This easy Salsa Chicken requires just one dish and about 10 minutes of prep for a nutritious and family-friendly dinner!
You asked for it, so here it is: a healthy, dump-and-bake dinner with zero points! This easy Salsa Chicken requires just one dish and about 10 minutes of prep for a nutritious and family-friendly dinner!
Whether you serve your chicken in tacos, over rice, on a salad, in a bowl, or stuffed inside quesadillas, the options are endless. This is truly a meal that makes everyone at the table happy.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that every.single.day. I receive emails from lovely readers with almost identical pleas for help.
You’re looking for:
- New, healthy dinner ideas that the whole family can enjoy — not just the person on a “diet;”
- Quick recipes that come together easily at the end of a busy day;
- Affordable options that won’t blow your grocery budget.
And you know what? This Salsa Chicken checks ALL of the boxes!
I’ve never done Weight Watchers, and I don’t know much about how the system works, but I do know that a lot of my readers are finding success with the program.
You’re always looking for new ways to incorporate nutritious low-points dinners into your weekly meal plan, and I’m excited to help you out!
I’ve been preparing a version of this Salsa Chicken for my own family for years, so when I realized that the few ingredients required to make it were all ZERO POINTS on the flexible Weight Watchers list, I knew that I had to share it with you. Whether you’re on Weight Watchers or not, I know that you’re going to love this meal.
It’s approved by me, my husband, and our 3 kiddos!
How to Make Zero Point Salsa Chicken:
While my Dump-and-Bake Salsa Chicken is obviously a nutritious, low-calorie dish, it’s definitely not lacking in flavor!
Best of all, the prep (which only takes minutes) is as easy as 1-2-3. Here’s how it goes:
Step 1: Stir together frozen corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, and salsa in a dish, along with minced garlic and cumin.
Step 2: Place your chicken breasts on top, and season with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Pour additional salsa on top of the chicken; cover; and bake for 45-60 minutes (or until your chicken is done).
In the end, you’ll have zesty, flavorful, tender, and juicy meat that serves as the base for a variety of easy dinners.
How to Serve Salsa Chicken:
- In soft tacos! Stuff the chicken, salsa, corn, and beans into warm tortillas. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, sour cream, green onions, olives, guacamole, or any of your other favorite toppings.
- In burrito bowls! Fill a bowl with rice (or cauliflower rice) and top it with the salsa chicken. Add shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, sour cream, green onions, olives, guacamole, or any of your other favorite fixin’s.
- In quesadillas! Slice (or shred) the chicken and stuff it inside quesadillas. Use the corn and bean salsa as a delicious topping just before serving.
- On taco salad! Keep it really light and enjoy the salsa chicken over a bed of crispy romaine. Add toppings if you like, but it’s certainly not necessary!
I hope that your family loves this meal as much as we do, and that it makes your healthy lifestyle just a wee bit easier!
Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:
- For a quicker cooking time, cut larger chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thinner pieces of meat. Thin, small chicken breasts will be done in about 25-30 minutes.
- Prepare this dinner in the slow cooker! Just place the chicken breast in the bottom of a Crock Pot. Add the remaining ingredients on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
- Cooking Just for Two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and prepare the recipe in an 8-inch square baking dish. The cooking time will remain the same.
Other healthy chicken recipes that you might enjoy:
- Chicken Teriyaki {Instant Pot or Slow Cooker}
- Dump-and-Bake Chicken Parmesan Casserole {Lightened Up}
- Crispy Roast Chicken with Vegetables
- Dump-and-Bake Jerk Chicken
Dump-and-Bake Salsa Chicken
This easy Salsa Chicken requires just one dish and about 10 minutes of prep for a nutritious and family-friendly dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 (14.4 ounce) bag frozen corn kernels (about 3 cups)
- 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 (15 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 cup salsa divided
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic I like to use a squeeze bottle of fresh minced garlic from the produce section for a shortcut
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Spray a large (9 x 13-inch) baking dish with cooking spray.
- In the prepared dish, stir together frozen corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, ½ cup of salsa, garlic, and cumin.
- Place chicken on top of corn mixture. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour remaining ½ cup of salsa over chicken.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for approximately 45-60 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F. The total length of cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
- Remove chicken from dish and slice (or shred with two forks). Return to dish, stir to combine, and serve.
Recipe Notes
- For a quicker cooking time, cut larger chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thinner pieces of meat. Thin, small chicken breasts will be done in about 25-30 minutes.
- Prepare this dinner in the slow cooker! Just place the chicken breast in the bottom of a Crock Pot. Add the remaining ingredients on top. Cover and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours.
- Cooking Just for Two? Cut all of the ingredients in half and prepare the recipe in an 8-inch square baking dish. The cooking time will remain the same.
How to Serve Salsa Chicken:
- In soft tacos! Stuff the chicken, salsa, corn, and beans into warm tortillas. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, sour cream, green onions, olives, guacamole, or any of your other favorite toppings.
- In burrito bowls! Fill a bowl with rice (or cauliflower rice) and top it with the salsa chicken. Add shredded cheddar cheese, lettuce, sour cream, green onions, olives, guacamole, or any of your other favorite fixin's.
- In quesadillas! Slice (or shred) the chicken and stuff it inside quesadillas. Use the corn and bean salsa as a delicious topping just before serving.
- On taco salad! Keep it really light and enjoy the salsa chicken over a bed of crispy romaine. Add toppings if you like, but it's certainly not necessary!
Blair,
I’m not a huge fan of salsa, but my kids are, so this looks like one we should try. I’d like to try it in the crock pot. Do you recommend maybe on low for 2-3 hours or would I just end up with very mushy corn/beans/tomatoes?
Hi, Jeannie! Yes, the slow cooker should work well! It’s hard to say exactly how long it will take, since different slow cookers run at different temps. In general, if you’re cooking chicken breasts, I think it’s safe to cook them for 3-4 hours on low. You just need to be careful because chicken breasts can dry out pretty easily in the slow cooker, so you don’t want to cook them for too long. Chicken thighs work really well in the slow cooker as an alternative, if you like dark meat. 🙂
This was absolutely amazing!! I used chicken breast cutlets and 45 minutes was perfect!! I ended up using a packet of taco seasoning, half in the mix, and 1/4 on top the breasts and 1/4 beneath them. I served with avocado wrapped in a large tortilla . Didn’t even need any cheese or sour cream. So delicious and easy, thank you!
Perfect!!! Thank you, Cassie!
We rarely use salsa because we always have leftovers – but now I know what to do with it! I think we’ll have to have salsa on our tacos tonight and then make this later in the week!
You’ll love this dish, Kristy! Thank you!
Wondering if you can freeze this meal in its raw condition and later, thaw and bake?
Hi, Cindy! Yes! This is a perfect freezer meal!
Hi
Could you freeze this once it is cooked Aswell not raw?
Hey, Kerrie! Yes — the leftovers freeze really well!
Thank you for this quick put together chicken recipe. I’m making it tonight. Sounds wonderful.
Awesome! Enjoy, Susan!
Thanks for saving dinnertime tonight Blair!! I got home exhausted from work, with my husband and hour behind me, also exhausted from work. Our 19.5 month old toddler needed supper, a bath, etc etc. What to make for dinner?! I had a look through your chicken recipes and this one jumped out. Lo and behold, I had all the ingredients! We’ve not even eaten it yet, but it smells so good I know it’s going to be delicious. Quick, easy, healthy: exactly what we needed on this tired, hungry, busy summer weeknight. Thank you so much!!!
That’s wonderful, Amy! I hope that it was a hit! 🙂
How many days do you recommend to be consumed once cooked separated and put back in fridge.. (Basically meal prepping!)
Hi, Chasity! I have enjoyed it for at least 3 or 4 days in the refrigerator. I even eat it cold — wrapped up in a tortilla or on top of a salad! 🙂
I am confused. The ingredients here are all zero points, but the nutritional facts below come up to 7 points. Are you able to provide a breakdown of where the totals came from?
Hey, Kim! If you use the Recipe Builder on the Weight Watchers app or website, it will show you that the zero points ingredients all add up to a zero points meal. Don’t use the total calories and nutrition facts, because that will give you the wrong point value. Just like plain nonfat Greek yogurt, for example — that’s a zero points food, but if you just enter the nutrition facts for the yogurt, it will give you a point value. Hope that makes sense! 🙂
I made this tonight and it is DELICIOUS! Thank you for the amazing recipe. It will definitely be a keeper.
Yay! Thanks, Lindsey!
Can I use canned corn
Hi, Rachel! Yes, you can definitely use drained, canned corn. 🙂
I cooked my meal for 50 mins and my chicken was no where to be done. It’s going to cook uncovered for 25 more minutes. I pounded out my chicken too. Very strange to me.
Hey, Jennifer! That’s definitely strange! The chicken breasts (especially if they’re thin) should definitely be cooked through in 50 minutes! Hope that the additional time helped. 🙂
I have made this twice and it has always taken considerably more than 45-60 minutes. Maybe wrong oven temp?
Hey, Abbie! The cooking time for chicken breasts can vary drastically, depending on the size of your meat. You’re probably using very large chicken? If you want to cut down on the cooking time, just use cutlets, tenderloins, or boneless breasts that you slice in half. 🙂
I butterflied the chicken breast last time and still needed to cooked them for another 30 minutes uncovered.
What can you use instead of corn?
If you are unable to eat corn, what would you suggest using?
Hi, Bella! You can use an equal amount of additional black beans (or sub with another kind of bean like pinto beans), an equal amount of frozen lima beans, frozen diced carrots, chopped onion, or just about any other vegetable that you enjoy! 🙂
I cook for my parents every week, I am thinking of putting this together in the morning and having my mom get to my house before I get home from work to throw in the oven — this way she doesn’t have to do any of the work and it’s ready sooner rather than waiting to get home and put it together. Do you think that would be ok??
Yes! That will work perfectly! Enjoy, Michele!
I have just made this and it was delicious – I used sweetcorn from our farm that I froze way back in summer, and Quorn because my partner is vegetarian. It worked really well!
Sounds perfect, Joanne! Thanks so much!
Do you think you could cook trice directly IN this recipe while it’s in the oven? Is there enough liquid? Thanks !
*rice
Hi, April! It will depend on how much rice you use and what type of rice. If you’re using long grain rice, you will probably need to add some broth or liquid before baking. If you use instant rice or parboiled rice (which absorbs less liquid), then it may be enough. Sorry I can’t be more specific — I just haven’t tested it this way. 🙂
Hi – I would love to make this tonight, I have thin slice chicken cutlets from Wegmans. How long do you think I should try cooking for? They are not as thick as a chicken breast. Is your recipe for pounded even chicken breasts?
Hi, Tara! The thinner chicken cutlets will bake much faster than the thicker chicken breasts that I used. I would start with about 30 minutes, check the meat, and then return it to the oven if it’s not quite done at that point. Enjoy!
Hi Blair , I made your Salsa Chicken last night for dinner .. at the last few mins I sprinkled on some cheddar cheese and let it melt and it was amazing … we put jalapenos and sour cream on top and it just brought it all togather ..its a keeper that’s for sure ….yummmm
Wonderful! That sounds delicious, Jane!
Can this be cooked in an Instant Pot pressure cooker?
Hi, Joann! I bet it would work well in the Instant Pot! I haven’t tested it myself, so I can’t give you specific timing, but I would look at this Instant Pot chicken recipe and start there for the timing and settings: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/slow-cooker-root-beer-barbecue-chicken/
Let me know if you give it a shot!
Did you try this recipe in the instant pot? If so, how did you adapt the recipe, please?
So glad I found this recipe! My husband (the picky eater) likes it! Of course I had to leave out the black beans… but its still delicious. I add a big squeeze of lime and some cilantro before serving.
That’s wonderful! Thank you, Ellen!
Hi does the chicken need to be thawed first or would this work for frozen chicken. I always forget to take the chicken out of freezer. Thanks love your recipes
I always thaw the chicken first, but I suppose you could bake it frozen — you’ll just have to extend the baking time. I would think that a frozen chicken breast should take about twice as long as the thawed version. 🙂
Blair, could you us chicken tenders for this meal? Would make it eazy to put in tortillas when done.
Hi, Jo! Yes — that would be a great option. The tenders will cook faster than chicken breasts, so it will cut down on your baking time too. 🙂
Delicious
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Trying your jerk and Parmesan chicken recipes next. Thanks
Thanks, Theresa! I hope you enjoy the recipes!
What about doing this on a traeger smoker? Thinking about trying that tonight instead of heating up my house with the oven.
Hi, Erin! I haven’t tried cooking this dish on the grill, and I don’t have a Traeger smoker so I can’t speak to that specifically. Chicken is always delicious when it’s smoked though, so I’m sure it would be delicious!
I needed a quick dinner with what we have on hand. I used frozen chicken breast sliced about 1” thick and mixed everything together in my Instant Pot Mini. Cooked at high pressure for 9 minutes. Perfect! Thanks for the recipe!!
Awesome! Thanks for letting me know, Dot! That sounds perfect. 🙂
It came out kinda soupy; where did I go wrong?
Hey, Laura! I don’t think that you necessarily did anything wrong. The chicken and the vegetables are naturally going to release some liquid during the cooking process. Just use a slotted spoon to serve the meat and veggies, leaving any excess liquid in the dish, and you should be all set. 🙂
Could this recipe be done in an instant pot? If so, what setting and how long?
Hi, Ben! I haven’t tested this one in the Instant Pot, but I imagine it would probably work well. You probably need to add 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the pot before cooking, though, because you need a minimal amount of liquid in the pressure cooker in order for it to build up pressure. It will have more liquid in the pot when it’s done, but you can just serve with a slotted spoon and leave the rest in the pot. Here’s how I like to cook chicken breasts in the IP:
Press the “Manual” button on high pressure, and then set the timer to 10 minutes.
It will take about 10 minutes for the pot to heat up and build up pressure. Once the 10-minute timer is done, quick release the pressure from the pot, sliding the steam release handle to the “Venting” position, releasing all of the steam until the float valve drops down.
Open the lid and press the “cancel” button.
Remove the chicken to a cutting board. Allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.