Mexican Chicken & Rice {One Pot} by Taming Twins

Ingredients

• 600g (1.3lb) Chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 Red bell pepper, cut into small cubes
• 1 Yellow bell pepper, cut into small cubes
• 200g (1 cup) Long-grain or Basmati rice, rinsed
• 400g (15oz) Black beans, canned, drained and rinsed
• 200g (7oz) Sweetcorn, canned or frozen, drained
• 3 Garlic cloves, crushed or minced
• 500g (2 cups) Passata (strained tomatoes)
• 500ml (2 cups) Chicken stock (made from a cube is fine)
• 1 tbsp Sunflower oil
• 2 tsp Cumin, ground
• 1 tsp Mild chili powder
• 2 tsp Paprika
• 75g (2.5oz) Grated cheese (Mozzarella or Cheddar)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Freshly ground black pepper
• 2-3 Spring onions, thinly sliced (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

1. Heat sunflower oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cubed chicken breast and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's seared and colored all over but not necessarily cooked through.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the crushed garlic, diced red and yellow bell peppers, ground cumin, mild chili powder, and paprika to the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and the vegetables are slightly softened and well coated.
3. Stir in the rinsed rice, passata, chicken stock, drained and rinsed black beans, and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan tightly with a lid, and cook for 15-20 minutes.
4. Check the rice periodically during cooking; it should have absorbed most of the liquid and be tender. If it looks dry or is sticking to the bottom, add a splash of extra water or chicken stock (about ¼ cup at a time) and continue to cook until the rice is fully cooked through.
5. Remove the lid and stir in the drained sweetcorn. Cook for another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sweetcorn is heated through.
6. Preheat your grill (broiler) to medium-high. Evenly sprinkle the grated cheese over the chicken and rice mixture in the pan. Transfer the pan to the grill and cook for approximately 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly and a little golden brown. Keep a close eye on it to prevent burning.
7. Carefully remove the pan from the grill. If using, sprinkle with thinly sliced spring onions before serving hot directly from the pan. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.