Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Chicken Rice Bowls with Southwestern Flavors

This sweet and spicy pineapple chicken recipe is a weeknight win: juicy chicken breasts seasoned with a Southwestern spice blend and chipotle, paired with caramelized pineapple and tender poblano peppers over fluffy jasmine rice. A bright tomato salsa and creamy chipotle sour cream sauce tie it all together.

But here’s the best part: the recipe makes extra filling on purpose. The next day, you can roll the leftovers into flour tortillas with cheese and sour cream for an easy, portable lunch that heats up in seconds. It’s like getting two meals out of one-without the extra effort.

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Ingredients

2 unit Poblano PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Red OnionView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LimeView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.75 cup Jasmine RiceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

24 ounce Chicken BreastsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 ounce PineappleView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Southwest Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Chipotle PowderView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup Mexican Cheese BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Flour TortillasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Core, seed and thinly slice the poblano peppers. Halve, peel and thinly slice the red onion; mince a few slices until you have 1 tablespoon. Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. Finely chop the tomato. Roughly chop the cilantro. Zest the lime, then quarter it.
2. Place the rice and 1 ¼ cups water in a small pot with a lid. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Keep covered until ready to serve.
3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the chopped tomato, minced onion, half the cilantro, 1 tablespoon of the reserved pineapple juice, juice from two lime quarters and a pinch of salt. In another small bowl, stir together 4 tablespoons sour cream and a pinch of chipotle powder. Add water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture is drizzling consistency. Season with salt and more chipotle powder to taste.
4. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with the Southwest spice blend, a small pinch of chipotle powder, salt and pepper. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large pan (preferably nonstick) over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board to rest.
5. Meanwhile, in a separate large pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pineapple and cook, stirring, until browned, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Heat another drizzle of olive oil in the same pan. Add the sliced poblano, sliced onion and a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. Slice the chicken. Fluff the rice with a fork, then stir in the lime zest and 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside ½ cup of rice for lunch, then divide the remaining rice between bowls for dinner. Top with the pineapple and half the chicken. Reserve ½ cup of the poblano mixture for lunch, then spoon the remainder onto the bowls along with the salsa, crema and remaining cilantro. Serve with the remaining lime quarters on the side.
7. In the morning, divide the reserved rice, chicken and poblano mixture among the tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll into wraps and pack each with the remaining sour cream. When ready to eat, microwave until warm, about 15 seconds. Enjoy with sour cream for dipping.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of rice?

Yes, you can substitute jasmine rice with basmati or long-grain white rice. Adjust the cooking time according to the package directions.

How do I store the leftovers for lunch?

After dinner, let the reserved rice, chicken and poblano mixture cool completely. Store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. Assemble the burritos in the morning for best texture.

Can I make this recipe dairy-free?

Yes, you can use dairy-free sour cream and omit the cheese or use a dairy-free alternative. The butter can be replaced with olive oil.