From isabeleats.com

Mexican Chicken and Rice

6 servings · 30 min prep · 45 min cook

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

For the Rice

• 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 medium white onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• salt, to taste

For Serving

• chopped cilantro
• lime wedges

Steps

1. In a large freezer bag or bowl, add 6 chicken, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon oregano and ¼ teaspoon cumin. Seal the bag and shake to completely coat the chicken with the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight.
2. Heat a large oven-safe saute pan or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add half of the 6 chicken thighs to the pan and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until chicken is no longer pink on the outside. Transfer the chicken onto a plate and cook the remaining chicken the same way.

   4 min

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. In the same saute pan or skillet, add the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil. (If the skillet is already very greasy and has enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan due to cooking the chicken, you can omit this addition of oil.)
4. Add 2 cups rice and saute for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice begins to brown slightly. At this point, some grains of rice may even pop. This step adds some nuttiness and more depth of flavor to the rice.

   10 min

5. Add in ½ medium onion and 2 teaspoons minced garlic. Saute for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in 4 cups water, 1 tablespoon tomato paste and a generous pinch of ½ teaspoon salt. Stir together to mix until the tomato paste has fully dissolved.

   1 min

6. Cover the saute pan with a lid or foil, place it in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove it from oven, place the partially cooked 6 chicken thighs on top of the rice, cover and cook for another 15 minutes.

   30 min

7. Remove the lid or foil and bake for another 5 minutes uncovered. Check the temperature of the 6 chicken thighs to make sure they're cooked through using a meat thermometer or by slicing into one.

   5 min

8. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly before serving. Garnish with diced cilantro and fresh lime juice, if desired.

Nutrition

Per serving

kcal

441

protein

27 g

carbs

51 g

fat

14 g

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