This baked salsa chicken recipe makes for an easy, quick, delicious dinner for the whole family. It’s got great Mexican flavor, and it’s just incredibly simple! Being a one-pan meal, that means fewer dishes to wash and easy clean up later. Plus, you pop it in the oven and then move on to other things for about a half hour. SO easy! It’s perfect for an easy weeknight meal because you only need a handful of ingredients.

Not only is it super simple, this baked salsa chicken recipe is my favorite, high-protein, low-carb start to a healthy south-of-the-border meal. This is ideal for someone on a keto diet, someone limiting carbs, or also someone with diabetes. Low carb doesn’t mean low flavor with this recipe!

Why You’ll Love My Baked salsa chicken Recipe

Perhaps it’s because I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on Cinco de Mayo, but I have a solid affinity for Mexican foods. The salsa, the guacamole, the fresh cilantro, the queso… ohhh, the queso! My mouth is watering just thinking about the fresh flavors. This is one of my favorite Mexican chicken recipes.

But besides the delicious Mexican flavors, you’ll love this meal because:

• It’s a very quick and easy meal to make – it’s on the table in almost 30 minutes!
• This is a perfect recipe for busy weeknights when you don’t have tons of time.
• You can make side dishes while it bakes.
• You only need a few healthy, simple ingredients.
• It’s low in carbs – only 8g of carbs per serving.
• It’s a great way to get lean protein. There are 38g of protein in each serving.
• If you have leftovers, you can shred it up and make burrito bowls, nachos, or tacos for a second meal later. It’s a super versatile family-friendly dinner.

Ok, now that you are as excited as I am, let’s get on with this easy recipe!

1. Preparing to Bake This Easy Chicken Dinner

The first thing we need to do is preheat the oven to 350. Then, line a 9×13 baking dish or casserole dish of similar size, and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to keep the chicken from sticking while it bakes. Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish.

2. Mix Together the Salsa Chicken Spices

After a few minutes of prep, we will combine some simple pantry staples as the spices for this baked salsa chicken recipe. We will need 1 tablespoon each of the following: chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Then add in a pinch of crushed red pepper.

Now it’s time to coat the tender chicken breasts with the spices. Literally sprinkle taco mix all over to coat it.

3. Add the Salsa On Top

Now that the chicken is seasoned, it’s time to add the mild salsa. Place one cup of the salsa on top of each of the pieces of chicken generously to cover completely. You can use store-bought salsa from the grocery store or homemade fresh salsa.

4. Cook the Easy Baked Salsa Chicken Recipe

Now, we will cook this baked chicken recipe in the preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chicken. Remove from the oven when the chicken is just almost fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on your meat thermometer.

Then we will cover the cooked chicken with shredded Mexican cheese or cheddar cheese. Place it back in the oven then to cook completely and melt the cheese on top.

And now what you have is a flavorful, cheesy Mexican dish that is absolutely packed with protein!

Favorite Side Dishes For My BakeD SALSA CHICKEN REcipe

What should you serve with your easy salsa chicken to make it a complete meal? Well, I would suggest anything else that has a Mexican food flair. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Mexican rice or Spanish rice (or cauliflower rice)
• black beans or refried beans
• chips and guacamole/queso
• Mexican street corn
• corn salad with beans and peppers
• whatever else tickles your fancy

VARIATIONS ON My Baked Salsa Chicken Recipe

Do you make a different version of salsa chicken? With such an incredibly simple recipe here, there’s not a ton of room for variation, but you can definitely do a few things to change it up:

• If you want more spice, then use more crushed red pepper and/or spicy salsa. Try pepper jack cheese.
• Feel free to use whatever kind of shredded cheese you wish. Or use a different homemade salsa.
• Once it’s cooked, you can shred it and make burritos, nachos, or tacos instead.

Suggested Baked Salsa Chicken Toppings

As if salsa and melted cheese aren’t enough, here are a few additional suggestions for toppings:

• chopped green onion
• sour cream (or greek yogurt)
• avocado
• black beans
• black bean and corn salsa

MAKE AHEAD INSTRUCTIONS

This is definitely a recipe you can make ahead of time if you wish. Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it. It should last 3-4 days easily.

I would caution you in reheating it. I would suggest placing it in the microwave on 50% power in short intervals until the chicken is heated through and cheese isn’t melted. (And if it does melt, you can add more cheese. Is there ever too much cheese?)

Storing for Later

Salsa Chicken stores well in the fridge for several days. To reheat, microwave at 50% power so as not to completely melt the cheese off the chicken as it warms.

You can freeze this salsa chicken as well. Chill chicken in the refrigerator first. Then the next day, wrap in freezer paper to separate and prevent the cheese from sticking to the other chicken pieces. Then freeze in a freezer bag.

Baked SALSA CHICKEN Recipe CARBS

Counting the carbs for my baked salsa chicken recipe is quite simple. The chicken has zero, so that’s an easy start. The taco seasoning is nothing, also. So it’s just the salsa and the cheese. The ingredients I used totaled 8g carbs per serving. But because salsas and cheeses vary from one to the next, I’m going to let you check your nutrition labels for your carb counts. Remember to mark it on your new recipe template and keep it for further reference.

And now, onto the printable recipe card for today. Get out your sombreros and tortilla chips, friend – it’s time for a fiesta!

Did you Make this Baked Salsa Chicken Recipe

If you’ve made this baked salsa chicken recipe, would you please let me know? I would love to hear from you what you thought of one of the easiest dinners I’ve made!

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NOTE: I am not a certified nutritionist or registered dietician. Nothing here should be taken as professional medical advice. Any nutritional information provided should be used as a general guideline and estimate only. For the most accurate information, please calculate based on the specific ingredients and brands you use, as well as any changes you make to the recipe.

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