This Chorizo Rice One Skillet Dinner is a great budget friendly recipe, made with Mexican chorizo. It’s a quick and easy meal, perfect for any day of the week.
- How long do you cook Chorizo on the stove?
- Is Mexican Chorizo Rice spicy?
- Can you eat Chorizo raw?
- Do you drain Chorizo?
- Saute the rice for best results
- Recipe
Ready in 35 Minutes!
This Chorizo Rice Dinner is made in only one skillet and you can put it on the table in just over 30 minutes.
It’s easy on the budget, quick and super easy. It’s the perfect meal for any night of the week.
You can make it go even further by turning it into burritos or chimichangas. You may need to add a little sauce and cheese. The rest of your favorite fillings are already there.
Ingredients
I have purposely developed this recipe, in a series of recipes, for cooking on a budget. The recipe uses inexpensive rice to make it hearty. The protein is black beans and Mexican chorizo, also very inexpensive.
How Long Do You Cook Chorizo on the Stove?
Not only is Mexican chorizo inexpensive, but it cooks quickly as well! You put it in a hot skillet and it only takes 5-7 minutes to cook, before you add the rest of the ingredients.
Is Mexican Chorizo Rice Spicy?
I don’t feel like this is very spicy. The chorizo is a little spicy by itself, but adding it to something like this will reduce the heat by spreading it around. You can easily add to the heat by adding your own spices, like cayenne or chipotle powder.
We usually buy Cacique Chorizo which is available in beef or pork. You may be able to find a spicier version, if you prefer.
Can You Eat Chorizo Raw?
You can’t eat Mexican chorizo straight out of the package. It’s raw. Some Spanish chorizo is already cooked, but this is very much raw.
Tip for Using Chorizo: Before you cut into it to open it, wash off the outside. Everyone in the store could have handled it. Once you cut into it, you are transferring germs from the outside to the inside. Wash first. Just do it.
Do You Drain Chorizo?
If you have a lot of extra grease in the pan, you can use a paper towel or a slice of bread to get some of it. Don’t remove it all, though! You’re removing the flavorful spices of chorizo at the same time.
Saute the Rice For Best Results
Just like Spanish Rice (aka as Mexican Rice), you should saute the rice before simmering it in liquid. It’s not absolutely crucial but, if you don’t, your rice can get mushy.
If you saute the rice first, you are adding an extra litle layer of protection so the rice doesn’t clump. The pieces stay separated so it fluffs up easily.
Use the Liquid from the Canned Tomatoes
I like to use all of the flavor of the tomatoes. By draining the tomatoes into a measuring cup, you won’t take the chance of adding too much liquid, which can also make your rice mushy.
Behind The Scenes
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More Recipes
Chorizo is so inexpensive that I use it often. You can see lots of Recipes with Chorizo here. If you’re in a pinch, you can also Make Your Own Chorizo, using breakfast sausage.
For a Mexican breakfast, try Chorizo and Potatoes in tacos or on tostadas.
Recipe
Chorizo Rice One Skillet Dinner
Ingredients
- 1 cup Long Grain White Rice uncooked
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- 10 ounces Chorizo Mexican, raw
- ¼ large Onion diced
- 1 teaspoon Chicken Bouillon used Better Than Bouillon
- 14.5 ounces Diced Tomatoes canned
- 4 ounces Diced Green Chiles canned
- 2 cups Water
- 7 ounces Black Beans canned, drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin
Instructions
- Place uncooked rice in a strainer and hold it under cool water, swishing around with a spoon or your hand. Set aside to drain.
- Drain tomatoes and green chiles, allowing liquid to drain into a 2-cup measure. Once completely drained, add enough water to reach 2 cups. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add rice to skillet (you'll need a skillet that has a lid). Be careful because the wet rice will splatter in the oil. Saute in the skillet, stirring often, until the rice is golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Remove to a bowl. Set aside.
- Add chorizo to same skillet over medium heat. Begin mashing and stirring for about 3 minutes, then add the diced onion. Stir and continue cooking for about 5-6 minutes until chorizo is fully cooked.
- Add chicken bouillon and stir. Add tomato liquid, tomato mixture, sauteed rice, black beans and seasonings. Stir.
- Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Don't open or stir during the 20 minutes.
- If there is liquid remaining, cover and cook on low another 3-5 minutes.
Notes
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. All amounts are estimates and 24Bite® takes no responsibility for actual figures since calculations vary by packaging and supplier. Please calculate the amounts yourself based on package labeling if you have specific dietary requirements. 24Bite®, Kim Guzman or Christian Guzman shall not be liable for adverse reactions or any other outcome resulting from the use of recipes or recommendations on this website or actions you take as a result. 2019-2026 Kim Guzman and Christian Guzman. All rights reserved. 24Bite®
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Flavor is good, but the rice is a mushy mess. and yes, I drained the tomatoes and chilies and used the liquid as part of the 2 cups of water. I even actually squeezed the tomatoes to remove as much liquid as possible and I cut the liquid slightly by using a little bless than 2 cups. I would make this again, but I would cut the liquid by at least a half a cup. I’m hoping I can salvage this by using it as a filling in some burritos or enchiladas or something. Like I said, flavor is good.
Thank you for writing! You’re right. Rice can be tricky sometimes. The amount of water can be affected by the type of rice, how long you saute it before adding the water, the age of the rice and even the shape of the pan itself. If you get the chance, please let me know how it works out for you if you make it again. Thanks so much for writing!
It turned out perfect. This is the first time I sauteed rice, and I think it did help keep it from getting overcooked. The flavors were wonderful. I used about 16 ounces of chorizo and I am glad I did. I wanted more protein. Thanks for sharing this recipe- it will be made again at our home!
That’s wonderful. I’m glad you had a chance to try it and it worked out so well. Thank you for writing!
Yummy recipe! I will definitely make this again. I used jasmine rice (because it is what I had in my cupboard). Seasonings are perfect. I used a large can of black beans (15 oz) again…because that’s what I had in my cupboard and in my opinion…..you can never have too many beans.
Does this freeze well? It will definitely be more than 6 servings for me.
Thank you! I’m glad it worked out so well for you. I’ve never frozen it so I’m not sure. Everything in it can be put in the freezer, but the consistency of the rice will change once it’s thawed. I think that’s the only thing that will change. I hope that helps and thank you for writing!
I love all these flavors. Especially chorizo. I could eat it every day! Pinning for later.
This is perfect! I can’t think of what to prepare for next dinner and I happen to see this! I will make this one!
My husband and I loved your recipe! This will definitely be a part of our rotation 🙂
That’s great to know! Having a good, easy one skillet meal is always a good thing. Thank you for writing!
Excellent and easy recipe. Just the right amount of spice. As I’m not a big meat eater, I cut back to 7 oz of chorizo and was happy with that amount. Also skimmed the fat from the chorizo with paper towels.
I’m glad it worked out for you. Thanks so much for writing!
Delicious recipe! I used half water-half beef stock. Spice is perfect and could even be adjusted if you wanted to add more or add green olive/pigeon peas, bell pepper would be a great addition too, otherwise great the way it is. Thank you, I’ll be coming back to this in the future!
Great tips and additions. I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for writing!
I made this a couple of nights ago. Very good. My husband, who doesn’t usually care for Hispanic food, loved it. I followed the recipe pretty closely. I wound up using a whole 14.5 oz can of black beans because once they were drained and rinsed, the beans weighed in right about at 7 oz. Next time, I’ll use a pound of Chorizo. I had to add a bit of water and increase the cooking time a few min nutes to get the rice done. We are having leftovers tonight. I’m going to add some diced green olives when I re-heat, then have diced fresh tomatoes and sour cream to top it all. Overall, a very good recipe. Will be making again but adding green olives and top with sour cream
Wonderful! I’m so glad it worked out well for you. Thank you for writing!
This is delicious. I made it exactly as directed except I used Jasmine rice that I had on hand, came out perfectly. Sprinkled some Colby cheese on top… sooo good. Will definitely make again:)
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for writing!
Married and cooking for 50 years – so I know a good recipe with I find one. Very glad I found your recipe for Chorizo Rice One Skillet Dinner. Wow, it did not disappoint my husband and me. There’s probably enough left over for a couple more meals – but we don’t mind that at all because most of these type of meals improve in flavor the 2nd or 3rd time around. It’s perfect the way it is … unless you use some frozen San Marzano tomatoes from last years garden abundance instead of the canned tomatoes. Keep up the great cooking/recipe sharing, Christian!!
Thank you so much! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the recipe. It’s one of my favorites too. Thank you for writing!
This is easy and good! I didn’t have a can of tomatoes on hand but I did have a jar of homemade salsa I canned… so I used it instead. That probably added even more flavor. Would make again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I love your substitution too. Thank you for writing!
Loved this dish! Only thing was that it has one note flavor profile wise for us. All I can taste is chorizo lol. Which is delicious but it’s heavy. I recommend adding a squeeze of lime, cheese on top and a dollop of sour cream! It brightens the dish so much and makes it well rounded. 😊
Great additions. You’ll also find a couple of other recommended additions beyond these that I have listed in the recipe card. Thank you for writing!
We made this tonight with beef chorizo, I didn’t prepare the rice or drain any of the tomatoes… I did a one pan (cast iron) meal and tossed it all in together after the chorizo was cooked. Just kept adding water as needed to keep the moisture in for the rice. Topped with sour cream and 🤌🏻🤌🏻
Thank you for sharing!
I cooked this exactly as written…soo good!! Next time I am going to use beyond meat crumbles…I’m sure it will still be delicious..thanks for sharing!
I love those Beyond Meat Crumbles too! Great idea. Morningstar Farms makes Chorizo flavored too. Thank you for writing!
Wonderful! Flavorful! Delish! Mildly spicy. I will make this again and again.
That’s great to hear. Thank you for writing!
I found this recipe by googling for a recipe using chorizo and rice. I am one of the cooks for our church’s free meal program. Somehow we ended up with chorizo in our freezer–not an item we would usually buy, so someone must have donated it. We also had about 15 lb. of rice on hand–much of that also donated.
I forgot to mention we serve 120-140 meals per week, sometimes more, sometimes less.
Worried about how spicy this dish might be, I made a trial batch at home for my husband (I can’t eat garlic). It came out beautiful, and he loved it. I am now in the process of sauteing the rice today/cooking the meat so I can put the 4 very large pans of this meal in the oven tomorrow after the church service, so that it will get done on time before our meal. I think our patrons will enjoy it!
I’m honored! Thank you so much for letting me know. I hope everyone enjoys it.