Mexican Chicken Rice (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Mexican Spice Mix
01 -
2 tsp cumin powder
02 -
1 3/4 tsp salt
03 -
2 tsp garlic powder or 2 garlic cloves, chopped up small
04 -
Black pepper, as much as you like
05 -
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, skip it if you don't want spice
06 -
2 tsp paprika
→ Chicken
07 -
5 chicken thighs, with skin and bone
08 -
1 tbsp lime juice
09 -
2 tbsp olive oil
→ Rice
10 -
1 can (400g/16oz) black beans, drained and rinsed or swap with red kidney beans
11 -
1 cup frozen corn kernels or canned corn, make sure it's drained
12 -
3/4 cup smooth tomato puree (also called passata)
13 -
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
14 -
1 small onion, peeled and chopped (or half a big one)
15 -
1 red bell pepper, slice it thin or dice it up
16 -
1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
17 -
1 cup chicken stock or vegetable stock, low-sodium preferred
→ Garnish
18 -
Coriander or cilantro leaves
19 -
Extra lime slices for serving
20 -
Jalapeño slices, only if you like the heat
# Instructions:
01 -
Set your oven to 180°C/350°F (or 160°C fan).
02 -
Stir together everything listed under Mexican Spice Mix in a small bowl.
03 -
In a big bowl, mix up 1 1/2 tbsp of the spice mix with 1 tbsp of olive oil and lime juice until it turns into a paste. Coat the chicken pieces in it, making sure they're covered all over.
04 -
If you've got time, let the chicken sit in the paste for an hour or overnight. If not, just move ahead.
05 -
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large deep pan over medium-high heat. Place the chicken skin-side down for 4 minutes, letting it brown lightly. Turn it over and cook the other side for about 1 1/2 minutes. Then, set it aside.
06 -
Using the same pan, turn the heat to medium-high and cook the onions, garlic, and pepper for 3 minutes until they're soft. If there's any burnt seasoning left in the pan, get rid of it first.
07 -
Toss the rice into the pan and stir. Add in the stock, tomato puree, beans, corn, and what's left of the spice mix. Blend everything together well.
08 -
Put the chicken on top of the rice mix, skin side up. Make sure the skin is mostly out of the liquid.
09 -
Cover the pan with foil or a lid and bake it for 25 minutes.
10 -
Take off the foil or lid and bake for another 15 minutes, until there are just a few small puddles of liquid left.
11 -
Leave the pan uncovered for 10 minutes so the remaining liquid is absorbed while it cools down a bit. Toss the rice gently, squeeze a lime over, and serve with the garnishes.
# Notes:
01 -
Letting the chicken marinate adds extra flavor, but you can skip it if you're in a rush.
02 -
Stick to low-sodium stock to keep the saltiness under control.
03 -
Got leftover rice? Put it in the fridge, and you can reheat it later!