Southwest Hen

Heat, smoky, and with simply the correct quantity of warmth, Southwest Hen is lightning fast to make. I really like this hen as a result of it’s tremendous simple to throw collectively, and my household loves it as a result of it goes properly with so a lot of our favourite meals.

A horizontally aligned photo of a plate full of crispy, juicy southwest chicken bites.

I fell in love with these bite-sized items of hen years in the past, and this Southwest model has grow to be a household favourite. It matches proper alongside my different boldly seasoned chicken bites. I could make them a number of occasions per week and nonetheless by no means have a chew leftover.

This hen is one among my go-to meals to throw collectively for busy weeknights. My boys wrap these tasty morsels of hen up in tortillas or pile them excessive over rice, and I toss mine with a salad. When everybody will get to eat what they need, dinner is a assured success.

I really like that I can prepare dinner the meat proper on the finish of my dinner prep and serve it piping sizzling with all the things else. It’s nice for these nights once I don’t need to overthink making a tasty dinner.

A vertically aligned, close up shot of cooked chicken on a blue and white plate.

Elements and Substitutions

The Meat – I like boneless skinless hen thighs as a result of the meat is extra flavorful and forgiving. Hen breasts can even work.

Oil – I take advantage of mild flavored olive oil on this recipe. Refined coconut oil will work as properly.

Daring Spices – The first seasonings that I take advantage of for this hen are chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and pink pepper flakes. This offers it a daring, barely spicy taste.

Savory Notes – I add a touch of teaspoon of oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder to steadiness the flavors on this dish.

Salt and Pepper – I at all times use kosher salt and freshly floor black pepper in my cooking.

Spice Mix – The entire above spices could be substituted with 2 tablespoons of my homemade taco seasoning. That’s, if you’re like me and preserve a jar of it within the cabinet for making hen like this.

A vertically aligned shot of cooked pieces of chicken on a blue and white plate on a wooden tabletop.

How one can Make Southwest Hen

Reducing the Hen: I chop the hen into roughly 1-inch items.

Oiling the Hen: I place the chopped hen in a medium-sized bowl and drizzle it with a tablespoon of oil, then toss them with a spatula to coat with oil.

Seasoning the Hen: I sprinkle the spices over the bowl with the hen, then toss the hen once more with a spatula so they’re evenly coated.

Resting the Hen: I let the hen sit for a minimum of 10 minutes.

A close up shot of southwest chicken bites in the pan.

Prepping the Pan: When I’m able to prepare dinner the seasoned meat, I add 2 tablespoons of oil to a big skillet over excessive warmth.

Cooking the Hen: As soon as the pan is sizzling, I add the hen to the pan and start cooking it.

Tossing the Hen: After a minute or two, as soon as the hen begins to brown, I take advantage of tongs to stir the hen and flip each bit over.

Ending the Cook dinner: I let the items of hen proceed cooking for one more 1-2 minutes, till cooked by way of.

Serving the Hen: The hen is able to eat as quickly because it finishes cooking.

Knowledgeable Tip

Do you need to know the most important mistake I used to make when cooking meat? I used to be by no means affected person sufficient. It took me a very long time to lastly be taught to not rush the pan. Now, I give the skillet time to completely warmth up earlier than including the hen. The meat ought to greet the pan with loads of sizzle! Then, I give it sufficient time to sear correctly and caramelize earlier than I toss it.

Minimize Evenly, Cook dinner Evenly – I can’t overstress the significance of reducing the hen into items which are the identical measurement. This lets the hen end on the similar time, as a substitute of ending with a panful of undercooked and overcooked hen.

Don’t Overcrowd the Pan – I solely ever prepare dinner a single layer of those Southwest hen bites at a time. And, I go away room for airflow. If the meat is swimming in liquid, it is not going to get these fantastic crispy edges that give it a lot texture and taste.

Take away From the Warmth – As quickly because the hen is completed, I take away the juicy items from the pan. If you happen to allow them to sit on the new pan, they are going to proceed cooking and dry out.

Serving Solutions

I virtually at all times serve this hen at my desk with a aspect of my spanish rice or chipotle lime rice. Rice soaks up the spices superbly and turns the meal into one thing that feels full while not having a lot else on the plate.

For a extra hands-on meal, I really like tucking this hen into whole wheat tortillas and letting everybody construct their very own Southwest hen wraps or tacos. It’s particularly nice if I’m feeding a gaggle with completely different topping preferences.

A vertically aligned photo of crispy chicken on a plate with a grey tea towel visible in the background.

Make Forward & Storage

Make Forward: I discover that this recipe provides one of the best outcomes once I prepare dinner the hen proper earlier than serving it. However, I do generally prep the meat with the oil and seasonings as much as 24 hours forward of time. Then, I retailer it in a bag within the fridge to let the hen marinate.

How one can Retailer: I let the meat cool, then retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge. It needs to be good for as much as 3 days.

How one can Reheat: I reheat it, loosely coated within the microwave with a splash of water or hen broth for 15-30 second intervals.

Extra Hen Recipes

Steadily Requested Questions

Can I make this hen much less spicy?

I discover that the warmth is kind of gentle. If I’m serving somebody who is worried about how spicy it’s, then I’ll scale back or remove the pink pepper flakes and cayenne pepper.

Can I make it spicier?

Completely! I really like that with do-it-yourself cooking, I can modify the spice degree to swimsuit my private choice. If I need to dial up the warmth, I double the pink pepper flakes and add extra cayenne pepper. However, you may also add sizzling sauces and different condiments to boost the warmth.

Do I’ve to make use of hen thighs?

Under no circumstances. I personally don’t use hen breasts, as a result of hen thighs keep juicier and my household prefers them. Nevertheless, hen breasts will work on this recipe. Simply scale back the cooking time barely and take care to not overcook and dry the meat out.

Cube the hen into small items, roughly ¾″-1″ in measurement. Put aside in a medium measurement bowl. In a small dish or measuring cup, mix all the spices. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and all the spices to the bowl with the hen. Toss properly to mix. Let relaxation for a minimum of 10 minutes.
Warmth 2 tablespoons of oil in a really giant skillet over excessive warmth. When the oil is sizzling, add the hen. Saute, turning or stirring always, till the hen is browned on the surface and cooked by way of. This may take only a few minutes. Take care to not overcook the hen.
Take away the hen items from the pan when they’re completed cooking. As a result of the items are small, they are going to dry out if left within the sizzling pan.

The entire above spices could be substituted with 2 tablespoons of this Homemade Taco Seasoning when you’ve got it readily available. If you happen to’re substituting with a store-bought taco seasoning, you might need to go a little bit bit lighter with it, as most store-bought seasoning blends are likely to include extra salt.