35 Minute Southwestern chicken hash Magic

Let’s talk about the Southwestern chicken hash. If you’re anything like me, you need dinner on the table fast, but you absolutely refuse to eat something boring. This skillet recipe is packed with protein, potatoes, and just the right kick from those peppers. It’s big flavor in just about 35 minutes, start to finish!

Hi, I’m Anna, and I’m obsessed with making everyday cooking joyful and simple, especially when it involves chicken. I’ve spent years tweaking simple ingredients to create meals that taste like you spent hours on them. This spicy potato hash is one of my absolute go-to solutions when the weeknight rush hits hard. Trust me, this will be your new favorite!

Southwestern chicken hash: Your New Weeknight Favorite

Let’s talk about the Southwestern chicken hash. If you’re anything like me, you need dinner on the table fast, but you absolutely refuse to eat something boring. This skillet recipe is packed with protein, potatoes, and just the right kick from those peppers. It’s big flavor in just about 35 minutes, start to finish!

Hi, I’m Anna, and I’m obsessed with making everyday cooking joyful and simple, especially when it involves chicken. I’ve spent years tweaking simple ingredients to create meals that taste like you spent hours on them. This spicy potato hash is one of my absolute go-to solutions when the weeknight rush hits hard. Trust me, this will be your new favorite!

Gathering What You Need for Southwestern chicken hash

When we’re cooking fast, the quality of the core ingredients really shines through, so I always try to pick the best stuff I can find. For this Southwestern chicken hash, we’re keeping the ingredient list short and punchy. We need potatoes that hold their shape and chicken that cooks evenly. Don’t skimp on the spices here; they are what make this dish pop!

We rely heavily on those spices to bring that authentic Southwestern warmth without needing a million fresh things hanging around in the fridge. Yukon Golds are my secret weapon for potatoes because they get tender inside but still manage to crisp up nicely on the outside. It’s all about balancing texture and bold flavor!

Essential Ingredients for Your Southwestern chicken hash

Here is exactly what you need to pull together this fantastic Southwestern chicken hash. Make sure your prep matches these notes so everything cooks at the right speed! This recipe is scaled perfectly for about four hungry people.

• One pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed into pieces about three-quarter inch thick.
• One pound of Yukon Gold potatoes, diced small—think half-inch cubes. Don’t peel them; the skin adds great texture!
• One red bell pepper and one green bell pepper, both diced evenly.
• One small yellow onion, diced.
• One jalapeño, finely diced. Listen, if you hate heat, take all the seeds and the white membrane out first. If you love heat, leave some seeds in!
• Two tablespoons of olive oil—we split this up during cooking.
• The spice blend: One teaspoon each of kosher salt, chili powder, ground cumin, and smoked paprika. Then, a half teaspoon of garlic powder and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper.

Necessary Cooking Equipment

You don’t need fancy gadgets for this, which is the beauty of a skillet meal! You absolutely must have a good large, heavy skillet, preferably cast iron or stainless steel, because we need good, even heat for crisping those potatoes. Also, please make sure you have a reliable instant-read meat thermometer handy. Safety first, always!

Step-by-Step Guide to Perfect Southwestern chicken hash

This recipe moves quickly once those potatoes hit the pan, so have everything chopped and ready to go before you even turn on the burner. We’re building layers of flavor in one pan, which is my favorite kind of cooking because cleanup is a breeze! We’ll start with the potatoes, move to the chicken, and finish with the veggies and spices.

The total cook time is only about 20 minutes, but timing those additions correctly is key to getting tender potatoes and perfectly cooked chicken without burning anything. Follow these steps closely, and you’ll have the best Southwestern chicken hash you’ve ever made, guaranteed.

Preparing the Potatoes for the Southwestern chicken hash

First things first: potatoes take the longest. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in your large skillet over medium heat. Go ahead and toss in those half-inch diced Yukon Golds. We need to cook these for about 10 minutes, stirring them every few minutes so they brown evenly. You want them to look lightly golden and just fork-tender when you poke them. Don’t rush this part; this browning is crucial for the final texture of your Southwestern chicken hash.

Cooking the Chicken Safely

Once the potatoes are looking good, push them all to one side of that big skillet. Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the empty side. Now, spread your cubed chicken pieces out in a single layer—don’t crowd them, or they’ll steam instead of sear! Let them cook undisturbed for four minutes to get a nice crust. Then, stir them up and cook for another three to four minutes until they are almost completely cooked through. This is non-negotiable: use your thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before we move on to the next step!

Combining Flavors and Finishing the Southwestern chicken hash

Now for the fun part! Add your diced bell peppers, onion, and that finely diced jalapeño right into the pan with the chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle on all your spices—the salt, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir everything together well now that all the components are in the skillet. Keep cooking, stirring frequently, for about four to five minutes total. You’re looking for those vegetables to be tender-crisp and for the chicken to be piping hot and safe at 165°F throughout. Once it smells amazing and looks done, take that gorgeous Southwestern chicken hash right off the heat and serve it immediately!

Tips for Making the Best Southwestern chicken hash

Getting that perfect bite in this Southwestern chicken hash comes down to a couple of little tricks I’ve learned over the years of making skillet dinners. The biggest thing is heat management, especially with those peppers. Remember what I said about the jalapeño? If you want the flavor without the fire, you have to meticulously remove every speck of the inner white membrane. That’s where most of the heat hides!

Also, when you add your spices in step seven, let them toast for just 30 seconds in the hot oil before you start stirring everything aggressively. Toasting the cumin and chili powder wakes them up! Finally, don’t overcook those veggies at the end. We want them tender, yes, but they should still have a little snap when you bite into them. Soggy peppers ruin a good hash, trust me!

Frequently Asked Questions About This Chicken Skillet Recipe

Q1. Can I use sweet potatoes instead of Yukon Golds?
You certainly can swap them out! If you use sweet potatoes, you might want to reduce the initial cooking time slightly, maybe to seven or eight minutes, because they soften up faster than Yukon Golds. They add a lovely sweetness that plays well with the smoky paprika in this chicken skillet recipe.

Q2. Can I substitute the chicken breast for another protein?
Absolutely! This works great with boneless, skinless chicken thighs, though you’ll need to cook them a little longer to make sure they are fully rendered and cooked through. Ground turkey or even crumbled spicy sausage are delicious alternatives for a quick weeknight dinner.

Q3. I don’t have smoked paprika, what should I use?
If you’re out of smoked paprika, you can use regular sweet paprika, but you’ll lose that deep, smoky flavor that really defines the Southwestern profile. To compensate, try adding a tiny dash of cayenne pepper along with the other spices. Just taste as you go!

Q4. How can I make this hash even spicier?
If you want to amp up the heat level, try adding a splash of your favorite bottled hot sauce—maybe a smoky chipotle variety—right at the end when you add the spices. You could also dice up half a serrano pepper along with the jalapeño for an extra layer of serious spice.

Storing and Reheating Your Southwestern chicken hash

This spicy potato hash is fantastic as leftovers, often tasting even better the next day once those spices have really settled in. Make sure you cool any leftovers completely before storing them. You want to keep this in an airtight container for food safety, of course.

Storage Method	Duration
Airtight Container (Fridge)	3 to 4 days
Airtight Container (Freezer)	Up to 2 months

To reheat, I prefer using the skillet again over medium heat for the best texture, stirring often until everything is warmed through. Microwaving works in a pinch, but the potatoes might get a little softer.

Sharing Your Experience

I really hope this easy recipe makes your dinner rotation a little brighter and less stressful. If you try this out, please come back and leave a rating below! I love hearing how you enjoyed this flavor-packed meal. You can also find more great ideas on my Pinterest page!

Step-by-Step Guide to Perfect Southwestern chicken hash

This recipe moves quickly once those potatoes hit the pan, so have everything chopped and ready to go before you even turn on the burner. We’re building layers of flavor in one pan, which is my favorite kind of cooking because cleanup is a breeze! We’ll start with the potatoes, move to the chicken, and finish with the veggies and spices.

The total cook time is only about 20 minutes, but timing those additions correctly is key to getting tender potatoes and perfectly cooked chicken without burning anything. Follow these steps closely, and you’ll have the best Southwestern chicken hash you’ve ever made, guaranteed.

Preparing the Potatoes for the Southwestern chicken hash

First things first: potatoes take the longest. Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in your large skillet over medium heat. Go ahead and toss in those half-inch diced Yukon Golds. We need to cook these for about 10 minutes, stirring them every few minutes so they brown evenly. You want them to look lightly golden and just fork-tender when you poke them. Don’t rush this part; this browning is crucial for the final texture of your Southwestern chicken hash.

Cooking the Chicken Safely

Once the potatoes are looking good, push them all to one side of that big skillet. Add the second tablespoon of olive oil to the empty side. Now, spread your cubed chicken pieces out in a single layer—don’t crowd them, or they’ll steam instead of sear! Let them cook undisturbed for four minutes to get a nice crust. Then, stir them up and cook for another three to four minutes until they are almost completely cooked through. This is non-negotiable: use your thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) before we move on to the next step!

Combining Flavors and Finishing the Southwestern chicken hash

Now for the fun part! Add your diced bell peppers, onion, and that finely diced jalapeño right into the pan with the chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle on all your spices—the salt, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir everything together well now that all the components are in the skillet. Keep cooking, stirring frequently, for about four to five minutes total. You’re looking for those vegetables to be tender-crisp and for the chicken to be piping hot and safe at 165°F throughout. Once it smells amazing and looks done, take that gorgeous Southwestern chicken hash right off the heat and serve it immediately!

Tips for Making the Best Southwestern chicken hash

Getting that perfect bite in this Southwestern chicken hash comes down to a couple of little tricks I’ve learned over the years of making skillet dinners. The biggest thing is heat management, especially with those peppers. Remember what I said about the jalapeño? If you want the flavor without the fire, you have to meticulously remove every speck of the inner white membrane. That’s where most of the heat hides!

Also, when you add your spices in step seven, let them toast for just 30 seconds in the hot oil before you start stirring everything aggressively. Toasting the cumin and chili powder wakes them up! This small step makes the spices taste so much deeper and richer. If you are looking for more ways to use spices in one-pan dinners, check out my other recipes!

Finally, don’t overcook those veggies at the end. We want them tender, yes, but they should still have a little snap when you bite into them. Soggy peppers ruin a good hash, trust me! If you want extra texture, use a slightly higher heat during the last few minutes of cooking to get a nice char on the potatoes without overdoing the chicken.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Chicken Skillet Recipe

I get so many questions about how to tweak this recipe, which is great because it means you want to make it your own! Here are a few things folks often ask when they are planning this easy weeknight dinner.

Q1. Can I use frozen chicken or potatoes?
Please don’t use frozen potatoes in this; they just turn mushy when you try to brown them in the skillet. For the chicken, if you must use frozen, you absolutely have to thaw it completely first. Cooking raw chicken straight from the freezer means the outside will burn before the center ever hits that safe 165°F (74°C) mark. Stick to fresh or fully thawed!

Q2. My hash is too watery. What went wrong?
That usually happens if you crowd the pan or if you don’t let the potatoes cook long enough initially. If the pan is too full, the moisture gets trapped, and everything steams instead of searing. Make sure you are using a large skillet, and don’t add the peppers and onions until the potatoes and chicken have had time to brown nicely!

Q3. What’s the best way to add eggs to this chicken skillet recipe?
Oh, that’s a fantastic idea for brunch! Right after you finish the hash (step 8), clear a few small spaces in the pan and crack an egg directly into those spots. Cover the skillet with a lid for about three to five minutes until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. That’s how you turn this into a spectacular breakfast hash!

Q4. Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh cilantro for garnish?
Since this recipe is naturally so bold, fresh cilantro really brightens up the finish! If you absolutely don’t have fresh, you can skip it, or use about a half teaspoon of dried cilantro mixed in with your spices, but honestly, fresh is miles better here for that final pop of flavor.

Storing and Reheating Your Southwestern chicken hash

This spicy potato hash is fantastic as leftovers, often tasting even better the next day once those spices have really settled in. Make sure you cool any leftovers completely before storing them. You want to keep this in an airtight container for food safety, of course. Don’t leave it sitting out at room temperature for more than two hours!

Storage Method	Duration
Airtight Container (Fridge)	3 to 4 days
Airtight Container (Freezer)	Up to 2 months

To reheat, I prefer using the skillet again over medium heat for the best texture, stirring often until everything is warmed through. Microwaving works in a pinch, but the potatoes might get a little softer than they were the first time around.

Sharing Your Southwestern chicken hash Experience

I truly hope this simple recipe brought some joy and bold flavor to your busy weeknight! Once you taste how great this chicken skillet recipe is, tell me all about it. Pop down below, leave a rating, and let me know what you thought of the spice level!

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