Spice Rubbed Salsa Chicken takes the typical chicken and salsa pairing up a few notches in an easy, gluten-free, allergy-free, and paleo way! A great dinner recipe to have on hand so you can whip up something tasty and healthy for the whole family on any weeknight!
You can do salsa chicken in the slow cooker, but why not bake it in 30 minutes instead? I'm pretty sure this baked recipe came about due to the fact that I was stuck with only some thin sliced chicken breasts. The grocery back home is either a hit or miss with good, on sale chicken breasts. Sometimes they have an amazing sale, sometimes I might as well buy a car, and sometimes they have none at all. This time...they had zero; they did have these thin sliced breasts, though!
If you've ever made chicken in the slow cooker, you know it shrinks to about half the size. If you're going to cook chicken breasts in the slow cooker, they'd better be darn big! Otherwise, you'll be left with a sad tiny piece for dinner...Yes, it's the same "nutritionally as when it started, but let's get real here! I want more than just a few bites for dinner! Now that I was stuck with these thin slices of chicken breasts, I was already down to "smaller" pieces. Putting them in the slow cooker would be pointless. They'd cook super fast anyway right in the oven! Less thickness to cook through!
So why not dry rub those babies with some spices, throw them in the iron, cover in salsa, and bake!? Not only do you get the killer flavor from the magical cast iron, but the spices fuse into the chicken and the salsa tastes even better when it's warm and baked right in, keeping the chicken super moist! No need to fear the thin chicken breasts any longer! We can make them nice and yummy and not miss their bigger cousin!
I just realized something tragic. I have neither my cast iron or my slow cooker(s). This is bad! I'm been thinking about buying a small cast iron. The one I have at home is a nice big 10.25 inch. I want a small 6.25 inch one next! Not only for a single-serve dinner of one chicken breast but to make a skillet cookie and/or brownie too! Priorities, right? You can't really beat $8 so this cast iron may just be my early Christmas gift to myself!
And a dutch baby! A gluten-free and vegan dutch baby! I'm not sure how I'll pull that egg-filled dish off, but I do know I need the cast iron magic for it! Cast iron skillets never fail you. They basically guarantee a winning recipe (<---proof!). More proof that my dreams of a dutch baby will come is this recipe for thin sliced chicken breasts! No fail, my friends!
Spice Rubbed Salsa Chicken
Spice Rubbed Salsa Chicken
Spice Rubbed Salsa Chicken takes the typical chicken and salsa pairing up a few notches in an easy, gluten-free, allergy-free, and paleo way! A great dinner recipe to have on hand so you can whip up something tasty and healthy for the whole family on any weeknight!
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Main
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 1 lb Thin Sliced Chicken Breasts (about 4)
- 16oz Mild Salsa
- ½ Tsp Smoked Paprika
- ½ Tsp Cumin
- ½ Tsp Onion Powder
- ½ Tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Rub the chicken breasts with the spices and place in a seasoned cast iron skillet.
- Pour the salsa over the chicken to cover.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
Well, I give you chicken and I give myself the inspiration to go make a skillet brownie, skillet cookie, and dutch baby recipe! But first I need that small cast iron! Hello, Amazon! Is there anything the cast iron can't do? I think not!
So tell me:
+ Thin sliced? I think thin sliced are great for dishes like Chicken Piccata!
+ Ever have a dutch baby?
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Mel
I love a bit of chicken, and your dish looks deliciously moist and full of flavours.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Hena Tayeb
mmm that looks delicious
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks!
CJ @ Morsels of Life
This chicken just looks so fun and full of flavor!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It is!!
Audrey
Great quick and easy dinner, gotta love that.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
For sure!
Miz Helen
Your Spice Rubbed Salsa Chicken will have a fantastic flavor that we will love !
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes "you" will!
Lori
Yum! Hubby loves anything salsa... this is one I'm pinning! 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Awesome! I hope you both enjoy!
Lindsey
What a yummy post! Looks simple and super healthy.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
For sure! Thanks!
Angela @marathonsandmotivation.com
Sounds like a GREAT quick & easy weeknight meal!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Sure is!
Kathleen - Bloggers Lifestyle
How easy is that and I am sure it tasted awesome.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Super easy and delish! Give it a try!
Lindsay Cotter
Love the spice and salsa on this chicken! Looks so delicious!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks, Lindsay!
Amanda
I love my cast iron and I love thin cut chicken...awesome for piccata, but I also like it to do a quick Balsamic Marinade with and add to spinach salad!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yup! It is a great cut for certain dishes for sure!
Marla
Hi Rebecca,
Yum - Chicken one of my favorite dishes. Sounds delicious and nutritious.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Always a win!
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
That salsa looks good.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Wow, Megan.
Demeter | Beaming Baker
Oh my goodness, hearing about all this glorious spice infusing into the dish is making me drool like crazy! So many incredible spices--I can only imagine how flavorful this is!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Tons of delicious flavor!
Robyn @ Simply Fresh Dinners
You're too funny, Rebecca! And yes, I'm just using a slow cooker for the first time so it's good to hear your advice on chicken, lol.
This looks fantastic and love the flavourings you chose! Great shots, too!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, thank you, Robyn 😉
Harriet Emily
This looks amazing Rebecca! I love the salsa and spice combo! Yum!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you dear! All about that easy flavor!
Miss Food Fairy
I wish my husband liked chicken & tomatoes as this looks really good! I may have to try it for my nephews instead 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Why not yourself?
Kristen @A Mind Full MOm
I am staying in tune for that gfree, vegan dutch baby <3
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I'll work on it during winter break 😉
Liz
Simple, flavorful and delicious! Win-win-win!!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Totally!
Charlene Asay
This looks super yummy. Thanks for sharing with us all.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I hope you give it a try!
Sarah- A Whisk and Two Wands
Looks beautiful! I bet my husband would love this, I bet it's juicy and full of flavor.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Tons of salsa flavor!
Sarah
beautiful, easy weeknight meal!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes!!
Mary
Salsa and chicken is always a great combination! Looks tasty
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
It sure is!
Mahy
Oh WOW does this look succulently good!!! Love salsa on anything, and this is going on my to-do list asap!! Love it!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Salsa always wins!
Tara | Treble in the Kitchen
Great idea for the salsa chicken combo!! I don't have a cast iron skillet, but totally want one for the purpose of making dessert cookies/cornbreads 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You need one!!!
Chrystal @ Gluten-Free Palate
Wow, looks amazing. And only 6 ingredients!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Ha, sure!
Megan
Yum! An easy meal AND Paleo?! Definitely adding this to my recipe index. Thank you!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Awesome! Hope you enjoy!
Jolina
We've never cooked chicken in a slow cooker before so thank you for the warning! Putting chicken with salsa is awesome. We always have salsa at home so we will be trying this out for sure. Oh and speaking of cast iron - we just bought a 3-in-1 set so now we have all sizes! So convenient 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha! Well slow cooker chicken is amazing, just not very economical 😛
Ah! I need one in each size 😛 Hahaha!
Kate
That rub sounds so fragrant and versatile!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Nice and easy way to add flavor!
Platter Talk
This chicken is something that I'd love to try. I got a cute little cast iron pan at a flea market recently so will work perfect for "just me".
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Ahh!! Lucky!
Cricket Plunkett
Yum, this is my kind of dinner. Love that it looks almost like a stew, so comforting!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
O yea!! Perfect for this cold weather soon!
rachel @ Athletic Avocado
Haha the worst thing in the world is cooking chicken in a crockpot and realizing that it's only 1/3 of the size it was before it was cooked! Hence that's why baked chicken is wayyyy better! I've been putting salsa on my chicken since I can remember so this chicken is perfect for me!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Hahaha! It seriously just disappears in there!!! Tastes so good...but...gives you so little!
Shashi at RunninSrilankan
Rebecca - love these spiced and salsa drenched chicken breasts! A simple and delicious twist on chicken! BTW, I have a large cast iron and a small one and use them both at least once a week! Also - dutch babies are the best - I have failed so far in making one - but gotta keep trying 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I need a small one!!!! I will get one soon!