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Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice Skillet

Salsa verde chicken and rice skillet with golden chicken thighs simmered into green salsa verde rice, finished with melted Monterey jack. This one-pot Mexican chicken rice is a fast weeknight skillet dinner you can cook entirely in an oven-safe skillet.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 620
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and rice skillet base
  • 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs
  • 1.5 cup long-grain white rice
  • 1 jar (16 oz) salsa verde
  • 2 cup chicken broth
  • 1 can (15 oz) white beans or pinto beans drained
  • 1 cup frozen corn thawed
  • 3 clove garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste
  • 1 cup Monterey jack cheese shredded
  • 0.25 fresh cilantro for serving
  • 0.5 lime wedges for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Season and sear the chicken
  1. Season boneless chicken thighs with cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
  2. Heat olive oil in an oven-safe cast iron skillet over high heat and sear chicken thighs for 4–5 minutes per side until golden; remove and set aside.
Toast rice and build the skillet
  1. Add garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds.
  2. Add long-grain white rice and toast for 2 minutes.
  3. Pour in salsa verde and chicken broth, stir, then add white beans or pinto beans and frozen corn.
  4. Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the rice, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes until the rice is cooked and the chicken is done.
Melt cheese and garnish
  1. Top the skillet with shredded Monterey jack cheese, cover, and cook for 2 minutes to melt the cheese.
  2. Garnish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges before serving.

Notes

For best texture, keep the skillet covered during the 20-minute low-heat cook so the rice absorbs the salsa verde evenly. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 4 days; reheat in a covered skillet or microwave until hot. Freezing is not recommended because rice and salsa can change texture. For a dairy-light swap, use reduced-fat Monterey jack (or a meltable cheese blend) to lower calories while keeping the cheesy top.