Red Chili Chicken, Beans and Rice

I can't believe I haven't blogged this earlier because it really is one of my favorite healthy and easy weeknight meals.

I follow the original recipe pretty closely but do cut up the chicken into small cubes first to save an extra step later. The only other modification that I make is cutting down on the chili powder a bit. My young kids won't eat anything too spicy...but if that's not an issue for you, kick it up a notch and just add a little more spice.

I serve this with warm flour tortillas, salsa, sour cream and corn chips. This restaurant style salsa is soooooo good!



Ingredients:

2 tbsp. canola oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small 1 inch cubes
1/2 tsp salt
2.5 tsp. ancho chili powder, divided (I used regular chili powder)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup long-grain rice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup green onions, chopped or 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
½-1 cup salsa, for serving
1/4 cup sour cream, for serving

Directions:

Heat the oil in large heavy pot over medium-high heat. In a gallon size plastic bag, place the chicken, salt and half of the chili powder. Shake well to evenly coat the chicken. 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.

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 chili powder to the pot. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then add the chicken broth and salt to taste. Stir well. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add the chicken and beans to the pot. Recover the pot and allow to cook 12 minutes longer.

Sprinkle the green onions or cilantro on top of the chicken, beans and rice. Test a grain of rice – it should have no more than a hint of chalkiness at the center. If the rice has the correct texture, replace the cover, remove the pot from the heat and let stand 5-10 minutes. If the rice is not completely cooked yet, cook for 5 minutes longer before covering to let stand.
Fluff the mixture with a fork and serve with salsa.

Source: adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless