Red Chile Chicken and Rice with Black Beans

Any time I see a new variation of a recipe including some of my favorite ingredients like black beans, chicken and salsa, I know it’s going to be a winner in our house. Even though I knew we would enjoy it, this dinner far exceeded my expectations. It may not look like much but I like it not only because it tastes fantastic, but because it was a quick and easy weeknight meal. Even better, it’s a one pot meal – something my dishwasher (Ben) and I both appreciate! It makes plenty so there will be yummy leftovers for lunch as well. The amount of chili powder may seem like way too much, but it is actually just right so don’t be scared. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Ingredients:
2 tbsp. canola oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied into halves (4 halves total)
2.5 tbsp. ancho chili powder, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup long-grain rice
4 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

Directions

01
Heat the oil in large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the chicken breast halves with salt and sprinkle with half of the chili powder. 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.
02
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.
03
Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces and add them to the pot along with the beans. Recover the pot and allow to cook 12 minutes longer.
04
Sprinkle the green onions 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.
05
Fluff the mixture with a fork and serve with salsa.

Source

adapted from Elly Says Opa, originally from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless