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Tequila Lime Chicken and Rice – A One Pot Meal

May 12, 2021 by Ashley 3 Comments

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Chicken and rice cooked together with Tequila, Mexican spices, vegetables, and plenty of cilantro for a flavorful one-pot meal. The dish is topped with a fresh radish salsa for crunch and an acidic bite.

Tequila Lime Chicken and Rice is the perfect weeknight meal because it can be made in just one pot, has a good amount of hands-off cooking, and is incredibly flavorful. The radish salsa adds a fresh acidic bite to help balance the other flavors, resulting in a complex dish the whole family will love!

tequila chicken and rice final dish with radish salsa on top. served on a small black plate with frying pan in the background with the extras

What you need to make Tequila Lime Chicken and Rice

This recipe has a longer ingredient list, but a lot of the ingredients you probably have on hand and the others are commonly found in any grocery store.

For the Chicken and Rice-

  • olive oil
  • chicken tenders (any cut of chicken will work deliciously in this recipe)
  • kosher salt & black pepper
  • garlic powder
  • onion powder
  • cumin
  • coriander
  • onion
  • bell pepper
  • cilantro
  • garlic
  • tequila
  • rice
  • chicken broth

For the Radish Salsa-

  • radish
  • scallion
  • cilantro
  • lime zest & juice
  • kosher salt & black pepper
  • olive oil
ingredient shot for tequila lime chicken and rice. all ingredients are measured out & in small bowls. ingredients are: chicken, vegetables, rice, seasonings, garlic, lime, tequila, broth and radish salsa ingredients

How to make Tequila Lime Chicken and Rice

There are a couple of steps to prep the ingredients, but once everything is prepped, this dish comes together easily.

Season the Chicken

  1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat, in a large dutch oven. While oil is heating, prepare the chicken. Season with salt and pepper, then prepare the spice mixture. In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and coriander. Use half of the mixture to season the chicken and set the rest aside.
chicken for tequila lime chicken on a plate with seasoning mixture in frame, chicken is cut into small pieces and ready to be seasoned
chicken for tequila lime chicken on a plate with seasoning mixture mixed in. chicken is cut into small pieces.

2. Once oil is hot and begins to shimmer when swirled around the pot, add seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, on the first side for 5 minutes, until it browns. Once chicken is browned, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the second side. The goal is not to cook the chicken through at this stage, just to brown it.

browned chicken in frying pan with bowl of vegetables and seasoning mixture off to the side.

Cook the Vegetables

3. Remove the chicken and set aside. Add onions, bell pepper, and cilantro stems to the pot, adding a drizzle of oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper, then add remaining seasoning mixture. Stir to combine and cook the vegetables over medium heat for 5 minutes, until beginning to soften. Stir occasionally to ensure nothing burns or sticks to the bottom of the pot.

raw vegetables with seasoning mixture in sauté pan
cooked vegetables with seasoning mixture in sauté pan

4. Once vegetables begin to soften, add garlic and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, then raise heat to high and add tequila. The tequila will bubble up when added. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan.

cooked vegetables with seasoning mixture in sauté pan, with tequila added to deglaze

After the tequila has almost evaporated, add the chicken back to the pot.

cooked vegetables with seasoning mixture in sauté pan, with tequila added to deglaze. chicken has been added back to the pot

5. Next, add the rice and broth. Stir to combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and lower to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.

cooked vegetables with seasoning mixture in sauté pan, with tequila added to deglaze. chicken & broth have been added back to the pot
cooked vegetables with seasoning mixture in sauté pan, with tequila added to deglaze. chicken, rice & broth have been added to the pot

Making the Radish Salsa

  1. While the chicken and rice are cooking, prepare the radish salsa. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and taste for seasoning. Adjust seasoning if needed and set aside until chicken and rice are finished cooking.
radish salsa ingredients in mixing bowl

Finishing the Tequila Lime Chicken and Rice

Once chicken and rice are finished cooking, garnish with chopped cilantro and top with radish salsa.

tequila lime chicken and rice garnished with chopped cilantro

Questions about Tequila Lime Chicken and Rice

How can I cut down on prep time for this dish?

You can purchase the onion and bell pepper mixture already chopped which will help cut down on the prep time.

What could I add to this recipe to make it spicy?

I recommend adding some chopped jalapeño or sliced Serranos to the finished dish! You can also add the peppers to the onion and bell pepper mixture and sauté to help mellow the spice.

Can this recipe be doubled for a larger serving?

Absolutely. I recommend using your largest pot to ensure everything fits once the rice is cooked because it will expand once it absorbs the liquid.

tequila lime chicken and rice plated, garnished with chopped cilantro & radish salsa

For more one pot chicken and rice recipes, check out my Parmesan Chicken and Rice

tequila chicken and rice final dish with radish salsa on top. served on a small black plate with frying pan in the background with the extras

Tequila Lime Chicken and Rice with Radish Salsa

Chicken and rice cooked together with tequila, Mexican spices, vegetables, and plenty of cilantro for a flavorful one-pot meal. The dish is topped with a fresh radish salsa for crunch and an acidic bite.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Chicken, Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: chicken, chicken and rice, cilantro, cilantro lime, lime, one pot, rice, tequila, tequila lime
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 583kcal
Author: Ashley Pelaez Walker

Ingredients

For the Tequila Lime Chicken and Rice

  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1.5 lbs Chicken Tenders any cut of chicken will work here, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • Kosher Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Corriander
  • 1 medium Yellow Onion medium diced
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper medium diced
  • 1 bunch Cilantro stems separated from leaves (stems will be used for Tequila Chicken and leaves will be used for Radish Salsa)
  • 3 cloves Garlic minced or grated
  • 4 oz Tequila
  • 1 cup Rice long-grain, like Jasmin or Basmati
  • 2.5 cups Chicken Broth

For the Radish Salsa

  • 1 cup thinly sliced Radish about 6-8 radishes
  • ½ cup sliced Scallions
  • ½ cup chopped Cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon Lime Zest
  • ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 2 tablespoons Lime Juice
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Instructions

For the Tequila Chicken and Rice

  • Heat olive oil over medium-high heat, in a large dutch oven. While oil is heating, prepare the chicken. Season with salt and pepper, then prepare the spice mixture. In a small bowl combine garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and coriander. Use half of the mixture to season the chicken and set the rest aside.
  • Once oil is hot and begins to shimmer when swirled around the pot, add seasoned chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, on the first side for 5 minutes, until it browns. Once chicken is browned, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the second side. The goal is not to cook the chicken through at this stage, just to brown it.
  • Remove the chicken and set aside. Add onions, bell pepper, and cilantro stems to the pot adding a drizzle of oil if needed. Season with salt and pepper, then add remaining seasoning mixture. Stir to combine and cook the vegetables over medium heat for 5 minutes, until beginning to soften. Stir occasionally to ensure nothing burns or sticks to the bottom of the pot.
  • Once vegetables begin to soften, add garlic and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute then raise heat to high and add tequila. The tequila will bubble up when added. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. After the tequila has almost evaporated, add the chicken, rice, and broth.
  • Stir to combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and lower to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed.

For the Radish Salsa

  • While chicken and rice are cooking, prepare the radish salsa. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and taste for seasoning. Adjust seasoning if needed and set aside until chicken and rice are finished cooking.

For Serving

  • Once chicken and rice are finished cooking, garnish with chopped cilantro and radish salsa.

Nutrition

Calories: 583kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 43g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 930mg | Potassium: 1320mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2606IU | Vitamin C: 65mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3mg
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Filed Under: Comfort Foods, Entertaining, Mains, Recipes, Weeknight Meals Tagged With: chicken, chicken and rice, chicken recipe, easy chicken recipe, family meals, family recipes, one pot, one pot chicken and rice, one pot meal, rice, rice recipe, weeknight meal

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cassandra

    June 4, 2021 at 3:31 am

    5 stars
    So good and makes tons of leftovers! We turned it into quesadillas for lunches.

    Reply
  2. Kimmy

    June 7, 2021 at 3:40 am

    5 stars
    I love a one pot meal and this was INCREDIBLE! While it required more prep and ingredients than I’m used to, it was totally worth it. Everything was bursting with flavor and I’m glad I didn’t leave out the radish salad, it topped the meal so well!

    Reply
  3. Jenn

    August 13, 2021 at 9:10 pm

    5 stars
    This is so yummy and flavorful. For a family of two, plenty of leftovers for lunch! Plus I love having only one pot to clean.

    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Ashley!

I am the Recipe Developer & Food Photographer behind Millennial Kitchen. I have always had a love for cooking & grew up watching endless hours of the Food Network. This love, paired with my teaching background, gives me the tools to help others gain the confidence they need to feel like a pro in the kitchen! My recipes are simple, but delicious & very approachable for people of any skill level!

 

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