Southwest Rooster

Heat, smoky, and with simply the correct quantity of warmth, Southwest Rooster is lightning fast to make. I really like this rooster 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 rooster 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 occasions every week and nonetheless by no means have a chunk leftover.

This rooster is one in all my go-to meals to throw collectively for busy weeknights. My boys wrap these tasty morsels of rooster 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 every little thing else. It’s nice for these nights after 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.

Elements and Substitutions

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

Oil – I exploit gentle flavored olive oil on this recipe. Refined coconut oil will work as properly.

Daring Spices – The first seasonings that I exploit for this rooster are chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and purple pepper flakes. This provides 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 all the time use kosher salt and freshly floor black pepper in my cooking.

Spice Mix – The entire above spices might be substituted with 2 tablespoons of my homemade taco seasoning. That’s, in case you are like me and maintain a jar of it within the cabinet for making rooster like this.

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

Tips on how to Make Southwest Rooster

Reducing the Rooster: I chop the rooster into roughly 1-inch items.

Oiling the Rooster: I place the chopped rooster 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 Rooster: I sprinkle the spices over the bowl with the rooster, then toss the rooster once more with a spatula so they’re evenly coated.

Resting the Rooster: I let the rooster 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 Rooster: As soon as the pan is sizzling, I add the rooster to the pan and start cooking it.

Tossing the Rooster: After a minute or two, as soon as the rooster begins to brown, I exploit tongs to stir the rooster and flip each bit over.

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

Serving the Rooster: The rooster is able to eat as quickly because it finishes cooking.

Professional 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 study to not rush the pan. Now, I give the skillet time to completely warmth up earlier than including the rooster. 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, Prepare dinner Evenly – I can’t overstress the significance of slicing the rooster into items which can be the identical dimension. This lets the rooster end on the identical time, as a substitute of ending with a panful of undercooked and overcooked rooster.

Don’t Overcrowd the Pan – I solely ever cook dinner a single layer of those Southwest rooster 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 great crispy edges that give it a lot texture and taste.

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

Serving Ideas

I nearly all the time serve this rooster 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 without having a lot else on the plate.

For a extra hands-on meal, I really like tucking this rooster into whole wheat tortillas and letting everybody construct their very own Southwest rooster wraps or tacos. It’s particularly nice if I’m feeding a bunch 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 one of the best outcomes after I cook dinner the rooster 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 rooster marinate.

Tips on how to Retailer: I let the meat cool, then retailer it in an hermetic container within the fridge. It must be good for as much as 3 days.

Tips on how to Reheat: I reheat it, loosely lined within the microwave with a splash of water or rooster broth for 15-30 second intervals.

Extra Rooster Recipes

Ceaselessly Requested Questions

Can I make this rooster much less spicy?

I discover that the warmth is kind of delicate. If I’m serving somebody who is anxious about how spicy it’s, then I’ll scale back or remove the purple 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 desire. If I wish to dial up the warmth, I double the purple pepper flakes and add extra cayenne pepper. However, you may as well add sizzling sauces and different condiments to lift the warmth.

Do I’ve to make use of rooster thighs?

Under no circumstances. I personally don’t use rooster breasts, as a result of rooster thighs keep juicier and my household prefers them. Nonetheless, rooster 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 rooster into small items, roughly ¾″-1″ in dimension. Put aside in a medium dimension 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 rooster. Toss properly to mix. Let relaxation for at the least 10 minutes.
Warmth 2 tablespoons of oil in a really giant skillet over excessive warmth. When the oil is sizzling, add the rooster. Saute, turning or stirring continually, till the rooster is browned on the surface and cooked by means of. This may take only a few minutes. Take care to not overcook the rooster.
Take away the rooster 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.

The entire above spices might 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, it’s possible you’ll wish to go a little bit bit lighter with it, as most store-bought seasoning blends are likely to comprise extra salt.