One-Pan Mexican Chicken and Rice with Roasted Corn

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-19 · Updated 2026-05-19

A hearty one-pan meal combining tender chicken thighs with spiced rice and sweet roasted corn for an easy Mexican-inspired dinner. This Mexican-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, olive oil, yellow onion, diced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 6 pieces (about 2 lbs) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• for serving lime wedges

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Pat dry 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and season with 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tsp chili powder.
2. Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken thighs skin side down and sear for 5-6 minutes until skin is golden and crisp.
3. Step 3: Flip chicken and cook 2 minutes more, then remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
4. Step 4: In the same skillet, add 1 cup diced yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves; sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
5. Step 5: Stir in 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice and toast for 1 minute until rice is translucent around edges.
6. Step 6: Add 3 cups chicken broth, 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chilies, and 1 cup frozen corn kernels; stir to combine.
7. Step 7: Place chicken thighs on top of the rice mixture, skin side up, and transfer skillet to the preheated oven.
8. Step 8: Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until rice is tender and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
9. Step 9: Remove from oven, sprinkle with 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, and serve with lime wedges on the side.