Mexican Rice Skillet

Some days I feel more ambitious than others, and this was one of those less ambitious days. I was up at the crack of dawn (not my choice, Stanley wants attention at 4:45 every freaking morning, but that’s another story), and when I saw that the temperature was 52°, I ran around the house opening windows. There was also a day baseball game, and while such games tend to send me to the kitchen, this one did not, so I knew that a quick and easy dinner would be the order of the day. As a consequence, I decided to try a new recipe for a one-pot dinner.  I am a fan of casseroles and one-pot meals. Nothing beats being able to toss things into one pan, and end up with a meal that you can enjoy today, revisit tomorrow, and freeze for the months ahead.

I really enjoyed this one. I am a fan of Mexican food and could pretty much eat it every day, so this really hit the spot. I had, the previous day, made Caribbean Cornbread and it proved a perfect accompaniment. Plus, I had a pitcher of margaritas in the fridge left over from my aunt’s visit earlier in the week that went down smoothly with my serving. Half the fun of a Mexican casserole is the toppings. You can top the entire casserole or each individual serving with as much or as little as you like, and vary the toppings according to individual taste. This one is a winner!

Mexican Rice Skillet

Slightly adapted from dinnersdishesanddesserts.com

 1 lb. ground chuck

1 c. yellow onion, finely chopped

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 c. frozen corn kernels

1 c. salsa

1 c. uncooked long grain white rice

2 c. chicken stock

1 10-oz. can Ro-Tel tomatoes

1½ c. cheddar cheese, shredded

 In a 12” skillet over medium high heat brown beef, breaking apart as you go.  Add onion and cook until soft.  Stir in taco seasoning until the meat mixture is evenly coated. Add corn kernels, salsa, rice, tomatoes, and chicken stock.  Stir until well mixed. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is done, and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Sprinkle cheese over the top of the dish.  Cover and heat until cheese is melted. Top with desired toppings to serve.

 Serves 4-6

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.