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    Home » Recipes » Chicken and Pork

    Creamy Mexican Chicken Skillet Recipe

    By: Kim Peterson · Posted: Apr 29, 2022 · Updated: Apr 29, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Top image is tortillas on a spoon with long cheese pull from skillet and the bottom image is the Mexican chicken skillet ready to serve on a blue napkin.
    Mexican chicken skillet on a blue napkin on a wooden surface with serving spoon and forks on the side along with two glasses of beer.

    Hey, Mexican food fans! There’s a fiesta of flavor in this easy, 30-minute Mexican Chicken Skillet recipe! It’s loaded with tender chicken, black beans, veggies and creamy, gooey cheese the whole family will love!

    Hot Mexican chicken skillet garnished with sliced jalapenos and cilantro on a dark blue surface ready to serve.

    No need to wait for cinco de mayo to enjoy this easy skillet dinner. It’s one of our favorite one pan meals that’s in regular rotation. And, it’s a cinch to pull together with leftover or rotisserie chicken combined with pantry staples.

    If you’re looking for more winning Mexican dishes with chicken, check out our 20-Minute Mexican Chicken Fajitas, Crockpot Adobo Chicken Quesadillas, Roasted Chicken Verde Taquitos and Jalapeño Popper Chicken Skillet!

    Jump to:
    • Why You’ll Love this Chicken Skillet Recipe
    • Main Ingredients
    • Cooking Steps
    • Mexican Chicken Recipe Tips
    • Side Dish Ideas
    • Mexican Chicken Skillet FAQs
    • More Popular Mexican Recipes to Try!
    • 📋 Recipe Card
    • 💬 Comments

    Why You’ll Love this Chicken Skillet Recipe

    😋Delicious recipe full of amazing Mexican flavors

    ⏲️On the table in 30 minutes

    💲Made with budget-friendly pantry ingredients

    😉Customizable

    🙏Just one pan to clean

    🔥Reheats well and even better the next day!

    Main Ingredients

    Chicken skillet ingredients arranged in small bowls on a dark blue surface.
    • Rotisserie chicken or cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
    • Peppers - Red peppers or green bell pepper, poblano and jalapeño peppers
    • Red Onion and Garlic Cloves (or garlic powder)
    • Cheddar Cheese and Cream Cheese
    • Black Beans and Corn
    • Diced tomatoes
    • Flour
    • Chicken broth
    • Corn Tortillas (or flour tortillas and forgot to put in the picture🙄)
    • Cumin and Cilantro
    • Limes

    Cooking Steps

    Making this Mexican chicken skillet is literally as easy as 1 – 2 – 3! See the recipe card below for detailed instructions.

    1. Make the Filling: Heat a little olive oil in a cast iron skillet or other broiler proof skillet over medium-high heat. You’ll sauté the vegetables until softened, then sprinkle in the flour, add chicken stock and bring to a boil to thicken. Melt in the cream cheese for a rich, creamy sauce.
    Creamy chicken and vegetable filling cooking in cast iron skillet with wooden spoon to the side.

    2. Assemble: Stir the chicken, black beans, tomatoes and sweet corn into the skillet, then arrange torn tortillas over top. Next, spread shredded cheese over top and preheat the broiler on high.

    Torn corn tortillas stuffed into chicken filling in cast iron skillet with shredded cheese in a white bowl on the side.

    3. Broil: Place the skillet a few inches below the broiler and broil 3-4 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and the tortillas begin to char. Let it cool a few minutes before digging in!

    Give the skillet a squeeze of lime juice and garnish with sliced jalapeños and leafy cilantro. You can also top off this delicious dinner with avocado, cherry tomatoes or pico de gallo. Enjoy!

    Mexican chicken skillet on a blue napkin on a wooden surface with serving spoon and forks on the side along with two glasses of beer.

    Mexican Chicken Recipe Tips

    1. Be sure to use an ovenproof skillet. If you don’t have one that’s broiler-proof, you can bake the casserole at 425°F for 8-10 minutes.
    2. When broiling, don’t stray far from the oven and be sure to set a timer as things can burn quickly.
    3. To prep, have the vegetables and chicken chopped before firing up the stove. The cooking steps move quickly so it’s best to have all the ingredients lined up.
    4. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature so it melts smoothly.
    5. To make the chicken skillet recipe spicier, you can add chili powder, cayenne pepper, hot sauce or a can of green chiles. To make it less spicy, omit the jalapeño.

    Side Dish Ideas

    This is a hearty chicken recipe but if you’re looking to expand the menu, here are a few sides that will pair well.

    • Pomegranate Guacamole
    • Mexican Street Corn Salad
    • Sweet Potato Fries with Cherry Corn Salsa
    • Grilled Cantaloupe Black Bean Salad
    • Everyday Mexican Salad
    Close up of tortillas scooped from skillet with gooey cheese dripping down.

    Mexican Chicken Skillet FAQs

    Can I use ground chicken in this recipe?

    You sure can! Simply brown the chicken in the skillet first with a tablespoon oil and place chicken in a clean bowl when done. Then proceed with the recipe.

    Can I add rice to the recipe?

    Absolutely! You can add brown rice or white rice. Just cook the rice separately then add as much as you like to the skillet before it goes in the oven. There isn’t enough liquid in the recipe for the rice to cook in the pan with the other ingredients.

    How do I make the recipe vegetarian?

    To make the recipe meatless, you can add another can of black beans or chickpeas and add extra vegetables, like chopped zucchini, mushrooms and cauliflower rice.

    How long will leftovers last?

    Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to five days. Reheat them in a baking dish in a 350-degree oven until hot or microwave. You can also freeze leftovers up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

    More Popular Mexican Recipes to Try!

    • Birria Tacos with Consommé
    • Spicy Adobo Shrimp Skewers with Mango Avocado Salsa
    • Seared Ahi Tuna Tacos (Quick & Easy!)
    • Southwest Chicken Stuffed Poblanos

    🌟Love the recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card and/or a review in the Comments section below!

    👋Stay in touch on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And subscribe above to join our email community for all the latest updates!

    📋 Recipe Card

    Mexican chicken and tortillas served right from cast iron skillet with forks to the side on a blue napkin.

    Mexican Chicken Skillet

    This Mexican Chicken Tortilla Skillet is a quick, easy, cheesy and delicious one-pan meal perfect for any night of the week and especially game days!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 447kcal
    Author: Kim Peterson

    Equipment

    • 12-inch cast iron skillet

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 red onion , chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper , chopped
    • 1 poblano pepper , chopped
    • 1 jalapeño , minced (optional)
    • 4 garlic cloves , minced
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup chicken broth
    • 3 ounces cream cheese , room temperature
    • 3 cups cooked chicken , chopped
    • 1 15-ounce can black beans , drained and rinsed
    • 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles , drained
    • 1 cup corn , fresh or frozen and thawed
    • ¼ cup fresh cilantro or parsley , chopped, plus extra for garnish
    • Salt and pepper
    • 4 6-inch corn or flour tortillas , torn into pieces
    • 2 cups shredded cheddar , monterey jack or oaxaca cheese
    • Sliced jalapeños for garnish

    Instructions

    • Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
    • Add onion, bell pepper, and poblano. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
    • Add jalapeño, garlic and cumin. Cook until fragrant, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
    • Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly coated, about 1 minute.
    • Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring to combine.
    • Cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
    • Reduce heat to medium and stir in cream cheese until melted.
    • Add chicken, black beans, tomatoes, and corn. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
    • Preheat broiler on high.
    • Arrange tortilla pieces in the chicken mixture. Sprinkle skillet evenly with cheese.
    • Place the skillet under the broiler and broil until the cheese is melted and tortillas are browned, 2-4 minutes.
    • Serve hot with extra cilantro and sliced jalapeños. Enjoy!

    Notes

    Recipe Tips
    1. Be sure to use an ovenproof skillet. If you don’t have one that’s broiler-proof, you can bake the casserole at 425°F for 8-10 minutes.
    2. When broiling, don’t stray far from the oven and be sure to set a timer as things can burn quickly.
    3. To prep, have the vegetables and chicken chopped before firing up the stove. The cooking steps move quickly so it’s best to have all the ingredients lined up.
    4. Bring the cream cheese to room temperature so it melts smoothly.
    5. To make the chicken skillet spicier, you can add chili powder, cayenne pepper, hot sauce or a can of green chiles. To make it less spicy, omit the jalapeño.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 447kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 108mg | Sodium: 490mg | Potassium: 478mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1435IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 331mg
    Tried this recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @giveitsomethyme or tag #giveitsomethyme!

    *Recipe generously adapted from EatingWell, March 2019.

    This page contains affiliate links. Meaning, whenever you purchase an item after clicking an Amazon link through this website, we receive a small percentage from Amazon. It doesn’t cost anything extra to you! It simply helps maintain the blog. Thanks so much!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Heidi | The Frugal Girls says

      May 02, 2022 at 12:44 pm

      This looks beyond incredible! What a fantastic flavor combination and fun weeknight dinner. My family would LOVE this!

      Reply
      • Kim Peterson says

        May 02, 2022 at 1:10 pm

        Thank you! Love one skillet meals!

        Reply
    2. Simone's Kitchen says

      May 02, 2022 at 2:38 am

      Now that is what I call an enticing recipe! That looks so good Kim. I love Mexican food anyway and was looking for some Mexican inspiration as I have been thinking of doing a Mexican month on my site soon... This is a perfect recipe!

      Reply
      • Kim Peterson says

        May 02, 2022 at 9:09 am

        Thanks Simone! Can't go wrong with Mexican!

        Reply

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    Kim | Creator and Author of Give it Some Thyme

    Welcome! I'm Kim - author, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Give it Some Thyme. Here you'll find wholesome, classic and contemporary recipes that make memorable meals every home chef can prepare. Pull up a chair!

    More about me →

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