Easy Baked Salsa Chicken and Rice

This Easy Baked Salsa Chicken and Rice is a super easy Mexican-inspired weeknight meal made in only one pan! On the table in about 30 minutes!

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I don’t know about your family but in the Busy Baker house we are back at it – and by “it” I mean the busy fall back-to-school and back-to-activities season that seems to always take us by surprise at the end of summer. I think we do a pretty good job of avoiding the unnecessary busyness and opting for a more stable and structured family life (because, do 5 and 7 year olds really need to be in 20 different activities? I think not.), but that doesn’t mean I’m not reaching for easy one pan meals, like this Easy Baked Salsa Chicken and Rice, several times a week just to get through the dinner hour.

Between school, piano lessons, dance class, and just the regular old family responsibilities like never-ending laundry (can I get an amen!?) and making sure my family gets fed 3 times a day, I depend on meal planning and easy weeknight meals like this one to ensure I’m not going crazy on the daily. And because maintaining a healthy diet is very important to us  – we deal with a few food allergies and intolerances in our family – our easy weeknight meals have GOT to be healthy too!

This Easy Baked Salsa Chicken and Rice is one of our faves – it’s super simple to throw together, it’s packed with veggies and delicious fat-free salsa, it’s made with whole grain rice (substitute brown rice if you like that!) and low-fat chicken breasts, AND it’s on the table in about 30-35 minutes. I mean, what’s not to love!?!?

Looking for even more easy meals? Try my One Pan Vegetarian Lentil Curry recipe, or these delicious Slow Cooker White Bean and Lentil Chili Stuffed Sweet Potatoes!

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I hope you love this Easy Baked Salsa Chicken and Rice as much as we do! Let me know in the comments below, what’s your favourite Mexican-inspired easy weeknight meal? I’d love to know!

KITCHEN PRODUCTS I RECOMMEND:

Looking for even more weeknight meal ideas? You’ll LOVE these:

• Easy One Pot Pasta Primavera

• Creamy Enchilada One Pot Pasta

• Crispy Oven Fried Chicken

• Skillet French Onion Stuffed Chicken

• Skillet Pesto Caprese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

• Chicken Breasts with White Wine Mushroom Sauce

5 from 5 votes

Print

Easy Baked Salsa Chicken and Rice

This Easy Baked Salsa Chicken and Rice is a super easy Mexican-inspired weeknight meal made in only one pan! On the table in about 30 minutes!

Course Chicken, Dinner, Main Course, Meal Prep

Cuisine American, Family Meal, Meal Prep, Mexican, North American, Weeknight Meal

Keyword Easy Baked Salsa Chicken and Rice

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 632 kcal

Author Chrissie

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 chicken breasts (about 3 oz each)
• 1 tablespoon low sodium taco seasoning
• 2 bell peppers (I use red and green) chopped
• 1 1/4 cup long grain white rice
• 3 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups fat free salsa
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• chopped cilantro and sliced jalapenos for serving optional

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over high heat and add the olive oil.

3. Sprinkle the 4 chicken breasts with the taco seasoning on both sides and sear the chicken in the pan on both sides. The chicken breasts will only need about 2 minutes per side over high heat - the idea is not to cook the chicken through, but just to develop some flavour on the outside of the chicken and in the pan. (Feel free to skip this step to save time - see recipe notes)

4. Turn off the heat under the pan. Remove the chicken breasts to a plate and add the chopped bell peppers, rice, and chicken stock to the pan, stirring everything together.

5. Add the chicken breasts back in, nestling them into the rice mixture.

6. Spoon the salsa over top of the chicken breasts and then top them with the shredded cheese.

7. Add the whole pan to the oven, uncovered, for about 25-35 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the chicken is cooked through to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or 74 degrees Celsius. (Because pans and oven temperatures vary, this can affect baking time. Use an instant-read thermometer for best results).

8. Once the chicken and rice are cooked through, remove the pan from the oven and serve with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, some sliced jalapenos (optional), and even a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

Recipe Notes

To save time, skip the step of browning the chicken breasts in the pan. Simply add the raw chicken breasts into the rice mixture, top with salsa and cheese, and bake.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Baked Salsa Chicken and Rice

Amount Per Serving (4 servings)

Calories 632 Calories from Fat 144

% Daily Value*

Fat 16g25%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 159mg53%

Sodium 1096mg48%

Potassium 1472mg42%

Carbohydrates 59g20%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 61g122%

Vitamin A 2540IU51%

Vitamin C 81mg98%

Calcium 170mg17%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.