Mexican-Inspired Chicken & Peppers

Posted by jorinced on
Sheet-pan Chicken, Peppers, beans and white rice

This week, how about a trip to Mexico? This meal is designed to serve 8 portions, perfect for both lunch and dinner, spanning four days. Keep in mind that cooked meat retains its freshness when stored in the refrigerator for up to four days. If you’d like to extend its shelf life even further, you can always opt to freeze the food for later indulgence.

Ingredients

Sheet-pan Chicken

  • 2 large yellow bell peppers, cut into strips
  • 2 large orange bell peppers, cut into strips
  • 2 large red bell peppers, cut into strips
  • 2 red onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 jalapenos, thinly sliced
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges
  • 1/2 cup black beans, boiled or cooked
  • 6 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons cumin
  • 4 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 12 chicken thighs

Green Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 4 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 cup cilantro
  • 1/2 onion, halved
  • 2 cloves garlic

Rice

  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp oil

Instructions:

Preparing the Chicken

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (220 degrees Celsius).
  2. Place the sliced bell peppers, red onion, jalapeno, and black beans on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.
  3. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, crushed garlic, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and black pepper.
  4. Add the cleaned chicken thighs to a large bowl and pour the prepared sauce over them. Let them marinate for 15-20 minutes.
  5. Arrange the marinated chicken and vegetables onto the sheet pan and pour any remaining sauce over them.
  6. Brush the remaining sauce over each of the chicken pieces.
  7. Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Preparing the Rice:

  1. Rinse the 2 cups of rice until the water runs clear.
  2. Add the rice, salt, 1 tsp oil, and 3 cups of water to the instant pot.
  3. Seal the Instant Pot and set the steam release knob to Sealing. Turn on the Rice mode for steaming.
  4. Allow the rice to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Preparing the Green Sauce:

  1. In a blender, combine the mayonnaise, cilantro, scallions or onions, garlic, and lime juice.
  2. Blend until you achieve a smooth sauce.

Food Storage:

For optimal food storage, place the chicken, vegetables, and rice in airtight containers and refrigerate them for up to four days. The sauce should be refrigerated separately. To portion the meal, place the chicken in the larger compartment and the rice and baked vegetables in the smaller compartments. If there is any leftover sauce from the sheet pan, add it to the vegetable compartment.

Reheating & Serving:

To reheat, simply microwave the meal for 1-2 minutes, add the sauce and it’s ready to enjoy!

Recipe courtesy: Chicken

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