One-Pot Spiced Mexican Chicken and Rice

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-05 · Updated 2026-06-05

A hearty, flavorful one-pot meal combining tender chicken thighs and aromatic rice with classic Mexican spices. This Mexican-inspired one-pot recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs bone-in chicken thighs, olive oil, yellow onion 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 bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium, diced yellow onion
• 4, minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup, canned diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup, chopped fresh cilantro
• for serving lime wedges

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season 6 bone-in chicken thighs with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, then brown in the oil for 5 minutes per side until golden and crisp. Remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: Reduce heat to medium, add 1 diced medium yellow onion and sauté for 4 minutes until softened. Add 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1 tbsp chili powder, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice and toast for 2 minutes to coat each grain with spices. Pour in 3 cups chicken broth and 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, then nestle the browned chicken thighs back on top.
4. Step 4: Bring to a simmer, cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes.
5. Step 5: Fluff rice with a fork and stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the dish.