Mexican Rice Bowls
Add Some Pizzaz To Your Dinner Rotation
Mexican Rice Bowls make a great dinner for busy families who are eating at all different times, as they can be made in advance and reheated whenever. The flavorful chicken, diced tomatoes, and seasoning and herbs make a delicious tomato gravy that is perfect with peppers, onions, and rice.
My cousin just had her second baby and I have been trying to go there once a week to stay up with the baby so she can get a good night’s sleep. I have been bringing meals to her to help out as well.
This is a meal I put together that was nutrient dense, easy for her to reheat, and that she can feed her toddler. She and her family all enjoyed this meal.
These are very easy to make, but there are a few ingredients that may be new to some cooks. I have three seasonings in this recipe that may be unfamiliar and I will highlight them below.
Some of you may already have these on hand if you have made some of my other recipes. I like to use ingredients that can be used in many things and are also easy for most people to find.
There is a recipe card at the end of this post that you can save, print, or pin. The few paragraphs before the recipe card have pictures, links, and information on the ingredients.
New Parent Paradise
You can see in the picture above how I prepped this dinner to bring to my cousin. The recipe card has the ingredients and instructions for the chicken and peppers.
I also added some simple sautéed green beans to the mix as well as my Instant Pot Spanish Rice Recipe. You can use just plain rice as well.
Additionally I made some cold cucumbers with chili lime seasoning they could also eat with these Mexican Rice Bowls.
The Tomatoes
Pictured above are the canned tomatoes I used for this recipe. They had some spice but they weren’t spicy, if that makes sense.
They added flavor to the chicken and are the base for the tomato gravy. I have also used the canned tomatoes that have the peppers and onions.
You can also just use plain, canned, diced tomatoes.
Chili Lime Seasoning
A friend brought me this Chili Lime Seasoning from Trader Joe’s. This stuff is awesome, especially in this chicken recipe.
I am usually not a huge fan of Trader Joe’s products but this is good. A quick google search shows that there are actually lots of brands out there that make a chili lime seasoning mix.
If you do not want to buy a mix, you can use your own amount of chili powder and however much lime juice you want! The seasoning does add great flavor so I would suggest getting one.
All Purpose Seasoning
Pictured above is the Goya Adobo All Purpose Seasoning I keep on hand. It is the seasoning I use to make my grilled steak taco marinade.
If you search “Goya Adobo” on my site, ALL the recipes pop up that use it. I find this everywhere including stores like Walmart and you can also buy it on Amazon.
You can also order it directly from the company. It is like a Lawry’s Seasoning with a kick, but it is not SPICY.
Sazon Seasoning, A Tipsy Pantry Staple
I love this stuff and use it in so many recipes. You can search Sazon on my site, and all the recipes I use it for come up.
My favorite recipe I use it for is my Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup. It adds great flavor and color.
You can find it in the Mexican or Latin food aisle of the grocery store. You can also order online.
Buy the big box!
Mexican Rice Bowls Recipe
Mexican Rice Bowls are a build-your-own adventure of deliciousness. Juicy chicken, fluffy white rice, sautéed peppers and onions, all drizzled in a savory tomato based gravy. Add other veggies to make this even more nutritious .
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 lbs. of Boneless Chicken Breast, cubed
- 3 teaspoons of All Purpose Seasoning *the one I use is pictured in the post before the recipe card
- 2 to 3 teaspoons of Chili Lime Seasoning *the one I use is pictured in post along with alternatives
- 2 packets of Goya Sazon Seasoning *optional **pictured in post
- 1 tablespoon of Chicken Bouillon
- 2 teaspoons of Dried Oregano
- 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil + 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil
- 1 can of Diced Tomatoes (chili ready variety or the ones with peppers and onions) *pictured in post
- 2 cups of Water
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
- 1 Orange Bell Pepper
- 1 large Sweet Onion
- 3 to 4 cups of Cooked Rice *the recipe I use is linked in the post
Instructions
- Remove your chicken from the package, pat dry with paper towels, add to a large bowl.
- Add the olive oil to the chicken, then the all purpose seasoning, the chili lime seasoning, and the dried oregano, toss to coat.
- Wash and slice your peppers into thin strips. Peel and clean your onion and slice into thin strips.
- Heat a large deep sided skillet with the two tablespoons of olive oil. Hot, but not smoking. Add your chicken and sauté.
- When the chicken has been seared on all sides, but not fully cooked, sprinkle the chicken with the chicken bouillon. Sauté for a few more minutes.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes to the chicken, the two packets of Sazon seasoning, if using, and the water.
- Bring this all to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to a low simmer, simmer for 25 minutes.
- While the chicken cooks, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to another skillet and add the peppers and onions. Sauté for 10 to 12 minutes allowing them to soften. They should still have a little crispness to them.
- When the chicken has cooked for 25 minutes with the lid on, remove the lid and simmer for 15 more minutes with the lid off. While this is happening, use a ladle or large spoon and add a couple of spoonfuls of the liquid from the chicken to the peppers and onions. Sauté the peppers and onions in the sauce.
- When ready to serve, layer the chicken and peppers on top of bowls of rice, then drizzle the bowls with the liquid left in the pan, this your tomato based gravy. I leave this gravy thin, like an au jus. If you like, you can remove the chicken from the pan, leaving the sauce then bring to a simmer. Dissolve a 1/2 tablespoon of corn starch in half a cup of water, whisk until smooth, then slowly whisk it into the chicken juices to thicken the gravy.
- I serve these chicken bowls with sautéed green beans or fresh cut cucumbers that have been tossed in chili lime seasoning, or salt and pepper.