Mexican Chicken Stew is an easy, comforting, stew made with classic Mexican flavors like chicken breast, brown rice, tomatoes, garlic, and bell pepper.
If you’re looking for a hearty and healthy Weeknight Meal that the whole family is sure to love then you’ve come to the right place. Rich, creamy stew is comfort food at its best, and with this recipe’s authentic Mexican flavors it’s sure to impress. For more amazing stew dishes try our Korean Beef Stew and Moroccan Lentil Stew next.
Each bite of rich Mexican Stew is packed with goodness from the tender chicken, tomatoes, onion, and spices. It’s the perfect recipe to make a batch of on a busy night. The ingredients come together quickly in one pot, and it’ll be on your table in just 35 minutes.
It’s always fun to experiment with the taste and texture of your dish with different add-ons. There are so many different toppings you can add to the stew before serving. Some of our favorites are sliced avocado, shredded cheese, corn chips, or sour cream. You can also serve the dish with Focaccia Bread or tortilla chips for dipping to round out the supper.
On top of how tasty it is, this warm, comforting stew recipe is wonderfully healthy. It’s low in calories, but still filling and a good source of lean protein. If you want to add some extra vegetables to your diet, tossing them into a stew, like this one, is a simple and delicious way to incorporate them.
MORE SOUP, STEW, AND CHILI RECIPES
Vegetarian Chili
White Bean Soup
Unstuffed Beef and Cabbage
White Bean Kale Soup
INSTANT POT MEXICAN CHICKEN STEW
To make the same rich stew on a busy night where you don’t have a lot of time, you can pull out your instant pot. It’s an easy recipe to alter for the instant pot and this way you won’t have to be standing by the stove while it cooks.
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To start, turn your instant pot to saute mode and add oil to the base. Cook the boneless skinless chicken breasts, onions, and bell pepper for 5-6 minutes on all sides.
- Add in the garlic cloves and chile and continue cooking for another 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle on the oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Add in the diced tomatoes and chicken stock. Cancel the saute mode and seal the valve. Cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Release the pressure and open the pot.
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Transfer the chicken to a plate and shred chicken. Then add the shredded chicken back into the pot.
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Mix in the lime juice, rice, and shredded cilantro leaves. Seal the pot again and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes to finish.
- Release the pressure and open the pot. Stir the stew one more time before ladling it into bowls to serve.
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VARIATIONS ON MEXICAN CHICKEN STEW
- Veggies: There are plenty of colorful and delicious vegetables you can add to the Mexican Chicken Stew. Try mixing in sliced carrots, corn, zucchini, or broccoli.
- Cauliflower rice: If you want to make the stew lower in carbs, you can replace the brown rice with Cauliflower Rice.
- Peppers: For a more spicy recipe try adding green chiles like jalapeno or green cayenne.
- Vegetarian: If you want an easy dish without meat, you’ll just need to take out the chicken and replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. To make sure the stew is still filling and has some protein, you can add in chickpeas or black beans.
- Seasonings: You can experiment with the flavor by adding in your favorite kinds of spices. Try mixing in some adobo seasoning, cayenne pepper, ground cumin, paprika, or parsley.
- Cheese: For melty, cheesy chicken stew, top the dish off with shredded cheese right before serving. Queso fresco, Pepper Jack, or cheddar cheese would all taste great.
MORE MEXICAN DISHES
Chili Lime Chicken
Greek Yogurt Black Bean Dip
Mexican Stuffed Portabello Mushrooms
Mexican Shrimp Burrito Bowl
HOW TO STORE MEXICAN CHICKEN STEW
- Serve: Don’t leave the stew at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Store: If you have any leftovers, let the stew cool down completely before sealing it in an airtight container. It should keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: You can also freeze Mexican Chicken Stew in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Let it thaw in the fridge and then reheat it in a pot on the stovetop.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion , diced
- 1 green bell pepper , diced
- 3 cloves garlic , roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 28 ounces diced tomatoes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 chicken breasts , diced
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 cup cooked brown rice
- 1/4 cup cilantro , chopped
Instructions
- Add oil, onions, and bell peppers to a large dutch oven on medium heat and cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent.
- Add in the garlic and chiles and cook for 30 seconds.
- Add in the oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper and stir to combine.
- Add in the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, and chicken breast and bring to a boil.
- Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
- Add in the lime juice, rice, and cilantro and cook for 5 minutes (to heat the rice through).
Nutrition
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Thank you Sabrina for a healthy version of my Mother pork stew. I did notice it required chili, but was not sure which type and how much.