forward flavor with less cleanup.
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp oil; 1 lb chicken pieces; salt and pepper
- Onion, red bell pepper, garlic, cumin, and chili powder
- 1 cup rinsed long-grain rice; 1¼ cups enchilada sauce; 1¼ cups broth
- Diced green chiles; shredded Mexican-blend cheese; cilantro; lime
Method
- Season and sear chicken 5–6 minutes; transfer.
- Soften onion and pepper; add garlic and spices. Toast rice briefly.
- Add sauce, broth, and chiles; boil. Return chicken, cover, and simmer 15–18 minutes.
- Fluff, top with cheese, cover off heat 2 minutes, and finish with cilantro and lime.
Cook’s note
Rinse rice until water runs mostly clear. Add extra broth if sauce is very thick.
What to serve
Warm tortillas or chips, lettuce-tomato salad, black beans, and lime.
Make-ahead
Cook through the simmer before cheese; refrigerate up to 3 days and reheat covered with broth.
Troubleshooting
Crunchy rice needs a splash of broth and more covered cooking. Too soupy? Uncover briefly. Flat sauce needs salt and lime.