Easy Weeknight Meal: Fiesta Chicken with Rice and Beans

Fiesta Chicken

By Meredith Kimelblatt –

It might still be warm where you are, but fall has definitely arrived. The summer grilling promotions are coming to a close, the coffee shops have brought out their pumpkin and cinnamon flavored drinks, and the grocery stores have put the Halloween candy on display. Another fall favorite that’s working its way back into people’s kitchens is everyone’s favorite cool-weather kitchen tool: the slow cooker.

Slow cookers are one of those kitchen appliances that, once you have it, you don’t understand how you ever lived without one. It’s perfect for those nights when you just don’t feel like spending time in the kitchen, since you can throw your ingredients in the slow cooker in the morning, set the temperature, and forget about dinner until it’s time to eat. A lot of times, slow cooker recipes are also healthier than recipes you might make on the stovetop; instead of using oil or butter for flavor, slow cookers let your food cook in its own juices, which can help cut down on unnecessary calories and fat without sacrificing any flavor.

fall scents for your home

And while slow cookers have a reputation for being great for soups and stews, they’re versatile enough for plenty of other dinner ideas that don’t necessarily scream “winter.” This recipe for Fiesta Chicken with Rice and Beans gives you the best of both summer and fall: you can imagine you’re eating outdoors at your favorite Mexican restaurant while your dinner warms up your house as it simmers away in the slow cooker. If you have 7 ingredients, and 15 free minutes in the morning, you can have a hot, healthy meal on the table as soon as the clock hits dinnertime.

Fiesta Chicken with Rice and Beans

(from ReadySetEat.com)

Prep Time: 15 min – Total Time: 8 ¼ hours – Servings: 8 (1-1/4 cups each) – Calories per Serving: 324

Ingredients

  • PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
  • 2 10 oz cans Ro*Tel® Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies, undrained
  • 1 15 oz can Hunt’s® Tomato Sauce
  • 1 15 oz can Rosarita® Premium Whole Black Beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
  • 1 1.25 oz package 30% less sodium taco seasoning mix
  • 2 cups water
  • 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 24 pieces
  • 1-1/2 cups parboiled white long-grain rice, uncooked

Directions

Spray the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place all remaining ingredients, except rice, in the slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW for 7-1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.

Add rice, stir and cook for 30 more minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir again before serving.

Tip: For a twist on this recipe, place chicken and rice filling inside a warm tortilla, top with sour cream, cheese and lettuce and wrap it up like a burrito. 

 

Meredith Kimelblatt writes on behalf of ReadySetEat. ReadySetEat helps women everywhere discover the faster, smarter way to dinner. Explore more quick and easy recipes for dinner and other slow cooker recipes at www.ReadySetEat.com.

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Easy Weeknight Meal: Fiesta Chicken with Rice and Beans
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