Salsa Chicken Recipe – LOW CARB

Salsa Chicken is a delicious 3 ingredient meal, low on carbs, and baked to perfection. 

When it comes to Mexican food, typically the whole family can get behind dinner. From a hearty burrito pie to a crowd pleasing Mexican cornbread casserole, there are 7 ways to Sunday to mix up dinner.

And with unlimited toppings and easy ways to change up ingredients so your entire family can love it, typically its seconds all the way around. 

Now while I love a crunch taco and a fajita nacho, this salsa chicken is simple, flavorful, and quick. With very few ingredients and likely ones you already have in your home, all it takes is a jar of salsa, chicken, and some light taco seasonings to be ready for dinner in under 30. 

Salsa Chicken

Easy to make for a busy family weekday meal, is a 5 minute prep and less than 30 minute bake time, making this recipe a top choice for a quick dinner without sacrificing flavor. Plus, its a keto friendly baked chicken recipe, which is a major plus for some!

Mix your flavors and spice up by playing with Salsa flavors.

You can use super hot salsa to kick it up a notch or super mild if you are serving to kids that just don’t love the jalapenos. Want to go the extra mile? Make fresh salsa!

• 4 chicken breasts (this recipe uses thin cut)
• 1 package, 1 oz, taco seasoning
• 1 cup salsa or opt for fresh Pico De Gallo for keto friendly salsa
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• sour cream and minced jalapeno (optional for serving)

RELATED RECIPES: Mexican Ground Beef Casserole, Mexican Street Corn Salad with Feta, Cilantro Lime, Baked Chicken Taquitos, and Spicy Dorito Taco Salad, Chili Cream Cheese Dip Recipe

Chicken Breast Tip: My store was out of regular chicken breast, so I bought thin cut. I cooked the thin cut for 12 minutes and it was done, so I’m recommending 10-12 mins. If you are using a larger/thicker cut chicken breast, I’d recommend 25-35 minutes until center is no longer pink/juices run clear.

Is Salsa Keto Friendly?

This is a great question! So first, we all know that tomatoes are a FRUIT not a vegetable.

Although we put them in savory foods like salsa and they go so well in salads, they are not technically in the vegetable family. That being said, fresh tomatoes are low in carbs, making it a super friendly way to enjoy a fruit. 

Tomatoes have somewhere around 4 cups of carbs per half a cup. 

Now when it comes to salsa, a lot of what the carb content entails has to do with the SALSA itself.

If you are buying STORE BOUGHT salsa, you have to watch the preservatives and additives, so its always best to make yours fresh so you can control what goes in it. The best part of making it fresh is you can puree, leave chunks, or even add extras like avocado. 

Basically make sure you get a salsa or make a salsa that aligns with your carb counts for the day, which are usually 20 or under for a KETOGENTIC diet.

Baked Salsa Chicken

Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9×13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Lay chicken into pan and sprinkle with taco seasoning.

Top with salsa or fresh pico de gallo and spread evenly among chicken.

Smother with cheese.

Bake for 10-15 minutes if thin cut or 25-35 minutes if a thick/regular cut chicken breast.

Serve with diced jalapenos, sour cream, or any other amazing toppings (if desired)

Serves 4

Serve your Salsa Chicken with

• Pineapple Salsa or Mango Salsa for a kick
• Fresh Pico De Gallo
• Full fat Sour Cream (also keto and low carb friendly!)

Mexican Recipes

Need more Mexican flavors for your Taco Tuesday? Mexican food is a staple in our home with its fresh tomatoes and delicious seasonings. Here are a few of my favoritse that make our table once a month!

1. Taco Dip– Grab some fresh chips and load up with layers of taco dip
2. Enchilada Dip– Not gonna lie, we eat this one for lunch! 
3. Mexican Corn Dip – you can eat this one right on the side or use inside tortillas or on chips, its such a great recipe

Looking for another chicken main dish meal? Try chicken spaghetti with rotel!

Salsa Chicken Smothered in Mexican Cheese

Author: Trisha Haas - Salty Side Dish

5 from 4 votes

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

Servings: 4 people

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe

Salsa Chicken, 30 minutes or less dinner recipe, so easy to make - Mexican Night made flavorful and delicious with tons of toppings choices and with only 3 ingredients 

Ingredients 

• ▢ 4 chicken breasts
• ▢ 1 package 1 oz, taco seasoning
• ▢ 1 cup salsa
• ▢ 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• ▢ sour cream and minced jalapeno optional for serving

Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9x13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Lay chicken into pan and sprinkle with taco seasoning. Top with salsa and spread evenly among chicken. Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes if thin cut or 25-35 minutes if a thick/regular cut chicken breast. Serve with diced jalapenos and sour cream if desired.

Notes

The values of carbs is auto calculated and can vary depending on the Salsa you use. Please make sure you check that count prior to making this dish or make homemade to really control how much you consume.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 361kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 45gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 132mgSodium: 1246mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4g

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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