Pollo Pollo Plate with Black Beans and Mexican Rice

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-11 · Updated 2026-07-11

About the author — Lauren Mitchell is the Test Kitchen Director at AislePrompt, with over a decade of professional kitchen experience spanning recipe development, culinary technique testing, and hands-on evaluation of cooking methods across hundreds of tested dishes. Every recipe in the AislePrompt catalog is cooked at least twice before publication. Full author profile →

A classic Mexican chicken plate featuring tender roasted chicken thighs paired with savory black beans and fluffy tomato-infused Mexican rice. This Mexican-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, pairs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, olive oil, garlic cloves, minced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, 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.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 45 min Serves 4 Mexican cuisine 520 cal/serving

Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

4 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 cups black beans, cooked and drained
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 cup long grain white rice
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
for serving lime wedges

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Top-rated tools to make this recipe successfully.

More Bakeware & baking tools → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp olive oil, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Rub this spice mixture evenly over 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs.
Step 2: Arrange chicken thighs on a baking sheet skin side up and roast in the oven for 35-40 minutes until skin is golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Step 3: While chicken roasts, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and sauté 1/2 diced onion with 1 cup long grain white rice for 2 minutes until rice is lightly toasted.
Step 4: Add 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes and 2 cups chicken broth to the rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
Step 5: In a small saucepan, warm 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans over low heat until heated through.
Step 6: Fluff the rice with a fork and stir in 1/4 cup chopped cilantro. Serve chicken thighs alongside cilantro rice and black beans with lime wedges for squeezing over.

Frequently asked questions

How long does Pollo Pollo Plate with Black Beans and Mexican Rice take to make?

Total time is about 55 minutes (10 min prep + 45 min cook). Most home cooks find this fits comfortably into a weeknight; double the batch on Sunday for two dinners.

How do I store leftover Pollo Pollo Plate with Black Beans and Mexican Rice?

Cool to room temperature within 2 hours, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes, or microwave at 70% power in 60-second bursts to keep olive oil from drying out.

Can I substitute ingredients in Pollo Pollo Plate with Black Beans and Mexican Rice?

Yes — most ingredients in this recipe have flexible swaps. For oil, use any neutral high-smoke-point oil (avocado, grapeseed, refined coconut). For aromatics, dried herbs at ⅓ the volume of fresh work in a pinch. The full ingredient list is shoppable on Instacart so you can see substitutes in real time.

How do I scale Pollo Pollo Plate with Black Beans and Mexican Rice for a different number of people?

The recipe is written for 4 servings. Multiply each ingredient by (your serving target / 4). Cook time stays roughly the same up to 2x; for 3-4x batches, switch from a skillet to a sheet pan or stockpot so the food isn't crowded — overcrowding steams instead of browns.

What goes well with Pollo Pollo Plate with Black Beans and Mexican Rice?

Mexican chicken like this pair well with a simple grain (rice, couscous, or crusty bread), a quick salad with acid (lemon vinaigrette, pickled onions), and a pan sauce or yogurt-based dip. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" to get specific side suggestions.