Tex Mex Baked Chicken
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Tex Mex Baked Chicken is perfect for a weeknight dinner. Lean chicken breasts and black beans with flavorful Tex Mex sauce on top. It’s delicious and healthy too!
Baked chicken dinners are popular for many reasons, but one of the biggest reasons may be that chicken is so versatile. No matter what cuisine you’re craving, there are spices and ingredients that pair perfectly with the blank canvas of a boneless chicken breast or thigh.
The seasonings and the majority of the ingredients in this baked chicken dinner are without a doubt, Mexican. Cumin, chili powder, Cojita cheese and enchilada sauce. However, the use of shredded cheddar cheese technically classifies it as Tex Mex chicken.
Tex Mex baked chicken
Unlike a casserole, where ingredients are combined together before baking, this baked chicken dinner is assembled layer by layer. As a result, you are able to taste each ingredient separately.
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are the ingredients you will need to make the recipe:
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts – If you prefer dark meat, boneless skinless chicken thighs are a good substitute
- Cooked black beans – If you’ll be using canned beans, be sure to drain and rinse them first
- Onion – I use yellow but red or white onion would work as well
- Bell pepper – Use the color of your choice; I prefer green bell peppers
- Seasonings – Garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and black pepper
- Red enchilada sauce – For the best flavor, consider making your own. I have an easy red enchilada sauce recipe.
- Cheese – Shredded cheddar and crumbled Cojita cheese
- Cilantro – This is an optional garnish for the top of the Mexican baked chicken.
Video: making Tex Mex baked chicken
For cooking tips, be sure to watch the video in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. The complete instructions for making the dinner are there as well.
- Prep the baking pan and preheat your oven. Use non-stick cooking spray to grease the inside of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Mix the seasoning blend. Add all of the seasonings to a small bowl and whisk them together to combine.
- Assemble the Tex Mex chicken.
- Place the black beans, onion and bell pepper into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Next, place the chicken breasts in a single layer on top of the vegetables and sprinkle the seasoning blend over the chicken breasts.
- Drizzle half of the red enchilada sauce on top of the chicken.
- Cover pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 163°F. (See my recipe notes for more information on properly cooking chicken.)
- Remove baked Mexican chicken from the oven. Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top, drizzle with remaining enchilada sauce, and bake uncovered for 5 minutes to melt the cheese.
Recipe notes
- Chicken: To ensure that the chicken breasts cook evenly, you may want to use the flat side of a meat mallet to lightly pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper to prevent it from sliding around.
- Shred cheese yourself. Ready to use shredded cheddar cheese comes with a starchy coating to prevent the shreds from clumping together. Unfortunately, it also prevents the cheese from melting well.
Instead, consider buying a block of cheddar cheese and shred it yourself. You can buy large blocks of cheese from places like Sam’s Club or Costco, then shred it all at once and freeze what you don’t need.
- Check by temperature, not time. For best results, use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. It is properly cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
However, the meal will continue to cook for a couple of minutes after it comes out of the oven. So, you can pull it out when the internal temperature reaches 163°F.
Serving suggestions
This is a healthy and hearty meal, so the best side dishes to serve would ideally be light and healthy. Some ideas include Peachy Coleslaw, Classic Caesar Salad, or a simple Cilantro Lime Rice.
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Tex Mex Baked Chicken + Video
Ingredients
- 30 oz black beans (2 15-oz cans), drained
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 2 lbs chicken breasts (See Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp chili seasoning
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups red enchilada sauce
- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese or Oaxaca cheese
- 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese or queso fresco
- cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl mix together the garlic, cumin, chili powder, kosher salt and pepper.
- Place the black beans, onion and bell pepper in a rectangle 9×13″ casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray or vegetable oil.
- Layer the chicken breasts on top of the black beans/vegetables and top with seasoning mixture.
- Drizzle half of the red enchilada sauce on top of the chicken.
- Bake covered with foil for 25 minutes, depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts. (See Note 1) Be sure chicken internal temp reads at least 160°F as it will continue to cook.
- Remove from oven and top each chicken breast with the remaining red enchilada sauce and cheddar cheese. Put it back in the oven, uncovered for 5 minutes. We want a finished 165°F internal temp, check. Remove from oven and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing or serving.
- Sprinkle the cotija cheese crumbles over all and chopped cilantro (optional) for garnish.
Video
Notes
- Chicken breasts can vary in size from 5 ounces to 10 ounces, meaning that the cooking time varies. I use boneless and skinless chicken breast meat. To ensure that the chicken breasts cook evenly, you may want to use the flat side of a meat mallet to lightly pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper to prevent it from sliding around or slice in half horizontally and pound between sheets of plastic wrap for even thickness.Â
- For best results, use an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. It is properly cooked when it reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Surprisingly good. Not the same old, same old Tex-Mex flair. Already added to the meal rotation.
So happy you enjoyed this one Jamie!
Delicious! I used thinly sliced chicken breasts and added pepperjack cheese along with the cheddar to add more spice. I served with Spanish rice and corn. The whole family loved it. Definitely going into my meal rotation.
Excellent, love reading comments like these Lynn!
This was delicious. I served it over basmati rice and topped it with chopped romaine lettuce, pico de Gallo and a dollop of sour cream.
Now you’re talkin’ Paulette! Thanks for coming back to let me know!
Be careful with the servings multiplier, for example if you increase the serving size from 4 to 8 it not only increases the number of cans of the blac beans from 2 to 4.but also increases the ounces for each can from 15 to 30
That glitch has been fixed, thanks for the heads up John!
This chicken dish is tasty! The beans were so flavorful and the chicken was very moist. I substituted a verde sauce since that’s what I had on hand. Like other comments here, my chicken took more time to reach 165. Well worth the wait and my husband loved this!
Thanks for trying it and coming back to let me know Linda! I’ve noticed different sizes for chicken breasts (fresh/frozen, different brands, etc). Chicken breasts can vary in size from 5 ounces to 10 ounces, meaning that the cooking time varies. I use boneless and skinless chicken breast meat and typically use the fresh from Costco, about 8-10 ounces each. To ensure that the chicken breasts cook evenly, you may want to use the flat side of a meat mallet to lightly pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper to prevent it from sliding around or slice in half horizontally and pound between sheets of plastic wrap for even thickness. Hope this helps!
I loved this recipe! I did change a few things. I didn’t have breasts in the freezer so I substituted boneless/skinless thighs. They worked just as well and were delicious.
I also added a small can of diced green chilies.
Next time, I’m going to put some rice grains in the bottom of the pan and have it cook in the enchilada sauce. I hope it will make a faux spanish rice, thus giving a complete entree in one pan.
So happy you enjoyed this one and thanks for the feedback and tips Tam!
Great recipe, tons of flavor! I added an extra 25 minutes to my cooking time (I also cut my chicken breasts in half and pounded them with mallet). I think it needs the longer cooking time since the chicken sits on top of the veggies. I added the remaining enchilada sauce, cooked the extra time then added cheese and cooked another 5 minutes until melted. Served with Spanish rice.
Sounds like a great dinner! I am glad you tried it out!