Recipe Background
Black Bean Chicken & Rice is the perfect way to warm up a snow day with spicy simplicity.
The first time I made Black Bean Chicken & Rice was during a textbook snow day back in 2010. My partner and I were snowed in our modest Brooklyn apartment, the city buried under a rare blanket of white. We rummaged through the pantry to see what was available, and out came a can of black beans, some corn from the freezer, and salsa from the fridge. I chuckled at our makeshift 'pantry raid,' but necessity is the mother of invention, right? With a couple of chicken breasts defrosting, I decided to create something cozy, yet quick enough to get us back under the blankets before the sun went down.
Chili powder and ground cumin became the flavor dynamo, infusing just the right burst of warmth this snowy day demanded. The trick was to brown the chicken perfectly, letting the spices form a crispy layer, which added texture and smokiness. A little chef's tip: make sure to drain the black beans properly so the whole dish doesn't turn into a soupy mess. Once everything came together in the skillet, the apartment filled with an enticing aroma, a prelude to a meal that was hearty and comforting, yet refreshingly bright with the salsa.
As snowflakes piled up higher against the windows, we dug into our bowls, the steam curling up in little wisps. It was a simple, improvisational meal, but it warmed our hearts as much as our stomachs—a spicy hug against winter's chill, reminding us that home-cooked meals have a magic of their own, especially when shared with someone you love.
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 (8-ounce) chicken breasts boneless and skinless, halved
- 2 teaspoons canola oil
- 1 (15-ounce) can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1 cup salsa
- fresh cilantro to taste, minced
- rice to taste, cooked, for serving
Directions
- In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, the cumin, the pepper, and the salt.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over both sides of the chicken breasts.
- Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, nonstick skillet.
- Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and brown on both sides.
- Add the beans, the corn, and the salsa to the skillet.
- Cover the skillet and cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the center reads 165 degrees F, about 10-15 minutes.
- Top the chicken with the cilantro.
- Serve the chicken with rice.
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