Skillet Chicken with Mexican Green Rice

I saw this recipe for Skillet Chicken with Mexican Green Rice and knew I to try it. I love Mexican flavors, and am constantly looking for tomato-free recipes that still have that spicy flavor. I liked that this recipe was a one-pot dish and hopefully John appreciated fewer dishes to wash.

Skillet Chicken with Mexican Green Rice

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3-4 breasts)

salt and pepper

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce

1 1/2 cups long grain rice

1 1/2 cups water

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach

Directions

Gently pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Brown chicken on each side for 1-2 minutes until golden brown but not cooked all the way through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

In the same skillet, add onion and poblano peppers and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened. Stir in garlic and cumin and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the enchilada sauce, rice and water and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and set chicken in the simmering rice. Cover skillet, turn down the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes to ensure the rice isn't sticking to the bottom.

Stir in cilantro and spinach and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Amanda's Analysis:

Since my allergy to tomatoes has surfaced, Mexican dishes are one of the foods that I have missed the most and this definitely filled the void! The chicken was moist and flavorful while the rice was creamy yet spicy. The leftovers were just as good. I see this dish becoming a staple in our house. 7 spoons!

John's Jibba-Jabba:

The poblano pepper kicked this dish up a notch. I think we should try and find more dishes that utilize it. I also enjoy the one-pot preparation which makes clean-up a snap. My apologies for going into infomercial mode there. This dish gets 6 spoons.