I am not kidding when I say this is by far the easiest chicken recipe ever. All you need are a few basic spices like chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, a bottle of store-bought salsa, and chicken breasts.
It sounds easy and it is! But regardless of how easy and fast it is to make, you will not believe how delicious it tastes. The best part about making this salsa chicken is its versatility.
You can serve it with our delicious Mexican Rice, our Cheesy cauliflower fritters if you want a carb-free meal, our Pan Fried Potatoes, and Onions, or you can even shred it after it is cooked and use it for burritos or tacos.
You will want to make it again and again. The possibilities are endless with this amazingly easy chicken recipe.
If you are in the mood for a change, try using green tomatillo salsa too. The flavor will be a bit different but equally as amazing.
Ingredients For Salsa Chicken
The full recipe and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken breasts: I like to use chicken breasts, but you can use boneless chicken thighs too if you like them better.
- Chili powder: I love the smoky flavor chili powder gives my dishes. It really isn’t hot at all, it just has a great deep flavor that adds very interesting smokey notes.
- Cumin: the star of Mexican cuisine. Cumin is a must-have if you are preparing Mexican-inspired dishes.
- Garlic powder: I like to add garlic to almost everything. It’s a sure way to make food taste so much better.
- Paprika: another great spice that adds a delicious smoky flavor to food. I love the color it gives and the flavor it imparts. If you don’t have paprika, don’t go out to buy it, just skip it.
- Salt and pepper: never ever cook without them. This is the first layer of flavor in any dish.
- Store-bought salsa: we all have a favorite brand. That is the one you have to get. You should also try it with green tomatillo salsa.
- Sharp Cheddar cheese: this is what I used, but you can use your favorite cheese. The only thing I always recommend is you shred it yourself.
How To Make Salsa Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 375F. In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Sprinkle chicken breast with the spice mix on both sides.
- Place chicken breast in a lightly greased casserole dish.
- Pour one cup of salsa on top of the chicken and bake uncovered, for 40 mins.
- Three minutes before baking time is up, add cheese on top of the chicken breasts and put it back in the oven to melt.
Can You Freeze Salsa Chicken?
Yes, you can. As with any cooked dish, let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight container or freezer bag, label it, and freeze it for up to three months.
What To Serve With Salsa Chicken?
We have lots of delicious side dishes on our website that you should check. I’ll give you a few options:
- Mexican Rice
- Pan Fried Potatoes and Onions
- Homemade Rice Pilaf
- Creamed Potatoes
- Potatoes Romanoff with cheese
- Cheesy Mississippi Mud Potatoes
What To Do With Leftover Salsa Chicken?
The best tip ever: shred it and make burritos or tacos. Do not discard the sauce on the casserole dish, shred the leftovers and mix them with the sauce.
Store it in the fridge for up to four days or freeze it. Save it for those days when you don’t have time to cook and wrap it in a flour tortilla with some Mexican Rice, black beans, and cheddar cheese and make burritos! Or simply serve it over corn tortillas with guac and sour cream for some extra yummy tacos!
Recipe Tips
- For evenly cooked chicken, make sure the breasts are all similar in size. If it is a whole breast, cut it to make half breasts.
- Make sure you cover the chicken well with the spice mixture, it adds so much flavor.
- Shred your own cheese. I can’t stress this enough. The difference is substantial.
- Do not overcook the chicken or it will come out tough.
- Make extra (double) so you can shred the leftovers and make tacos!
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Crock Pot Chicken Thighs
- How To Make Oven-Baked Bbq Chicken Wings
- Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Baked Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- Smothered Cheesy Sour Cream Chicken
Easy Baked Salsa Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup store-bought salsa
- 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475F and grease a casserole dish big enough to hold the chicken.
- In a small bowl, combine the spices, salt, and pepper
- Place the chicken breasts in the prepared casserole dish and pour the salsa directly on top. Make sure the chicken is covered evenly.
- Bake, uncovered for approximately 40 mins.
- Two to three minutes before the baking time is over, take the chicken out of the oven and sprinkle the cheese evenly on top. Put it back in the oven and let the cheese melt for those last minutes.
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