Fiery Mexican Skillet with Chiles and Tomatoes over Rice

You can turn a simple one-skillet dish into a colorful, boldly flavored dinner with the addition of a few simple ingredients. If it’s Mexican, you know chiles are around, and this recipe uses dried, spicy chiles de arbol and smoky, canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

The chiles de arbol are easy to soften in a little simmering water. Then they’re ready to chop finely and add to the other ingredients, just like a fresh chile. Why go the extra step of reconstituting a dried chile? Because dried chiles have rich, smoky, concentrated flavor that’s keenly pronounced in a finished dish. And when you’re preparing one as simple as this, it’s important to get the most out of each ingredient.

Softened Chiles de Arbol

Here, garlic, cilantro, and red onion add a balance of earthy Latin flavors and help infuse the lean, mild ground chicken with a lot of flavor. Served over a bed of rice, this easy dinner is light, flavorful, and very satisfying.

As an option, spoon the skillet mixture into warm, soft tortillas and serve the rice on the side. 

Serves 4-5

Ingredients

• 10 chiles de arbol, stems removed
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 lb ground chicken
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 oz cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 large chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 3 cups cooked white rice
• thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Skillet Ingredients

Preparation

1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add the chiles de arbol. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until very soft, about 8 minutes. Drain the chiles and let cool. Finely chop, retaining seeds.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the ground chicken and season with salt and pepper. Crumble the chicken as it cooks, 6-7 minutes, until just cooked through. Remove to a bowl.

Ground Chicken Beginning to Cook

Cooked Ground Chicken

1. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook until softened, 4-5 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, chiles de arbol with seeds, chipotle chiles, and cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the tomatoes break down slightly, 3 minutes.

Cooked Onions, Garlic, and Bell Pepper 

Cooked Skillet Vegetables

1. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Stir well to combine and cook 3 minutes until all the ingredients are heated through.

Cooked Chicken Mixture

To serve, divide the rice among 4 to 5 plates. Divide the chicken mixture on top of the rice and garnish with sliced scallion and chopped cilantro. Serve right away.