Oven Baked Salsa Chicken

This Oven Baked Salsa Chicken is a go-to easy weeknight meal! Bursting with the best Mexican flavors, this one dish wonder only has 4 ingredients and takes as little as 5 minutes to prep and get in the oven. No wonder why it is a long time dinner winner!

this Recipe

 

Easy Salsa Chicken

There are easy dinner recipes.  Then there are EASY DINNER RECIPES.

This Salsa Chicken is EASY.

I am talking

• Only 4 ingredients
• You most likely already have them in your pantry
• Can be thrown together in 5 minutes
• and the cooking is totally hands off

kind of easy.

This meal is not only EASY but also really, really delicious!

Kind of the holy grail of recipes. Easy + Healthy + Delicious!

If you love quick one pan chicken dinner, we have hundreds of them! Try our Spinach Artichoke Chicken, Cowboy Chicken, Mesquite Chicken Bake, or Monterey Chicken.

How to Make Salsa Chicken

This Salsa Chicken is every bit as easy and wonderful as promised. I have many readers with a variety of experience levels in the kitchen.

I use this section to share all of my notes and tips so that I can answer most of the questions that may pop up while cooking!

Make sure to find the FULL printable recipe card at the bottom of this post and if you have a question, that I didn’t answer, please leave it for me in the comments below.

Ingredients + Substitutions

There are only 4 so this is short and sweet, but I do have some pretty strong opinions on each one if you want to get the BEST salsa chicken.

Chicken

This recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breast.  I like this cut of meat because it is lean, doesn’t really need any prep, and bakes well. 

⭐️Pro Tip: If you have chicken breasts that are regular sized to thick, I always recommend cutting them so that they are half the thickness.  This does a few key things:

1. Allows the chicken to cook more quickly and evenly
   In general, the thicker the chicken, the longer it will take to cook, so by making the chicken more thin and uniform it makes it cook more quickly.
2. Keeps the chicken more tender
   Since the chicken doesn’t have to take as long to cook, it stays more tender!
3. More flavor in every bite!
   With thinner pieces of chicken you have more surface area for the same weight of chicken. This allows you to season more of the chicken so you get more flavor in every bite!

If you prefer you can use other cuts of chicken. It will work best if you use boneless, skinless cuts such as chicken thighs or chicken tenderloins.

Seasoning

To keep this recipe simple, we use taco seasoning as a main component of the flavor.

I highly recommend that you use my homemade taco seasoning. Why?

• It is really delicious
• Super easy to make
• Stays good for a year – so make a big batch!
• Healthy & wholesome – Ensures it is gluten free, dairy free, preservative free, etc

If you don’t have time to whip up the homemade taco seasoning, you can absolutely use a store bought package, and the recipe will still be tasty. Sometimes these store bought taco seasoning packets do contain gluten, dairy, fillers and preservatives, so if you are sensitive to those, make sure to choose carefully.

Salsa

Obviously, salsa is a key ingredient in SALSA CHICKEN! And while this recipe is pretty versatile so that you can use most any salsa, I do think some work the best for taste and texture!

When I make this recipe, I like to use a thicker salsa where the tomatoes are more sauce-like, as opposed to one that is more like a pico de gallo with chunks of tomato, onion, pepper, etc in a more thin juice base.

Since the chicken releases juices as it cooks, having a thicker based salsa give the dish substance, versus it being more watery.

While I am usually a HUGE fan of homemade salsa, for this recipe, I do favor store bought. I think even the least expensive brands can work really well like Old El Paso, Pace, or even store brand.

If you have a specific salsa that you love, it will probably work well in this recipe, just make sure it has that thicker base.

The Cheese

For this recipe I recommend sharp cheddar cheese.  I like sharp cheddar because it gives a lot of flavor without having to add too much cheese to the dish.

You can also use mild or medium cheddar, colby jack, or Mexican blend cheese if you have it on hand.

Or, if you want a little more spice, try pepper jack cheese!

Recipe Step by Step

I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here, but make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Salsa Chicken.

Salsa Chicken Recipe Variations

I encourage you to make the recipe as is because the combo of easy and delicious can’t be beat. BUT, if you want to try something new, here are a few ways to jazz this recipe up a bit!

• Creamy Salsa Chicken – This one is rich, creamy, and delicious!
• Salsa Verde Chicken– Use salsa verde (green salsa) in place of red salsa for a new flavor twist.
• Salsa Chicken and Veggies- Chop up sweet bell pepper and onions and place them on the bottom of the casserole dish. Then add the chicken, seasoning, salsa, and cheese on top. This gives you a main dish and side dish all in one pan!

What to Serve with Salsa Chicken

This Easy Baked Salsa Chicken can be served as a whole tender chicken breast on top of a bed of rice or veggies. It is equally good, if you slice or chop the chicken and then use it for a filling for tacos, burritos, and other Mexican favorites. This recipe works for both really well!

Topping Ideas

Although, it by no means is necessary, and this Salsa Chicken is super good on it’s own, we love to pile on some extras to top it off. If your family loves the “toppings” as much as mine, here are some options we use:

• Guacamole
• Sour Cream
• Crushed tortilla chips
• Chopped cilantro
• Shredded lettuce

Side Dishes that go well with Salsa Chicken

To round out your meal, you can add one or more sides to serve with this recipe. Adding side dishes is also a great way to stretch the meal to help it go further.

• Buttermilk Cornbread
• Mexican Rice
• Street Corn Casserole
• Canned Black beans or Refried Beans
• Mexican Corn Salad
• Sautéed Peppers and Onions

You can also add tortillas and toppings and call it a day. There are just so many fun and easy ways to serve Salsa Chicken!

Freezer Friendly

Salsa Chicken makes a great freezer meal.  If you want to prepare it ahead of time you can store it in the freezer for up to 3 months, then bake and serve at a later time.

Salsa Chicken Freezer Meal Instructions

1. Place in freezer bag or air tight container. Season the chicken with the taco seasoning.
2. Top with salsa.
3. Freeze.
4. When ready to bake, thaw for 24-48 hours in the refrigerator.
5. Place in baking dish and top with cheese.
6. Bake as directed.

Baked Salsa Chicken Leftovers

Leftovers of Salsa Chicken are awesome to have because they reheat well, and also repurpose into many great meals you can make later in the week.

To save leftovers, divide into meal sized portions and place in an air tight container

• in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
• in the freezer for up to a month

Leftover Recipe Ideas

Here are a few of the MANY things you can use leftover Baked Salsa Chicken for. You can get as creative as you want with this recipe, but these are a few of our favorites.

• Salsa Chicken Quesadillas– Chop leftovers and mix them with sweet corn kernels. Heat a large skillet or griddle to medium heat. Butter a tortilla and place it on the heated skillet. Fill it with salsa chicken mixture and extra shredded cheddar cheese. Fold it over and grill both sides until golden.
• Salsa Chicken and Rice Casserole– Chop leftover Salsa Chicken and mix with prepared white rice or cauliflower rice. Stir in black beans and corn, and extra salsa if needed. Spread mixture in a casserole dish and top with cheese and bake until heated through.
• Salsa Chicken Burrito Bowls– Have a make-your-own burrito bowl night with chopped salsa chicken, rice, black beans, salsa, sour cream, chopped lettuce, and guacamole.
• Salsa Chicken Salad– Start with a bed of chopped romaine lettuce. Add chopped Salsa Chicken then top with your choice of diced avocado, sweet yellow corn, black beans, pico de gallo, and crushed tortilla chips. For the dressing I like to mix ranch dressing with salsa and toss it with the salad.
• Salsa Chicken Enchiladas– Shred or chop the chicken and place it inside a tortilla with a sprinkle of cheese. Repeat placing the enchiladas in a baking dish seam side down. Cover with red or green enchilada sauce and a sprinkle of cheese and bake at 375˚F until heated through and bubbly.

More Easy Baked Chicken Recipes

If you enjoyed this recipe, we have so many more that are just as simple and delicious!  I hope you will add a few of these recipes to your upcoming meal plans!

• Baked Tuscan Garlic Chicken – Reader favorite
• Easy Alice Springs Chicken – Just like Outback!
• Garlic Parmesan Chicken (Low Carb)
• Baked Caesar Chicken – Melt in your mouth!
• Easy Chicken Marsala – Like the original but EASIER!