This easy Chicken Ranchero is a delicious and quick one-pan meal that is ready in 30 minutes. Savory, tender chicken in a spicy, quick ranchero sauce. Serve over cauliflower rice or spaghetti squash!
Season chicken cutlets on all sides with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Let the chicken sit while you cut up veggies.
Combine butter and avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat to melt butter. When butter sizzles or oil is hot, add chicken. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Chicken will cook the remainder of the way through in the sauce.
Add onion, bell peppers, and chopped or sliced jalapeño (if using) to the same pan. Season with ½ tsp salt and sauté over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add garlic, cumin, and paprika and cook for another minute, stirring constantly so garlic does not burn.
Reduce heat to medium. Add chicken stock and crushed tomatoes, stirring to loosen the bits on the bottom of the pan. Add chicken back to pan and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until sauce reduces and thickens. If using the jalapeño half, add it to the sauce with the chicken, simmer in the sauce, and remove prior to serving. Taste the sauce and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
Serve over cauliflower rice and garnish as desired.
If dairy free, use avocado oil in place of butter.
Be sure to test the heat of your jalapeño before using. Normally, simmer half a jalapeño cut lengthwise in the sauce. For more heat, slice the whole pepper and sauté with the veggies. For a mild sauce, leave the jalapeño out or use a pepper that's been seeded, deveined, and chopped.
Nutritional information is approximate and will vary depending on the ingredients used.