Cast Iron Santa Fe Chicken with Rice
October 12, 2015
I absolutely love rummaging through old family recipes that truly have a meaning or memory associated with them. This past weekend I finally decided to make one of my husband’s favorite dishes that his mom would make him besides Baked Ziti. His mom passed away a few years ago from cancer and anything that I can do to bring back memories in the kitchen I will. She had saved several recipes on a computer and this is one of them that I’ve wanted to make for a while.
The recipe is called Santa Fe Chicken with Rice and I just so happened to make it in a cast iron skillet. Lately we’ve been trying to bake and cook more in the skillet to add some more seasoning to it, so get prepared for more skillet dishes.
Another reason I love this classic dish is because it’s a one pot chicken dish. Less mess to clean up while letting all the flavors marinate with one another. When completed the rice reminds me a lot of Mexican rice with the salsa combination and it just might be a new favorite side dish of mine.
The kids are a huge fan of chicken dishes and Livi especially loves it when rice is added to any meal.
What is your most memorable family dish?
ENJOY ~ Meagan
Cast Iron Santa Fe Chicken with Rice
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
- salt for seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup mild salsa
- 1 cup white rice
- 1/2 cup shredded colby jack cheese
- 1 avocado, sliced
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
Instructions
Sprinkle the chicken generously on each side with salt and then set aside.
Add olive oil to a cast iron skillet over med/low heat. Add onions and cook for 4 minutes and then stir in garlic. Cook for an additional minute. Pour in the chicken broth and salsa and bring skillet to a boil. Stir in the rice and arrange chicken over the rice. Cover tightly and simmer for 24-28 minutes or until chicken is throughly cooked. Remove from heat.
Let it stand covered for another 5 minutes to ensure all liquid has been absorbed.
Sprinkle with cheese and then top it off with tomatoes and avocado.
*I flipped chicken halfway through the cooking process.
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I love chicken and rice dishes, so it’s surprising to me that I don’t yet have a go-to southwestern-style one…I hope that’s about to change, because this looks fantastic! That’s so sweet of you to make a recipe from your husband’s childhood. For my boyfriend’s first birthday that we celebrated together, I got the recipe from his mom to make a traditional German fruit torte, and he loved it! It’s wonderful how food can evoke such fond memories.
I just LOVE old recipes and sometimes they are the best ones to eat.
This looks so yummy! She had some amazing recipes. I need to try this one.
This one is SO easy to make Kaci.
My cast iron skillet broke. Yes, it’s possible. Long story… Each time I see recipes like this, I feel like running out and buying a new one. Maybe for Christmas. 🙂
After many years of cooking and baking, I truly believe ANYTHING can break in the kitchen.
I have been craving everything comfort lately, so this is hitting the nail right on the head for me. Love that it’s an old family recipe you found!
Thanks Nicole.
I love family recipes like that, they’re always such crowd pleasers! Adding this to my weekly menu asap. Thanks for sharing Meagan!
Yummm I love Santa Fe rice and isn’t everything just a lot better in a skillet??
I wonder if this could be finished off in the oven? I always have bad luck drying out chicken cooking it on the stovetop
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I think this recipe would go over awesomely at our table!