Salsa Chicken Breast and Chorizo Sausage Recipe
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Spicy salsa chicken with Mexican chorizo is a bold, one-pot meal and weeknight dinner that looks impressive, but comes together in less than an hour. Season the chicken with chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin, then let the chorizo add richness and a little heat. Everything bakes in an oven-proof skillet until the spicy tomato sauce is full of flavor. It’s easy enough for a weeknight, yet still special for Sunday dinner.
This post has been refreshed in February 2026 with clearer steps, updated tips, and a few small tweaks.
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Recipe Highlights
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 45 Minutes – 20 minutes stovetop + 25 minutes (baked at 350°F)
Serves: 4 – easy to scale up or down
- Chicken is seasoned with chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder, then seared before baking for better flavor and texture.
- Topped with a quick fresh salsa topping of diced tomatoes, jalapeno, onion, garlic, cilanrto and lime juice, then spooned over the chicken.
- For a milder version, skip the jalapeno and use less chili powder.
Ingredients
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Mexican chorizo
- Ground cumin
- Garlic powder
- Chili powder
- Queso fresco
- Diced tomatoes
- Jalapeno pepper
- Fresh cilantro
- Red onion
- Lime juice
- Minced garlic
- Olive oil
Note: this dish is spicy, if you prefer a milder flavor, use 1 teaspoon of chili powder instead of 2 and leave out the jalapeno pepper.
Missing an ingredient? Find a substitute with the ingredient swap assistant!
How to Make Spicy Chicken Breast and Chorizo
- Prepare: Dice the tomatoes (if using fresh tomatoes), onion, jalapeno, cilantro and mince the garlic. Toss in a small bowl with lime juice. Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Flavor the chicken: Mix the spices with salt and pepper, then coat the chicken with the mixture on both sides.
- Cook the chorizo: Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in an oven-safe skillet, then crumble the chorizo as it browns. When cooked through, remove from the skillet.
- Cook the chicken: Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet and cook the chicken for about 5 minutes per side.
- Finish and Bake: Turn the heat off, and top the chicken with cooked chorizo, the tomato mixture and cheese. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
Tips
- For best results, uise a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature and ensure that the chicken is fully cooked to 165°F.
- Time-saving tip! Use good quality salsa or canned diced tomatoes to save time prepping this reicpe.
- If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, use an oven-proof baking dish.
How to store leftovers
Salsa chicken makes excellent leftovers. You can store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
To reheat 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.
What to do with leftovers: Spoon leftover salsa chicken over a salad or steamed brown rice. You can also tuck it into a wrap or warm it in a quesadilla or top nachos.
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.
Change it Up
While this skillet already brings lots of flavor to your plate, you are not locked into one version. Tone down the heat by replacing the jalapeno peppers with bell peppers, or go for a smoky flavor with chipotle chili powder. Use the grid below as a starting point and follow a row straight across, or mix from each column and build your own creation.
| Protein | Veggies Tomatoes and… | Flavor Onion, Garlic and … |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken Thighs + Chorizo | Jalapeno + Zucchini | Cilantro + Lime + chipotle chili powder |
| Pork Chops | Bell Peppers + Cherry Peppers | Onion, Oregano, Garlic |
| Shrimp + Andouille | Bell Peppers + Zucchini | Cayenne Pepper + Smoked Paprika |
| Black Beans + Soyrizo | Corn + Jalapeno Pepper + Bell Peppers | Chili Powder + Cumin + Lime |
Salsa Chicken Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Cook the chorizo and brown the chicken first, then layer everything in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.
Yes, but add at least 30 minutes to the bake time. Check the internal temperature and cook until it reaches 165 degrees F.
Leave out the jalapeno pepper and reduce the chili powder to about 1 teaspoon. You can also you a milder sausage if you have one.
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Click on serving size to scale this recipe
Salsa Chicken with Chorizo
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons [chili powder]
- 1/2 teaspoon [ground cumin]
- 1/2 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
- 1/4 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, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 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, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1 chopped jalapeno pepper, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro and set it aside.
- Heat 1/2 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 1/2 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 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (165 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
- For best results, uise a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature and ensure that the chicken is fully cooked to 165°F.
- Time-saving tip! Use good quality salsa or canned diced tomatoes to save time prepping this reicpe.
- If you don’t have an oven-proof skillet, use an oven-proof baking dish for the baking process.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and can vary based on cooking methods and ingredients used
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