Description
This Southwest Black Bean Skillet is a hearty and flavorful one-pan meal that combines tender rice, sweet potatoes, black beans, and zesty green chilies with a kick of chili powder. Topped with melted cheddar cheese, fresh green onions, lime juice, and cilantro, it’s a vibrant and satisfying dish perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 cup salsa
- 2 cups sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles, undrained
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 ¾ cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a large skillet, combine the uncooked rice, salsa, diced sweet potatoes, rinsed black beans, undrained diced green chilies, chili powder, and chicken or vegetable broth. Stir everything together to evenly distribute the ingredients.
- Simmer: Cover the skillet and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer gently for 15 minutes, enabling the rice and sweet potatoes to cook through and absorb the flavors.
- Rest and Fluff: After simmering, remove the skillet from the heat but keep it covered. Let it rest for 5 minutes to finish steaming. Then uncover and fluff the rice mixture with a fork. Stir in the fresh lime juice and sliced green onions. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Melt Cheese: Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the skillet. Cover the pan again and let the residual heat melt the cheese for a few minutes, creating a warm, gooey topping.
- Serve: Garnish the dish with freshly chopped cilantro right before serving. Serve hot as a flavorful and wholesome main course or side dish.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Make sure to rinse and drain canned black beans to reduce sodium and improve flavor.
- Adjust chili powder and salsa heat level according to your spice preference.
- If you prefer a softer sweet potato texture, dice the sweet potatoes smaller or precook slightly before adding.
- This dish reheats well and can be enjoyed as leftovers.
