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.
Jen says
Love it.. i just cooked them they are YUMMY in my tummy as my son said xx
Nagi says
That’s great to hear Jen, thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤️
Ashley R. says
I just made this last night. It’s really tasty! I used 1 tbsp of dried cilantro instead of coriander, doubled the bell peppers and added a 15-oz can of drained, rinsed black beans at the end with the chicken. There was a little too much liquid for me, so next time I think I will cut about 1/2 cup of either broth or tomato puree from the recipe and see how it does. I will also probably make a family-recipe chile colorado sauce with New Mexico red chiles and see who that comes out. 🙂 Super tasty and nutritious. Thanks for sharing!
Nagi says
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Ashley! Thanks for letting me know! N x ❤️
Cheryl says
Made this last night for our Mexican birthday party. Absolutely delicious! Love One pot cooking and love your recipes!
Nagi says
I’m so happy you enjoyed this Cheryl! Thank you for letting me know – N x ❤️
Joanne|No Plate Like Home says
This looks delicious. What kind of Mexican cheese is so stringy as appears in your photos?
Your pix are really great! I love the styling.
-joanne
Aspiring food blogger
Nagi says
Hi Joanne! Pretty sure that mozzarella in the photos, or maybe Monterey Jack 🙂 Thank you for the flattering comments! N xx
Karin says
Hi Nagi , this looks delicious and can’t wait to try it.
I want to make it to take to my daughter’s for our new monthly lunch. Everyone just brings something they want to cook.
Do you thinks it will travel and reheat well? Don’t really want to cook it there.
Love love love your recipes
Nagi says
Hi Karin! This will travel well, it is moist and flavour loaded so more forgiving to reheat than things like pasta bakes 🙂 Also the rice is firm tender, no overcooked and mushy which again means that it will reheat well. Hope you LOVE IT!!!
Rosy says
I tried this last night for dinner…my family raved! It is absolutely delicious! I also used short grain brown rice and cooked it for about 40 minutes. This recipe is a real keeper! Thanks!
Nagi says
WHOOT! That’s fantastic to hear Rosy, thanks for letting me know! N xx
Sophie Moran says
Nagi this was incredible! I love your recipes so much, every one I have tried has been delicious and your notes are so useful. I’m trying to eat healthy at the moment and so many of your recipes have plenty of filling veg, but also packed with flavour to keep my partner happy too. Thanks for sharing your talents 🙂
Nagi says
That’s so fantastic to hear Sophie! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed it! – N xx
Alisha says
Made this twice now, with double the onion and bell peppers, amazing! So quick and easy too?? Haven’t been disappointed with a recipe from you yet.
Nagi says
I’m so pleased to hear that Alisha, thank you for letting me know! N xx
emma says
Hi Nagi
I recently discovered your blog and so far I’ve made your honey and mustard chicken and pad see ew, both gorgeous! Thank you. I was wondering what ‘cups’ means where you live ie in ml or grammes? Also what would happen if I used brown rice against your advice? 😛
Nagi says
Hi Emma, thanks for your kind words! I live in Australia and cups are 250ml. I am guessing you are in Europe and are used to weights and volumes? 🙂 I will update this recipe for you! N x
emma says
that is so kind, thank you – I live in the UK 🙂
Jennifer says
Again a 4 thumbs up. Husband requested tortilla as well and loved it. Enough for 2 lunches as well. Broil confused me as well until I realised you meant under the grill at the end.
Nagi says
Yikes, I’m usually pretty good at using both UK/Aus/EU language! 🙂 Updated, thanks for picking that up!
Paula Spece says
Hello Nagi ! I have been meaning to comment for quite sometime and finally am getting around to it! since finding you I have averaged one new recipe a week of yours and every single time these recipes are greeted with smiles and yummy yummy sounds ! so far I have made your greek chicken with lemon rice, your Salisbury steak, the Irish stew with Guinness beer , your yummy cheese and garlic crack bread, and now this dish…..just wonderful ….I am so thankful for you ,..I am recently remarried and was having trouble melding my cooking style with my new hubby’s likes and dislikes …. all of my family’s favorites were just ok to him ….it was really frustrating trying to meld families and cooking styles and you have made it so much easier….dinner time is family bonding time for me and I always took pride in making everyone’s favorite dishes to make each one feel special on special days or just when they have had a bad day…my confidence was a little shaken when my hubby wasn’t crazy over anything I made him…that’s what happens when you put an Italian Irish lady with a Lebanese! lol thank you for helping us feel like a family <3 next up rotisserie flavored chicken over potato gratin !
Nagi says
Oh wow! What a gorgeous message to receive Paula, thanks so much for taking the time to write in! I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes, thanks you for trying them! N xx
Lisa Kelly says
Hi Nagi, my family don’t like corn (crazy I know) so do you think adding kidney beans would be ok instead? I have a few cans to use up and thought it may be ok.
I see others have used black beans and I’ll definitely try that at some stage too.
Nagi says
Hi Lisa! Absolutely! 🙂
Lisa Kelly says
I made this last night (with the kidney beans) and the whole family absolutely gave it a 10/10 – even my 18 yr old fussy with carbs DIVA!!!!!! I served it with corn chips on the side and sour cream and coriander and they were liking the bowls. I just made it with cooked diced chicken and threw it back into the pot with the rice for the cooking part. Mine had alot more liquid and the rice took a little longer to cook but eventually it was absolutely a WINNER!!!!!
My Nagi Favourites List is getting embarrassingly long!
Nagi says
WOO HOO! I am SO GLAD you enjoyed this, I am so in love with this recipe!!! Thanks so much Lisa – and for the lovely compliment. N xx
Lisa Kelly says
Oh and I forgot – I used 2 jars of store bought enchilada sauce because I’m essentially lazy hahaha
Nagi says
hey! there is NO SHAME in that!!! ❤️
Theresa Scamperino says
I loved this recipe! It was easy and delicious. I added black beans, also. I topped with chopped green onion, cilantro and a touch of sour cream.
I am excited to try other chicken recipes!
Thank you!
Nagi says
Thanks for trying my recipe Theresa! So glad you enjoyed it – and thanks for letting me know! N xx
Willis Anderson says
Love the chicken recipes and they ate easy to follow
Nagi says
Thanks Willis! 🙂
Michelle O'Sullivan says
This was amazing! The only ingredient I added was black beans and the only change to cooking I made was in a slow cooker. I placed the whole chicken breast in the slow cooker with all the ingredients bar the rice and cheese for a total of 3.5 hours on high. I then removed the chicken, shredded it, back to the sauce and poured into a skillet with rice and cooked the rest as per your instructions. So good! Thank you!
Nagi says
Hi Michelle, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for taking the time to let me know – N x
Candace says
At the end of the recipe it says to broil. Am I supposed to transfer the pot to the oven and broil it?
Nagi says
Hi Candace! My oven has the broiler in it so I just flick the switch to broil 🙂
Jamieanne says
Hi Nagi! I’ve been having an enchilada craving for a while now and was so happy when I discovered this recipe yesterday! It was quick and easy and tastes just like enchiladas! I made the recipe as is, except I needed to add more liquid while the rice was cooking (I used normal white long grain rice), and I also added a good hit of sriracha! Thank you for another amazing recipe! 🙂
Nagi says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Jamieanne! I love the sriracha addition! N x
Emma Kathryn Benson says
Nagi,
This sounds delicious and can’t wait to cook it up for dinner next week! This sounds like a yummy crowd pleaser for these colder fall months 🙂
xoxo
-Emma Kathryn
http://www.SweetTeaTactics.com
Nagi says
Hi Emma – hope you do!!! This totally is a crowd pleaser!! N xx
Laura says
Hi Nagi,
Apologies but I am not the best of cooks and always struggle cooking rice. If I was to make this for 2 people how many cups of rice would I use and how many cups of water?
When you say cup I am assuming a Mug? The typical size?
Laura
Nagi says
Hi Laura! A cup is a measuring cup – standard size in Australia is 250 ml. 🙂 Unfortunately this recipe is best made as is rather than scaling down but leftover rice is FAB!
Maria A says
Hi,
I was looking for some kind of comfort food, but I don’t really cook lol. However, I stumbled upon your recipe and decided to try it. By the time I decided, it got late, so I bought a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking chicken and my boyfriend shredded the chicken for your recipe. It was beyond-sooooo good delicious. I shocked myself! I will be making your recipe more often.
And it only required 1 pan, I love that. That’s amazing! I have saved your link so I can easily come here from now on. Why go anywhere else! I am feeling a little bit more confident and want to try more of your recipes. I can’t wait. Thank you very much for sharing your recipes. You’re great….?
Sincerely,
Maria
Nagi says
Woo hoo! I’m so glad you enjoyed this Maria, thanks so much for taking the time to come back and let me know! N x
Maria A says
I forgot to mention that there was a lot left over which I really really loved because it meant I had left overs for 3 nights! I think I will add black beans to it the next time I make it, (noticed I said next time?) lol. I never enjoyed cooking plus I never have time anyway. But with one pot recipes, I might enjoy cooking more often.
I’m hoping this weekend I can try another one of your recipes. Looking forward to it. Yay….:)))))
Thanks again,
Maria