One Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken and Rice – healthy and filling one pan meal with rice, beans and chicken thighs seasoned well with lime juice and aromatics. Easy weeknight dinner; comes ready in less than 45 minutes!
After all the heavy stuffing during Thanksgiving and eating leftover during the weekend, it’s time to get back to regular weeknight meal. I’d like those quick and filling meal without too much cleaning. Believe me, I’ve had enough, spending almost a day cleaning up my kitchen. But nevertheless, I wouldn’t trade those memories we had during Thanksgiving.
My family is my weakness, followed by food, of course 😉
Now that we are talking food, I’m such a sucker for one pan meals. I love how easy they are to prepare and you get almost all the food group in one cooking. The cleaning part is a bonus.
This One Pot Lime Chicken and Rice with cilantro is brimming with flavors. The chicken itself is well-flavored, with a refreshing kick from the lime juice and savory adobo seasoning, while the rice and beans get soaked up to it. Add it up with some cilantro and this dish is like what dreams are made of. Adjust the lime flavor to suit your taste buds.
My niece who is visiting from college just couldn’t get enough of it. She wants me to make this everytime time she visits.
I bet you’re already mesmerized how those chicken skin looks like. But wait till you have your first bite. You will fall deeply in love on how the flavors mingled effortlessly into those chicken meat and elevated the rice and beans.
With little effort, yet with so much goodness. It comes ready in less than 45 minutes.
So if you’ve run out of energy from all the baking and cooking last week, then take comfort in this quick and tasty one pot meal. Your family and even the little ones would love seconds and thirds of this. Enjoy!
Tips and Notes:
- Adobo seasoning is a combination of oregano, white pepper, cumin , paprika, garlic, onion and chili . It is available in most supermarkets in the spice department . Sub with Creole seasoning or Italian seasoning
- You may sub white long grain rice with brown rice.
- You can also use boneless and skinless chicken thigh for this recipe.
- Lime juice can be overpowering to some people – go easy with it.
One Pot Lime Chicken and Rice
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Ingredients
Chicken Thighs Marinate
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 2 1/2 -3 pound chicken thighs (about 5-6 pieces)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ Tablespoon lime juice (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 -1 Teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons Adobo seasoning or your favorite chicken seasoning (see notes 1)
Chicken and Rice
- ½ medium onion , diced
- ½ jalapenos pepper , diced
- 2 small bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon cumin spice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2-3 garlic clove , minced
- 2 cups uncooked long grain rice
- 3-4 . Tablespoons fresh cilantro , chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth or water
- 1/2 Tablespoon Lime Juice
- 1 lime grated zest
- 15.5 oz black beans , rinsed and drained
- Cilantro and lime Slices (for garnish)
- 1 Teaspoon White pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Wash chicken thighs For faster cooking, make a ½ ” slit into chicken thigh meat on either side of the chicken, then wipe with a paper towel. Season with salt (about 1 ½ teaspoons). Sprinkle lime juice on chicken, followed by garlic
- Generously rub both sides with adobo spice blend. Or your favorite spice mix. If desired this can be done hour before to let it marinate .
- Place chicken skin side up in a skillet/Dutch oven or oven safe pot/pan for about 3 minutes each. Be very careful with the chicken, it shouldn’t burn. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F.
- Meanwhile, place the rice into a large bowl, cover with cold water and use your hands to wash the grains. Tip the water out, then repeat twice until the water runs clear.
- Wipe the same pan with paper towel or napkin to remove any burns from pan. If not visible burns proceed with the next step .
- Add about 2 tablespoons oil or more, followed by onions, jalapenos, cumin, paprika, and bay leaf .Sauté until soft but not golden, about 2-3 minutes. Then add garlic and stir for another minute.
- Next, add rice, stir for about a minute , then pour over chicken stock/broth ,lime juice, grated lime zest, and beans. Season with white pepper and salt to taste.
- Add the chicken back to the pan, with its juice. Place in the oven and cook for about 30- 35 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
- Remove, let it cool and serve, garnish with slices of lime and cilantro
Nutrition Information:
Wash chicken thighs. For faster cooking, make a ½ ” slit into each chicken thigh meat on either side of the chicken, then wipe with a paper towel. Season with salt (about 1½ teaspoons). Rub with lime juice . Season both sides garlic and adobo spice blend . Or your favorite spice mix.
Place chicken skin side up in a skillet/Dutch oven or oven safe pot/pan for about 3 minutes each. Be very careful with the chicken, it shouldn’t burn. Turn and brown the other side for an additional 3 minutes . Remove from the pan and set aside. Wash rice and set aside
Wipe the same pan with paper towel or napkin to remove any burns from pan, if necessary or Add about 2 tablespoons oil or more, followed by onions, jalapenos and bay leaf. Sauté until soft but not golden, about 2-3 minutes. Add garlic , cumin paprika and stir for about a minute.
Next, add rice, follow by cilantro – stir
Then pour over the chicken broth/water , lime juice , zest , and beans. Add white pepper and salt to taste.
Add the chicken back to the pan together with its juice, place in the oven and cook- uncovered for about 30- 35 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Remove, let it cool and serve, garnish with slices of lime and cilantro
Lindsay says
I made this last night and it was absolutely delicious! I love chicken thighs and my boyfriend does not so when we eat separately I look for recipes with thighs to experiment with. He would’ve loved it too so I will definitely make him try it. Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Glad you enjoyed it .Thanks for the feedback.
Bab says
I tried your other jerk rice recipe and it was fantastic, so I thought I’d try this one out too!
Unfortunately after baking for 35 minutes there was quite a bit of water left in the skillet. Then I recalled that the jerk recipe called for boiling the rice before putting this one in the oven, but this one did not. Might that have made the difference?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it might. It will shorten the cooking time.
Claus says
Just cooked it with and for friends.
We garnished with a lot of lime it was delicious.
Would definitly cook again! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
imma africanbites says
Yaaay! So happy you and your friends liked this. Thank you for letting me know. Happy weekend!
Kelli says
I made this tonight and it turned out great! I omitted the beans and used a small piece of scotch bonnet pepper instead of jalapeño. I have been making your recipes often lately and they are always delicious. Thanks for sharing them!!
imma africanbites says
Thank you for taking the time to let me know, Kelli. I’m glad it all turned out great for you. Happy cooking! 🙂
Nekisha says
Looks so good! Wondering if I can brown chicken and put it & all the ingredients in a crockpot : /
ImmaculateBites says
You might have to reduce the liquid to about 1 1/2 cups , if not your rice would be mushy. I haven’t tested this recipe yet in the slow cooker so can’t say for sure .
Reir says
Made this today with boneless skinless thighs and it was excellent. Used Cajun because didn’t have adobo. Took about 35-38 minutes in the oven. There was still some water left but it got soaked once I let it sit covered for 10 minutes or so. Very good recipe, thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome ! Glad to hear it worked out well for you. Thanks for the feedback!
Sue says
This looks amazing, but I think you put the skin side down in the pan to brown the skin? I am making your chicken drumsticks as we speak. Hope to try this next. I love your site
ImmaculateBites says
Aww, Thanks Sue! Yes I do.
sue says
Turning the chicken to brown the skin isn’t mentioned in the recipe at all. I’m an accomplished cook, but people who don’t have a lot of experience in the kitchen might be confused by this — especially since one of the pictures shows it skin-side down.
Also: “with its* juice.” “It’s” with the apostrophe is a contraction for “it is.”
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for the feedback!Noted and updated.
tamara says
Made this tonight. Fantastic. Yes, easy to put together, and yes, super rich flavors! Not a bite left. Served with sliced avocado and cabbage salad.
ImmaculateBites says
Oh WOW! Avocados pair so well with this . Thank you so much for the feedback.
Lynette Campbell says
So the rice should bake with the chicken in the oven as well?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it should .
Tiana Matson @ yumofchina.com says
In fact, I love chicken thighs. But sometimes I prefer chicken wings. For this recipe, can I use chicken wings instead?
ImmaculateBites says
Never tried it with wings . Am guessing it would work with wings . Make sure the chicken wing fully covers the rice, before baking . If you do make it let me know how it works out for you. Thanks!
Caroline Wipff says
This looks delicious and healthy! Thank you!
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks !Glad you like !