Description
Sizzling southwestern chicken and black bean skillet brings Mexican-inspired flavors to dinner tables across America. Spicy proteins, hearty beans, and zesty seasonings create a one-pan meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (454 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 (15 oz/425 g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen or canned corn (drained if canned)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cumin
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
- ½ small red onion, diced
- 1 (10 oz/283 g) can diced tomatoes with green chilies (like Rotel), undrained
- ½ cup shredded cheddar or Mexican-blend cheese
- Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional, for garnish)
- Lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a spacious skillet over medium-high temperature. Add seasoned chicken coated with chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook until golden brown and fully done, ensuring deep southwestern flavor infusion.
- Vegetable Integration: Introduce bell peppers and onions into the sizzling skillet, allowing them to soften and release their aromatic essence, creating a vibrant vegetable foundation for the dish.
- Flavor Layering: Incorporate black beans, sweet corn kernels, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. Simmer the mixture, enabling ingredients to harmonize and develop a rich, complex flavor profile while gently reducing liquid content.
- Cheese Melting: Cascade shredded cheese across the skillet’s surface, covering the entire mixture. Allow cheese to melt completely, creating a luxurious, unified coating that binds all components together.
- Final Garnish: Sprinkle fresh cilantro leaves over the dish, adding a bright, herbaceous dimension. Serve piping hot with lime wedges alongside, offering an optional citrusy accent to elevate the meal’s freshness.
Notes
- Boost Protein Precision: Ensure chicken is cooked to 165°F internal temperature for safe, juicy results using a meat thermometer.
- Spice Balance Strategy: Adjust chili powder and cumin quantities based on personal heat tolerance; start conservatively and taste-test midway through cooking.
- Quick Veggie Optimization: Dice bell peppers and onions uniformly to guarantee even cooking and consistent texture throughout the skillet.
- Cheese Melting Technique: Remove skillet from direct heat when adding cheese, allowing residual warmth to create smooth, perfectly melted coverage without burning.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Southwestern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 8 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg