20-Minute Cilantro Chicken, Rice, and Beans

5 from 5 votes

The cilantro chicken is juicy, loaded with flavor, and along with the rice and beans and you'll be SATISFIED for hours! Bonus: it's a 20-minute meal!

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Course: 30-Minute Meals

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: chicken rice and beans, cilantro chicken, cilantro lime chicken, cilantro lime chicken and rice

Servings:

Calories: 707cal

Author: Averie Sunshine

2 cups tightly packed fresh cilantro leaves one extra-large or two medium/average bunches*
2 green onions trimmed and roughly chopped
6 tablespoons olive oil divided (or as needed)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
pinch cayenne pepper optional and to taste
1 to 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast diced into bite sized pieces
salt and pepper for seasoning chicken
one 8.8-ounce package precooked rice I used Spanish rice
one 15-ounce can black beans drained and rinsed (I used low-salt)
1 or 2 medium tomatoes diced small (I used Roma)

To the canister of a food processor fitted with the S-blade, add the cilantro, green onions, about 4 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, salt, pepper, optional cayenne pepper, and mix on high speed until cilantro and green onions are broken down and mixture is emulsified.
If necessary, add additional oil to get things moving in the food processor and until sauce comes together in a thick but pourable consistency. Taste and make any necessary seasoning adjustments if desired; set sauce aside.
To a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, chicken, season evenly with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Stir and flip intermittently to ensure even cooking.
After chicken is cooked through, reduce the heat to medium-low, and evenly drizzle about 1/3 cup cilantro sauce over the chicken, stir to coat evenly, and simmer gently for about 2 minutes; reserve remaining sauce for serving.
Remove the chicken from the skillet and evenly divide the chicken, rice, beans, and tomatoes between the serving bowls.
Add additional cilantro sauce over the rice, beans, or tomatoes if desired.

*Note: You need more cilantro than you think to make the cilantro sauce, likely 2 bunches if you are buying average-sized bunches from the grocery store. I find that organic cilantro comes in a bigger bunch in my area and I can get away with one but better to grab 2 to be safe. All those fluffy leaves pulverize down to nearly nothing in the food processor.
Recipe will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days, noting the cilantro will oxidize as time passes but the color does not effect taste.