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Weeknight style One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake…finished with all the toppings…of course! Mexican seasoned chicken, rice, and enchilada sauce all cooked together in one skillet, then topped with tortilla chips and plenty of cheese. Throw the skillet in the oven to create the perfect cheesy, one skillet, Mexican inspired chicken and rice dinner. There’s simply nothing not to love. This dish is easy, takes under an hour to make, is cheesy, and all-around delicious. The perfect meal to serve to family and friends.
There are days when developing new recipes, that do not go nearly as planned. The “bad” days don’t happen often, so I’m thankful for that, but they’re never very fun when they do happen. I had a day last week where literally not one of the five recipes I was working on showed any promise. Nothing I was testing was working and the entire day was a struggle. Finally, at the end of the day, I accepted that something was clearly off and it just wasn’t my day for recipe testing.
These days happen, it’s hard not to beat myself up about them. But I’m slowly learning to accept them and attempt to move on the best I can.
Now, all that said, the one good thing I’ve noticed about bad days? Nine times out of ten, the following day ends up being so much better. As my dad always tells me, you wouldn’t know what a good day is without having the bad days.
Anyway, I’m completely rambling, but the point of this long story is that this recipe came to be after a bad day of cooking. It was almost as though I knew I needed a great recipe to make up for the previous day’s failed dishes.
Enter this one skillet chicken and rice dinner. Somehow this dish worked perfectly the very first time I tested it out. It’s probably my favorite recipe of the week. I’ve been excited to share it with you all since the day I created it.
Here are all the details.
As you can guess, this simple dinner is made start to finish all in one skillet. So, the very first step…find yourself a great skillet. I love using a cast iron skillet, but any oven-safe skillet or even dutch oven will work great.
Next, brown some ground chicken, turkey, or beef. Really, use whatever you love most. I typically use chicken, but when my brothers are in town, beef is always their first choice. Brown the meat, season it up, then pour in your favorite enchilada sauce and water. Bring this mix to a boil, add the rice, cover and let the rice steam for a bit. This only takes ten or so minutes. You do not need to cook the rice completely as it will finish cooking in the oven.
Now, once the rice is “al dente”, the rest is pretty simple and comes together quickly. Top the skillet full of chicken and rice with cheese, then tortilla chips, and finish with one more sprinkle of cheese. Transfer the skillet to the oven, bake until the cheese is melty and the sauce is bubbly.
And that’s it. Simple right? This dish smells incredible and tastes even better. But then, what’s not to love about Mexican rice topped with cheesy tortilla chips!?
So good!
The secret to this skillet dinner?
It’s all about the seasoning mix plus that enchilada sauce.
For the seasoning mix, I was inspired by my quick weeknight tacos. I used smoky paprika, ground cumin, and a chipotle chili pepper in adobo. It’s just a touch spicy, a little smoky, and hinted with garlic.
For the enchilada sauce, I like to use the homemade recipe from the original HBH Cookbook, but if you’re using store-bought I typically pick up this one. It’s as close to homemade as it gets. Just be sure to use a sauce that’s high quality and one that you know you really enjoy, as it’s key in this recipe.
Let’s talk about the toppings.
I topped this skillet bake just as I would a taco, with plenty of fresh cilantro, avocado, a dollop of yogurt, and a squeeze of lime. You could even add a pickled red onion on the side if you like.
If you wanted to take the toppings a step further, I would recommend a pineapple salsa or mango salsa. But you all know me, I love a good fruity salsa. Oh, and maybe add a nice margarita too. This strawberry margarita is perfect for the springtime days ahead.
What I love most about this recipe is the fact that it’s a complete dinner. It’s an all-in-one dish that everyone can really enjoy. I can serve this up on busy weeknights, but it’s equally great for a Saturday or Sunday night dinner with friends and family. I’ll be making this dish time and time again…actually, I’ve made it three times in the past week. Yep, it’s that good.
Looking for other one skillet dinner ideas…check out these. Or maybe a couple of my favorites below.
One Skillet Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken and Orzo
One Skillet Greek Meatballs and Lemon Butter Orzo
One Pot Creamy Tuscan Pesto and Artichoke Pasta
Lastly, if you make this one skillet saucy chicken tortilla enchilada rice bake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Skillet Saucy Chicken Tortilla Enchilada Rice Bake
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 765 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground chicken, beef, or turkey
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1-2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped, use to your taste
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups (19 ounces) red enchilada sauce
- 1 chipotle chili in adobo, chopped (optional)
- 1 cup dry long grain rice
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for serving
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 cups tortilla chips
- 1-2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- sliced avocado and yogurt, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.2. In a large oven safe skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the ground chicken and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the jalapeños, garlic, paprika, cumin, and salt, cook 1 minute. Stir in the enchilada sauce, chipotle chili, if using, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, stir in the rice. Place the lid on the skillet and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook 15 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked into the rice, but not all of it. 3. Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Sprinkle 1/3 of the cheese over the chicken/rice. Add the tortilla chips on top, pressing them gently into the cheese. Evenly sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted. 4. Serve topped as desired with avocado, cilantro, and yogurt. Enjoy!
This meal is absolutely delicious and one of our weeknight go-to’s! However, for some reason the cooking time on the rice is always way off for us – by about 20-30 minutes. We reduce to low and cover as instructed but always end up needing more time.
Either way, a great recipe!
Hey Nick,
Awesome!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving it a try! Sorry this took you longer than expected. xTieghan
I know it’s months later lol but I came to the comment section for this reason! First time making it and I set a 15 minute timer for the rice and it’s no where near done!
Good to know where to gage it. Thank you!
Great recipe! My rice only needed to be cooked about 5 minutes longer than the recipe said. I made my own chips from some corn tortillas because it was all I had. Only thing I think it needs is some black beans, so I think I’ll add that next time I make it!
Hi Liz,
Awesome! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
This has become a family favorite! Super quick and easy and so delicious.
Hey Rachel,
Awesome! So great to hear that this recipe was enjoyed and thanks for making it! Have the best week! xTieghan
A family favorite!
Hey Mara,
Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad to hear that it was enjoyed! Have a wonderful day:) xTieghan
This recipe is amazing!! I did not have any plain rice so I used 2 packets of Mahatma Yellow rice mix. Hello!!! So delicious. The family loved it and has already requested this again!!!
Hey Georganna,
Happy Weekend! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan
This has been in our recipe rotation for a while, we absolutely love it! My 1 year old gobbles it up! Love your recipes!!!!
Hey Melinda,
Awesome! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed and I really appreciate you giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan
This recipe is a family favorite. My teenagers look forward to it each time I make it. I double the meat and add black or pinto beans. I have both of your cookbooks and they are fabulous. Keep up the great work!
Hey Julie,
Awesome!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
This was very soupy and my rice didn’t cook. After 35 minutes, the rice was still crunchy. Flavors were good though.
Hey Jennifer,
So sorry to hear this. What kind of rice did you use? Let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
Another fantastic recipe with lots of flavor!
I am usually not a fan of leftovers but cannot wait to have this for lunch today!
You have become my fav recipe source…and yes, I have both of your cookbooks! 🙂
Thank you Tieghan!
Hey Lori,
Happy Weekend! Thanks for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This recipe is fantastic! My fiancee gets excited now when I say that I’m making a Tieghan recipe. Thank you for sharing and please know how much your creativity is appreciated!
Hey Katelyn,
Awesome! So glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! xTieghan
Made this as part of a meal train for my friend’s sick family, and it turned out amazing! So quick and easy to make and so delicious. I packed it in an aluminum tray and let them put it in the oven to bake the cheese. They loved it and I hope to make it for myself soon!
Hey Suzanne,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it. Happy Sunday! ☀️Tieghan
Absolutely amazing! This dish was super easy to make and so delicious. I loved it because it was really satisfying Mexican food that didn’t leave me feeling super heavy and bloated the way restaurant food can!
Hey Riley,
Thanks a lot for making this recipe, it makes me so glad that it was enjoyed. Have the best weekend!! xTieghan
My youngest INSISTS on Taco Tuesday every week…. and we needed to shake things up…l this was SO EASY & so yummy! The entire family devoured it … an instant family fave …. also, I didn’t have enchilada sauce – just subbed a jar of salsa & also made with beef! Thank you for saving dinner! Xxxx
Hey Meg,
Awesome, I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Delicious! I’ve made this a few times and it never disappoints. It’s so tasty, it’s hard to keep the serving suggestion and I over eat! I made it with quinoa rather than rice today. Just as delicious! I love your recipes, Tiegen. My boyfriend brought me both cookbooks and I’m enjoying them – in addition to your IG posts.
Hey Tania,
Awesome, I love to hear that the recipe was enjoyed and thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
This was SO GOOD! I threw my chicken in the crockpot with a jar of enchilada sauce the morning of, so by the time I made this the chicken was falling apart. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hey there,
I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for giving it a try. Have a great week! xTieghan
Omg this was INSANE. My friends and I made this on Friday night — and we’re already plotting when to make this again. Our cast iron skillet was too small though so we weren’t able to add rice but tbh we didn’t miss it! Our base was beef (DELISH), and we made red enchilada sauce from scratch (takes 20mins!). Layering in the chips and cheese was perfection. We topped with sliced avocado + sour cream. It felt like a loaded nachos bake. And didn’t take much time at all. Also – we were 100% satiated (obvi) but did not feel gross by the end. 10/10!
Hey Kanan,
I am thrilled to hear this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks so much for giving it a try. Have a great week! xTieghan