Free: Healthy Freezer Meals Recipe Ebook

This post may contain affiliate links, which help keep this content free. (Full disclosure)

Table Of Contents show

This baked salsa chicken recipe transforms super simple ingredients into an easy meal for Mexican night — much like juicy pan seared chicken breast, but with a mouthwatering flavor boost from salsa, spices, and melty cheese. It’s an easy weeknight meal that everyone can enjoy!

This is one of those perfect chicken recipes that can use up an extra jar of salsa in your pantry! I’ll show you how to make the best chicken and salsa together, easy pairing ideas, and even methods to make it in your Crock Pot or Instant Pot if you prefer.

Why You’ll Love This Salsa Chicken Recipe

Zesty salsa flavor
Tender chicken with saucy tomatoes and gooey cheese
Simple grocery store ingredients
10 minutes prep time
Freezer friendly
Easy to use and pair with so many dishes (or enjoy all on its own)!

Ingredients & Substitutions

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for chicken recipes with salsa, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs, but cooking time will vary slightly.
Spices – Including sea salt, smoked paprika, cumin, and black pepper. You can easily substitute store-bought or homemade taco seasoning if that’s what you have on hand.
Olive Oil – I prefer to use extra-virgin olive oil, but feel free to substitute any neutral cooking oil you like.
White Onion – You can substitute any onion you wish.
Garlic – Fresh minced garlic makes a big difference in taste for this recipe, but you can use jarred minced garlic to save time. If you need to substitute garlic powder, use 1/2 teaspoon and add it to the chicken with the other spices.
Tomato Salsa – Use your favorite store-bought brand, or make homemade fresh tomato salsa in minutes for even zestier flavor.
Shredded Cheese – Including a blend of cheddar cheese and white cheddar cheese. You can substitute monterey jack, Mexican blend cheese, or any semi-hard cheese that melts easily.

Salsa chicken recipe ingredients in bowls.

VARIATION: Salsa verde chicken!

To make chicken salsa verde, simply trade the tomato salsa for an equal amount of your favorite salsa verde.

How To Make Salsa Chicken

This section shows how to make this chicken with salsa recipe, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.

Season. Season chicken breasts with spices.
Sear. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and cook on both sides until golden. Remove from the pan and cover to keep warm.
Cook onions. Reduce heat, and add onions and garlic to the pan. Cook until the onions are softened and beginning to brown. Return chicken to the pan over the onions.

Add salsa and cheese. Pour the salsa over the chicken, and mix well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese on top.

Chicken and onions with salsa added on top.

Chicken with salsa and cheeses added on top.

Bake. Bake in a preheated oven until cheese is bubbly and chicken is fully cooked.

Fully baked salsa chicken recipe in a skillet.

Alternate Cooking Methods

I have a different slow cooker salsa chicken recipe in my first cookbook, but below are instructions for converting this recipe for the Crock Pot or Instant Pot.

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Slow cooker salsa chicken is a hands-off alternative if you want to skip stovetop cooking! To make a recipe for Crock Pot salsa chicken, follow these steps:

Add onions and garlic to the bottom of the slow cooker and layer chicken on top.
Season, top with salsa, and cook on high for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Scoop out any excess liquid with a ladle, if desired.
In the last 10 minutes, you can add cheese and cover again to melt.

Instant Pot Salsa Chicken

To make salsa chicken Instant Pot friendly, follow these steps:

Season chicken. Sear the chicken or onions in oil in the pot if desired, but it’s not necessary. (If searing, remove chicken before proceeding.)
Add enough salsa to coat the bottom of the inner pot. Add chicken on top and pour remaining salsa on it.
Adjust the steam release knob to sealing position, then cook on high pressure for 10-12 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken. Release pressure naturally for 10 minutes, followed by quick release for any remaining pressure.
Scoop out any excess liquid with a ladle, if desired.
Add cheese and cover again until cheese melts.

Storage Instructions

Store: Leftover salsa chicken will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Reheat: You can reheat in the microwave, or in the oven at 350 degrees F.
Freeze: Cool completely, then transfer to a zip lock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Baked salsa chicken with spoon removing one chicken breast from the pan.

What To Serve With Salsa Chicken

What goes with salsa chicken? There are SO many options! Try it with these other mains, serving ideas, and sides:

Toppings – You can serve the chicken as-is (which is what I ended up doing — time wasn’t on my side that day!), but Mexican toppings are amazing over it. Try jalapeno slices, sour cream, fresh cilantro, sliced black olives, diced red onions, and homemade guacamole or avocado slices.
Nachos – Serve on top of your favorite tortilla chips and add your favorite nacho fixings.
Tacos – Make traditional tacos with your favorite tortillas (jicama tortillas would be delicious here!) or use it as the main protein in a healthy taco salad.
Easy Stuffing – Add to burrito bowls, use in quesadillas (I love it with almond flour tortillas), or add to chicken stuffed peppers.
Mexican Sides – Pair salsa chicken with conventional rice or black beans, or try it alongside cilantro lime cauliflower rice, avocado corn salad, or cilantro lime taco slaw for a fresh alternative.

More Healthy Baked Chicken Recipes

Healthy chicken doesn’t have to be boring! Change it up with these easy recipes that cook hands-off in your oven.

Piece of chicken Caprese on a plate with fresh basil

Recommended Tools

Oven-Safe Skillet – Heavy duty for even heat distribution, and moves easily from stovetop to oven.
Meat Thermometer – My favorite for making sure meats cook to the right internal temperature.

Salsa Chicken Recipe

Pin It For Later!

Leave a Review or Question Cancel reply

7 Comments

Dottie Bacon
0 January 25, 2023Reply

Hi! I would love to make this recipe, but I don’t like how many carbs are in it. Where do the carbs come in? Is the carb count coming from prepared salsa? Would making the fresh salsa cut out some of the carbs? I know tomatoes have a lot of carbs. Just curious how the two compare. I know cutting back on the onions would help…I’ll make it work somehow! LOL!
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 January 26, 2023Reply
  
  Hi Dottie, Yes, salsa provides most of the carbs in this dish. If you want to try fresh salsa, I have a recipe for that.
Carol
0 October 23, 2022Reply

Don’t have a rating but I noticed that in the recipe directions it does not say when to add the cheese. I presume it’s after you have added the salsa. Right?
- Wholesome Yum D
  0 October 25, 2022Reply
  
  Hi Carol, The recipe has been updated, and the cheese is added in step #5.
Wendy
0 October 21, 2022Reply

This is really good! The perfect weeknight dinner to add to my rotation.
Journa Liz Ramirez
0 October 21, 2022Reply

Can’t get enough of this delicious chicken salsa! My family loves it and then even requested to add this to our menu. Highly recommended!
Lisa
0 October 20, 2022Reply

Had family over for dinner and made this dish. It got rave reviews!