I love Pico de Gallo and the elements it brings to a meal. This Pico de Gallo Chicken is full of tender chicken, and the fresh flavors of pico. This is the perfect one dish chicken bake that only takes a few minutes to prepare. This recipe is healthy, delicious and sure to please any crowd you are serving it to!
Healthy and Easy Pico de Gallo Chicken Bake
I love anything to do with Mexican food. Pico de Gallo is one of my favorite side dishes. I love putting it on top of everything from taco’s to chips. The inspiration for this recipe came from that love for it.
The thing I love about this recipe is everything comes together in one quick and easy to dish that the whole family will enjoy.
The chicken is seasoned with traditional Mexican spices then top the chicken with my homemade pico de Gallo ….some cheese and the dish is complete. It’s a perfect match! The result is a healthy Mexican dish the whole family will enjoy.
How to Serve Pico de Gallo Chicken
I love this recipe because it is perfect for a light and healthy summer meal. You can keep this chicken bake light and low carb or serve it with more traditional sides. I will share some of my favorites below, and if you have any other favorites, please let me know in the comments so I can try them out!
Traditional Serving Ideas:
- Spanish Rice or Traditional Rice (our favorite is Jasmine)
- Beans- Black, Refried or Pinto Beans are our favorite
- Inside Tortillas- Flour or Corn
- Chips
- Mexican Cornbread
Low Carb Serving Ideas:
- Cauliflower Mexican Rice– We love this recipe. I also mix it half and half with regular rice for the kids and they don’t ever know they are eating tons of veggies!
- Grilled Veggies: Our favorite is peppers and onions
- Side Salad
- Fruit
- Over sautéed greens
Tips and Tricks to Making Pico de Gallo Chicken
This recipe is truly super simple. I am going to walk through it with you here step by step to give you all of my tips for getting perfect Pico de Gallo Chicken every time. You can find the full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Lay the chicken in a baking dish. Sprinkle with cumin, garlic, salt & pepper.
- Cover the chicken with pico de Gallo and top with cheese.
- I prefer to use my homemade pico but store bought would work as well.
- Bake on the middle rack for 35-45 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot!
FAQ’s for Pico de Gallo Chicken
There was a lot of liquid after cooking the chicken. Is this normal?
Chicken will generally release liquid as it cooks. First, check your chicken labels to make sure your chicken has not been enhanced with salt and water to make it look more plump. This is very common. Higher quality chicken that has not been treated in these methods will have less liquid. That said, I use regular old family packs of chicken from the supermarket every day and you can still get a great result.
Second, make sure your chicken is not stuffed into your pan. Giving your chicken room to breath will help some of the liquid cook off.
You can always drain the juices our of the dish when it gets done cooking. Be careful because it will be very hot.
Can I use chicken thighs, chicken tenderloins, or other cuts of chicken in this dish?
Yes! This dish will work well with a variety of cuts, so feel free to use your favorite boneless, skinless cut. If you do change the type of meat used in the recipe it will most likely change the time it needs to cook. To ensure your dish is done, use a meat thermometer and cook to 165˚F.
This dish wasn’t done when I took it our of the oven, what did I do wrong?
The baking time can vary based on the thickness of your chicken and the size of your dish. This recipe works best with thin cuts of chicken, so if your chicken breasts are normal to thick, I always recommend slicing them in half so they are half the thickness unless they are small to begin with. Also, ensure that your baking dish is roomy enough. You don’t want it packed in tight or it will take longer to cook.
How do I store leftover Pico de Gallo Chicken
If you have leftovers I like to put the chicken  in meal prep container and eat it for lunches.
To store leftovers, place the chicken in an airtight container and:
- refrigerate for up to 3-4 days
- freeze for up to a month
If you do get a chance to try it, I would love it if you let me know! You can leave me a comment below, or if you post a picture on Instagram, make sure to tag me @easyfamilyrecipesso that I can see what you are cooking up! It makes my day to see others enjoying the recipes that I share!
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More Easy One Dish Chicken Bakes
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Pico de Gallo Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 2 cups pico de gallo fresh
- 1 cup Monterey jack cheese shredded
- 1 tbsp cilantro garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375ËšF.
- Lay the chicken flat in a large baking dish and sprinkle evenly with the cumin, garlic, salt and pepper.
- Cover chicken with the pico then top with cheese.
- Bake on middle rack for 35-45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (internal temp of 165ËšF.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve hot with your favorite side dish.
Recipe Notes:
- You can cut the chicken in half, chunks, or use chicken tenderloins in lieu of full chicken breasts to make serving easier. Cooking time may be reduced.
- Leftovers can be placed in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
Nutrition Information:
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
Lynn Baymiller says
We loved it and I was pleasantly surprised. Searched for a recipe to use pico de gallo that was about to go bad and this was so simple. Used a 4 cheese blend but jack would’ve been even better. Can’t wait to make it as written. Thanks for this…a keeper for sure.