Try this Dump-and-Bake Salsa Chicken recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 1 14.4 ounce bag frozen corn kernels (about 3 cu
- 1 15 ounce can black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes drained
- 1 cup salsa (divided)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic (i like to use a squeeze bottle of
- â½ teaspoon cumin
- 2 lbs. boneless (skinless chicken breasts)
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (0g)
- Sodium 25.8386666666667 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Spray a large (9 x 13-inch) baking dish with cooking spray.
- In the prepared dish, stir together frozen corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, ½ cup of salsa, garlic, and cumin.
- Place chicken on top of corn mixture. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Pour remaining ½ cup of salsa over chicken.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for approximately 45-60 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F. The total length of cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken breasts.
- Remove chicken from dish and slice (or shred with two forks). Return to dish, stir to combine, and serve.
Ingredient lists rarely account for moisture distribution, which is why layering matters significantly in this casserole. Placing the corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, garlic, and cumin at the bottom of the 9x13-inch baking dish creates a vegetable bed that releases liquid as it thwarts direct bottom-heat scorching. Boneless breasts placed directly over this damp matrix absorb ambient steam while roasting, keeping the protein moist despite the dry oven environment. Covering the dish tightly with aluminum foil traps vapor inside, ensuring the internal temperature climbs evenly to the required 165 degrees Fahrenheit without browning the surface prematurely.
Thermal mass dictates the actual duration inside the 375 degree F oven. Thicker breasts require up to 60 minutes, whereas thinner cuts finish closer to 45 minutes. Piercing the thickest part of the meat with an instant-read thermometer remains the only definitive indicator of doneness. Removing the chicken promptly prevents residual heat from overcooking the outer edges. Shredding or slicing the meat directly on a cutting board before returning it to the warm vegetable juices allows the protein fibers to reabsorb regional moisture.
Freezing this unbaked assembly requires specific precautions to prevent structural breakdown of the produce. Combine the corn, beans, tomatoes, and spices in a heavy-duty freezer bag alongside the raw chicken, omitting the initial thaw step entirely. Thaw the sealed bag completely in the refrigerator for 24 hours before transferring the contents to a greased baking dish; cooking directly from frozen alters the liquid ratio and extends the baking window unpredictably. Cooked leftovers maintain safe quality for three days stored in an airtight container.
Acidity from the salsa and tomatoes functions as a natural tenderizer over prolonged cooking durations. Substituting jarred salsa with fresh pico de gallo introduces excess water content, which dilutes the spice concentration and alters the final sauce consistency. Adjusting the cumin quantity upward enhances the earthy profile against the sweet frozen corn kernels. Drain the canned black beans thoroughly through a fine-mesh sieve to eliminate excess starches that might otherwise make the baking liquid gummy.
