Easy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice
This Easy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice comes together in 30 minutes and is the perfect meal for weeknights. The flavorful rice is enriched with rich chicken stock or broth, Mexican Salsa Verde, and golden brown chicken thighs immersed in all the flavors! Add some delicious spices like Mexican Adobo and top with a little chopped Cilantro and a little squeeze of lime for a nice zip. This a drool-worthy dinner that everyone will ask for seconds. The best part is that any leftovers are even better the next day. Like the kind of leftovers, you fight over 🙂
Table of contents
Chicken Dinner in 30 minutes
Weeknights are tough for getting dinner on the table. I also work full time and the struggle is real friends. This recipe and others like it, that come in 30 minutes or so are dinner savers. In addition, a short list of ingredients is a double win. Chicken dinner is one of the most searched phrases on both Google and Pinterest. Chicken is generally a healthier protein option and also one of the more affordable options for dinner. Equally important, it’s one of the most versatile protein options. It can be used in a variety of recipes.
What is Mexican Salsa Verde made of?
The term Salsa Verde is used in two distinct cuisines: Italian and Mexican. In Italian cuisine, Salsa Verde is a bright, herby, and briny sauce with the consistency of Chimichurri. In Mexican cuisine, Salsa Verde is a spicy salsa made mainly of Tomatillos, green chiles, typically Serranos, and Cilantro. The consistency is a bit more fluid making it very adaptable for dishes like my Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice and the flavor is mild with some tang because of the tomatillos. Salsa verde is commonly used in Carnitas tacos, braised pork dishes, and often with Mexican seafood dishes like Shrimp tacos.
What is Adobo seasoning powder?
Adobo is a seasoning that comes in many different forms depending on the Latin country using it. Adobo seasoning powder with salt is very common but within this general term come dry seasonings without salt, wet seasonings and even a stew in the Philippines called Adobo. For this recipe, we lean to Mexican dry Adobo powder that has central ingredients like dried oregano, cumin, chile powder, onions, garlic, pepper, and other spices that vary. Many of these dried Adobo seasoning powders have salt, so omit overall salt use if using Adobo powder that has salt as the first ingredient. It will likely be all the salt you need for this dish as the chicken broth/stock is salted as is the salsa.
Ingredients for Easy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice
This recipe has only a handful of ingredients. The star of the recipe is the Salsa Verde. Here in Los Angeles one of the most popularly available brands is Herdez. Typically the Herdez Salsa Verde comes in cans or jars. If you can find the 8-ounce can, this is the perfect size for this recipe. If not, the jarred variety is just fine. Just make sure you pick up the mild version. If you can’t find Herdez salsa verde, any mild salsa verde will work for this recipe.
- 6 chicken thighs – you can use boneless, skinless, or bone-in with or without skin
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, divided
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 cup of white onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of long-grain white rice
- 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth
- 1 cup of Salsa Verde, mild
- 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt (omit if you use Adobo seasoning powder with salt)
- 2 teaspoons of Adobo powder (without salt) divided or Mexican seasoning without salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Cilantro for serving
- Lime wedges for serving
How to make Salsa Verde Chicken
This recipe is made in one pan (yes! one more win for the weeknight dinner!). A large, heavy skillet, braiser, or wide Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid works well for this recipe.
Place chicken thighs on a plate and pat both sides dry. Season with Mexican Adobo powder on both sides of chicken thighs. Season with Kosher salt if the Adobo seasoning is salt-free.
Preheat the pan over medium heat. Add vegetable oil and allow to heat until the oil is glistening.
Carefully add half of the chicken thighs ensuring they are not too close to each other so they brown nicely. Sear the first side for about 4 minutes and then turn the pieces of chicken and sear for 2 minutes or so. Remove from the pan and place on a clean plate. Repeat until all the chicken thighs have been browned. Don’t worry about the chicken being completely cooked through as it will finish cooking in the rice mixture.
Add another tablespoon of vegetable oil and add rice, onions, and garlic, and sauté until rice is lightly toasted. About 2 minutes. The onions and garlic will be translucent and fragrant.
Add the chicken broth, salsa verde, additional Adobo seasoning, Kosher salt and pepper. Stir well until all ingredients are fully combined.
Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan on top of the rice. Bring to a low boil. Lower heat to medium-low and place the lid on the pan. Cook until all the liquid in the rice has been fully absorbed. Rice and chicken should be fully cooked, and tender, and the rice should be fluffy with a golden color. Let the Easy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
How to serve
My favorite way of serving Easy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice is in a bowl with the rice, a piece of chicken with steamed or roasted squash like Mexican green squash or Zucchini squash. Add some chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.
Another option for serving is to create a bowl out of these succulent chicken thighs and rice. Place the chicken and rice in a bowl, and serve with steamed or roasted zucchini, warmed corn, and black beans. Top with lime-pickled red onions, more cilantro, and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
Yes, I highly encourage using chicken cutlets versus full-sized chicken breasts. Cutlets cook quickly as opposed to thick chicken breasts will take longer to fully cook.
Yes. Mixed, frozen veggies work great in this recipe. I’d recommend about a cup in the rice mixture that will cook at the same time the rice cooks.
Absolutely and will be extra flavorful. I suggest searing both sides of the chicken thighs longer and placing them in the rice mixture. Bone in chicken takes a little bit longer, but it won’t be much longer than a few minutes. As usual, for bone-in chicken pieces, the internal temperature should be 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
Do you have a question? Please get in touch with me using the contact form or comment below and I’d be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Do you love flavorful chicken dinners? If you want a twist on the same old chicken dinner check out this Moroccan-inspired Chicken Thighs with Za’atar, Carrots, and Currants, or Grilled Lemon Oregano Chicken + Salmoriglio Sauce and my personal other favorite chicken and rice dish, One Pan Lemon Rosemary Chicken and Rice.
Inspired by this recipe? Make sure to mention us or tag us on Instagram or Pin this recipe for later.  All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
Easy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice
January 3, 2024Equipment
- 1 Dutch oven, braiser or XL skillet with lid 4-5 quart
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs – you can use boneless skinless or bone-in with or without skin
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil divided
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 cup of white onion finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups of long grain white rice
- 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth
- 1 cup of Salsa Verde, mild store-bought
- 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt omit if you use Adobo seasoning powder with salt
- 2 teaspoons of Adobo powder without salt divided or Mexican seasoning without salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- Cilantro for serving
- Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Place chicken thighs on a plate and pat both sides dry. Sprinkle Mexican Adobo seasoning to both sides of chicken thighs. (season with salt IF the Adobo doesn't contain salt.)
- Preheat the pan over medium heat. Once preheated, add 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Carefully add half of the chicken thighs ensuring they are not too close to each other so they brown nicely. Sear the first side for about 4 minutes and then turn the pieces of chicken and sear for 2 minutes.
- Remove from the pan and place on a clean plate. Repeat until all the chicken thighs have been seared. Don't worry about the chicken being completely cooked through as it will finish cooking in the rice mixture.
- Add another tablespoon of vegetable oil and add rice, onions and garlic and sauté until rice is lightly toasted. The onions will be translucent and fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth, salsa verde, additional Adobo seasoning, Kosher salt and pepper. Stir well until all ingredients are fully combined.
- Nestle the chicken thighs back into the pan on top of the rice. Lower heat to medium low and place lid on the pan. Cook until all the liquid in the rice has been fully absorbed.
- Rice and chicken should be fully cooked, tender and the rice should be fluffy with a golden color.
- Let the Easy Salsa Verde Chicken and Rice rest for about 5 minutes before serving.
- Add chopped cilantro and serve with a wedge of lime for serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is calculated online and should be used as a guide.
All content and photographs ©Claudia’s Table and claudiastable.com
