Lime & Cilantro Rice with Charred Chicken and Black Beans
Ingredients
- 1½ poundchicken breast (boneless, skinless)
- 2 tablespoonolive oil
- 1 mediumyellow onion
- 4 clovegarlic
- 1½ cuplong-grain white rice
- 3 cupchicken broth
- 1 can (15 oz)black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 wholelime
- ½ cup (packed)cilantro
- 1 wholejalapeño
- 1 teaspoonsalt
- ½ teaspoonblack pepper
- ¾ teaspooncumin
- 1 cupcorn kernels (fresh or frozen)
Prep
- 01
Cut the chicken breast into 1½-inch bite-sized pieces.
- 02
Dice 1 medium yellow onion.
- 03
Mince 4 cloves garlic.
- 04
Chop a handful of cilantro (about ½ cup packed).
- 05
Thinly slice 1 jalapeño, removing seeds if you prefer less heat.
Method
- 01
Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- 02
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add the chicken and sear 4 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer to a cutting board.
- 03
Lower heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pot and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the minced garlic and cumin, cooking another 1 minute until fragrant.
- 04
Stir in the rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains are lightly golden.
- 05
Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the black beans and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- 06
Nestle the seared chicken pieces into the rice mixture. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer 15 minutes, until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through (165°F at the thickest point).
- 07
Remove from heat. Squeeze the juice of 2 limes over the pot, scatter the corn kernels and chopped cilantro on top, and add the sliced jalapeño. Let sit covered for 2 minutes to warm through, then fluff with a fork and serve.
Spice Tips
For more heat, leave the jalapeño seeds in or add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the rice mixture. If you like smoke, dust the seared chicken with a small amount of smoked paprika before searing. Fresh lime juice is essential here — bottled won't deliver the same brightness.
Substitute frozen corn with fresh if available. For extra freshness, add a squeeze of lime at the table. Leftovers keep refrigerated up to 3 days and reheat well with a splash of broth.