Dreamy, cheesy Avocado Salsa Chicken just might be your new favorite 30-minute dinner recipe! Make it spicy with pepper jack cheese and jalapeños or tame with monterey jack cheese and mild salsa. It’s easy to customize to make the whole family happy!
I love this chicken recipe. Love it! This is an old recipe from 2013, and I think the photos were too mediocre for it to ever get any attention. That’s why I’m shining it up like new. I hope you will take notice this time.
For years I’ve had the great plan to cook a bunch of chicken breasts once a week so I would have cooked chicken on hand for snacks, lunches, soups, etc. That sounded like a great plan, but I never remembered to actually do it. Finally this week I got my act together and seasoned a value pack of chicken with salt and pepper and baked it on Sunday. With pre-cooked chicken, this dinner comes together in a flash because you really just need to reheat the chicken and melt the cheese. You could even do that in the microwave!
I love this chicken dish with black beans and rice, which is a family favorite side dish at my house. Speaking of families, this recipe is easy to adapt for everyone’s tastes. Picky kids might want just chicken or chicken with cheese while more adventurous eaters can have theirs doctored up. If you want it to make it mild, use Monterey jack cheese instead of pepper jack, or spice it up more by adding sliced jalapenos. How will you make yours?
This easy and delicious chicken dish will impress your guests, and you don’t have to tell them how easy it was!
Total Time:35 minutes
Yield:41x
Ingredients
UnitsScale
4 pieces thin boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1cup fresh salsa or pico de gallo
1 avocado sliced thin
4 slices pepper jack cheese shredded
Instructions
Mix oil, chili powder, cilantro, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add uncooked chicken, and toss to coat with seasonings.
Spray a 12″ skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook approximately 5 minutes on the first side. Flip chicken breast over and cook for another 5 minutes.
Spread about 1/4 c. salsa on top of each piece of chicken. Arrange avocado slices evenly over salsa. Lay a layer of cheese on top of avocado. (You may need to cut the cheese slices into shapes that will fit on top of the chicken.
Cover the skillet, and cook for 5 minutes longer, or until cheese is melted. Serve and graciously accept compliments.
Notes
If you prefer, you can make this dish in the oven. Bake the chicken at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Carefully remove and add toppings, and return to oven for 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted.
These cook times are approximate and work for thinly sliced chicken breasts. Please be sure your chicken is cooked completely before serving.
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic 12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover (affiliate link)
Commercial Waterproof Digital Thermometer (affiliate link)
Andi Gleeson
Andi Gleeson is a passionate blogger and mom based in San Francisco who focuses on easy and delicious dinner recipes.
8 comments
Mariele Morris
11 years ago
When it comes to cooking, it is really essential to choose healthy recipes that are easy to prepare as well. I will definitely give it a try to this salsa chicken. You can also find more recipes here.
Andi
11 years ago
Hi, Mariele. Thanks so much for your visit and nice comment! This salsa chicken is one of my favorite recipes, and I hope you like it as much as I do!
marilyn chancey
11 years ago
what do you suggest I fix to go with it. I am going to take it to a sick friend.
I hope your friend enjoys the chicken. I really love this recipe!
Wanda
12 years ago
This chicken looks wonderful. My first time stopping by. I am pinning! Blessings! Wanda
The Weary Chef
12 years ago
Thanks so much, Wanda. I’m glad you stopped by :)
Liz
12 years ago
looks good :-) Fun to find new uses for avocado. Seems guacamole and Cobb salads (and now fudge!) are my main uses. It would be delish on chicken, yes!
The Weary Chef
12 years ago
Thank you! I love avocado as a topping on sandwiches and in guacamole of course, but I forget to use it in other ways. I need to make this again to take a better picture because it was really pretty and delicious.
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8 comments
When it comes to cooking, it is really essential to choose healthy recipes that are easy to prepare as well. I will definitely give it a try to this salsa chicken. You can also find more recipes here.
Hi, Mariele. Thanks so much for your visit and nice comment! This salsa chicken is one of my favorite recipes, and I hope you like it as much as I do!
what do you suggest I fix to go with it. I am going to take it to a sick friend.
Hi, Marilyn! I like serving it with black beans and rice.
I hope your friend enjoys the chicken. I really love this recipe!
This chicken looks wonderful. My first time stopping by. I am pinning! Blessings! Wanda
Thanks so much, Wanda. I’m glad you stopped by :)
looks good :-) Fun to find new uses for avocado. Seems guacamole and Cobb salads (and now fudge!) are my main uses. It would be delish on chicken, yes!
Thank you! I love avocado as a topping on sandwiches and in guacamole of course, but I forget to use it in other ways. I need to make this again to take a better picture because it was really pretty and delicious.