Tex-mex Favorites Recipe

Prep the chicken

Trim excess fat from the chicken thighs and pat dry. In a small bowl mix kosher salt, black pepper, ground cumin and smoked paprika. Rub spice mix evenly over both sides of the chicken.

Sear the chicken

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium‑high heat. When shimmering, add chicken thighs, spacing evenly. Sear 3–4 minutes per side until nicely browned (they will finish cooking later). Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil.

Sweat aromatics

Reduce heat to medium, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the chopped onion and cook 4–5 minutes until softened and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Toast rice

Add the rice to the skillet with the onions and garlic and stir to coat for 1–2 minutes — this toasts the rice and improves flavor.

Deglaze and simmer

Pour in chicken broth and stir, scraping any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in drained fire‑roasted tomatoes with chiles, frozen corn and black beans. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Return chicken & cook covered

Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the rice mixture, skin side up (or seam side up). Reduce heat to low, cover the skillet with a tight‑fitting lid and simmer gently for 18–20 minutes, or until rice is tender and chicken registers 165°F (74°C) internally.

Finish and rest

Remove skillet from heat. Squeeze 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice over the rice, then scatter chopped cilantro and shredded cheese evenly across the top. Cover and let sit 5 minutes off the heat to melt the cheese and allow flavors to meld. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Make quick pico de gallo

In a small bowl combine diced roma tomato, finely diced red onion, minced jalapeño, 1 tablespoon lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir and let sit 5–10 minutes to allow flavors to marry.

Prepare toppings

Slice the avocado and arrange sour cream (or crema) and chips or warm tortillas on a platter. When the skillet is rested and cheese melted, spoon pico over the chicken and rice, add avocado slices, and finish with extra chopped cilantro and an optional squeeze of lime.

Serve: Transfer portions to plates or eat family‑style from the skillet. Offer tortilla chips or warm tortillas for scooping. Leftovers keep covered in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat gently on stovetop or microwave.