Southwest-Spiced Chicken & Cumin Rice
with Roasted Zucchini, Smoky Crema & Toasted Pepitas
- Milk
Our chefs created a recipe that’s quick to cook while still capturing the bold, zesty flavors of Southwestern cuisine. Tender spiced chicken is served alongside buttery cumin-infused jasmine rice studded with crunchy toasted pepitas, plus succulent, garlicky roasted zucchini. Drizzle the chicken with a tangy, smoky red pepper crema just before serving to bring it all home for a hearty meal to remember.
Ingredients
1 unit
Zucchini
1 clove
Garlic
¼ ounce
Cilantro
½ cup
Jasmine Rice
1 teaspoon
Cumin
½ ounce
Pepitas
10 ounce
Chicken Cutlets
1 tablespoon
Southwest Spice Blend
2 tablespoon
Smoky Red Pepper Crema
(Contains: Milk)
1.5 tablespoon
Sour Cream
(Contains: Milk)
Not included in your delivery
Salt
Pepper
4 teaspoon
Cooking Oil
1 tablespoon
Butter
(Contains: Milk)
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Cooking Steps
• Adjust racks to middle and top positions and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry produce. • Peel and mince or grate garlic. Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick half-moons. Roughly chop cilantro.
• Heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. • Stir in rice, cumin, and ¾ cup water (1¼ cups for 4 servings); bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
• While rice cooks, toss zucchini on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on middle rack, tossing halfway through, 14-16 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a large dry pan over medium-high heat. Add pepitas and toast, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and browned, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Pat chicken* dry with paper towels and season all over with Southwest Spice Blend, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with cilantro. • Heat a large drizzle of oil in pan used for pepitas over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear until browned, 1-3 minutes per side. Turn off heat. • Transfer chicken to a second baking sheet. (TIP: For easy cleanup, line baking sheet with aluminum foil first.) Roast on top rack until cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
• While chicken and zucchini roast, in a small bowl, combine red pepper crema and sour cream. • Fluff rice with a fork; stir in toasted pepitas and 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Slice chicken crosswise. • Divide rice, chicken, and roasted zucchini between plates. Drizzle chicken with smoky crema and serve.
Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°.
Customer reviews
Review summary
Updated on Dec 2025- Flavor: Many loved the smoky Southwest spices and creamy sauce, though some found it bland and wanted more depth.
- Ease of prep: Customers appreciated how quick and simple this meal was to prepare, with clear instructions.
- Suggestions: Consider adding lime or hot sauce for brightness; some preferred the chicken cut up bowl-style.
- Portions: Several wanted more zucchini; a few felt the chicken pieces were too small.
- Rice: Opinions varied widely; some loved the cumin and pepitas, while others found it bland or odd-textured.
