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 lots 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 change into a household favourite. It suits proper alongside my different boldly seasoned chicken bites. I could make them a number of instances per week and nonetheless by no means have a chunk leftover.

This hen is certainly one of 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 cook dinner the meat proper on the finish of my dinner prep and serve it piping sizzling with all the pieces else. It’s nice for these nights once I don’t wish to overthink making a tasty dinner.

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

Substances and Substitutions

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

Oil – I take advantage of gentle 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 provides it a daring, barely spicy taste.

Savory Notes – I add a splash 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 – All the above spices may 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.

The right way to Make Southwest Hen

Chopping 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 at the least 10 minutes.

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

Prepping the Pan: When I’m able to cook 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 every bit over.

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

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

Skilled Tip

Do you wish 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 totally 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.

Lower Evenly, Cook dinner Evenly – I can’t overstress the significance of chopping the hen into items which might be the identical dimension. This lets the hen end on the similar time, as an alternative of ending with a panful of undercooked and overcooked hen.

Don’t Overcrowd the Pan – I solely ever cook 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 won’t get these great 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 recent pan, they may proceed cooking and dry out.

Serving Options

I virtually at all times serve this hen at my desk with a facet of my spanish rice or chipotle lime rice. Rice soaks up the spices fantastically 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 offers the very best outcomes once I cook dinner the hen proper earlier than serving it. However, I do typically 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.

The right way to 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.

The right way to Reheat: I reheat it, loosely lined within the microwave with a splash of water or hen broth for 15-30 second intervals.

Extra Hen Recipes

Ceaselessly 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 anxious 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 home made cooking, I can modify the spice degree to swimsuit my private choice. If I wish to dial up the warmth, I double the pink pepper flakes and add extra cayenne pepper. However, it’s also possible to add sizzling sauces and different condiments to boost the warmth.

Do I’ve to make use of hen thighs?

In no way. I personally don’t use hen breasts, as a result of hen thighs keep juicier and my household prefers them. Nonetheless, 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 dimension. Put aside in a medium dimension bowl. In a small dish or measuring cup, mix the entire spices. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and the entire spices to the bowl with the hen. Toss properly to mix. Let relaxation for at the least 10 minutes.
Warmth 2 tablespoons of oil in a really massive skillet over excessive warmth. When the oil is sizzling, add the hen. Saute, turning or stirring continually, till the hen is browned on the surface and cooked by means of. This may take just some 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 may dry out if left within the sizzling pan.

All the above spices may be substituted with 2 tablespoons of this Homemade Taco Seasoning you probably have it available. If you happen to’re substituting with a store-bought taco seasoning, you might wish to go just a little bit lighter with it, as most store-bought seasoning blends are inclined to comprise extra salt.