Description
A flavorful and healthy one-pan meal featuring tender chicken breasts seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika, served over a bed of sautéed cauliflower rice with black beans, green chiles, and salsa, topped with melted cheese for a satisfying dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Cauliflower Rice Mixture
- 24 ounces cauliflower rice, fresh or frozen
- 2 green onions, sliced thin
- 2 cloves garlic, grated or minced
- 4 ounces diced green chiles
- 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 cup salsa, plus extra for topping
Toppings
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Extra cilantro and green onions for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare Seasoning and Chicken: Combine chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Sprinkle half of this seasoning mix onto the chicken breasts along with kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
- Cook Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the seasoned chicken breasts and cook until fully cooked through, approximately 6-8 minutes per side depending on thickness. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside on a plate.
- Sauté Cauliflower Rice: Add a little more olive oil or use cooking spray in the same skillet. Add cauliflower rice, sliced green onions, garlic, remaining seasoning mixture, salt, and pepper. Sauté for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower rice is tender.
- Add Remaining Ingredients: Stir in salsa, black beans, diced green chiles, and chopped cilantro into the cauliflower rice mixture. Cook until everything is heated through, about 2-3 minutes.
- Combine Chicken and Rice: Nestle the cooked chicken breasts into the cauliflower rice mixture in the skillet. Spoon extra salsa on top of the chicken, then sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the chicken and rice.
- Melt Cheese: Cover the skillet with a lid and cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.
- Serve: Serve hot, garnished with additional cilantro and green onions if desired.
Notes
- Use fresh cauliflower rice for best texture, but frozen works well if thawed and drained.
- Feel free to substitute black beans with pinto or kidney beans as preferred.
- For extra heat, add a pinch of cayenne or chopped jalapeños.
- Chicken can be substituted with boneless skinless thighs for juicier meat.
- Use dairy-free cheese or omit cheese to make this recipe dairy-free.
- Covering the skillet helps melt the cheese evenly and keeping the dish warm.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 7 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
