Spicy salsa chicken with chorizo is a combination of seasoned chicken breasts, homemade salsa and spicy Mexican chorizo sausage for a flavor-packed chicken dinner.
This recipe is so good! The Mexican chorizo adds just the right amount of flavor and spice to mild tasting chicken for a hearty and healthy dinner.
Recipe Highlights
- It's easy - make it in one pan for easy cleanup.
- It's made with fresh ingredients and is customizable.
What you Will Need
You Will Also Need
A skillet or braising pan that can go from stovetop to the oven to make this recipe. I like to use a cast iron cast iron skillet it's easy to cover it up and pop in the oven.
If you do not have an oven proof skillet, you can brown the sausage and chicken on top of the stove and place it in an ovenproof casserole dish.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Chorizo Sausage - this recipe calls for Mexican chorizo which is not the same as Spanish chorizo. Spanish is a cured hard sausage while Mexican chorizo is made with raw ground pork. If you can't find Mexican Chorizo, hot Italian sausage would be a better substitute in this recipe.
Chicken - I like to use boneless chicken breasts when I make this recipe, but you can use boneless chicken thighs too.
Queso Fresco - is a mild fresh tasting Mexican cheese. It can easily be substituted with mild feta cheese, Monteray jack, or Cotija cheese.
Tomatoes - Fresh tomatoes taste best in this recipe, if they aren't available you can use diced canned tomatoes. I like to use low sodium diced tomatoes from Muir Glen.
Jalapeno Pepper - If you don't care for spicy food (the sausage might be hot enough for you) the jalapeno pepper can be left out of this recipe, or you can substitute it with a half of a poblano pepper which is less spicy.
How to Make Salsa Chicken with Chorizo
Mix up the salsa ingredients and set them aside; mix the spices together and set them aside.
Preheat a skillet over medium to high heat. Add ½ of the oil and the brown chorizo in the skillet. Once it has cooked through, remove it from the skillet and set it aside.
Add the remaining oil to the skillet, sprinkle the spice mixture onto both sides of the chicken breasts and cook them until they begin to turn golden on the outside.
Turn the heat off and pour the salsa, sausage crumbles and cheese over the chicken pieces, cover and bake.
Total Estimated Time to Make This Recipe: 40 to 50 Minutes
How to Store it and leftover ideas
Salsa chicken makes great leftovers. You can store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
To re-heat it, place it in an oven or the microwave. Leftover salsa chicken tastes great on top of a salad, steamed brown rice, in a wrap or quesadilla.
Serving Suggestions
Serve spicy salsa chicken with a side of green beans, salad, and your favorite whole grain or cauliflower rice for a low carb version.
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Click on serving size to scale this recipe
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons [chili powder]
- ½ teaspoon [ground cumin]
- ½ teaspoon [garlic powder]
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or [avocado oil]
- 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
- 4 ounces of Mexican chorizo sausage
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 clove chopped garlic
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 1 chopped jalapeno pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 to 3 ounces crumbled queso fresco
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350
- Mix 2 teaspoons chili powder, ½ teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon garlic powder and rub the mixture over the chicken and set it aside.
- Make the Salsa: combine 1 cup diced tomatoes, 1 clove chopped garlic, ¼ cup chopped onion, 1 chopped jalapeno pepper, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro and set it aside.
- Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a skillet and add the chorizo, and break it into crumbles as it cooks.
- Once it's cooked, set it aside and add the remaining ½ tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and brown the chicken breasts for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side - just until they begin to turn brown.
- Top the chicken with the salsa and the sausage; cover it and bake it for 20 until the chicken is cooked through (160 degrees).
- Remove the cover and sprinkle the chicken with the cheese and place it back into the oven and cook until the cheese has melted.
Notes
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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