Salsa chicken is a 5-ingredient dinner recipe made on your stovetop in just 20 minutes. It's incredibly flavorful and a guaranteed family winner.

Complete the meal with a side of Mexican rice and a fizzy lime margarita! And if you love easy chicken recipes, also check out our stovetop bbq chicken!

A serving spoon taking a piece of salsa chicken out of the pan.

Salsa chicken

This simple recipe is surprisingly delicious. Some taco seasoning and your favorite jar of salsa will give these chicken breasts tons of flavor. And cooking the breasts in the salsa keeps them super tender and juicy.

It's a recipe we reach for often around here as there's always chicken in the freezer and salsa in the fridge. So no matter what the grocery situation is like, we can always make this recipe.

How to make this salsa chicken recipe

This is a quick and easy recipe perfect for when you need to get dinner on the table fast!

  1. Cut the chicken breasts in half then season them with taco seasoning (we use our own easy homemade taco seasoning), salt, and pepper.
  2. Sear the breasts until they're golden then take them out of the pan.
  3. Now pour the salsa and corn into the pan and give it a good stir. Put the chicken back into the pan and let the pan bubble away for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked.
  4. Top the chicken with cheese, let it melt, and dinner is ready! So easy!

Full recipe instructions in the recipe card below.

Cheesy salsa chicken in a pan with a wooden spoon.

What kind of salsa should I use?

We like to use fire-roasted tomato salsa, but you can use whichever brand of salsa is your favorite. Avoid using fresh salsa (like pico de gallo), as it doesn't work well in this recipe.

Can I use whole chicken breast?

Whole chicken breasts take longer to cook, so you'll need to adjust the cooking time. Breasts will need to simmer in the sauce for 15-20 minutes. If the sauce starts to look dry, add a little splash of stock or water to the pan.

How long does salsa chicken last?

Cooked chicken will keep well for 2-3 days in your fridge. Reheat it gently on the stove, adding a little splash of water to the pan if the salsa sauce gets too dry. Or you can use a microwave to reheat if you're away from home.

Can I freeze chicken and salsa?

Yes, this recipe freezes well. First, allow the chicken and salsa to cool completely, then store it in a freezer-safe container. We love these reusable Stasher freezer bags to store just about everything in our freezer, including this chicken recipe.

Salsa chicken on a white plate with rice.

What to serve with salsa chicken

We love serving salsa chicken with a side of either our spicy Mexican rice or our garlic butter rice (pictured above and recipe coming very soon!) Both are incredible with this chicken.

For veggie sides, try these:

Salsa chicken in a frying pan.
Cheesy salsa chicken in a pan with a wooden spoon.

Salsa Chicken Recipe

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Salsa chicken is a 5-ingredient dinner recipe made on your stovetop in just 20 minutes. It's incredibly flavorful and a guaranteed family winner.

If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!

4.93 stars (38 ratings)
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Ingredients

  • 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoons cooking oil
  • 1 ½ cups chunky salsa
  • ½ cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup grated cheddar cheese, a mix of white and orange cheddar is nice
  • Cilantro, to serve

Instructions 

  • Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so that you have 4 thinner pieces. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the taco seasoning, salt, and pepper. 
    2 chicken breasts, 1 tablespoon taco seasoning, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan.
    2 teaspoons cooking oil
  • Add the salsa and corn to the pan and stir, scraping up any bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the chicken back into the pan. Cover the pan and let the chicken simmer in the salsa for 5-7 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. 
    1 ½ cups chunky salsa, ½ cup frozen corn
  • Top with the cheese then cover the pan and let the cheese melt, about 1 minute. Serve with some cilantro over the top.
    1 cup grated cheddar cheese, Cilantro
Serving: 1 serving = ¼ of the recipe, Calories: 310kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 102mg, Sodium: 1336mg, Potassium: 784mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 844IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 240mg, Iron: 1mg
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Cheesy salsa chicken in a pan with a wooden spoon with the recipe title on top of the picture.