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If you enjoy Southwest-style flavors and fresh ingredients like jalapeño peppers, cilantro, and lime, this tasty, one-pan chicken and cauliflower rice dinner is sure to become a favorite. Featuring quick-cooking chicken tenderloins and riced cauliflower, it’s a modern, lighter take on a comfort food classic.
Notes From the MGC Kitchen
Don’t let the rather lengthy ingredient list for this easy chicken and cauliflower rice dinner discourage you from giving it a try. It only takes about 45 minutes to make and thanks to the addition of ingredients like bell pepper, black beans, sweet corn, and a little cheese, it covers all the bases to make a balanced meal.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- CHICKEN TENDERLOINS: We prefer to use chicken tenderloins over other cuts of chicken for one-dish dinners like this one. They absorb seasonings well, are tender and juicy, and their relatively uniform size helps to ensure even cooking in a short amount of time.
- CHILI POWDER AND GROUND CUMIN: Both of these spices are essentials for Tex-Mex and Southwest cuisine. Chili powder is a blend of ground dried chili peppers (heat varies by brand), cumin, oregano, garlic powder, and coriander. Ground cumin has an earthy flavor with a citrusy note. Even though it’s probably already in your chili powder, we like a little extra for enhanced flavor.
- RICED CAULIFLOWER: We substituted riced cauliflower for rice in this dish. Feel free to use steamed rice instead, or a mixture of half rice, half riced cauliflower (our favorite).
- SALSA (HOMEMADE OR JARRED): Whether you use a homemade version or your favorite store-bought brand, salsa is a key ingredient in this dish, adding both moisture and flavor. You can use mild, medium, or hot depending on your taste.
- BELL PEPPERS: Even though they are both technically the same vegetable, this recipe calls for both green and red bell peppers. Green peppers are picked before they ripen and have a bold flavor with a hint of bitterness. Red peppers are fully ripened and add sweetness as a balance in addition to an appetizing pop of color.
- JALAPEÑO PEPPER: Similar to green bell peppers, but with a bit of a kick, jalapeño peppers are used to add heat to our chicken and “rice” dinner. Leave the seeds in if you’d like a little more heat.
- CORN: Fresh or frozen sweet corn adds brings color and flavor to the meal. There’s no need to cook it ahead of time, and as a matter of fact, you don’t need to defrost it if you’re using frozen either.
- BLACK BEANS: Black beans add extra protein, fiber, and flavor to this meal. We always buy the low-sodium version and rinse and drain them thoroughly before adding them to the dish.
- SCALLIONS: Scallions are a common element in dishes like tacos, quesadillas, and salsas because they add a subtle, sweet onion flavor and crisp texture. They do lose their color and texture when cooked too long which is why we add them near the end of cooking.
- CILANTRO: Because fresh cilantro can lose both color and flavor when cooked, we call for adding half the quantity near the end of cooking, and reserve the remainder for garnish. If you don’t like cilantro, you can substitute fresh parsley.
- LIME: Freshly squeezed lime juice is drizzled over the entire dish just before adding the cheese. This allows for its bright citrus flavor to shine. It’s good to serve extra lime wedges at the table too.
- MEXICAN-STYLE CHEESE: We buy a finely-shredded, classic Mexican-style blend of cheeses to melt on top of this one-dish chicken dinner. These blends generally include Monterey Jack, cheddar, asadero, and quesadilla cheeses. If you don’t have this on hand, a combination of Jack and cheddar will do.
How to Make Southwest Chicken and Cauliflower Rice
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
PREPARE THE CHICKEN: Trim the chicken tenderloins, cut them crosswise into quarters, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, season with chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper, then combine thoroughly and set aside.
SAUTÉ THE VEGETABLES: Heat olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and jalapeño, the transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
COOK THE CHICKEN: Wipe out the pan, add the chicken and sauté until the pieces are lightly browned. Stir in chicken broth, reduce the heat, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
COOK THE CAULIFLOWER: Transfer the chicken to a separate bowl and add the riced cauliflower to the pan. Once the cauliflower is defrosted, stir in the salsa and cook until the cauliflower is tender. Stir in the reserved peppers and onions, along with the black beans, corn, scallions, and some chopped cilantro.
FINISH THE DISH AND SERVE: Continue cooking until everything is heated through, then add the chicken back to the pan. Drizzle with lime juice, combine, and top with shredded cheese. Cover the pan, turn off the heat, and let stand until the cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro and serve with wedges of lime.
Tips for Success
- Have all your ingredients ready before you start cooking: Measuring and prepping ingredients in advance is always best practice, but it’s particularly important for one-pan dinners like this one. When you have all your ingredients on hand, you can focus completely on cooking step with no delays in between.
- Be mindful of how much salt you use: A couple of the ingredients in this dish can contribute quite a bit to its overall saltiness. Some brands of chili powder contain salt, so be sure to look at the label and if yours is one that does, omit the added salt on the chicken. Canned black beans are also rather salty which is why we recommend using a low-sodium brand and rinsing and draining them before using.
- Be careful not overcook the chicken: Chicken tenderloins cook quickly, particularly when they’re cut into small chunks, so watch the cooking time and try not to exceed the recommended 4 to 5 minutes.
- Adjust the heat to your liking: There are a couple of ways to adjust how much heat this dish has. The easiest, would be to choose medium or hot salsa. The second would be to leave the seeds in your jalapeño peppers, or even add an extra one.
More Ways to Cook Riced Cauliflower
Riced cauliflower serves as a great substitute for regular rice in a wide variety of dishes, which is why it’s become a go-to ingredient in our kitchen. Not only is it lower in calories and carbs, it’s also fast cooking and, depending on the dish, can be just as satisfying.
We occasionally make a half-and-half mix, particularly to accompany Asian dishes. For a fast and easy shortcut, use steam-in-bag riced cauliflower and the pre-cooked rice that comes in microwavable pouches.
If you like this recipe, you might like our Mediterranean chicken served over cauliflower rice. It’s made with tomatoes, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese. If you’re looking for a side dish, our recipe for riced cauliflower gratin is really delicious and makes a satisfying, low-carb substitute for potatoes.
Southwest Chicken With Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken tenderloins
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced
- 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 10 ounces frozen riced cauliflower
- 1/2 cup homemade salsa, (or store-bought)
- 3/4 cup low-sodium canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
- 3 scallions, trimmed and sliced
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice, (from 1 lime)
- 3 ounces finely shredded Mexican-style cheese, about 3/4 cup
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Trim any white tendons from the chicken tenderloins, then cut each one crosswise into quarters, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, then add the chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Combine thoroughly and set aside to marinate.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion, sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant. Add the bell peppers and sauté until crisp-tender (2 to 3 minutes), then add the jalapeño and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer the mix to a small bowl and set aside.
- Wipe out the pan and place it back on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sauté, stirring often, until the pieces show no pink on the outside, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, reduce the heat to medium, and continue cooking just until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
- Using a slotted spoon so the juices remain in the pan, transfer the chicken to a separate bowl, add the riced cauliflower to the pan, and use a spatula to break up any frozen clumps. Once the cauliflower is defrosted, stir in the salsa and cook over medium heat until the cauliflower is tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the reserved pepper and onion mixture, along with the black beans, corn, scallions, and about half of the chopped cilantro.
- Continue cooking until everything is heated through, about 3 minutes longer, then add the chicken, along with any accumulated juices, back to the pan. Drizzle with lime juice, combine well and scatter the cheese evenly over the top. Cover the pan, turn off the heat, and let stand until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve with wedges of lime.
Notes
- Have all your ingredients ready before you start cooking: Measuring and prepping ingredients in advance is always best practice, but it’s particularly important for one-pan dinners like this one. When you have all your ingredients on hand, you can focus completely on cooking step with no delays in between.
- Be mindful of how much salt you use: A couple of the ingredients in this dish can contribute quite a bit to its overall saltiness. Some brands of chili powder contain salt, so be sure to look at the label and if yours is one that does, omit the added salt on the chicken. Canned black beans are also rather salty which is why we recommend using a low-sodium brand and rinsing and draining them before using.
- Be careful not overcook the chicken: Chicken tenderloins cook quickly, particularly when they’re cut into small chunks, so watch the cooking time and try not to exceed the recommended 4 to 5 minutes.
- Adjust the heat to your liking: There are a couple of ways to adjust how much heat this dish has. The easiest, would be to choose medium or hot salsa. The second would be to leave the seeds in your jalapeño peppers, or even add an extra one.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made for dinner last night. Followed your recipe exactly which I don’t always do. It was delicious, just the right amount of heat. No left overs. Will definitely make again.
Hi Jane,
I’m really glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
Hi Jane,
I’m so glad to hear you liked the recipe. Thanks for taking time out of your day to leave a comment and rating! It’s a big help.
The chicken was very delicious, but the onion garlic pepper corn and bean mixture needed some seasoning. If you follow the recipe exactly, the dish gets a little bland when you mix it all together. I’d recommend some cumin and salt, or adobo seasoning in the veggie mix.
Hi Greg,
Thanks for the feedback. I’ll try a bit of cumin the next time I make this dish.