Description
Salsa verde chicken gets its tangy kick from green tomatoes and cilantro, making it a go-to weeknight dinner that comes together faster than you’d think. Shredded chicken mingles with that bright green sauce, perfect for tacos, rice bowls, or whatever way you feel like serving it.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness
Seasonings and Aromatics:
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder
- 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking and Sauce Components:
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 0.5 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups salsa verde, homemade or store-bought
- 0.5 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- fresh lime wedges, for garnish
- fresh cilantro, chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Place your 4 chicken breasts in a large resealable bag and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, 1 teaspoon of paprika, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper to the bag.
- Massage the marinade into your chicken using your hands until everything is coated evenly, then seal the bag and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Heat your oven to 375°F while your chicken finishes marinating.
- Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large oven-safe skillet and set it over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers.
- Once your skillet is hot, add your chicken breasts and sear them for 6 to 7 minutes on each side until they’re golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Transfer your cooked chicken to a plate and cover it loosely with aluminum foil to keep it warm.
- Add ½ cup of chicken broth to your skillet and scrape up all those flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom.
- Pour in your 2 cups of salsa verde and stir everything together, then bring the mixture to a boil.
- Lower your heat to medium-low and let the sauce simmer until it reduces by about half, which concentrates all those bright flavors.
- Return your chicken to the skillet, nestling it back into the sauce.
- Sprinkle ½ cup of shredded Monterey Jack cheese over top and transfer your skillet to the oven for 5 minutes until the cheese melts completely.
- Serve your chicken and sauce over rice, finishing with fresh lime wedges and chopped cilantro on top.
Notes
- Marinating for the full 20-30 minutes helps the lime juice and spices penetrate the chicken, making each bite more flavorful throughout.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that your chicken reaches exactly 165°F inside, which keeps it juicy instead of dry from overcooking.
- When you scrape up those browned bits from searing, they add deep savory flavor to your sauce, so don’t skip this step.
- For a lighter version, skip the cheese topping or use a smaller amount, and the dish tastes just as fresh with the salsa verde as the main flavor.
- Prep Time: 25-35 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Sautéed Chicken
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 277 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 390 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg