This Fiesta Chicken recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes, provides nutrition from every food group, AND cooks entirely in one skillet (including the rice). Huzzah!
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This fiesta chicken recipe is an oldie but a goodie from my recipe archives.
It’s one of the first dishes I ever learned to cook (along with these Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas), so I can attest that even if you are just starting out in the kitchen, you can make it with confidence and success.
Despite its simplicity, fiesta chicken casserole is still a recipe I regularly make because it meets core dinner requirements:
- Easy. Can you chop and stir? You can make fiesta chicken and rice! (And you can also handle this tasty Chicken Enchilada Skillet.)
- Healthy. Veggies, lean protein, whole grains…the gang is all here.
- Tex-Mex Inspired. a.k.a. can serve as a vehicle for avocado. Like Cowboy Chicken, this house approves.
- Even Better Leftover. This creamy fiesta chicken is a win for meal prep. Cook once and eat yummy leftovers all week!
Basically, if you want a simple, healthy, delicious meal that’s ready ASAP, fiesta chicken is the one for you! (This King Ranch Chicken would also fit the bill.)
5 Star Review
“A delicious solution to my ‘dinner emergency’ last night! So easy to put together after working late!”
— Lisa —
How to Make Fiesta Chicken
Combining fresh ingredients and everyday pantry staples, like black beans and fire-roasted tomatoes, this is truly the BEST fiesta chicken recipe that cooks entirely in one pan (like in this Taco Skillet).
The Ingredients
- Chicken. I always keep a few chicken breasts in my fridge and/or freezer for quick one-pan recipes like this easy fiesta chicken (and this Chicken Tortilla Soup).
- Bell Peppers. Feel free to use one or more of your favorite colors. Just like in Beef Fajitas, I like to use a combination of red bell peppers and green.
- Onion. The aromatic foundation.
- Instant Brown Rice. My secret to getting this one-pan wonder on the table in under 30 minutes.
- Black Beans. These MVPs of Tex-Mex cuisine pack extra fiber and plant-based protein into every bite. (For more black bean goodness, try my Black Bean Corn Salad.)
- Fire-Roasted Tomatoes. Provide moisture and smoky roasted tomato flavor.
- Chicken Stock. Our main cooking liquid that flavors and steams the rice right in the pan with the other fiesta chicken ingredients.
- Spices. What makes this fiesta chicken and rice especially memorable is its combination of spices. Along with the usual Tex-Mex suspects such as cumin and cayenne, I add traditional ranch spices such as garlic powder, onion powder, and dill.
- Cheddar Cheese. Just enough to make things melty, gooey, and creamy without being overly heavy.
The Directions
- Sauté the chicken, onion, herbs, and spices in a skillet until they start to brown.
- Add the peppers, black beans, tomatoes, rice, and chicken stock.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low heat until cooked through. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Top with cheese and additional toppings of your choice. ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of chicken stock or water to keep it from drying out.
- To Freeze. Place leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Meal Prep Tip
Fiesta chicken is a fantastic make-ahead dinner. Prepare as directed and then portion into individual storage containers you can take with you to the office and quickly heat up for lunch throughout the week.
Leftover Ideas
Wrap leftover fiesta chicken in whole wheat tortillas for a hearty, healthy, and filling burrito.
The Best Fiesta Chicken Sides
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Cast Iron Skillet. A high-quality skillet is a worthwhile investment if you enjoy skillet recipes like this fiesta chicken.
- Measuring Spoons. For measuring spices with accuracy.
- Chef’s Knife. Perfect for chopping, slicing, and dicing.
The Best Cast Iron Skillet
Seasoned with 100% natural vegetable oil for a naturally nonstick finish that improves with use, it’s a perfect tool to sear, sauté, bake, broil, braise, or grill.
Fiesta chicken: a recipe that will never go out of style.
Frequently Asked Questions
I have not tried making this exact recipe in a slow cooker before, so it would be an experiment. However, this Crockpot Mexican Casserole is similar if you’d like a slow cooker Mexican dish.
I have only made and tested this recipe as written, so preparing fiesta chicken in an instant pot would be an experiment and require substantial changes to the recipe. Alternatively, I recommend this Instant Pot Mexican Casserole which has a similar flavor profile and ingredients.
This specific recipe was tested and developed with instant rice in mind. Other grains and rice will not cook properly in the time specified in the recipe. If you’re looking for a recipe with a similar flavor profile that uses long-grain rice, try this Mexican Shrimp. Alternatively, read the ingredient note in the recipe card below for my suggested method for using regular rice if you’re up for some experimentation.
Fiesta Chicken
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Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces
- 1/2 medium yellow onion or red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dillweed
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper use 1/4 teaspoon or less if sensitive to spice
- 1 medium red bell pepper cored and chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper cored and chopped
- 1 can reduced-sodium black beans (15 ounces) rinsed and drained
- 1 can fire-roasted diced tomatoes in their juices (15 ounces)
- 1 1/2 cups instant brown rice* do not use white minute rice or regular rice as these will cook differently (see note)
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
- 3/4 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
- Optional for serving: chopped fresh cilantro, diced avocado, plain nonfat Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, onion, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dill, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Sauté, stirring often, for 3 minutes, until the chicken begins to brown on the outside.
- Stir in the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, black beans, tomatoes, rice, and chicken stock.
- Bring to a boil, and then cover and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, or until the chicken is done and the rice is nearly tender. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Sprinkle with cheese and any additional desired toppings. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- *INGREDIENT NOTE: I have not tried this recipe with regular (not instant) rice or white rice instead of brown rice. If you want to experiment and use regular rice instead, I suggest sautéing the meat and vegetables in one skillet (you can drain the tomatoes first and then add them to the chicken and peppers at the end, heating until most of their liquid evaporates). Then, prepare the rice in its own pot according to the package directions (due to the longer cook time). Combine the two at the end with a bit of extra chicken stock if the mixture is too dry. Again, I haven’t tried the recipe this way, but that is my best suggestion.
- TO STORE: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Warm leftover first chicken gently in the microwave or on the stovetop, with a splash of chicken stock or water to keep it from drying out.
- TO FREEZE: You can freeze fiesta chicken for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before warming.
Nutrition
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Made this tonight, delicious as usual!?? The dill makes it! Such a unique flavour!
HOORAY Rachelle! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and leaving this wonderful review!
Can you use Uncle Bens instant brown rice to make this recipe?
Yes definitely Niria!
Made this for dinner tonight! So easy and yummy. Looking forward to the leftovers (always a good sign)
So happy to hear that Elizabeth, THANK YOU!
Hi! I made this for the meat eaters in the family but next time, I’m cooking the chicken separately so I can eat it too! They loved it. I made 1.5 times the recipe and left out the cayenne because a guest can’t tolerate hea
Holly, YAY!! So happy to know it was a hit, and I hope you enjoy it yourself next time too!!
Today was the first day of school in Austin, Texas for my grandchildren and I made this for supper for their family. I served it with cornbread, whipped honey butter, and tomatoes with cucumbers from the garden. It was a huge hit and I will be making this frequently! It comes together so quickly and has such a fresh flavor too. Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
Lisa, I am SO pleased to hear it. Happy back to school!
What brown rice are you using that only takes 5-10 minutes? Everyone I have ever used is 30+ minutes
Hi Taylor, in the recipe I call for instant brown rice. I hope you enjoy the recipe if you give it a try!
Do you have to use a iron skillet?
Hi Abigail, you can use whatever large nonstick skillet you have. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
I made your fiesta chicken and it turned out awesome thanks so much for sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sue! Thanks for taking the time to leave this review!
Hi Erin! Quick question, can you use quinoa instead of brown rice? Thanks!
Hi Christy! Quinoa has a different cook time and liquid ratio than the instant brown rice called for here, so it’d be an experiment. This Mexican Chicken Quinoa Casserole starts with quinoa, if you’re interested in checking it out!
Once again, I’m coming back to give five stars. Delicious! The entire family loved it. This has become my go-to site for new and tasty dinners when mom has me cook. Now I’m looking forward to making dinner, if only to be able to try more of your amazing recipes!
Kassidy, thank you so much for this kind comment! I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying the recipes.
This was delicious!
I’m so happy to hear that this was a hit, Kelsey! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
My daughter likes a burrito made with ground beef and all the rest of these ingredients. Its her favorite thing to order at a fast food taco place. Have you ever tried it with hamburger?
Hi Jo Gayle Schell! I haven’t tried this recipe with hamburger, but you could certainly experiment with it. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Okay, this is ABSOLUTELY in my top 3 favorites of all of your recipes!!! Salmon Wellington is still at #1 but this one dish wonder was so healthy and filling and had so many great seasonings. The flavor was fantastic! I made it one day then put it in the fridge without the cheese. Made the brown rice separately as suggested since it was not instant rice. We portioned out our servings the next day then added the cheese before heating in the microwave. For the second dinner, my son suggested adding some Andouille sausage so we browned some of that and tossed it in our bowls. So versatile, very healthy and made a few meals for my family—a win, win, WIN!!!
I’m SO happy that you enjoyed it, Margaret! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Erin! I followed this recipe exactly and oh my! The flavors were bursting! Definitely a keeper recipe! No leftovers here!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Dawn! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Easy to prepare when in time crunch after work. My husband and I really enjoyed it and leftovers should pack well for lunch tomorrow.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Ann! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I made this the other night and it was such a big hit. Everyone loved it! And the leftovers were even better maybe because everything had more time to marinate together. (was going to attach a picture but it doesn’t appear that feature is available.)
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Dana! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Is there a vegetarian version of this?
Hi Anna! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, so you’d be experimenting if you want to try a vegetarian version. If you decide to play around with it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Hi!
I’m going to try this tonight! If you want to use regular rice and it not turn out bland, you can cook your rice replacing the water with chicken stock and about a tablespoon of cilantro. Cook until almost done then add.
I’ve done this on other recipes and it turned out great!
Hi J! Hope you enjoy it!
A delicious solution to my ‘dinner emergency’ last night! So easy to put together after working late!
Hi Lisa! So glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for this kind review!
Should I be worried about acidic tomatoes in a cast-iron skillet for this meal?
Hi Victoria! I honestly have no idea. I’ve never had an issue with it.
Do I still need the water for the rice or just the juices from the veggies and such?
Hi Jordan. You will be using chicken stock in this recipe, not water. Hope you enjoy it!
I made this quickly by using two cans of chicken breast I didn’t use black beans . I served charro beans on the side. Served Mexican grated cheese on top. It was really good not much leftover.. Thank you.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Marilyn! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
It’s so delicious!!! C’est très savoureux!!!
Hi Josée! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was such an awesome dish👍🏻 It was spicy hot, full of flavor and meat was so tender. I used thighs. I will be making this as a weekly favorite. Thank you so much. First time follower but definitely not the last.
Hi Valorie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made this dish for my boys and
They licked the plate clean
Hi Anita! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made this the other night and it was fabulous. I loved that I could make it in one pot, the flavors were delicious, and it was healthy. Thank you, Erin.
Hi Michelle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Whipped this recipe up today and it was great. Not difficult and no time at all once the chopping is completed. Very tasty and love the one pan meals.
Hi Janet! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Hi Erin, I am from Australia and found your fantastic website. I made Fiesta Chicken tonight and wow, it was awesome. I did add some fresh corn and chilli instead of cayenne but no other changes. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Hi Lee! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
I made this with a couple substitutions because I was missing a couple ingredients. Instead of fire roasted tomatoes, I used Rotel tomatoes with green chilies. I also used white rice, adding more as needed. It was delicious.
Glad it worked out for you Melissa! Thanks for the feedback!
This made a great taco salad!! I put it over tortilla chips and lettuce, topped with avocado, delicious!!
Hi Terri! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Easy prep and delish –
Will be making this more often 😋🥗🍽️
Hi Jenise! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Wonderful casserole! Great flavor and so easy! Make sure you pay attention to the note about using instant rice…I found out instant and “quick cook” aren’t the same so this took 45 minutes and the rice was still a little crunchy. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Tammy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Wanted a dish to add to our standard taco Tuesday, and this was perfect.
Hi Heather! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This recipe was delicious. Leftovers was great!
Hi Regina! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was a fast meal that everyone loved. I was a little curious about the brown minute rice, but it stood up perfectly to the liquid in this dish.
Hi Leslie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Eating this now. I’m surprised how well the flavors came together, reminiscent of a tortilla soup. Just realized I forgot to add cheese. I imagine it only makes it better, even without its completely delicious.
Hi Marina! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This looks really healthy but I don’t see the Sodium amount in the nutritional info. I’m on a low sodium diet so I’m curious what the Sodium is before I make this recipe – please advise.
Hi Mary! I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!
Texan here. I found this pretty bland and really under salted. The instant brown rice is also questionable. I’m not sure I’d make this again but if I did I’d add jalapeños, a can of Ro-tel and change the seasoning to remove the dill (not sure why that would be in this), add more cumin, add some dried oregano, cook real rice separately and once combined this needs a lot longer to simmer and blend the flavors. This fiesta tastes more like a bday party for a kid.
I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed it, so I really wish they would’ve been a hit for you too!
I came across this recipe while sitting in the parking lot of the grocery store wondering what to cook for dinner – it was a perfect easy recipe and it came out amazing!! So easy and had most ingredient on hand. The only thing I’d do differently is cook the chicken in a separate pan because it got a little dry cooking/boiling it with everything – my instant brown rice took longer than 5-10 min to cook, so the chicken was cooking a bit too long for our liking. Other than that, thank you so much for this recipe!! :)
Hi Dani! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Flavors were amazing! Added jalapeño instead of green peppers. The instant rice was not done in 10 minutes though. I had to cook it longer, causing the chicken to dry out. I’m curious what brand of instant brown rice was used.
Hi Abbie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! So to hear you had trouble with the rice. I used Minute Brown Rice, hope this helps!
Amazing! Thank you so much! <3
Glad you enjoyed it Blake!
This came out so good. I had to
Improvise because I didn’t have plain diced tomatoes or minute rice. So, I subbed in ro-tel and used plain white rice. As far as the rice cooking part, I simply cooked the chicken, then removed it and added the rest of the ingredients. I cooked the rice with the other ingredients until the rice was cooked through. I also added a little bit of frozen corn to the dish at this point. After the rice was cooked through, I added the cooked chicken back to the pan, stirred it, and sprinkled some cheese on top.
Great to hear, thank you Monique!
The Chicken Fiesta was so easy to make. It was very flavorful and delicious. The entire family enjoyed it! Thsns so much!
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Bee!
Picture looks amazing
Thanks Patricia! Hope you enjoy it!
Awesome recipe and so easy! I had Boil-in-a-bag brown rice, which required 10 min to fully cook but I feel that gave the flavors time to really come together. Looking forward to leftovers at the summit of Mt. Cardigan tomorrow!
So happy to hear you enjoyed it!
It’s good. Honestly, it needs more salt. But, the recipe does end with season as you like.
Thank you! You can definitely adjust the seasoning based on your preference.
Just made this last night and it was delicious, very tasty. I cooked rice in a rice cooker separately and added the cooked rice to the dish in the end of cook time to soak up some delicious liquid. the seasoning was on point. No extra salt needed!
Thanks for the feedback, Heidi!
Recipe is very flat without adjusting the seasonings. I almost tripled the seasonings, and doubled the salt.
I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, David. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed it, so I really wish they would’ve been a hit for you too!
Fantastic! I made it exactly as stated. Yum! I will make this again and again!
Great to hear, thank you Catherine!
What do you serve with this dish if anything?
Hi Ellen, this is a full meal for us but you could always do chips and salsa as a side dish, nachos, or serve with corn tortillas and lettuce. Enjoy!
It looks great! The nutrition info doesn’t have the sodium level listed. Can you tell me what it is for the recipe as written?
Hi Phyllis! I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!
I thought this recipe was easy and delicious. Not really sure you need the dill weed, I added garlic and extra onion. I didn’t have minute rice so I made rice on the side instead of chicken stock I put a teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Alison!
This was excellent, and easy! I made a few modifications based largely on what was on hand:
Water instead of broth
Coriander powder instead of dill powder
Added half an Anaheim pepper, cored
Instant Jasmine rice instead of brown rice
Salt, 1.5 tsp as I saw in a comment
All other instructions followed. This turned out super flavorful, very hearty, cut chicken and half for even faster cook time. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it, Nico!
Just made this last night and it was delicious, very tasty. I cooked rice in a rice cooker speratley and added the cooked rice to the dish in the end of cook time to soak up soem delicious liquid.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Heidi!
Can you make this with riced cauliflower?
Hi Colleen! I haven’t experimented with using cauliflower rice in this dish, but it might work. If you decide to give it a try, let us know how it goes!
haven’t made it yet. i like tht you put nutrition , but you leave out sodium in all your recipes so i can’t try them
please put the sodium amount , thankyou, gina gray
Hi Gina, I stopped including sodium info because it can vary so much depending upon what products you used, and I found a lot of conflicting info online, so ultimately I didn’t feel comfortable publishing it because sometimes it wasn’t even in the ballpark. If you’d like to calculate it yourself, there are lots of free tools online (myfitnesspal.com is popular). I hope that helps!