Ingredients
Method
- Season the chicken and veggies. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chicken breast, red onion, green and red bell peppers, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, smoked paprika, pepper, lime juice, and olive oil. Toss well so everything is evenly coated. Set aside.
- Cook the rice. In a medium saucepan, heat ½ teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add the rinsed rice and toast for 1–2 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the tomato paste until the rice is evenly coated, then pour in 2 cups of water and add the chicken bouillon powder. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
- Cook the fajita mixture. Heat a large skillet and a little bit of oil over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and vegetables in an even layer. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender and slightly charred around the edges.
- Warm the refried beans. While the chicken cooks, warm the refried beans in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
- Assemble the bowls. Spoon a generous serving of refried beans into each bowl. Top with shredded cheese, then a scoop of rice, then the fajita chicken and veggies, and your favorite toppings like a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, and an extra squeeze of lime juice.
Nutrition
Notes
Store leftover chicken fajita rice bowls in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. For easy meal prep, store the rice, beans, and chicken mixture together in separate portioned out bowl and reheat when needed. Then top with the fresh toppings!
To freeze, portion out the chicken and rice (skip the fresh toppings) and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water.
- Slice everything evenly. Cut the chicken and veggies into similar-sized strips so they cook evenly and brown nicely. It keeps the texture balanced in each bite!
- Don’t overcrowd the pan! Cook the chicken and veggies in a single layer if possible so they can sear instead of steam. This gives them that classic fajita char.
- Rinse and toast the rice! This is every important! Rinse your rice and then toast it in a little oil. This helps to create rice with the perfect texture!
- As a shortcut, you can use microwaveable Spanish rice instead!