For a new way to make chicken for a busy weeknight dinner, try this Pico de Gallo chicken recipe! Full of fresh flavors and ingredients, your family will love this delicious and healthy dinner.

Any information in the post is for general information purposes only and is NOT medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for individual medical and nutrition advice.

I am always looking for new ways to make a juicy and delicious chicken dinner, and this Pico de Gallo chicken recipe is fantastic! While it does appear to take more time than most people would want to invest, most of the prep time is used making the Pico de Gallo, which takes about 15-20 minutes. To speed up the process and make the prep time about 5-10 minutes (making the entire recipe take under an hour from start to finish), use a pre-made Pico, such as from the deli department at the grocery store.

One of the most important aspects of cooking chicken breast is to make sure it is not overcooked. When cooked for too long or at too high of a temperature, chicken, especially boneless skinless chicken breast, gets tough, dry, and chewy. Yuck! To ensure you have moist, tender chicken breast, I recommend using a meat thermometer during the cooking process.

The key to making this taste fresh? Using the freshest ingredients. Fresh cilantro, especially, gives this a deliciously fresh taste that I haven’t been able to duplicate using dried cilantro. Could it be used? Of course! Substituting one-half Tablespoon of dried cilantro is considered the equivalent of 1 Tablespoon of fresh, but it just does not taste as good. While I do use dried herbs and spices in the majority of my cooking, there are a few times where, to me, it is worth the extra effort and expense to use fresh, and this Pico de Gallo chicken recipe is one of those times!

You may notice I specify to use Roma tomatoes. This is an important part of this Pico de Gallo chicken recipe. Roma, tomatoes have a lower water content and therefore hold their shape better when diced. In addition, less juice leaches out in the cooking process so the chicken isn’t sitting in a bath of tomato juice when it’s time to eat. While you certainly can use other types of tomatoes in a pinch, I definitely do not recommend it.

I have also specified red onion. This is simply my personal preference. I like to make this Pico de Gallo in a larger batch, to have some left over for snacking! I’ve found that using white onions gives the Pico de Gallo too strong of an onion flavor and makes the chicken taste too sharp. Yellow or sweet onions, however, don’t give this Pico de Gallo chicken recipe enough enough flavor, and are slightly too sweet for a good contrast in flavors. For the perfect balance, red onion it is!

What goes best with this Pico de Gallo chicken recipe? My family likes to serve it with Spanish rice and some mixed vegetables, but it also works great to slice the chicken into strips and put it in a tortilla to make a wrap. Another option? Make extra Pico de Gallo and serve this delicious chicken with a side of chips.

Pico de Gallo Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

Prep Time: 20-25 minutes Cook Time: 40-50 minutes

Chicken Breast:

• 1.5 pounds Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast (about 3 pieces)
• 4 ounces Shredded Mexican-style cheese (about 1 cup)
• 3/4 teaspoon ground Cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder

Pico de Gallo:

• 2 medium Roma Tomatoes, washed
• 1/4 large Red Onion, washed
• 1 Serrano Pepper, washed
• 1 Tablespoon fresh Cilantro, washed and chopped
• 1/2 Tablespoon Lime Juice (juice from about 1/4 lime)
• Black Pepper to taste (about 1/8 teaspoon)

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350^oF
2. Place the chicken breast in an oven-safe baking dish and spread it out evenly in a single layer
3. Sprinkle the garlic powder and cumin over the chicken, dividing evenly over each piece.
4. To make the Pico de Gallo, start by dicing the tomatoes and onion and place in a small bowl
5. Remove the seeds and pith from the Serrano pepper, then dice the pepper and add to the bowl. Be careful not to touch your face, especially your eyes!
6. Add the cilantro, black pepper, and lime juice to the bowl and mix well.
7. Spoon the Pico de Gallo mixture over the chicken breast, covering only the top of each piece of chicken evenly.
8. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the chicken
9. Bake uncovered at 350^oF for 40-50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked thoroughly

Time Saving Tip: Use store-bought, pre-made Pico de Gallo for faster prep

*Nutrition Information (per serving, about 6 servings per recipe)

• 246 Calories
• 9 g Total Fat
• 4.5 g Saturated Fat
• 39 g Protein
• 180 mg Sodium
• 2.5 g Total Carbohydrate
• 0.4 g Fiber

*Nutrition information is approximate and based on the products that I buy in my home. Information will vary based on the products purchased in your home.