Description
A delicious and easy Salsa Chicken recipe featuring tender seared chicken breasts baked with refried beans, cream cheese, salsa, and a cheesy topping. Perfectly seasoned with taco seasoning and garnished with fresh cilantro for a flavorful dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 ¾ lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large)
- 1 oz. packet Taco Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Layer Ingredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 16 oz. refried beans
- 16 oz. salsa (2 cups)
- ¾ cups shredded cheddar cheese
- ¾ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Garnish
- Fresh parsley or cilantro
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375° Fahrenheit to prepare for baking the dish.
- Prepare Chicken: Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create 2-3 thinner slices. Place the slices in a gallon freezer bag or between plastic wrap and pound them with the textured side of a meat mallet until they are ½ inch thick. Pat the chicken completely dry.
- Season Chicken: Season both sides of the chicken slices evenly with the taco seasoning.
- Sear Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken pieces in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until golden crusts form. Remove and set aside.
- Assemble Layers: Spread the softened cream cheese evenly on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish or a 12-inch round baking dish. Then spread the refried beans evenly over the cream cheese, followed by an even layer of salsa.
- Add Chicken and Cheese: Arrange the seared chicken slices over the salsa layer. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses evenly on top of the chicken.
- Bake Covered: Cover the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes to melt the cheeses and warm through.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove the cover and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes to brown the cheese on top slightly.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle fresh parsley or cilantro over the baked dish before serving. Enjoy your flavorful Salsa Chicken!
Notes
- Shred cheese from blocks instead of using pre-shredded for better melting and flavor. Recommended are Cracker Barrel Yellow Cheddar and Cabot Monterey Jack.
- Any salsa variety works well; store-bought brands like Pace or homemade salsa are great choices.
- Philadelphia cream cheese and Old El Paso refried beans yield excellent results in this recipe.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 28 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
