Red Enchilada Chicken Skewers
with Yellow Rice
Red Enchilada Chicken Skewers with Yellow Rice are everything you want in a meal — colorful, flavorful, and full of satisfying textures. Tender, juicy chicken skewers grilled to perfection, served with cheesy yellow rice and a bright cherry tomato slaw. It’s the kind of meal that looks as good as it tastes — perfect for summer cookouts, but honestly, I’d eat this any time of the year!
How to Make It
Start with tender chicken pieces, marinated or brushed with spoonfuls of your favorite red enchilada sauce, then grill until lightly charred and smoky. Pair them with fluffy yellow rice, toss in red peppers for sweetness and crunch, and melt in some Monterey Jack cheese for that creamy, gooey finish.
Top it off with a fresh cherry tomato slaw, and don’t forget the charred tortillas and a drizzle of hot sauce for a little extra heat.
Make it your own.
Quick, Easy, and Delicious
What I love most about this recipe? It’s not all homemade — and that’s totally fine! It doesn’t take forever to make, and you can use what you already have in your kitchen.
I like using store-bought enchilada sauce for this dish (because sometimes convenience is key). Whether you prefer red or green, spicy or mild, it all works beautifully here.
Don’t have skewers? No worries! Simply cook your chicken tender pieces on a grill pan or cast iron skillet — the flavor will still be amazing.
Customize It Your Way
Don’t like raw red onions? Just leave them out.
Want extra spice? Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce.
Want to go green? Swap the red enchilada sauce for verde for a fresh, tangy twist.
This recipe is all about flexibility and fun — make it your own!
Serve these enchilada chicken skewers with:
- A dollop of sour cream or guacamole
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice
- Crispy tortilla strips for extra crunch
- Warm charred tortillas or rice bowls
More colorful recipes are here.
Did you make this recipe? Take a picture and tag me @whitesparrowfoodco or #whitesparrowfoodco I’d love to hear what you thought of the recipe!
Red Enchilada Saucy Chicken Skewers with Yellow Rice
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Quick and tender chicken skewers with a fresh tomato and corn slaw – serve with yellow rice and charred tortillas.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided in half
- 2-3 tablespoons yellow onion, chopped finely
- 1 heaping tablespoon turmeric
- 1 cup jasmine or long grain white rice
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into long tender pieces (about 3 per breast)
- 1 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
- 4-6 metal or wooden skewers
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 cup fresh corn or frozen corn, thawed
- 1/4 cup sliced red onion
- 1/2 red pepper, small diced
- 1-2 cups Monterey jack cheese, grated
- 1 cup red enchilada sauce
- tortillas
- hot sauce
Instructions
- To make the yellow rice, sauté 1 tablespoon of oil and onions together in a small saucepot (with a lid), until the onions are softened about 1 minute on medium heat. Stir in the turmeric and rice to coat with the oil and onions.
- Pour in the water and stir to combine. Turn the heat to high and cover with the lid. When it starts to boil, turn to low for 12 minutes. Turn the heat off, and add in the diced red pepper. Mix to combine and let sit until ready to serve.
- Coat the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle them with smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Toss around to fully coat all sides of the chicken pieces.
- Heat up a grill pan over high heat. Skewer 2 pieces of chicken per skewer. When the grill pan is hot, place the skewers on it in a even layer. Let cook on the first side for 4 minutes or until the sides begin to cook and turn white. Flip over and cook on the final side. Turn the heat off and spoon the enchilada sauce on top of each chicken skewer.
- Meanwhile, combine the cherry tomatoes, cilantro, corn and red onion in a small bowl. Sprinkle in a pinch of each salt and pepper.
- When ready to serve, mix in about 1 cup of cheese to the rice mixture. Heat up the tortillas and serve a little of everything on a place. Let people make it their own – deconstructed or make a free form enchilada.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Category: chicken
- Method: stove-top
- Cuisine: Mexican
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