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My family and I absolutely love Mexican style food. Taco Tuesday is everyone’s favorite night! But then when Taco Tuesday turns into taco Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we all start to get a little bored.

That is why I created this delicious cheesy salsa chicken recipe. It has all that Mexican flavor that we love but in a whole new way! It is also incredibly easy to make which is a dinner requirement for all of us busy moms!

Let me tell you all about my tasty cheesy chicken salsa bake and you will see why it has quickly become my family’s favorite dish.

Ingredients for Baked Cheesy Salsa Chicken

Do you love recipes that only require a few simple ingredients? I sure do! I actually seek out recipes that only use two or three ingredients because it means they will be simple, fast and likely inexpensive. My baked salsa chicken recipe only uses 4 main ingredients so you can already tell it will be a recipe you love!

You will need:

chicken breast– Be sure to grab boneless, skinless chicken breast. These are the easiest to prep and serve straight from the oven. No worrying about bones or removing tough skin! Just a nice tender, juicy piece of chicken.
salsa– Any kind of salsa will do. My family likes a little bit of heat so I get the spicier salsa. We also like the chunky version with big pieces of tomatoes and peppers. However, a mild, smooth salsa will work just as good!
Mexican cheese– The shredded Mexican cheese blend you find in the grocery store is made of Monterey Jack cheese, Cheddar, Asadero and queso quesadilla cheese. This is the perfect mix to give your chicken bake some Mexican flair and delicious, cheesy goodness. If you can’t find a pre-mixed Mexican cheese blend, grab some cheddar and monterey jack. These two will be all the flavor you need!
taco seasoning- Your favorite taco seasoning mix is all you need to season this tasty chicken. Once again, any brand in any heat level will do. Whatever you have on hand! We use a spicy taco seasoning but I have tried the recipe with a mild version and that works great too.

I also use a little salt and pepper to make the chicken because salt and pepper is always a good idea. However, you can skip this if you are in a hurry, the taco seasoning will be flavorful enough!

How to Make Cheesy Chicken Salsa Bake

So you have all your ingredients together, now it is time to cook! You won’t be in the kitchen for very long because this recipe is super quick to put together.

Here is what you need to do:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a rimmed baking pan with parchment.
Spread ½ cup of the salsa on the baking pan.
Place the chicken breasts on the baking pan, nestled on top of the salsa.
Sprinkle the chicken with the taco seasoning, salt and pepper.
Pour the rest of the salsa over the chicken.
Bake the chicken for 25 minutes
Pull the chicken out and sprinkle each chicken breast with the cheese.
Bake for another 8-10 minutes to make the cheese melted and gooey.
Enjoy!

I like to serve the chicken with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives. My husband likes to add a little hot sauce on top of the chicken breast too.

I usually serve the salsa chicken with some Mexican style rice or Cuban black beans. Any of your favorite sides and toppings will work!

Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Baked Cheesy Salsa Chicken

I always love to give you a few tips and tricks to make sure you get the most out of my recipes. Here are a few little pointers that you may want to try.

If you don’t have salsa, you can make a quick mix of chopped onion, diced tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon juice. Salt, chili, coriander, and cumin powder are optional.
You don’t have to rinse your chicken, but if you do, be sure to disinfect your sink after!
You can use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breast if you have that, just spread evenly in the pan. Since shredded chicken is already cooked, the whole dish will only have to go into the oven for about 10-15 minutes to heat and melt the cheese. This is a perfect way to make easy taco meat or meat for a burrito.
Add some sliced jalapenos to the salsa to get even more heat.
Marinate the chicken in the salsa overnight to infuse more flavor into the chicken. Simply place the salsa in a gallon sized ziplock bag, and the chicken breast, seal the bag and place it in the fridge overnight.
Make the chicken completely and then shred the cooked salsa chicken with a fork. Place all the shredded chicken in a freezer safe ziplock bag and freeze. Anytime you need perfect taco meat, you have it completely ready to go! Just thaw and serve.

If you have any little tricks that make this chicken salsa bake even better, let me know! Like I said before, my family loves Mexican food and finding new ways to make it are always great. I really could have “Taco Tuesday” every night of the week!

This salsa chicken bake is definitely one of my favorite, go-to recipes. It makes Mexican food easy and fun. It is also so versatile that you can make it a hundred different ways and never get bored.

Serve this delicious cheesy chicken salsa bake with some spicy rice or on top of nachos. Eat it on its own as a low carb meal. Add some spice with jalapenos or make it mild with a simple tomato salsa. This is one of the easiest recipes out there, and it takes little preparation so it is perfect for one of those super busy days.

Give this cheesy salsa chicken recipe a try, I know you will enjoy it!

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