This easy salsa chicken requires just one dish and about 10 minutes of prep for a nutritious and family-friendly dinner! Serve the chicken, corn, and beans in tacos, over rice, on a salad, in a bowl, or stuffed inside quesadillas.
Table of Contents
If you love Mexican-inspired recipes, be sure to try this fiesta crockpot chicken, a tray of ground beef nachos, chicken taquitos, and this creamy crock pot salsa chicken, too!
How to Make Salsa Chicken | 1-Minute Video
WHOA….this recipe was DELICIOUS and almost too easy to make! I followed it exactly and the chicken came out perfectly done and juicy. The ingredients are so basic, but the flavor was big and very tasty…
– Meredith
A Few Tips Before You Get Started
- I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe. Since chicken breasts can vary greatly in size and shape, the total cooking time will vary. For instance, the two large chicken breasts shown in these photos each weighed about 16 ounces and required 1 hour in the oven. If you’re using smaller, thinner chicken breasts, you can likely reduce the total baking time to about 45 minutes.
- If you prefer dark meat chicken, you can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. The smaller thighs will be done sooner.
- You will know that the chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.
- You do not need to thaw the corn before adding it directly to the dish.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste, or jazz it up with a little bit of taco seasoning instead. If using taco seasoning, you will not need an entire 1-ounce packet (just use less). The whole packet will likely make the dish too salty.
Directions
While this baked salsa chicken is obviously a nutritious, low-calorie dish, it’s definitely not lacking in flavor! Best of all, the prep (which only takes minutes) is as easy as 1-2-3. You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:
- Stir together frozen corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, and salsa in a dish, along with minced garlic (or garlic powder), and cumin. Feel free to get creative and add even more spices here if you like! Other good options include chili powder, paprika, onion powder, oregano, and cayenne pepper.
- Place the chicken breasts on top, and season with salt and pepper or taco seasoning. If you’re using taco seasoning for a little bit of extra flavor, feel free to use either homemade taco seasoning or a packet of store-bought taco seasoning.
- Pour additional salsa on top of the chicken; cover; and bake for 45-60 minutes. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes.
- Slice the chicken breasts and serve with the corn, beans, tomatoes, and salsa.
Serving Suggestions
Use the zesty, flavorful, tender, and juicy salsa chicken as the base for a variety of easy dinners. For instance, it’s delicious in warm tortillas for soft tacos — just add shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, sour cream, green onions, olives, guacamole, or any of your other favorite toppings. Similarly, the salsa chicken works well with rice or cauliflower rice in burrito bowls, in quesadillas, or on taco salads. Alternatively, pair it with a pan of Jiffy Mexican cornbread or a loaf of jalapeño cheddar bread.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- Make Ahead: This recipe is great for meal prepping, because you can bake a batch of the chicken over the weekend and keep it stored in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week.
- How to Store: Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Warm the chicken, corn, beans, and tomatoes in a baking dish covered with foil in a 350 degree F oven for 15-20 minutes, or just until heated through. You can also do this in a skillet on the stovetop over low heat. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 30-60 seconds.
I made this last night. I used a jar of Mango Salsa. I also cut up some Avocado and placed it in a bowl on the dining table. It’s REALLY good on top of the chicken with the salsa.
Thank You for an easy meal and a great last minute dinner rescue!
– Rick W.
More Dump-and-Bake Chicken Recipes to Try
Dump-and-Bake Sesame Chicken Noodles
55 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Tzatziki with Rice
1 hour hr 35 minutes mins
Dump-and-Bake Chicken Alfredo Casserole
45 minutes mins
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Dump-and-Bake Salsa Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 (16 ounce) bag frozen corn kernels (about 2½ cups)
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup salsa, divided
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder)
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper or taco seasoning, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley, fresh cilantro, fresh limes, or sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In the prepared dish, stir together frozen corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, ½ cup of salsa, garlic, and cumin.
- Place the chicken on top of the corn mixture. Season the chicken with either salt and pepper or with a little bit of taco seasoning, to taste. If you use taco seasoning, do not use an entire 1-ounce packet (that will make it too salty). Just sprinkle a little bit of the seasoning blend on each side of the chicken breasts. Pour the remaining ½ cup of salsa over the chicken.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for approximately 45-60 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your chicken breasts.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and slice into strips. Return the meat to the dish; stir to combine. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, or sliced green onions if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Baked Salsa Chicken Recipe Variations
- For a quicker cooking time, cut larger chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thinner chicken cutlets. Thin, small chicken breasts will be done in about 25-30 minutes.
- Prepare this dinner in the slow cooker! Just place the chicken breast in the bottom of a Crock Pot. Add the remaining ingredients on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Shred the chicken with two forks and stir it back into the pot.
- Cooking Just for Two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and prepare the recipe in an 8-inch square baking dish. The cooking time remains the same.
This recipe was originally published in March, 2018. It was updated in August, 2024.
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Trying your jerk and Parmesan chicken recipes next. Thanks
Thanks, Theresa! I hope you enjoy the recipes!
What about doing this on a traeger smoker? Thinking about trying that tonight instead of heating up my house with the oven.
Hi, Erin! I haven’t tried cooking this dish on the grill, and I don’t have a Traeger smoker so I can’t speak to that specifically. Chicken is always delicious when it’s smoked though, so I’m sure it would be delicious!
I needed a quick dinner with what we have on hand. I used frozen chicken breast sliced about 1” thick and mixed everything together in my Instant Pot Mini. Cooked at high pressure for 9 minutes. Perfect! Thanks for the recipe!!
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know, Dot! That sounds perfect. 🙂
It came out kinda soupy; where did I go wrong?
Hey, Laura! I don’t think that you necessarily did anything wrong. The chicken and the vegetables are naturally going to release some liquid during the cooking process. Just use a slotted spoon to serve the meat and veggies, leaving any excess liquid in the dish, and you should be all set. 🙂
Could this recipe be done in an instant pot? If so, what setting and how long?
Hi, Ben! I haven’t tested this one in the Instant Pot, but I imagine it would probably work well. You probably need to add 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the pot before cooking, though, because you need a minimal amount of liquid in the pressure cooker in order for it to build up pressure. It will have more liquid in the pot when it’s done, but you can just serve with a slotted spoon and leave the rest in the pot. Here’s how I like to cook chicken breasts in the IP:
Press the “Manual” button on high pressure, and then set the timer to 10 minutes.
It will take about 10 minutes for the pot to heat up and build up pressure. Once the 10-minute timer is done, quick release the pressure from the pot, sliding the steam release handle to the “Venting” position, releasing all of the steam until the float valve drops down.
Open the lid and press the “cancel” button.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.
Would you say a serving is about 1 cup? Thanks! I have this in the crock pit right now! 🙂
Hi, Amy! I assume about 6 servings per recipe, so the serving size would be about 1/6 of the total dish. I’m not sure how many cups that equates to. Hope you enjoyed it!
I used thin-sliced chicken and the regular time was needed.
WHOA….this recipe was DELICIOUS and almost too easy to make! I followed it exactly and the chicken came out perfectly done and juicy. The ingredients are so basic, but the flavor was big and very tasty. I’m also doing WW so the 0 point factor is huge! My husband had his over white rice with some shredded cheese, I made two little wraps for our girls with just the chicken & some cheese (picky eaters) and I had mine exactly as it was out of the oven. Served it with some fresh avocado as well. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Thanks, Meredith! I’m so glad that you made it work for your family. I appreciate you taking the time to leave me a note! 🙂
Like all the comments, this recipe is fantastic. I adde a can of Hatched diced chilis to the bean/corn mix and doubled the cumin, and it was out of this world. I do have a question. Looking at the ingredients, the recipe should be 0 points on WW. But I put the nutritional information into the WW calculator, and it came out 7 points. Is the nutritional info correct? Either way, it is still a fantastic recipe!
Hey, Liz! I’m glad that you enjoyed the meal! 🙂
When this post was written, all of the ingredients were included on the Zero Points list, which is why it was a “zero point” meal. If you just enter the nutritional facts into a calculator, the calculator can’t account for zero point foods, so it’s going to give you a point value that’s only based on calories, fat, etc. That explains the difference. BUT, now I believe WW has changed their points system (or they give you a variety of options or tiers), and I am not familiar with that new system. If the Zero Points food list has changed in the last couple of years, the points value for the recipe may change as well. I hope that all makes sense.
I made this last night. I used a jar of Mango Salsa. I also cut up some Avocado and placed it in a bowl on the dining table. It’s REALLY good on top of the chicken with the salsa.
Thank You for an easy meal and a great last minute dinner rescue!
Sounds perfect, Rick! I’m so glad that it was a hit. Thanks for taking the time to come back here and leave a note!
Hi Seasoned Mom! I found your recipe on a day I was waiting on my paycheck, down in my back and trying to use what I have on hand! Ingredients I chose was frozen boneless chicken breasts, can of corn, taco seasoning, fresh diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and minced garlic. Marinating all of that, then I will put salsa I have on hand on top, follow your instructions for the oven, and then melt cheese and then top with some sour cream. All over rice or macaroni noodles, not sure yet. Thanks for your help with a hearty chicken and salsa meal.
Sounds perfect! Hope you enjoy! 🙂
I made this for my niece & myself & we thought it was one of the best chicken dinners we had had in a ling time. I had sour cream & low carb tortillas, also. The next day, I had guacamole wit it, too.
Wonderful! Thanks, Nancy!
I made this earlier this spring; it was wonderful. I doubled the recipe and had enough for three meals for 4 adults. The first night we had the salsa chicken over rice. The second meal was chicken enchiladas and the third was a Dorito chicken casserole. ALL were terrific. I did not freeze any in May but I would like to do so now. I know you freeze lots of meals for quick meal prep. Will the vegetable mixture freeze without degrading the mixture?
Thanks!
Hi, Cathy! I’ve had good luck freezing this dish, yes. 🙂 The vegetable/sauce might get a little bit more watery when thawed, but you can always stir in some extra salsa to thicken it up again, if necessary. So glad that you enjoy the meal!
Hi – Quick question. I have a lot of fresh corn around – would you cook it at all first (quick steam maybe) or do you think it’d be OK to add uncooked? Excited to make this, I’m sure it’ll be as excellent as your other recipes!
Hi, Rochelle! I think the fresh corn should be fine to just throw in there raw, since it will have about 45-60 minutes to cook. That said, if you prefer the corn really soft, I would do a quick steam first — just to be sure. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the dish!
It worked out perfectly, thank you!
Oh, good. I’m so glad to hear that, Rochelle! Thanks for taking the time to come back here and let me know! 🙂
I made this in our instant pot tonight and it was a hit! I had frozen chicken so I had it on high pressure for 12 minutes. I also added a chopped red onion, cilantro, about 4 times the suggested garlic, double the salsa, and double the chicken. We served it over seasoned rice with tortilla chips on the side. I’ll definitely make it this way again!
Sounds perfect, Sarah. Thank you!
This was GOOD. And could be excellent with very minor tweaks.
I made it as written other than cooking uncovered because I didn’t realize I was out of tin foil – but when I checked the temp on the chicken I realized that it was more liquidy/watery than I had hoped, so I stirred in some flour for the last 20 minutes. Glad I did – that slight thickening really helped.
Next time, I’ll probably dice up some onions, and maybe some bell pepper if I have one, and I’ll probably double the black beans – I think onions and pepper would make the flavor a little more nuanced. But overall, this was incredibly quick and easy, used stuff I generally have in the house, and we all found it quite tasty. Also, pretty healthful!
Thanks for sharing! After tweaks, this is going into my regular rotation.
Thanks, Elizabeth! I’m glad that you enjoyed it!
could you prep and put in fridge for day and then cook that night?
Hi Gail,
That should work! You may need to add an extra splash of salsa to freshen it back up if too much is absorbed. We hope you enjoy!
Using taco seasoning on the chicken breast makes this recipe perfect.
Thank you.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Marilyn!
Tried this one last night. The flavor of the corn and beans mix was good but I’m wishing I had used more like half the package of taco seasoning because the chicken was kind of bland with just a dusting. I think next time I’ll try shredding the chicken or cutting into chunks so more flavor is absorbed into the meat. Good base recipe to customize though and very easy!
Thank you for the feedback, Karen! You can definitely add more seasonings to suit your preferences.