Description

This Santa Fe Chicken recipe brings bold Southwestern flavors to your dinner table with a perfectly spiced chicken breast seared and baked in a savory mixture of black beans, roasted peppers, corn, and tangy diced tomatoes. Topped with a melted Tex-Mex cheese blend and fresh herbs, it's a colorful, hearty dish that's simple to prepare in under 40 minutes.

Ingredients

Chicken and Seasoning

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Vegetable Mixture

15 ounces diced tomatoes, drained (1 can)
15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed (1 can)
8 ounces roasted peppers, drained well and chopped
1 cup corn, frozen and thawed

Toppings and Garnish

1 cup Tex-Mex cheese blend, divided
2-3 green onions, chopped
½ bunch cilantro, chopped

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Instructions

Prepare Chicken: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Combine garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt, then rub this spice mix and half of the olive oil evenly over the chicken breasts to season them.
Sear Chicken: Heat the remaining olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Once hot, sear the chicken breasts for 3-4 minutes on each side until they develop a golden-brown crust. Then, remove the chicken temporarily from the skillet and set aside.
Add Vegetables: Keeping the skillet on medium heat, add diced tomatoes, black beans, roasted peppers, and thawed corn to the pan. Stir well to combine and begin melding the flavors.
Start Melting Cheese: Sprinkle half of the Tex-Mex cheese blend over the vegetable mixture. Allow it to cook for a few minutes until the cheese begins to melt and the sauce starts bubbling gently.
Bake with Chicken: Nestle the seared chicken breasts into the bubbling veggie mixture, then cover each breast with the remaining cheese. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through to 165°F internally and the cheese is fully melted and bubbly.
Garnish and Serve: Remove the skillet from the oven and top the dish with fresh chopped green onions and cilantro. Serve the Santa Fe Chicken hot directly from the skillet for a warm and comforting meal.

Notes

If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can transfer the vegetable mixture and seared chicken to a baking dish before baking.
For extra heat, add an additional ¼ teaspoon cayenne or some diced jalapeños to the veggie mix.
To keep the chicken moist, avoid overbaking – use a meat thermometer to check for 165°F internal temperature.
This dish pairs well with warm tortillas, Mexican rice, or a simple green salad on the side.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Southwestern American