Spicy Texas BBQ Chicken Skillet
A smoky, spicy twist on classic barbecue with tender chicken and creamy sauce. This Southern-inspired quick recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs boneless chicken thighs, yellow onion, bell pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 1 medium, diced yellow onion
- 1 large, sliced bell pepper
- 15 oz, drained and rinsed canned black beans
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp cane sugar
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1.5 tsp chili powder
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 medium diced onion and 1 large sliced bell pepper; sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
- Step 2: Add 1.5 lbs boneless chicken thighs, skin-side up. Cook for 5 minutes per side until golden, then push to sides of skillet.
- Step 3: Stir in 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1.5 tsp chili powder. Add 15 oz canned black beans, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, and 1 tbsp cane sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes until sauce thickens.
- Step 4: Tuck chicken into bean mixture, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. Serve with cornbread.
