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This Oven Baked Salsa Chicken is guaranteed to spice things up at your kitchen table! It has quickly become one of our fast and easy "go-to" weeknight meal time situations. Since my husband is vegetarian I am always thinking about ways to prepare meat for the kids and I that can easily blend in with our vegetarian main dishes flawlessly.
This salsa chicken has paired perfectly with every vegetarian main dish I’ve thrown its way. Tacos, taquitos, quesadillas, enchiladas...you name it - we’ve tested it and it has worked EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Plus, I have a little added bonus for you, not only is it a versatile dish on the table. I've tested this recipe in the Instant Pot too, so if you have one of those fancy gadgets you can take your cook time down from 35 minutes to only 7! What the what?! Either way, this recipe is fast, easy, and tastes A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.!!! ( I'm also a BIG fan of this pressure cooked pulled pork in the Instant Pot in case you are into that sort of thing!)
Now that you’ve got your meaty main (scroll down for the recipes), here are 3 of my favorite vegetarian dishes to pair with it!
Vegan Tortilla Soup with an Autumn Twist || This autumnal spin on the classic tortilla soup calls for thinly sliced half moons of delicata squash. It’s a perfect veggie friendly main dish that is made even better with the addition of a small helping of Oven Baked Salsa Chicken scattered into each bowl.
Crave Worthy Breakfast Tostadas || I could eat breakfast for pretty much any meal of the day! While Todd and I love these tostadas as-is, the kids pile on the Oven Baked Salsa Chicken every time I serve it!
Crispy Black Bean Taco Cups || Hands down, this is one of the easiest dinners to make on our entire site! Simply add shreds of Oven Baked Salsa Chicken to some of the muffin tins with the black beans and cheese. You don’t even need a separate pan since the muffin wells keep the vegetarian taco cups completely separated from the chicken ones.
If you’ve tried this Oven Baked Salsa Chicken Recipe, I would be so grateful if you would rate it. Let me know what you think in the comments below. I just love hearing from you and your reviews and comments really help others that visit This Mess is Ours!
PrintOven Baked Salsa Chicken
Don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know what you think about this Oven Baked Salsa Chicken in the comments below. I just love hearing from you. Your reviews/comments really help other people that visit This Mess is Ours!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 5-6 servings 1x
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, I use Pensey's 9000
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup roasted tomato salsa, or your favorite salsa
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the chicken breasts into a small baking dish. Drizzle with half the olive oil, and sprinkle with half the chili powder, salt, and pepper. Flip the chicken over and repeat with the rest of the oil and spices. Cover with the salsa.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 22-26 minutes or until the temperature reaches 165°F
- Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Use two forks to shred the chicken. Pour the cooking liquid on top of the chicken and toss well to coat. Serve with taco fixings and desired garnishes.
Notes
For the Instant Pot:
- Place the chicken breasts into the Instant Pot. Drizzle with half the olive oil, and sprinkle with half the chili powder, salt, and pepper. Flip the chicken over and repeat with the rest of the oil and spices. Cover with the salsa.
- Lock the lid on the Instant Pot. Press the “Manual” or "Pressure Cook" button and the “-” button until the display reads " 7 " minutes.
- When the chicken is finished cooking, immediately release the pressure manually.
- Remove the lid right away and transfer the chicken to a separate bowl to prevent overcooking.
- Use two forks to shred the chicken. Pour the cooking liquid on top of the chicken and toss well to coat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 ounces
- Calories: 213
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 368 mg
- Fat: 6.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 2.3 g
- Protein: 34.1 g
- Cholesterol: 110.3 mg
Keywords: chicken, tacos, baked chicken, Mexican chicken
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What are the health benefits of salsa?
The peppers, tomatoes, and onions that make up the base of most salsa are full of nutrients and antioxidants that aid the body in numerous areas. The high amount of fiber and Vitamin C helps with preventing heart disease and stabilizing blood sugar. All the plant ingredients in salsa are also cholesterol free.
Click here for more information on the health benefits of salsa.
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Lauren says
Absolutely fantastic! Very quick and easy way to make salsa chicken. Definitely recommend using a salsa you love. I used Kroger’s Private Selection Restaurant Style Salsa with medium heat and it made the salsa have a roasted flavor that added another layer of depth. So good.
★★★★★
meg@thismessisours says
Oh my goodness Lauren YAY! That roasted salsa flavor sounds incredible!! I am totally going to give that a try. Thank you for coming back and taking the time to comment and rate the recipe, it means a lot to us!