If you love chicken enchiladas but don’t necessarily feel like rolling a bunch of tortillas on a weeknight, this Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Rice Skillet is such an easy alternative.
Everything cooks together in one skillet with tender chicken, rice, red enchilada sauce, black beans, corn, green chiles, sour cream, and plenty of melted cheese on top.
It’s creamy, cheesy, filling, and made with pretty basic ingredients you can grab at Aldi. Plus, the rice, beans, and corn help stretch 1½ pounds of chicken into enough dinner for the whole family.
This is exactly the kind of meal I love when I’m trying to keep dinner simple AND keep the grocery bill reasonable.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken Enchilada Rice Skillet
- One-pan dinner: Other than a cutting board, everything cooks right in one skillet.
- Budget friendly: Rice, beans, and corn help bulk up the meal without adding much to the cost.
- Family friendly: It’s cheesy and creamy with plenty of enchilada flavor.
- Great for busy nights: There’s very little hands-on work once the rice starts cooking.
- Easy to customize: Leave out the beans, add more vegetables, or change the cheese based on what your family likes.
What You’ll Need
Chicken
You’ll need about 1½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces.
Cutting the chicken into smaller pieces helps it cook quickly and means you get a little chicken in every scoop.
Long-Grain White Rice
The rice goes into the skillet uncooked, so there’s no need to make a separate pot of rice.
I use regular long-grain white rice for this recipe. I wouldn’t substitute instant rice without adjusting the amount of liquid and cooking time.
Red Enchilada Sauce
A 10-ounce can of red enchilada sauce gives the entire skillet plenty of enchilada flavor without needing a bunch of individual ingredients.
Use your family’s favorite mild or medium enchilada sauce depending on how much heat you like.
Black Beans
One can of black beans adds protein and makes the meal even more filling.
Make sure to drain and rinse them before adding them to the skillet.
Corn
Frozen corn is easy, inexpensive, and adds a little sweetness that works really well with the enchilada sauce.
You can also use drained canned corn if that’s what you already have.
Green Chiles
A small can of diced green chiles adds flavor without making the skillet overly spicy.
Sour Cream
This is what makes our enchilada rice extra creamy.
The sour cream gets stirred in after the skillet comes off the heat, which helps keep the sauce smooth and creamy.
Cheddar Cheese
Finish everything with a generous layer of shredded cheddar cheese and let it melt right over the top.
You could also use a Mexican-style cheese blend, Monterey Jack, or whatever shredded cheese you already have.
Chicken Broth
The chicken broth gives the rice enough liquid to cook right in the skillet while adding more flavor than plain water.
Onion & Garlic
A diced yellow onion and fresh garlic give us a flavorful base without adding much to the grocery bill.
How to Make Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Rice
1. Brown the Chicken
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the bite-size chicken pieces and season with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.
Cook for about 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the outside of the chicken is lightly browned.
The chicken doesn’t have to be completely cooked through at this point because it will finish cooking with the rice.
2. Add the Onion and Seasonings
Add the diced onion and cook for another 2–3 minutes, until it begins to soften.
Stir in the garlic and taco seasoning and cook for about 30 seconds.
3. Add the Rice
Add the uncooked rice, enchilada sauce, chicken broth, green chiles, drained black beans, and frozen corn.
Give everything a good stir and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
4. Cover and Cook
Reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet.
Let everything simmer for about 18–20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Try not to keep lifting the lid while the rice cooks. The trapped steam is helping cook the rice!
If the rice is still slightly firm once most of the liquid is gone, add about ¼ cup more chicken broth, cover, and cook for another few minutes.
5. Make It Creamy
Remove the skillet from the heat.
Stir in the sour cream until it’s completely combined with the rice and enchilada sauce.
6. Add the Cheese
Sprinkle the shredded cheddar evenly over the top.
Cover the skillet again for 2–3 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
Top with sliced green onions if you’d like and serve warm.
Tips for Cooking the Rice
Rice can be a little finicky depending on your skillet and stove, so don’t panic if yours needs an extra couple of minutes.
Keep the heat LOW once you cover the skillet. You want a gentle simmer, not a hard boil.
Also, try to resist checking it constantly. Every time you remove the lid, you’re letting out the steam that’s helping cook the rice.
If your liquid has been absorbed but the rice isn’t quite tender, simply add another ¼ cup of chicken broth and continue cooking it covered for a few more minutes.
Easy Substitutions
One of the best things about skillet dinners is that you can usually work with what you already have.
No black beans? Leave them out or substitute pinto beans.
No frozen corn? Use drained canned corn.
No cheddar? Monterey Jack or a Mexican-style cheese blend works great.
Want it spicier? Use medium or hot enchilada sauce or add diced jalapeños.
Want it milder? Use mild enchilada sauce and mild diced green chiles.
What to Serve With Chicken Enchilada Rice
This is honestly a complete dinner on its own since you’ve already got chicken, rice, beans, corn, and cheese in the skillet.
If you want something extra, you could serve it with:
- Tortilla chips
- Avocado
- Salsa
- Extra sour cream
- A simple side salad
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges
But don’t feel like you need to buy a bunch of toppings just for this recipe. It’s plenty good straight out of the skillet.
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover Chicken Enchilada Rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.
The rice will continue absorbing some of the sauce as it sits, so leftovers may be thicker.
When reheating, add a small splash of chicken broth or water before microwaving to help loosen everything back up.
Chicken Enchilada Rice Skillet
Description
This easy Chicken Enchilada Rice Skillet combines chicken, rice, black beans, corn, sour cream and cheese for a creamy, budget-friendly one-pan dinner.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Cook 4–5 minutes until lightly browned.
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Add onion and cook 2–3 minutes. Stir in garlic and taco seasoning and cook for 30 seconds.
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Stir in uncooked rice, enchilada sauce, chicken broth, green chiles, black beans, and corn. Bring to a gentle boil.
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Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18–20 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Add a splash of broth and cook a few minutes longer if needed.
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Remove from heat and stir in sour cream.
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Sprinkle with cheddar, cover for 2–3 minutes until melted, and top with green onions if desired.
Note
How to Cooking the Rice
Rice can be a little finicky depending on your skillet and stove, so don't panic if yours needs an extra couple of minutes.
Keep the heat LOW once you cover the skillet. You want a gentle simmer, not a hard boil.
Also, try to resist checking it constantly. Every time you remove the lid, you're letting out the steam that's helping cook the rice.
If your liquid has been absorbed but the rice isn't quite tender, simply add another ¼ cup of chicken broth and continue cooking it covered for a few more minutes.
