Last week after having basketball practice for 2 hours, commuting home during rush hour, and then going grocery shopping, I needed a dinner that required little to no prep as well as minimal ingredients. Luckily, I stumbled across this recipe on my Chicken Board on Pinterest. I knew I could get it into the oven in no time and get some other stuff done around the house while it cooked.
I did change the recipe up a little bit. Mainly, I used my own spices instead of prepackaged, store-bought taco seasoning. I went with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and a little red pepper flake. I think it was the perfect combination. The chicken was cooked perfectly and had delicious flavor. It was nice and juicy (thanks to the salsa I think). My husband was a big fan. I took the easy way out and made Kraft Macaroni and Cheese as the side. (I’ve had one box in my pantry for a couple of months, and I just couldn’t resist it any longer! I think it’s the only “boxed” product I use and love! Yum!!)
Start by preheating your oven to 375°…
- Season 1 package of chicken breasts with some chili powder.
- Add some cumin.
- Sprinkle on some garlic powder.
- Add a little crushed red pepper flake.
- Coat a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the chicken in the dish seasoned side down.
- Season the other side of the chicken the same way.
- Completely cover the chicken with salsa. (I used mild salsa, but feel free to use medium or hot to make it spicier!)
- Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes.
- After 45 minutes, check the temperature of the chicken. (It should be 165°.)
- Sprinkle the chicken with some shredded cheddar cheese.
- Bake for about 5 more minutes, until the cheese has melted.
Serve with a veggie (if you’re being good) or with some macaroni and cheese (if you’re being bad, like me!). Either way, enjoy!
One Year Ago: Turkey Patty Melts
Two Years Ago: Fajita-Style Burgers
Cheesy Baked Salsa Chicken (serves 4)
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flake
- nonstick cooking spray
- 1 cup salsa
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat your oven to 375°.
- Trim the chicken breasts.
- Season both sides of the chicken with the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper.
- Coat a baking dish with the cooking spray.
- Place the chicken in the dish and top with the salsa.
- Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese on top.
- Place the chicken back into the oven and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.
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