Salsa Lime Chicken and Peppers
Chili and cumin seasoned chicken, pan-seared until browned (almost blackened) and piled high with sautéed peppers, salsa, and fresh lime. This dish is crammed with flavor, color, and nutrients. It’s also easy to prepare and ready in minutes.
This is the perfect dish for any busy night because it’s easy, healthy, and made with very few ingredients. All you need is chicken, a couple spice rack staples, a bell pepper, your favorite salsa, and a lime!
Use your favorite salsa in this dish and you know you will love it. That means you can use traditional salsa, or a variety with beans, corn, mango, and so on. You can also choose mild, medium, or hot and customize the dish to suit your tastes.
You can replace the chili powder and cumin with taco seasoning if you want. Store-bought taco seasoning is a one-stop-shop for flavor, and it’s good to have on hand for quick seasoning. If you use taco seasoning instead of chili powder and cumin, taste for salt before adding more. Many taco seasoning blends have plenty of salt, so you won’t need to season the chicken with any more.
What should you serve with your salsa lime chicken and peppers? I suggest rice or rice and beans. I heated a store-bought package of rice and beans and it was the perfect side dish. You can also serve the chicken and peppers with corn or flour tortillas.
This gluten-free dish is incredibly healthy too. There’s virtually zero fat in this dish; it’s basically pure protein (from the chicken) and the dish is crammed fiber and antioxidants (vitamin C, phytonutrients) from the peppers and salsa.
Salsa Lime Chicken and Peppers
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 5 ounces each
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more if needed
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and chopped, or 1 cup sliced mini peppers
- 1/2 cup salsa of choice
- 1 lime
- Chopped green onions for serving
- Fresh cilantro leaves for serving
Equipment
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken with the chili powder, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until cooked through (the juices will run clear). Transfer the chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add the peppers to the same pan over medium-high heat (add more oil if necessary if the peppers stick to the pan). Cook for 3 minutes, until soft. Add the salsa and the juice of the lime and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the pan and cook for 1 minute to heat through.
- Top with green onions and cilantro and serve.