This Salsa Chicken has layers of cream cheese, refried beans, salsa, and seasoned chicken topped with melted cheese. It’s baked casserole-style and is easy to make ahead of time and customize with your favorite toppings!
Try this with my homemade salsa and guacamole.
Salsa Chicken
I have a pretty big collection of chicken recipes on my site, but this salsa chicken is one of my husband’s all-time favorites. I’m pretty sure that your family will love it just as much!
What I have here is the most basic version (although don’t be fooled, there are layers of cream cheese and refried beans underneath that delicious salsa)!
It’s fun to top this off with black beans, diced avocado, crunchy Fritos or Doritos, shredded lettuce, black olives, or sour cream!
How to Make It
See recipe card at bottom of post for full ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Slice the chicken into 2-3 thinner slices and pound to 1/2-inch thick. Season with taco seasoning. Sear in olive oil for 3-4 minutes per side, until a golden crust has developed. Set aside.
Spread cream cheese on the bottom of a baking dish.
Spread refried beans over the layer of cream cheese, then spread an even layer of salsa. Add the seared chicken.
Top with cheese. Cover and bake for 15 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes, then serve.
What to Add to Salsa Chicken
- Sour Cream, Black Beans, Black Olives, Corn, Diced Avocado, Guacamole, Queso, Cowboy Caviar, Shredded Lettuce, Fritos, Doritos, and be sure to serve with a side of rice!
Make-Ahead Method
- This casserole can be assembled up to 2 days ahead of time. The liquid from the salsa will actually soften up the refried bean layer, making it velvety smooth and even more flavorful.
- Let it sit out for 30 minutes prior to baking, then bake as outlined.
Pro Tips
- Shred the cheese from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese if possible, it will melt and taste much better. I use a combination of Cracker Barrel Yellow Cheddar and Cabot Monterey Jack Cheese.
- Any kind of salsa works great for this recipe, I actually like this super affordable and easy to find Pace salsa. You can also make my homemade salsa recipe.
- I use Philadelphia cream cheese and Old El Paso Refried Beans for this recipe as well.
Storage
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Tools For This Recipe
(Amazon affiliate links)- Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.
- This is the Le Creuset skillet I used in this recipe, (and in 90% of my recipes). It’s pricey, but it conducts heat really well and is oven safe. The size is perfect and the quality is great.
- Kitchen Tongs– makes it easy to handle the chicken when searing.
- My Favorite Chef Knife
- Meat Tenderizer
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Salsa Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breast, about 1 ¾ lbs.
- 1 oz. packet Taco Seasoning
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
- 16 oz. Refried Beans
- 16 oz. Salsa, equal to 2 cups
- 3/4 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 3/4 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
- Fresh Parsley or Cilantro, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°.
- Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2-3 thinner slices. Place in a gallon freezer bag (or in between saran wrap) and use the textured side of a meat mallet to pound it to ½ inch thick. Pat completely dry.
- Season each side with taco seasoning.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches for 3-4 minutes per side, until a golden crust has developed. Set aside.
- Spread the softened cream cheese in an even layer on the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. (You can also use a round 12-inch baking dish.)
- Spread the refried beans on top, then add the salsa, followed by the chicken.
- Add the cheese on top of the chicken. Cover and bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cover and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve!
Notes
- Shred the cheese from a block instead of using packaged shredded cheese if possible, it will melt and taste much better. I use a combination of Cracker Barrel Yellow Cheddar and Cabot Monterey Jack Cheese.
- Any kind of salsa works great for this recipe, I actually like this super affordable and easy to find Pace salsa. You can also make my homemade salsa recipe.
- I use Philadelphia cream cheese and Old El Paso Refried Beans for this recipe as well.
Storage
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutritional Facts are per serving. There are 4 servings in this recipe. Note that the nutritional information shared is an estimate.
Great recipe! Whole family loved it. Just curious if anyone has done this in the crock pot. If so how did it turn out?
So happy that you enjoyed it Kris! I’ll leave it up to others to chime in on the crock pot question! 🙂 One thing I would be careful about is the cream cheese, as it could curdle, so I would only cook it on low. Otherwise I think it would work fine!
A quick and easy week night meal, and delicious! There were no left overs because my family had multiple servings, and asked me to add it to our menu rotations. Thank you for this recipe!
You’re very welcome Tracy! I’m so happy this was such a hit, thanks so much for the great comments and review!💖
THIS RECIPE WAS AWESOME!!! THANK YOU FOR A GREAT MEAL NIGHT THE WHOLE FAMILY ENJOY IT.
My pleasure Rosemary, I’m so happy you liked the Salsa Chicken! Thanks so much for the great comments and for taking the time to leave a review!😃
This recipe was delicious! I’ve always been a fan of Mexican food and all the combinations of flavors mixed together! This recipe did not disappoint! The cream cheese was WONDERFUL mixed in with my homemade salsa! Love that I could serve it as a casserole and could prepare it ahead of time. It was easy and we might make this recipe our new Cinco De Mayo tradition!!! Well done on this one!
I’m so happy this will be part of your new Cinco De Mayo tradition Veronica! Thanks so much for the great comments and for taking the time to leave a review!😃
Looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it. Just wondering if you can freeze this casserole!
Hi Dale, this recipe isn’t a good candidate for the freezer unfortunately.
Very good. Vary your heat level with salsa. Thanks for this recipe.
You’re very welcome Karen, thanks so much for the great comments and review!💜
Amazing. Everyone loves this recipe. I had to double the recipe so there would be leftovers.
Yayyy! Making double so you can enjoy leftovers is such a great call! I’m so happy you’re enjoying this one Lori, thanks so much!😃
I don’t have any cream cheese so am wondering if I could replace cream cheese with sour cream? Or would it be better to cook it without cream cheese and then add sour cream at end?
I would add the sour cream at the end, just to make sure that it doesn’t curdle! 🙂
Delicious!!! I hate leftovers but with this recipe, I was glad to have some. Great taste.
I’m so happy to hear that Deanna! The leftovers are pretty dang yummy😋. Thanks so much for the great review!
Wow. My husband who eats like a picky 12 year older can’t stay away from this stuff! Such a simple, straightforward recipe with so many wonderful flavors. We served over rice but also couldn’t stop dipping tortilla chips in it ♥️
I’m so happy to hear that Becky! My husband eats like a picky 12 year old too 😂. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!