Easy, effortless midweek meal! Rice with shredded chicken cooked in a homemade enchilada sauce (or use store-bought!), topped with cheese. All made in one pot!
All you need is chicken, rice, tomato passata (or canned tomato) and a handful of pantry essentials to make this incredible flavour loaded, comfort-food-central meal. Oh wait – cheese. Of course you need cheese. This would not be “Enchilada” without cheese!
I’ve been overloading on Mexican over the last couple of weeks, sharing my Mexican Shredded Beef and Freezer Friendly Beef Burritos. I feel a bit silly sharing yet another Mexican(-esque) recipe today, but I hadn’t actually planned to! I had Cashew Chicken all ready to go, then I got the sweetest message from TWO readers in one day asking me to please share more one-pot recipes because they loved my One Pot Greek Chicken & Lemon Rice so much. 🙂 So I decided to shuffle my posting calendar a bit and share this today. I hope you don’t mind!
I love this kind of food for midweek. I call it Couch Food. The definition of Couch Food is “any meal that can be served in a bowl and eaten with a fork or spoon without taking your eyes off the TV”.
This qualifies. 100%. 🙂
There are quite a few spices required for this recipe because the sauce the rice is cooked in is essentially homemade Enchilada sauce. I’ve marked the ingredients that make up the Enchilada Sauce with an asterisk (*) so you could in fact substitute with a store bought Enchilada Sauce and it will become even easier to make!
My key tip for making this is to take it off the stove while it is still quite saucy because the rice will continue to absorb water while it is resting – and even while you are serving it. You want it pretty saucy – not sloppy, but not dry.
And please please please don’t overcook the rice so it is mushy! The liquid quantities I’ve provided will not yield mushy rice – I like mine tender but firm (it’s an Asian “thing”), but I know some people have a tendency to get stressed that the rice isn’t cooking and add more water. Which is totally fine, cook the rice to your taste but just don’t let it turn into baby food! 🙂
Hope you had a wonderful weekend! Back on Wednesday with something a bit different – but super easy, super tasty and totally irresistible! – Nagi x
PS Check out how bubbly and golden it looks…..ugh. Help me. I just want to dive in and grab a spoonful.
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One Pot Chicken Enchilada Rice Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 400g (13oz) chicken breast, about 1/3"/1cm thick, sliced horizontally into thin steaks (Note 1)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 red bell pepper/capsicum, diced
- 680g (24oz) tomato passata or crushed canned tomatoes* (Note 2)
- 3 cups chicken broth or water (750ml)
- 1 1/2 cups frozen corn (250g)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper* (spicy - adjust to taste)
- 1 tbsp dried oregano*
- 2 tsp cumin*
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander*
- 2 tsp onion powder*
- 1 tbsp brown sugar*
- Salt and pepper
- 1 1/2 cups (270g) white rice (short, medium or long grain , uncooked (Note 4)
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (about 125 - 150 g)
To Serve
- Chopped cilantro/coriander optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil over medium high heat in large skillet.
- Add chicken and cook each side for 2 minutes or until cooked, then remove onto a plate.
- Add extra oil if the skillet is looking dry. Add onion and garlic, cook for 1 1/2 minutes until starting to soften.
- Add bell peppers and cook for a further 2 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients except rice and cheese. Bring to simmer, then add rice.
- Stir, cover with a lid and turn down heat to medium low. Cover and cook until rice is cooked but not mushy and most of the liquid is absorbed - about 15 to 18 minutes. (Note 3). Do not stir while it cooks.
- Meanwhile, shred or roughly chop chicken.
- When rice is cooked, quickly stir chicken through, sprinkle with cheese then pop under broil / grill until golden and bubbly.
- Serve, garnished with fresh cilantro/coriander if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition per serving, assuming 6 servings.
This was easy to make and tasted divine! Everything worked so well together! I would add a little more cayenne pepper next time to add a little more heat. I made as per the recipe for the two of us, so lots to freeze. I will definitely make this again. Thank you Nagi for another great recipe!
Love love love! Your recipes are so on the money. I’ve made approximately 5 or so of your dishes and each one is as delicious as the other. I did add black beans after reading the comments. Fantastic! Thanks
Whipped this one up last night for the family. Once again, all thumbs up. This recipe will be on regular rotation. Its simple, inexpensive (a bonus these days) easy to make and really tasty! Thanks Nagi
Simple to make. I cooked this and froze it. I took it out of the freezer and thawed it, reheated it in the microwave and it was perfect. I melted cheese on top which made it sensational. We are a family of 5 and this recipe made 2 nights dinner for us. Super receipe as usual xx
Hi, I’ve made this & was lovely, but the rest of ce stuck to the bottom of the pan & started to burn. How can I stop this next time?
this was enjoyed by all in the family. will definitely make again, very easy to make and clean up from
Have you made it ahead of time? I’d like to bring a pan to someone who’s had surgery and someone who just had a baby.
If i am using store enchilada sauce do I still use chicken brother/stock
Thank you, Nagi! Soooo good! The only thing I changed was a cup of black beans instead of the corn, like some reviewers suggested. Would there be a way to substitute Quinoa for the Rice? Just wondering if that would work or if the amount of liquid and cook time would change?
Hi Janell – It would be a completely different amount of liquid and cook time for quinoa – I haven’t tested it so have no idea about timing or quantities – let me know if you try it out! N x
Ooops!! forgot to rate it 5 stars
That was ridiculously delicious, Just like everything you put your touch to Nagi .It worked perfectly with Jasmine rice as you predicted. Thank you again
Ooops!! forgot to rate it 5 stars
Another amazing recipe Nagi, thank you so much. All three of your recipes that I have made are all keepers!
Wow so easy to make but incredibly delicious!
You have done it again Nagi!
Thankyou.
Holy moly! Absolutely delicious.
I’d put off making this recipe for some reason, wish I hadn’t! I guess I thought something that easy wouldn’t be “that good”
Not only easy, one pot, tasty and made heaps. Served 5 adults, 2 of us having seconds and with leftovers for my 20something son to take for lunch tomorrow. This one is a KEEPER!
Once again, thanks Nagi for another great recipe
Very tasty, thanks Nagi!
Holly x
You’re so welcome Holly!! N x
Very tasty and so filling, no cheating with the sauce either, starting to feel like a master chef here 🙂 x
Very tasty! I Added a jalapeno pepper and black beans just because….delicious.
Another winner Nagi- LOVE the Mexican flavours, the ease to prepare and the CHEESE!
Will be making again, and again, and again……
Nagi as you know i make lots of your meals but for this one you have surpassed yourself – i have made this for the family 3 times in 2 weeks – my Daughter who is nearly 18 loves what i cook and just can not stop going on about this – in fact she made a statement that she is going to come and live with you and you can cook for her everyday 🙂
Can I just add cooked rice to the sautéed mixture and simmer it. Also, can I used quinoa or mix it with rice to make it low carb meal? Thanks