Easy Salsa Chicken

When you’re looking for a quick, tasty chicken dish that will disappear in a flash, this Easy Salsa Chicken is the answer!

With only a handful of ingredients, this cheesy Tex-Mex chicken is a cinch to prepare. Kids and adults alike will love every bite of this Easy Chicken Breast Recipe!

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Why You Must Make this 3 Ingredient Recipe

• I started out making a 3 Ingredient Salsa Chicken, but I added an extra step that is optional. As you can see in the top left-hand photo below, I quickly dusted the chicken in some seasoned flour and gave each side a light browning before proceeding. It’s totally up to you if you’d like to include this step. After that, a generous sprinkling of taco seasoning gave this salsa chicken a boost of flavor.
• The three main ingredients in this recipe are chicken, salsa, and cheese. It’s important to make sure each of these components is high quality. I picked up a jar of Trader Joe’s Salsa Autentica Trader Joe’s Salsa Autentica on a whim and it was excellent in this recipe. I used the whole 12-ounce jar which was a little over a cup.
• Grating your own cheese is always a step up in quality, but I used a bag of grated cheese for convenience’s sake.

How to Make This EASY Chicken Breast Recipe

1. The process is super simple. I started with some Wondra flour and seasoning salt in a large Ziploc bag and added my boneless, skinless chicken breasts and gave them a good shake until all were well coated.
2. Next, these breasts were given a quick saute in some olive oil before being placed in a greased casserole dish.
3. Then a cup (or more) of salsa topped the chicken before baking. The last step was to sprinkle with some shredded sharp cheddar cheese and popping the casserole dish back in the oven until the cheese melts and the chicken is thoroughly cooked. As Ina would say, “How easy is that?” Very.

Recipe Tips

• You might like to try this recipe with a green sauce. After a trip to Santa Fe this spring, I remembered how fabulous salsa verde tasted!
• Monterey Jack or even Pepper Jack cheese could easily replace the sharp Cheddar Cheese.
• Use your favorite salsa brand with the heat intensity of your choice.
• Make sure your chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. The FDA Food Code recommends cooking chicken to 165°F, but if it is held at 145°F for 8 ½ minutes, that is also OK per their website.
• If you have some of my Homemade Taco Seasoning, it would be terrific on this salsa chicken. My kids use Penzey’s Taco Seasoning and it’s quite good in a pinch. Even fajita seasoning works well.

Ingredient Notes

• Kitchen Staples – Flour (All-purpose or Wondra), Seasoning Salt, Olive Oil
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – My butcher removes any tendons. Sizes will vary and if they’re large, you’ll need to increase your baking time.
• Taco Seasoning – I use Penzey’s brand. You will need to adjust the seasoning salt depending on whether your taco seasoning has salt added or not.
• Salsa – Use your favorite brand, variety (red or green), and heat.
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese – Shredded. You may also use Monterey Jack cheese.

You May Also Like:

• Green Chile Stew from Barefeet in the Kitchen
• Black Bean Avocado and Corn Salsa
• Spicy Mexican Corn Salad
• Mexican Chicken Manicotti
• Easy Beef Taco Salad
• Soft Shell Salmon Tacos
• More of the Best Chicken Recipes

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The Recipe:

Easy Salsa Chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Yield 4 servings

A quick, tasty chicken dish that will disappear in a flash!

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ cup all purpose flour or Wondra flour, optional
• ½ teaspoon seasoning salt, optional
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 cup salsa (I used a jar of Trader Joe's salsa that was a bit more than 1 cup)
• 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Grease a casserole dish that will fit 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, a 9 x 9-inch or comparable size.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
3. If you'd like to saute your chicken first, mix the flour and salt in a large Ziploc bag, then seal Add the chicken and shake until coated.
4. Heat the olive oil in a saute pan. When hot, add the chicken and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, just until lightly browned.
5. Remove and place in prepared dish. Sprinkle one side of the chicken with taco seasoning, flip, and repeat on the other side. Top with salsa.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with cheese and return to the oven for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Notes

Feel free to use Monterey Jack cheese instead of cheddar.

Any green or red salsa would work well in this recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1 chicken breast
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 745Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 186mgSodium: 1443mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 63g

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