Southwest Chicken With Cauliflower Rice
Filled with vibrant, Southwest-style flavors, this satisfying, one-pan chicken with cauliflower rice dinner is easy to make and ready in just 45 minutes.
Servings: 4 servings
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
Here are a few helpful tips for making this recipe:
- 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
Calories: 415 | Total Fat: 21g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 914mg | Carbohydrates: 25g | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 8g | Protein: 35g