A one-pan chili with maximum flavor starts with toasted rice

Looking to make enough chili for one night’s dinner without hauling out a heavy pot, we turned to our trusty skillet. We would use it to make both the chili and the rice, cooking in stages, for a one-pan meal with maximum flavor and minimal fuss.

We started by toasting and simmering the rice, flavoring it with lime zest and juice to brighten it up. We then transferred it to individual serving bowls, which we kept warmin a low oven.

While the rice cooked, we prepared our ingredients for a quick but flavorful chili. We found that treating ground beef with salt and baking soda ensured that it would remain moist and tender, even with a short cooking time. Blooming ground cumin, minced garlic, and chipotle chile powder boosted their potency, which contributed complex flavor to the finished chili.

We also whipped up a simple lime-cilantro crema (made from sour cream, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and salt); when our chili bowls were ready to serve, we topped them with the crema for an authentic finish.

You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tightfitting lid for this recipe. Serve with pickled jalapenos, shredded cheese, and diced avocado.

Chipotle beef chili bowls with lime-cilantro crema

Servings: 4 Start to finish: 1hour, 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1⁄2 cup sour cream 1⁄4 cup minced fresh cilantro 2teaspoons grated lime zest plus 3tablespoons juice (2 limes) Salt and pepper 1pound, 90percent lean ground beef 2tablespoons plus 2cups water 1⁄4 teaspoon baking soda 2tablespoons vegetable oil 1cup long-grain white rice 1onion, chopped fine 1red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped 1tablespoon ground cumin 2garlic cloves, minced 2teaspoons chipotle chile powder 1(15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1(15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed 1cup frozen corn, thawed

INSTRUCTIONS

Adjust oven rack to middle position, place 4individual serving bowls on rack, and heat oven to 200F. Whisk sour cream, 2tablespoons cilantro, 1teaspoon lime zest, 1tablespoon lime juice, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt together in bowl; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Toss beef with 2tablespoons water, baking soda, 1⁄4 teaspoon salt, and pinch pepper in bowl until thoroughly combined; let sit for 20minutes. Meanwhile, heat 1tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add rice and cook, stirring often, until edges begin to turn translucent, about 2minutes. Add remaining 2cups water and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, about 20minutes. Off heat, add remaining 1teaspoon lime zest and remaining 2tablespoons lime juice and fluff gently with fork to incorporate. Divide cooked rice among warmed bowls, cover with aluminumfoil, and keep warm in oven. Heat remaining 1tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until just beginning to brown, 5to 7minutes. Add beef mixture, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink, 6to 8minutes. Stir in cumin, garlic, and chili powder and cook until fragrant, about 1minute. Stir in tomato sauce, beans, corn, and 1teaspoon salt and cook until slightly thickened, about 3minutes. Spoon chili over rice in bowls, sprinkle with remaining 2tablespoons cilantro, and serve with lime-cilantro crema.

CARL TREMBLAY—ASSOCIATED PRESS This undated photo provided by America’s Test Kitchen in January 2019shows Chipotle Beef Chili Bowls in Brookline, Mass. This recipe appears in the cookbook “One-Pan Wonders.”