Santa Fe Chicken: Better Than Your Favorite Restaurant

cheddar cheese

🥗Healthier: reduced-fat cheese

💰Cheaper: monterey jack cheese

Reduced-fat cheese lowers calories while still providing creaminess.

black beans

🥗Healthier: cooked lentils

💰Cheaper: canned kidney beans

Canned kidney beans are often less expensive and can be used interchangeably.

Place chicken breasts in a large ziplock bag and pound them to tenderize.

Rinse the chicken breasts and pat them dry with a paper towel.

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper, then sprinkle onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and paprika evenly over them.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a couple of tablespoons of avocado oil.

Once the oil is hot, add the chicken breasts and cook for about 3 minutes on one side.

Flip the chicken breasts, reduce the heat to medium (about level 4), and cook for another 4 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).

Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Clean the skillet and add 2 more tablespoons of oil.

Add half a diced red onion to the skillet and stir for 15 seconds, then add a chopped red bell pepper.

Add half a stick of unsalted butter to the vegetables and let it melt.

Add a 16-ounce bag of frozen corn to the skillet and mix everything together, then cover and cook for 2 minutes.

After 2 minutes, add three minced cloves of garlic, half a tablespoon of cumin, half a tablespoon of oregano, and half a tablespoon of paprika to the skillet.

Drain and rinse a standard can of black beans and add it to the skillet.

Add a can of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies to the mixture.

Stir in about three tablespoons of chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the cooked chicken breasts back into the skillet along with any juices from the plate, nestling them into the mixture.

Sprinkle shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese over the chicken breasts.

Cover the skillet and let it cook for about 3 minutes until the cheese melts.

Top with extra cilantro and optional slices of jalapeno on each chicken breast.

Serve over a bed of fluffy rice.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens