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Salsa Chicken Recipe

Today's salsa chicken recipe combines succulent chicken breasts, cheddar, and mozzarella cheese with a homemade salsa sauce made from fresh veggies to create a Mexican signature. You can serve this goodness with corn kernels and kidney beans on the side or enjoy it with some Spanish rice.
  • cook TIME 20 mins
  • prep TIME 10 mins
  • total TIME 30 mins
Course: Main DishCuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 473 kcal
Author: Tuyet Pham, Luna Regina

Ingredients (21)

  • 22 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast
  • 16 oz tomatoes cut into wedges
  • 10 oz unsalted dark red kidney beans
  • 4 oz corn
  • 2 oz red onion diced
  • 1 oz jalapeño cut into small cubes
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 oz cheddar cheese shredded
  • 1 oz mozzarella cheese shredded
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp Hunt's tomato paste
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep:

1

Place the chicken breast on a cutting board. From the long side of the chicken breast, slice the meat in half in a sawing motion, but leave about 1/4 inch so that the two pieces are still intact. Set it aside and repeat with the remaining pieces.

2

Cut the tomatoes in half, lengthwise, then slice them into quarters. Use a sharpened knife to cut the seeds of the tomato from one end to the other. Discard the seeds. Repeat this process for the rest of the tomatoes.

3

Halve the red onion lengthwise and peel away the skin. Trim one end and lay the halved onion face down. Make vertical slices, 1/8 inch apart, such that you cut towards the root; leave about 1/8 inch at the end so the root stays intact. Turn the half 90 degrees and grip the root. Slice the red onion horizontally, again leaving 1/8 inch at the end to keep the root intact. Slice the red onion into small, even cubes. Discard the root.

4

Cut off the top of the jalapeño and quarter it, lengthwise. Trim the white bits, hold the quarters close together, and make vertical cuts to have cubes.

5

Peel and discard the skin of the garlic clove.

6

Finely chop the cilantro.

Cook:

1

Marinate the chicken breasts: On a large platter, add 22 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, 1/4 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Rub the seasonings evenly onto both sides of the chicken breasts.

2

Blend the sauce ingredients: In a blender, add 16 oz tomatoes, 2 oz diced red onion, 1 oz cubed jalapeño, 1 tbsp lime juice, 2 cloves garlic, and 1/8 cup chopped cilantro. Blend until smooth.

3

Pan-sear the seasoned chicken breasts: Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the well-seasoned chicken breasts. Sear each side of the chicken breasts for 2 minutes and 30 seconds (5 minutes in total). Remove the chicken breasts from the heat.

4

Combine the sauce: In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of Hunt's tomato paste. Stir well for 30 seconds. Add the blended sauce mixture, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp paprika, and 1/2 tsp ground cumin to the skillet. Lower the heat and stir to cook for 3 minutes.

5

Add the pan-seared chicken breasts: Turn off the heat, add the pan-seared chicken breasts into the tomato-based sauce, then layer 3 oz cheddar cheese and 1 oz shredded mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken breasts. Preheat the oven to 400°F to prepare for the next step.

6

Bake the salsa chicken: Place the skillet on the middle rack of the oven and bake it at 400°F for 10 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and sprinkle some chopped parsley on top.

7

Serve: Transfer your desired portion onto a serving place. Enjoy the salsa chicken with 10 oz unsalted dark red kidney beans and 4 oz corn.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 473kcal | Protein 47.8g | Fat 20.6g | Carbohydrate 25.7g | Fiber 7.6g | Calcium 227.5mg | Iron 2.7mg | Potassium 1183.9mg | Sodium 595mg | Vitamin A 1774.6IU | Vitamin C 30.2mg | Cholesterol 138.8mg | Trans Fat 0.3g | Saturated Fat 7g | Monounsaturated Fat 7.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat 1.9g | Sugar 6.8g