Arizona Chicken

This chicken dinner pulls together a Southwest flavor profile in 30 minutes flat. Pounded thin breasts get a smear of Dijon mustard, a quick sear in butter, then they bathe in a simple sauce of jarred salsa and fresh lime juice until cooked through and glazed.

The mustard isn’t just for seasoning. Dijon helps the salsa-lime sauce cling to the chicken and adds a tangy backbone that keeps the salsa from tasting jarred. Lime juice brightens everything up while a final sprinkle of fresh cilantro lifts the dish out of weeknight territory into something you’d actually serve company.

Pro Tips

• Pound the chicken evenly to half an inch. Uniform thickness means even cooking. Thicker chicken stays raw in the center while thinner pieces dry out.
• Choose a chunky salsa, not a smooth one. Chunky salsa reduces and clings, giving you a sauce with body, while smooth salsa stays loose and watery.
• Cook the chicken in butter, not oil. Butter browns better at this temperature and adds richness that ties into the salsa.
• Don’t overcook in the sauce. Pull the chicken at 165°F (74°C). Lean chicken breast goes from juicy to chalky fast at this size.

Variations

• Use salsa verde instead of red salsa for a tangier, tomatillo-forward version.
• Add a tablespoon of chopped chipotle in adobo to the sauce for smoky heat.
• Top with crumbled queso fresco or shredded Monterey Jack and run under the broiler for 1 minute to melt.