Mexican Chicken Recipes

QUICK AND EASY MEXICAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Heat a greased skillet to medium. Rub chicken pieces with garlic, salt, pepper and cumin to taste; place in hot skillet. Cook until brown on both sides and no longer pink, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to 9x13-inch baking dish or casserole dish, top with salsa and cheese, and bake in preheated oven until cheese is bubbly and starts to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

MEXICAN CHICKEN MARINADE

Steps:

• Place the chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
• Pour the marinade over the chicken and seal the bag, squeezing out all the air.
• Move the chicken around in the marinade until it is all evenly coated.
• Refrigerate and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours (see note).
• You can freeze the chicken in the marinade immediately and let it marinate as it defrosts, or marinate and cook it immediately.
• Either grill the chicken for 6-8 per side, pan fry for 6-8 minutes per side over medium heat, or bake at 375 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F has been reached.
• Let the chicken rest, tented with foil, for 5 minutes before serving.

MEXICAN RICE BOWL WITH CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cook rice according to package instructions.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet. Season chicken cubes with salt and pepper. Add chicken to the skillet and cook until well browned. Remove from skillet and set aside.
• Add onion and garlic to skillet, and saute for approximately 5 minutes or until soft. Add in red and green peppers, continue to saute on medium-low heat until peppers are soft, about 7 minutes.
• Once softened, add all remaining ingredients (except rice and cheese), as well as the cooked chicken. Stir until all ingredients are mixed well and heated through; adjust salt and pepper.
• Serve over rice with shredded cheese and sour cream. Even heartier with a side of tortilla chips or warmed tortillas.

MEXICAN CHICKEN AND RICE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute the chicken green pepper and onion in oil until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the corn, broth, salsa, salt, chili powder if desired and pepper; bring to a boil., Stir in the rice; cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

MEXICAN CHILLI CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion until softened. Stir in the spices and cook for a few secs. Pour in the tomatoes and 2 cans of water, then crumble in the stock cube. Bring to the boil and add the chorizo and chicken thighs. Push the chicken under the liquid, cover and simmer for 20 mins.
• Stir the peppers into the pan, then cook for 20 mins more. Tip in the cannellini beans.
• To eat now: Warm through to heat the beans. Toss the avocado with the lime and some salt and serve on top of the casserole with a sprinkling of coriander. Top each portion with soured cream. Serve with rice, jacket potatoes or a handful of spicy tortilla chips.
• To eat later: Cool and keep in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Warm on top of the stove until bubbling and serve as above.

WORLD'S BEST CHICKEN TACOS

Steps:

• Start by rinsing and stemming 7-8 plum tomatoes. Roast them in a 400F oven for 20-25 minutes.
• For the chicken, add the seasoning ingredients to a bowl: 2 tablespoons crushed New Mexican chile (optional), 1/2 teaspoon salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a dollop of oil. Chop up two chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and combine well with the seasoning.
• For the rice, start by adding a dollop of oil to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup of rice and saute until the rice is turning opaque and golden brown. Meanwhile, add 1-2 of the roasted tomatoes to a blender along with 1/2 onion and a single garlic clove. Combine well and add this puree to the rice, cooking for a few minutes. Add 2 cups of stock and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until all of the liquid is absorbed. Set aside and cover, letting it sit its own steam for a few minutes. Salt to taste. (Note: it's okay to pull the roasting tomatoes from the oven a bit early when you need them for the rice.)
• When the tomatoes are done roasting add six of them to a blender for the Salsa along with 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 jalapeno, and a pinch of salt (optional). Pulse blend, leaving it a bit chunky. Taste for seasoning and for heat level. You can always add more jalapeno if you want a more fiery Salsa.
• To cook the chicken, I usually saute 3-4 tablespoons of chopped onion in some oil until tender (over medium-high heat) and then add the seasoned chicken. Form a single layer as much as possible and let the first side cook through all the way, then flipping and briefly cooking the second side. When done, add the chicken to a bowl and cover with foil until serving.
• For the guacamole, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 3-4 tablespoons of finely chopped onion, and the juice of 1 lime to a bowl. Combine with the flesh of two ripe avocados. Taste for seasoning. I added another pinch of salt and another squeeze of lime to this batch. (I usually crush the chopped onion with the back of fork to mimic a molcajete and release some additional oils.)
• I recommend half-assembling the tacos for your family and friends, i.e. crisping them up on a comal or skillet before serving. First, put the chicken, guacamole, and salsa on the table in serving bowls. Then add 4-5 corn tortillas to the comal or skillet over mediumish heat (or as many as you can fit). Add a layer of refried beans, cheese, and rice to each tortilla. Cook until the cheese is melted or the bottom of the tortilla is turning golden brown, approx. 1-2 minutes. Serve immediately and let your peeps add the chicken, guacamole, and salsa themselves.

CROCKPOT MEXICAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Lightly coat a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray. Season both sides of the chicken with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and black pepper.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Once hot and shimmering, add the chicken. Sear each side for 2 to 3 minutes each, just until brown (the chicken does not need to be cooked through). Do not disturb the chicken while each side sears. Transfer to the prepared slow cooker.
• Sprinkle the chicken with the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Pour in the tomatoes including their juices. Scatter the chipotle peppers over the top.
• Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or on high for 1 to 2 ½ hours, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. The cooking time will vary based on your slow cooker and the size of your chicken breasts. Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then shred with two forks, either on the cutting board or return it to the slow cooker and shred it directly in the slow cooker with two forks (or for even faster shredding) a hand mixer.
• Return the chicken to the slow cooker (if needed) and stir in with the cooking liquid. Add in the optional beans and Mexican corn (if using). Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the flavor and cooking juices. Taste and season with additional salt as desired. Serve the chicken hot, on top of brown rice, inside enchiladas, for quesadillas or tacos, or any way you like.