Skillet Chicken With Black Beans, Rice and Chiles
Updated Sept. 11, 2025
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 8bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Flaky sea salt and black pepper
- 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or peanut oil
- 1large yellow or white onion, chopped
- 2green or red bell peppers, halved, seeded and sliced
- 2½cups chicken stock
- 2red Fresno chiles or jalapeños, halved, seeded and chopped
- 1(3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken in half
- 3garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1teaspoon ground cumin
- 1(15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
- ⅓pound cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1cup basmati rice, rinsed in a sieve until the water runs clear
- 3tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
- Lime wedges, pickled chiles, sliced fresh chiles, sour cream and sliced avocado, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
863 calories; 49 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 22 grams monounsaturated fat; 10 grams polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 53 grams protein; 1349 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Season the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat the oil in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet (the pan size is very important) over medium-high. Brown the chicken on both sides to give it good color, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Add the onion and bell peppers to the pan and sauté until just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Step 2
In a small saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Meanwhile, add the Fresno chiles or jalapeños, cinnamon, garlic and cumin to the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes, then add the black beans and cherry tomatoes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the rice on top in an even layer. (It’s important that the black beans are beneath the rice and chicken. The rice will burn otherwise.) Add the stock and return the chicken to the pan, skin-side up.
- Step 3
Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes. The chicken should be lovely and golden, the stock should be absorbed and the rice should be tender. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, pickled chiles, sliced fresh chiles, sour cream and avocado (squeeze some lime juice over the avocados in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper).
Private Notes
Comments
Wow - this recipe is a keeper!!! I used a 10inch cast iron skillet, and cut the recipe ingredients in half, added an extra teaspoon of cumin and used hatch chilies instead of the fresno. The 10 inch cast iron skillet was the perfect size for 4 chicken thighs, 1/2 can beans, and 1/2 cup rice (make sure you use 1 1/4 cup chicken stock). Got rave reviews.
I’m currently without an oven but I found that this recipe can easily be cooked on a stove top. I followed the directions except finished the cooking of the rice beans and chicken for 20 minutes at a medium low heat on my stove burner. It worked out nicely and was delicious.
This recipe is INCREDIBLE. Packed with flavor. Follow to the T- a good idea. Vessel size MATTERS. I used the right le creuset pan, and could see how this pan if smaller would have been terribly bad. It was perfection. Did not use any of the hotter peppers because our 2.5 yr old had it too (he loved it). Just used a bit of smoked paprika and mexican chilly powder, and the adults added hot sauce. Recipe exactly as promised, with addictive umami flavor.
Vote is in and cinnamon is out. I have a problem with rice being partially cooked if it ends up exposed on the top of the dish. Initially I had covered it with chicken thighs but the thighs shrink and there are patches of not fully hydrated rice. Next time I'll mix the rice in with the top layer of vegies/beans to see if I can get it to hydrate better.
This was a banger. I used (6) larger thighs, trimmed the overhanging fat/skin, and salted the thighs generously a day in advance. I used all hot banana peppers as a stand-in for the bell and hot peppers specified, because i had a remaining harvest to use up. I also used dried calypso beans (soaked 24 hours, simmered for about 30min, then added) instead of the prepared black. I definitely used the 2.5cups and then some just to ensure the beans got all the way there. Please make this
This is such a lovely “base recipe” you can pretty much change it to any vegetable &spices you want. I only had a ten inch pan and halved the recipe , which worked great I did finish it by putting it under the broiler for a couple minutes because I like seriously browned chicken skin and crunchy rice bits are never a bad thing in my house hold