Description
A vibrant, restaurant-quality dinner party star featuring seared chicken, charred peppers, and cilantro lime rice. This healthy, interactive bowl is ready in 45 minutes and allows guests to customize their own servings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 large bell peppers (red, yellow, green), sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, sliced into half-moons
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice (Jasmine or Basmati)
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, zested
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Cherry tomatoes, black beans, corn, avocado, Greek yogurt, cotija cheese
Instructions
- Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Combine rice and chicken broth in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18-20 minutes. Remove from heat, let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. Stir in chopped cilantro and lime zest. Set aside.
- Pat chicken breasts dry. Mix smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Rub seasoning generously over both sides of chicken. Let sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before slicing into strips.
- In the same skillet, add remaining tablespoon of oil. Toss in sliced bell peppers and onions. Cook for 5-7 minutes until tender-crisp and slightly charred. Deglaze pan with a splash of lime juice, scraping up browned bits.
- Assemble bowls by spooning cilantro lime rice into the bottom. Arrange sliced chicken and cooked veggies on top. Drizzle with extra lime juice if desired. Top with optional extras like avocado, salsa, or Greek yogurt.
Notes
Resting the chicken is crucial to keep it juicy. Use fresh lime juice and zest for the best flavor. For dinner parties, set up a ‘fajita bar’ with toppings like avocado, salsa, and lime wedges. Do not freeze this dish as the rice texture changes upon thawing.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 600
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 35
Keywords: chicken fajita bowl, cilantro lime rice, healthy dinner party, Mexican food, meal prep, gluten-free, high protein