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One Pan Chili Lime Chicken and Rice is made in one pan with minimal ingredients but is packed with amazing flavor! Your entire family will love this easy 30 minute meal!
This one pan meal is quick and easy! If you love one pan meals try this One Pan Fajita Chicken and Veggies, One Pan Southwest Blackened Cajun Chicken with Rice with this Red Beans and Rice.
One Pan Chili Lime Chicken and Rice
I am OBSESSED with one pan and one pot meals.
The whole idea of making a main dish and a side dish all in one pan without having to worry about separate cooking times, or dirtying up a million bakeware items is kind of genius.
And I’m always looking for simple 30 minute dinners my family will love so anything that can be done in about a half hour is right up my alley.
This dish has SO much flavor packed into it and it only calls for a few ingredients – you can’t be that!
It meets both of my big checklist items: one pan AND ready in about 30 minutes.
And this dish is one you can easily customize by kicking up the spice with some chopped jalapeños, or adding corn and beans to the rice right at the end.
My whole family loves this and I know yours will too!
What you need to make chili lime chicken and rice
Don’t let this list of ingredients scare you.
It is all simple ingredients that add so much flavor.
You will love how easy this recipe is and it all comes together in less than 30 minutes.
It is a perfect weeknight meal when everyone is busy.
Enjoy your dinner with your family this week!
- Chicken: boneless, skinless chicken breast pounded to even thickness
- Vegetable oil:Â helps ensure your chicken will not stick to the pan.
- Chili powder:Â a little spice.
- Paprika: some gently added heat.
- Garlic powder:Â you can’t have enough garlic.
- Onion powder:Â added flavoring.
- Cayenne pepper: a little bit of spice!
- Salt and pepper: just to taste.
- Lime: squeezed lime juice.
- Cilantro: add for a topping.
- White rice:Â I prefer jasmine rice but a long grain rice would be best.
- Chicken broth:Â soaks up all the chicken pieces and adds flavoring to the rice and chicken at the end.
How to make chili lime chicken and rice
I love how easy and simple it is to make on a busy weeknight!
Save time by making this wonderful meal that is going to be a family favorite.
It only takes 30 minutes to make and one pan.
Which means quick and easy plus quick and easy cleanup!
This is a tried and true favorite in our home.
- Prepare chicken:Â Stir together chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Season chicken with half of the seasoning mixture and set remaining seasoning aside.
- Cook chicken: Drizzle a pan with oil over and bring to medium heat. Cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side until browned. Remove from pan.
- Add rice and chicken broth:Â Add rice, remaining seasonings, chicken broth, and lime juice to pan and stir to combine. Return chicken to pan on top of the rice. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until liquid is dissolved.
- Prepare to serve:Â Fluff the rice with a fork. Top with cilantro and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top. Serve immediately.
Storing one pan chili lime chicken and rice
You can prepare parts of this dish ahead of time.
This recipe is great to even make a meal prep plan with.
- Can you make this ahead of time? Yes, this is a great recipe to make ahead of time.
- How do you store this one pan meal? Once cooked, let cool completely and store in an air tight container for 5 to 7 days.
- Can you freeze chili lime chicken and rice? Yes, this is best frozen without the rice. Separate the chicken and the rice. Let cool completely and add your chili lime chicken into a freezer bag and place flat in the freezer. When ready to reheat, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- How do you reheat chili lime chicken and rice? Cook your rice ahead of time or during the reheating process. Add your chicken to a pan and cook on low to medium reheating your chicken. Place on a oven pan and cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until your chicken is cooked through or microwave you chicken in small time increments. This will ensure you do not over cook your chicken,
More delicious one pan meals
- One Pan Honey Mustard Chicken and Veggies
- One Pan Cheesy Chicken with Broccoli and Rice
- One Pan Crispy Walnut Herb Chicken and Vegetables
- One Pan Crispy Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Vegetables
- Sheet Pan Teriyaki Chicken with Vegetables
One Pan Chili Lime Chicken & Rice
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs or 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- juice of 1 lime plus additional lime wedges for serving
- chopped cilantro for topping
- 1 cup uncooked white rice
- 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
Instructions
- Stir together chili powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Season chicken with half of the seasoning mixture and set remaining seasoning aside.
- Drizzle a pan with oil over and bring to medium heat. Cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side until browned. Remove from pan.
- Add rice, remaining seasonings, chicken broth, and lime juice to pan and stir to combine. Return chicken to pan on top of the rice. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes until liquid is dissolved.
- Fluff the rice with a fork. Top with cilantro and squeeze fresh lime juice over the top. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Serves: 6
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Made this last minute and the only regret is not doubling it. I was worried my family wouldn’t care for it since they’re sometimes picky about one pot dinners, but the whole thing went and my husband ended up eyeing my moms plate mournfully as she ate the last serving. Only thing I changed was I added a little more chili powder and a little less cayenne but that’s just my family’s spice preference. Will make again soon. So easy!!
This is a home run recipe! I make it constantly and everyone always asks for the recipe. As a mom of two babies…it checks all the boxes: fast, flavorful, healthy and impossible to mess up. I stir sour cream in with the rice for my 2 year old and she gobbles it up. We keep cilantro in our fridge all the time just so we can make this recipe weekly. 5 stars for sure.
You can substitute tajin seasoning for all of the seasonings and the lime. It’s even easier and really yummy if you like a mildly spicy, citrusy flavor.
Laura!
That’s a great idea. Thanks for sharing and for following along with me!!
Yuuummmm! Made recipe as is and it was delish! My family of 6 enjoyed it. Made it a few times already. Thank you!
Have made this twice and it just scrumptious!!!!! Thank you for sharing.
Hi!!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I really love this recipe also. Thanks for following along with me!
I made this tonight and it’s very good. I added a teaspoon of ground cumin to it because I like the flavor a lot with Mexican-style food. Next time, I think I’ll add the chicken in later in the rice cooking process; it was a bit over cooked sitting in that hot pan for an additional 20 minutes. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Something tells me that I need to cover the pan to cook the rice. Can you confirm that it’s with or without a lid on the pan?
Yes, you will cover it and cook it. Enjoy your meal! XOXO
Why use boneless chicken thighs? My one pan recipe from the NYT calls for bone-in. They work perfectly, and they’re much cheaper at my market. Since I remove the skin, I don’t even have to saute the chicken. I’m going to try your excellent seasonings with their recipe.
We love this dish! A firm family favourite.
The chili lime chicken and rice was easy and delicious. Thank you for the quick fix.
That is great to hear! I am so glad that you loved it! It is a family favorite at our house! Thanks so much for sharing! XOXO
Hi Alyssa
This recipe looks and sounds amazing. Can you use basmati rice?
Thanks so.much Tanya
For Step #3, on what heat do you cook the rice for 20-25 minutes?
What if I don’t have a big cast iron pan what would be used in place
Of this?
Pyrex dish can be good,
Yummy and quick dish. Next time I make it, I’ll cut up the chicken after it’s cooked to make it easier for my kids to take what they want and not waste any food. Could I add diced tomatoes or black beans to the rice to make it healthier?
That sounds great! Yes, please add anything you like. It is always great to make each dish your own. I can’t wait to hear how it turns out! XOXO
I made your recipe for dinner today. I accidentally put in 3 tablespoons of chili powder instead of 3 teaspoons! It was so super spicy, I was thinking it was a crazy recipe until I looked back an realized my mistake. Even with the extra chili powder it was really good (once I mixed in a lot of plain rice). I’ll have to try it again without 3x the amount of chili powder.
To finish this in the oven, cover with foil and bake at 400F for 30-40 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
This recipe is amazing, I don’t have lime, but I have a lemon so I will improvise. Thank you for sharing this delicious dish with us.
I love your substitution! That sounds great!! Thanks for following along! I am glad you changed it to your liking!!
Have you ever baked this in the oven? Used chopped onion, along with minced garlic instead of powder? Always looking for simple, tasty dinner recipes that can be increased to 70 servings.
I have not made it in the oven yet!! I love that you modified it to your liking!! Let me know if you try it in the oven! I would love to hear how it turns out!! Good luck!! Xo
Awesome recipe. Kids gobbled it all up. Left out the jalapeno and cut back on the cayenne still very tasty
Oh good thinking!! I am glad it was kid approved!!
How hot is this dish ?????
It does have a kick to it on every bite with the jalapeño. You can always leave it out, go more or less on it. My kids love this pan and are okay with the spice! Hope that helps!!