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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.
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!
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.
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!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
When you say “large ovenproof skillet”, how large is large because it looks like a lot has to fit in it? 🙂
Hey Maria,
I used a 12 inch skillet. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Can I make homemade tortillas chips and use them instead of store bought for this recipe?
Hey Angela,
Totally, that will work well for you! I hope this recipe turns out amazing, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was a HUGE hit with my family. So quick and easy on a busy school night. If you love Mexican like we do, you must try this recipe. Thanks, Tieghan
Hi Melissa,
Awesome! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
The dinner I made last night was a total disaster (not a HBH recipe) and I was able to totally redeem myself with this one! Everyone in the family loved it. Quick, easy, delicious and SAUCY! Thank you, Tieghan!
Hey Hope,
Wonderful!! I am so so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed. Thanks a bunch for making it! xT
This is the best – delicious, easy to assemble and makes a great presentation.
A genuine crowd pleaser and all but the last step can be made before guests arrive.
If there are leftovers, they heat up nicely!
It’s now on the weekly dinner request list!
Hi JoJo,
Happy Friday!! Love hearing that you enjoy this recipe, I so appreciate you giving it a try! xxT
So fun to make and definitely reminds me of my mom’s Mexican bake she made for us in my childhood! I’ll definitely be entertaining with this one!
Forgot to add the stars! Oh, and her bake used chips, too!
Thanks again Nick!
Hey Nick,
Thank you so very much for trying this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
This is one of my family’s absolute favorite meals, in our regular weeknight dinner rotation. Like others have said it’s delicious exactly as the recipe is written but also really easily adjusted to fit your needs/what you have on hand. I’ve also made for friends who have just had a baby, just transfer to an oven safe dish and tell them to add the chips and cheese on top before warming it in the oven and it was a huge hit. Thank you Tieghan!
Hey Felicia,
Awesome! I love to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for giving it a go! Happy New Year!? xTieghan
LOVE this recipe!! A staple in our family. Any suggestions on how you would make this a freezer meal? i am prepping for a baby and not sure if I would freeze before or after the oven!
Hey Katie,
Thank you so very much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! I would freeze before the oven:) Happy Holidays!??
Just wanted to let you know how much I love this recipe. Have made it 6-7 times, the way that it was written, but I also love how versatile it is. Any ground meat basically works and it’s also a great way to use up extra peppers, spinach or kale, a can of beans. Have even made it with shredded chicken and verde sauce. Tastes great every time. Thanks!
Hey Donovan,
Happy Sunday! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for trying it out! xTieghan
I wonder how this would work with shredded rotisserie chicken instead of ground chicken or beef?
That should work just fine! 🙂 xTieghan
I love this recipe and make it a couple times a month! So yummy, easy and quick. Do you have any tips on how one would modify this recipe to use brown rice instead of white?
Happy Thursday! So glad this recipe was enjoyed and thanks for making it! xTieghan
Did it all in the skillet until sticking it in the oven in a casserole dish. Sooo good.
Hey there! So glad you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
We LOVE this recipe and it’s featured heavily on our weeknight dinner rotation. However, the rice bit is always difficult for me–it doesn’t consistently cook fully in the time allotted (and I haven’t figured out the ‘right’ cook time). Any advice is definitely appreciated!
I’ve had this issue too. I frequently have to turn up the heat higher than indicated after it has simmered and leave the lid off until the right amount of liquid is left. However, it does always turn out delicious even if it does take longer than the recipe indicates.
Always a winner!! I’ve subbed some salsa for part of the enchilada sauce when I don’t have enough, and it still turns out awesome. I usually have to simmer the rice a little bit longer (3-4 minutes) to get it how I want it, but maybe I’m simmering too low! I also break up the tortilla chips when I top the skillet, before putting the final layer of cheese on: I just find it easier to serve and eat this way. The lime juice is KEY (in the words of Tieghan :)) — don’t skip it! Love this with some sour cream or Greek yogurt or an avocado lime sauce.
Hey Sammie,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
This recipe has become a weeknight go-to that we parlay the leftovers into lunch throughout the week. It’s easy and delicious! I always whip up some guac as an appetizer/topper as well.
Hey Kiersten,
Happy Wednesday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan