Step 1

Wash and dry all produce. Halve, core, and thinly slice green pepper crosswise into strips. Halve, peel, and thinly slice shallot; mince a few slices until you have 2 tsp (4 tsp for 4 servings). In a medium pot, combine rice, ¾ cups water (1½ cups for 4), and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Step 2

While rice cooks, finely dice tomato. Zest and quarter lime (for 4 servings, zest 1 lime and quarter both). In a small bowl, combine tomato, minced shallot, and juice from half the lime. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

In a second small bowl, combine sour cream and hot sauce to taste. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt.

Step 4

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add green pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 5-6 minutes. Stir in sliced shallot, half the Southwest Spice (you’ll use the rest in the next step), salt, and pepper. Cook until veggies are softened and lightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out pan.

Step 5

Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper, then rub to evenly coat with remaining Southwest Spice. Once veggies are done, heat a large drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Turn off heat and transfer to a cutting board. Once cool enough to handle, slice chicken crosswise.

Step 6

Fluff rice with a fork; stir in lime zest, 1 TBSP butter (2 TBSP for 4 servings), salt, and pepper. Divide between bowls. Top rice with chicken, veggies, guacamole, Monterey Jack, and salsa fresca. Drizzle with crema and any remaining hot sauce if desired. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.