Southwest Chicken Bake
Baked chicken breasts in a creamy enchilada-tomato sauce topped with melted Mexican cheese and served over tortilla chips, garnished with cilantro and cotija cheese.
Equipment
- 8×11-inch Baking Dish
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts(*)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 15 ouncesenchilada sauce 1 can
- 14.5 ouncesdiced tomatoes with green chilies 1 can, drained
- 8 ouncessour cream **
- 1 cupshredded Mexican cheese blend ***
- chopped fresh cilantro
- cojita cheese
- tortilla chips/strips
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray an 8×11-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Pound the 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts to an even 1-inch thickness. Pat dry and season both sides with salt and pepper to taste.
- Arrange the seasoned chicken breasts in a single layer in the prepared baking dish.
- Drain the 14.5 ounces diced tomatoes with green chilies. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 15 ounces enchilada sauce, the drained diced tomatoes, and the 8 ounces sour cream until blended.
- Pour the sauce mixture evenly over the chicken, covering the breasts.
- Bake at 375°F until the thickest part of the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 20–30 minutes depending on thickness. Use an instant-read thermometer to check doneness.
- Remove the dish from the oven and evenly sprinkle the 1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend over the chicken.
- Return the dish to the oven and bake just until the cheese is melted and beginning to bubble, about 2–5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the chicken rest in the dish for 3–4 minutes.
- To serve, place a nest of tortilla chips/strips on each plate, transfer a chicken breast on top, spoon some of the sauce from the baking dish over the chicken, and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and crumbled cojita cheese.
Notes
Try rubbing the chicken withtaco seasoning(instead of just salt and pepper) for an extra kick of flavor.
To prevent sticking, you can spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the dish before placing the chicken.
Drain the canned tomatoes with green chilies thoroughly. Extra liquid can make the sauce watery instead of creamy.
Instead of red enchilada sauce, try using green enchilada sauce for a brighter and tangier flavor. Lots of readers have also loved making this with salsa verde.
Crockpot Instructions:Place the seasoned chicken breasts and Southwest sauce in your crockpot and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Sprinkle the cheese over top in the last 10-15 minutes.
Properly cooked chicken breasts should reach165°F internally.
Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
To prevent sticking, you can spread a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the dish before placing the chicken.
Drain the canned tomatoes with green chilies thoroughly. Extra liquid can make the sauce watery instead of creamy.
Instead of red enchilada sauce, try using green enchilada sauce for a brighter and tangier flavor. Lots of readers have also loved making this with salsa verde.
Crockpot Instructions:Place the seasoned chicken breasts and Southwest sauce in your crockpot and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours or on HIGH for 2-3 hours. Sprinkle the cheese over top in the last 10-15 minutes.
Properly cooked chicken breasts should reach165°F internally.
Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.