Salsa Chicken

Here is my latest installment of quick and easy weeknight meals. There is something that is particularly satisfying about getting a delicious homemade dinner on the table without spending all night slaving over the stove. With how little time people have to get dinner ready I love creating these recipes to help people see that making dinner at home can be just as quick as ordering out. This dish is a favorite of mine. I make this for Nick and I at least once a month. I actually learned to make this dish years ago when I first started working. My first job was long with often unpredictable hours and I hated resorting to microwave meals and take-out. A co-worker of mine suggested this recipe to me and introduced me to some others (which I will share soon I promise) to help me find a way to still make a good dinner without having to be home right at 6 pm. After a few years of modifications I think it is absolutely perfect!

I absolutely love this meal because it has so much flavor without requiring a pantry full of spices and the dicing of the veggies in big chunks keeps prep time to a minimum. It also makes fantastic leftovers and reheats great. In fact many times I make this meal on Sunday afternoon and put it in the fridge to have later in the week when an unexpected project or meeting infringes on my dinner making time. Then I have a back-up in the fridge and I have something delicious to look forward to after what was surely a long hard day.

Looking for something tastier than just white rice to serve it on? Try my cilantro, lime rice (just don’t tell Chipotle I’m knocking off their recipe!). It is one of my favorite rice recipes… a great way to quickly and easily dress up rice to avoid the plain old bowl of white rice on the table. Cilantro Lime Rice Recipe

Mexican Chicken Recipe

Ingredients
yields 4 servings
1 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced (green, red, yellow, or orange – whatever you like)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch cubes
1 15oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 20oz. jar chunky salsa
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups rice prepared according to directions on package or 1 batch of my Cilantro Lime Rice
optional accompaniments: fresh cilantro, sour cream, avocado, lime wedges, etc.

Directions
1) Heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers and cook until tender (about 3-4 minutes). Add chicken breast cubes and cook, stirring occasionally, until no visible pink remains on the outside (about 6-7 minutes).

2) Add in beans, corn, salsa, and water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through (about 15 minutes) – for a thicker sauce remove lid for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve over rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro, sour cream, avocado, etc.

**Alternative Prep…
After step 1 place all ingredients in a slow-cooker and heat on low, covered for 2-3 hours. Easy, peasy! 🙂

Looking for more quick and easy dinners? Try our some of my other favorite quick and easy recipes.