One pot chicken and rice with black beans is a simple one pot recipe of rice, black beans, chicken, chicken broth, and some spices that are magically transformed into an amazingly comforting meal.

This post may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I’m sorry I’ve been holding out on you for so long!!

I’ve been making this One Pot Chicken and Rice with Black Beans for well over a year and I’ve not once had the opportunity to take a photo.  Actually, I’ve probably had many opportunities but I can’t say that I’ve had the desire to have to wait to eat this meal while I take photos.  It’s just too good!

You see, it’s a simple one pot meal of rice, black beans, chicken, chicken broth, and some spices.  And somehow, these very basic ingredients are magically transformed into this amazingly comforting meal as they simmer together!

What Kind of Pot for This Recipe?

I love making so many of our favorite one pot meals in my dutch oven but a wide, deep skillet or wide stock pot will work just as well for this dinner.

The dutch oven allows for a nice sear on the chicken. This is because it’s made of enamel-coated cast iron so it gets super hot and retains the heat really well while cooking.

A little smoky undercurrent of heat from the ancho chile powder (my favorite chile powder!) sears into the chicken, turning it red, and then infuses the chicken broth and rice. The chile-flavored rice leaves you with an unforgettable meal!

Can You Make This with Brown Rice?

I have successfully made this dish with brown rice but it takes twice as long as white rice to cook and needs about 1 extra cup of chicken broth.  If you want to go that route, add the chicken back in after the rice and onions cook for 30 minutes. 

Aside from some improved nutritional value, I didn’t see any other benefit to using brown rice and since we so rarely eat white rice, I’ll stick with the white stuff in this dish in the future.

Toppings and Mix-In Suggestions

While toppings certainly aren’t necessary here, we sometimes serve this chicken and rice with some sour cream and a little shredded cheese on top.

If you’re into crunchy toppings, crushed tortilla chips or Fritos would be amazing!

Mix-ins are a great way to change up this meal too. I had an ear of corn hanging out in the fridge and I sliced the corn off the cob and threw it in at the end. The corn was lovely!

What to Serve with this Chicken and Rice Recipe

If you going to make this red chile chicken with rice and black beans for company, which it would be perfect for on a crisp fall weekend night or for a game day Saturday or Sunday, I think some jalapeño cheddar biscuits, jalapeño cheddar cornbread, or chile-cheese bread would be so delicious on the side of this meal. 

Regardless of how you decide to serve it, make this soon and come back and thank me later! Enjoy!

Continue to Content

One Pot Chicken and Rice with Black Beans

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

One pot recipes are always a great idea for easy dinners! This one pot chicken and rice with black beans combines basic ingredients and flavorful spices into a fantastic and cozy meal the whole family will love.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 ¼ to 1 ½ lbs total), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 ½ tbsp ancho chili powder, divided
• 1 medium onion, large diced
• 1 cup white rice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup chopped scallions (green and white parts), roots and wilted outer leaves removed before chopping (OR 1/3 cup cilantro)
• ½ to 1 cup salsa or chipotle hot sauce for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a medium-large heavy pot (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breast with salt and 1 tbsp of the ancho chili powder. Place the chicken in the hot oil and brown on each side, 2-3 minutes. Remove to a plate, leaving behind as much oil as possible.
2. Add the onion and rice to the pot. Stir for several minutes, until the rice turns from translucent to opaque. Add the garlic and the remaining 1 ½ tbsp ancho chili powder. Cook one minute, and then add the broth and salt to taste. Stir well. When the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the pot along with the beans. Re-cover and cook 12 minutes longer.
4. Sprinkle in the scallions and test a kernel of rice (it should have no more than a hint of chalkiness at in the center, in which case you place the cover back on, remove it from the heat and let it stand 5-10 minutes).  If it’s not cooked, cook for another 5 minutes or so.
5. Fluff the mixture with a fork and serve with salsa (if using).

Notes

adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless via Elly Says Opa

Recommended Products

As a member of the Amazon Associate affiliate program, I earn a small percentage from your qualifying Amazon purchases when you click the Amazon links on this page. I'm not informed of who purchases what, just of what products are purchased.

• 
  Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast-Iron 5-1/2-Quart Round French Dutch Oven, White

How much do you love this recipe?

Follow Smells Like Home on Pinterest and click that little Pin button at the top of this recipe card to save this recipe and share with your Pinterest followers!