Mexican Skillet Dinner

Here’s one seriously nutritious south-of-the-border skillet dinner! Most Mexican dinners contain generous portions of grains and dairy, so we’ve lightened this one up by taking out traditional rice and replacing cheese topping with fresh avocado and pico de gallo. It’s mildly spicy and very satisfying!

In this skillet dinner canned beans are combined with onion and tomato to create a hearty, flavorful base for marinated chicken breasts. The whole process is really quick and simply, doing a little sautéing on the stove and then popping the skillet into the oven while you prep the toppings.

Leftovers from this meal are simply wonderful as packed meals the next day. When healthy eating tastes THIS good it’s hard to stop! And why would you want to stop?!

Courtesy of RealHealthyRecipes.com

Servings: 8

Here’s what you need

For the Mexican Spice Blend:

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 lime, juiced
• ¼ teaspoon liquid stevia
• 1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh jalapeno, seeded and minced

For the Skillet:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
• 1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed
• 1 (15oz) can pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 (15oz) can white beans, rinsed
• 1 avocado
• ½ cup pico de gallo
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, minced

Instructions

1. Combine the spice blend in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend over all of the chicken pieces. Place in a ziplock bag in the fridge to marinate for an hour, up to overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the olive oil in a large, oven-safe, skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, salt, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the rinsed beans and bring to a simmer, about 4 minutes.
4. Arrange the marinated chicken breasts over the top of the bean mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. Top with sliced avocado, pico de gallo and fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Nutritional Analysis

322 calories, 14g fat, 14g carbohydrate, 3g sugar, 829mg sodium, 6g fiber, and 35g protein.

I hope that you get a chance to give this recipe a try this week. Remember that I’m only a call or email away to assist you in all things fitness. And if you are not yet one of my prized clients then call or email me now to set up your first workout – I’d love to help you achieve your best body ever!