Description
Santa fe chicken brings together tender chicken, roasted peppers, and creamy sauce in a way that makes weeknight dinners feel special and satisfying. Your family gets a filling, flavorful meal that comes together faster than you’d expect, with smoky, slightly spicy flavors that keep everyone coming back for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins and Base:
- 2 large chicken breasts
- 1 cup Mexican cheese blend
Vegetables and Beans:
- 1/2 medium onion
- 1 10 ounces can Ro-tel diced tomatoes & green chilies
- 1 14 ounces can black beans
- 1 12 ounces can corn
- 2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
Seasonings and Oil:
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400°F and position the rack in the middle.
- Pat your 4 thin chicken cutlets dry, then coat them with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into an oven-safe skillet and set it over medium heat for about 1 minute.
- Once the oil shimmers, lay your chicken cutlets in the pan and sear for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they turn golden and release easily.
- Transfer your seared chicken to a plate and set aside.
- In that same skillet, add your chopped 1/2 medium onion and cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat until it softens.
- Stir in your drained 10 ounce can of Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, 14 ounce can of black beans, 12 ounce can of corn, and 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika.
- Let everything heat through for 2 to 3 minutes while you scrape up the flavorful browned bits stuck to the bottom.
- Nestle your chicken back into the skillet and spoon the vegetable mixture over top.
- Sprinkle 1 cup of Mexican cheese blend across your chicken and vegetables.
- Slide your skillet into the 400°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese melts and your chicken reaches 165°F internally.
- If you’d like deeper cheese browning, turn on the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes before serving.
- Scatter fresh cilantro over the top if you’re using it and serve right away.
Notes
- Searing the chicken properly matters because those golden brown bits stuck to the pan create flavor that seasons your entire dish, so don’t skip this step.
- If your skillet isn’t oven-safe, transfer the seared chicken and vegetables to a baking dish before adding cheese and finishing in the oven.
- For a spicier kick, add diced jalapeños when you sauté the onions, or use a hotter variety of Rotel to match your heat preference.
- Check that your chicken reaches 165°F at the thickest part with a meat thermometer to ensure it’s fully cooked without drying out the meat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Baked Chicken
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mexican-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 429 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 522 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 38 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg