Green Chile Chicken Bowls

Start by mixing up the seasoning blend. In a small bowl, combine your garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, kosher salt, and cayenne pepper (if you want a lil' kick). Give it a taste. If you find it bland, add more salt until it’s just right. Once you’re happy with it, set it aside. If you completely hate it, toss it and use your favorite southwestern seasoning blend. Next, take about half of the cilantro leaves, strip them from their stems, and mince them up. Leave the other half of the cilantro intact for now.

Generously coat your chicken breasts with the seasoning blend. Make sure every piece is well-covered. You're building flavor here, so don’t be shy with the seasoning.

Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Add half of the butter and let it melt, swirling it around to coat the pan. Add your seasoned chicken in a single layer, making sure not to crowd the pan—let each piece have its space. Let the chicken sear undisturbed for 5 minutes to develop a nice golden crust. After 5 minutes, flip the chicken and let it cook for another 2 minutes on the other side.

After the chicken is nicely seared, pour in one cup of chicken broth. It should bubble up—cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes, just until the chicken is cooked through.

While your chicken is simmering, let's get the rice started. In a medium-sized saucepan, drizzle in some vegetable oil and heat it over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, stir in the rice and a pinch of kosher salt. Stir the rice to coat it in the oil, letting it toast for a couple of minutes. Then, pour in the water and bring it to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add a few sprigs of cilantro (around 8) and cover the pot with a lid. Reduce the heat to low and let the rice cook undisturbed until the grains are tender and the liquid has been absorbed (about 20 minutes).

Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer the chicken breasts and the cooking liquid to the bowl of your stand mixer (or a regular bowl if you’re using a different method). Use the mixer to shred the chicken—it's quick and easy! If you don’t have a mixer, use two forks or whatever method you prefer to shred the chicken. Set the chicken aside.

When the chicken is cooked through add the chicken breasts and the cooking liquid to the bowl of your stand mixer (or a regular bowl, and grab a stand mixer). Use the mixer to shred the chicken. You can also use a couple of forks or whatever other method for shredding the chicken that you want. Set the chicken aside.

In the same pan you used to cook the chicken, add the olive oil and let it heat over medium-high heat. Toss in the diced onions and sauté them until they’re softened and starting to turn translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir them together, cooking for another 2-3 minutes to get rid of that raw flour taste. Once you have a thick, yellowish paste (this is your roux), stir in the green chiles, chicken broth, and a teaspoon or so of your seasoning blend. Give it a taste and adjust for salt or more seasoning if needed. Finish with a sprinkle of black pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.

By now, your rice should be done. Remove the cilantro stems, then gently fluff the rice with a fork, mixing in the minced cilantro you set aside earlier.

To build your bowls, start with a base of rice. Add a layer of the green chile sauce, then some of the shredded chicken. Top it all off with more green chile sauce and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. Dassit!