Easy Mexican Chicken

It's no secret I love Mexican food, in fact it is my comfort food. I always have the key players on hand, some sort of bean (usually black beans), Rotel, taco seasoning and spices like cumin, onion powder, chipotle powder, garlic powder, and veggies like tomato, cilantro, onion. With these ingredients the list of possible entrees are endless.

Some of my favorite Mexican recipes I've made are:
Chicken Verde Sour Cream Enchiladas. Jim calls these "Almost Engaged Enchiladas" because he thought of proposing after eating these.

Chicken Enchilada Dip. This has become a staple at parties and anyone who also makes this recipe writes to tell me how freaking awesome it is.

Mexican Chicken Soup. One of my absolute favorite warming soups. Ina is a genius!

Chicken Spaghetti Ole. Easy all in one bowl type of recipe but double yum.

Mexican Lasagna. I took the Italian version and made it uniquely Mexican.

Crockpot Mexican Chicken. This is an easy Mexican Chicken dish using a crockpot. I also make this recipe when it's time to clear out the fridge of almost past due produce.


On this particular Sunday, Jim and I were famished and I wasn't feeling like really getting in the kitchen and cooking. So I turned to the flavors I KNOW and cheated a little too. I used a packet of taco seasoning and a can of Rotel to make a delicious and filling lunch.

I took two skinless boneless chicken beasts and seasoned them with the taco seasoning (why not?) and then opened the can of rotel, drained some of the juice and poured the tomatoes and jalapeno chunks on top of the raw chicken. Then simply placed the baking dish in a 350 oven for 30 minutes.

When the chicken was cooked through I took two forks to the chicken and shredded everything up.

For my topping I sliced a large yellow onion and a roasted red pepper (the kind from a jar) and sauteed in a pan on the stove. If it gets too dry add some olive oil, or water, or chicken stock. I wanted them to be a touch brown and the onions translucent.

The last thing I did was empty a can of black beans in a small pot on the stove and heat through.

Voila! Lunch on the fly! We used up the taco shells in the pantry and I used the broken shells to make chalupas.

On the bottom we have shredded chicken that was seasoned with a packet of taco seasoning and a can of rotel. Next I added some black beans and a light sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese and then topped with sauteed onions and red bell pepper.

You could wrap this in a soft flour or corn tortilla and eat like a burrito. You could wrap several up in a tortilla, place back in a baking dish, top with cheese and melt it all together in your oven for easy peasy enchiladas. Love it! Enjoy!