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If easy skillet dinners are your thing, this one-pan Tex-Mex chicken bake is about to earn a spot in your weekly lineup. It’s got everything: juicy chicken, fluffy rice, veggies, melty cheese—and all the bold, zesty flavors of taco night, baked into one gloriously low-effort meal.
Chicken and rice is a forever classic—lean protein, a blank-canvas grain, and endless ways to riff with veggies, spices, and toppings. What makes this one-pan Tex-Mex chicken bake stand out? Everything cooks together, so the flavors mingle and build into something way more delicious than the sum of its parts. You’ll start it on the stovetop, finish it in the oven, and only dirty one pan in the process. It’s also wildly adaptable. Keep it simple or turn it into a build-your-own-taco-bowl situation. Whether you’re juggling weeknight chaos or just don’t feel like doing dishes (respect), this recipe has your back.
Love easy one-pan dinners? I’ve got a few sheet pan meals for you to try. Sticking with the taco night theme, these easy sheet pan shrimp fajitas are fantastic. Sheet pan chicken Philly cheesesteaks are a real treat, and this Teriyaki sheet pan salmon dishes up a beautifully nourishing dinner.
Table of Contents
Recipe Modifications
- Make it spicy—Kick up the heat by adding in jalapeño! Both pickled and fresh work. You could also add roasted Hatch chiles if they’re in season. You can learn how to roast Hatch chiles on your own if you can only find fresh ones.
- Veggies—Other vegetables that could be added include spinach, diced zucchini, black olives, green onion, and fresh diced tomatoes.
- Cheese—Instead of topping the chicken with cheese to melt near the end, you could drizzle queso over it when it’s done.
Ingredient Notes
A full ingredient list with exact measurements can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken—I use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this chicken bake. Chicken thighs have a better reputation for being juicy and tender, but any time I make this, the chicken breasts cook beautifully. Plus, you can always ensure extra moist chicken breasts by brining them. See how to brine chicken breasts.
- Rice—I’ve only made this recipe using long-grain white rice. Brown rice takes longer to cook, so I wouldn’t recommend it, or the chicken may overcook.
- Salsa—I recommend using a jarred salsa as opposed to fresh, since it has a thicker, chunkier consistency and bigger flavor for cooking. Keep the fresh salsa for your chips!
Recipe Tip
Drain the black beans and give them a good rinse before adding them to the dish. This reduces sodium and removes excess starch from the starchy liquid, which could affect the end result of the dish.
How to Make My One-Pan Tex-Mex Chicken Bake
Prep the chicken—Preheat the oven to 375º F. Pat the chicken with paper towels to remove excess moisture and transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss them with taco seasoning, evenly coating them.
Sear the chicken—Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet that is oven-safe, like a cast iron skillet, over medium heat. Place the seasoned chicken breasts into the pan and cook only for 1-2 minutes on each side. You just want to get a sear on them, not cook them through. Then transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. (To avoid grease splatters, I highly recommend getting yourself a splatter screen. I love mine
Parcook the veggies and rice—Add a bit more oil to the skillet. Transfer the garlic, onions, and peppers into it and sauté until softened, stirring occasionally. Season with a bit of salt and black pepper. Add the rice to the skillet and toast for a minute, stirring. Add the black beans, corn, chicken broth, and about 3/4 of the salsa (leave a bit to top the chicken in the next step). Give everything a good stir. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-low heat, then remove the skillet from the burner.
Time to bake—Nestle the chicken breasts into the pan and spoon the extra salsa over them. Cover the skillet with tin foil and pop it in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the rice has soaked up most of the liquid and the chicken registers an internal temperature of 160º F. Remove the skillet from the oven and preheat the broiler to high.
Cheese it up—Remove the foil, sprinkle cheese over the chicken, then broil uncovered until the cheese melts. Time will vary since every broiler is different, but keep a close eye on it because it won’t take long. Only about a minute or two. Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken and rice rest for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice, garnish with parsley or cilantro, and serve.
Serving Ideas
- Top with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Serve it with guacamole and a side of tortilla chips, or avocado slices
- Chop up the chicken and roll everything up into a burrito
- Wash it all down with a classic margarita with lime!
Frequently Asked Questions
In Tex-Mex cuisine, you can expect a blend of chili powder, onion powder, paprika, cumin, dried oregano, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. It’s bold, smoky, and can be a little sweet with the addition of some brown sugar.
Tex-Mex cuisine leans hard on shredded cheese, beans, spiced meats (not just chicken, but also beef and pork), plenty of chili peppers, and warm flour tortillas. Though tortillas are often the backbone, Tex-Mex recipes, like this one, can skip them entirely. This cuisine is more about flavor than rules.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- To freeze, let the chicken and rice cool completely, then transfer them into separate freezer-friendly containers, separating the rice from the chicken. Freeze for up to 3 months. Transfer to the fridge the night before you plan to enjoy.
- Reheat the chicken in 30-second increments until warmed through. Add the rice halfway through, as it will cook faster.
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If you try this one-pan Tex-Mex chicken bake recipe, please pop back in and leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
One-Pan Tex-Mex Chicken Bake
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 4)
- 1 TBSP taco seasoning
- 1 cup long-grain rice
- 1.5 cups chicken stock or broth
- 16 oz jar of your favorite salsa
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup diced onion, Red, yellow, or white onion will work
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn, You can use frozen or fresh; no need to thaw if frozen.
- 1 cup shredded cheese, cheddar or Taco blend, You could also use a pre-shredded nacho or Mexican blend
- Chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375º F.
- Gently pat the chicken with paper towels to remove excess moisture and transfer them to a large bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with the Taco seasoning, and toss to coat. Set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet (like cast-iron). Place the chicken into the skillet and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side to sear them. Don't cook them through. When done, transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add a bit more oil to the skillet. Transfer the garlic, onions, and peppers into it and sauté until softened, stirring occasionally. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Add the rice to the skillet and toast for a minute, stirring.
- Add the black beans, corn, chicken stock, and about 3/4 of the salsa (leave a bit to top the chicken in the next step). Give everything a good stir. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-low heat, then remove the skillet from the burner.
- Nestle the chicken breasts into the pan and spoon the extra salsa over them. Cover the skillet with tin foil and pop it in the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the rice has soaked up most of the liquid and the chicken registers an internal temperature of 160º F.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and preheat the broiler to high.
- Remove the foil, sprinkle cheese over the chicken, then broil uncovered until the cheese melts. Time will vary since every broiler is different, but keep a close eye on it because it won't take long. Only about a minute or two.
- Remove the skillet from the oven and let the chicken and rice rest for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice, garnish with parsley or cilantro, and serve.
I love this recipe! It is so easy, festive, and flavorful. We will definitely be making this again.
Great! I’m so glad, Hailey!
Drooling over this chicken and rice. Fantastic. Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome!
I made this for dinner last night and it turned out great! My whole family loved it and asked me to make it again!
Love to hear it! Thanks, Kristen!
I love a good one pan meal, and this one is my favorite! We had it for dinner last night and it was excellent!
Yay! We love this one too :)