Gather round the chuck wagon, it’s time for hearty, cheesy, and flavorful Cowboy Chicken!

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Why You’ll Love This Easy Cowboy Chicken Recipe
- Big, Bold Tex-Mex Flavors. Cowboy chicken is seasoned, seared chicken breasts smothered in a tasty mixture of black beans, Mexican-style corn, diced tomatoes, and cheese, all baked together until the cheese is melty, the chicken is juicy, and your kitchen smells amazing. It is DELISH.
- So Many Ways to Serve It. Serve cowboy chicken with Instant Pot Brown Rice for an all-in-one meal, dice it up for chicken tacos, or take inspiration from Taco Salad and mix it with greens for lunch. We have endless options!
- An Easy Weeknight Dinner. Sometimes called Santa Fe chicken (perhaps to differentiate it from the Cowboy Chicken restaurant chain), this Tex-Mex recipe is the kind of simple, family-friendly meal that ends up on frequent repeat. It uses mostly canned ingredients, keeping it quick and convenient and everything cooks in the same pan, making for easy cleanup.

5 Star Review
“Wow! This was excellent and easy. We’re making it again tomorrow.”
— Kimberly —
How to Make Cowboy Chicken
The Ingredients
- Chicken. Chicken breasts are a go-to, no-complaints protein. After being coated in the spices and cooked in the Tex-Mex sauce, the white meat chicken is flavorful and juicy.
- Spices. Cowboy chicken recipe seasoning is smoky and warm (just like Cowboy Stew!). I used a combination of smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. (For more Tex-Mex flavor, check out my King Ranch Chicken.)
- Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes. These canned tomatoes are an easy way to elevate this dish.
- Black Beans. Black beans add a pleasing, creamy texture to the dish and help make it more filling.
- Mexican Style Corn. A delightful, sweet blend of corn and bell peppers.
- Green Chiles. These little guys pack a flavor punch! They do have a slight kick, but the dish isn’t overly spicy.
- Pepper Jack Cheese. For the melty, gooey, cheesy top that pulls everything together. (I prefer the kick of pepper jack, but you can also use Monterey jack or cheddar cheese.)
- Cilantro + Lime. My favorite finishing touches! The combo adds brightness and freshness.
The Directions

- Prepare. Pound and dry the chicken.

- Season. Rub half of the spice mixture onto the chicken.

- Cook. Brown the chicken, then remove it to a plate.

- Simmer. Add the tomatoes to the large skillet and simmer. Stir in the beans, corn, green chiles, and remaining spice mixture.

- Bake. Return the chicken to the pan, covering it in the pan sauce. Bake cowboy chicken breast at 375 degrees F for 7 to 10 minutes.

- Finish. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and broil for 1 to 2 minutes. Finish the dish with lime juice and cilantro. ENJOY!
Leftover Ideas
Turn leftovers into a cowboy chicken dip by serving them with tortilla chips. Leftovers would also be tasty served over tortilla chips with additional cheese for a spin on nachos.

What to Serve with Cowboy Chicken
- Vegetable Sides. Serve your cowboy chicken with a side of Roasted Zucchini or Grilled Corn.
- Cornbread. Jalapeno Cornbread, Mexican Cornbread, and Skillet Cornbread would all be fantastic.
- Grains. Make meal bowls by serving Santa Fe chicken with cooked quinoa, white rice, or brown rice.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Make It Into Tacos or Burritos. If you’d like to pile your cowboy chicken into a tortilla and serve it as a taco, quesadilla, or burrito, go for it! This is another great way to use leftovers too.
- Marinate the Chicken. To boost the chicken’s flavor even more, marinate the chicken in your favorite Tex-Mex marinade before starting the recipe. Or, try my all-purpose Chicken Marinade.
- Add Bacon. For next-level cowboy chicken, you could top the dish with crumbled cooked bacon. Oven Baked Bacon is my recommendation!

Cowboy Chicken
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Ingredients
- 3 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds)
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can fire roasted diced tomatoes in their juices
- 1 (15-ounce) can reduced sodium black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 (11-ounce) can Mexican style corn such as Fiesta Corn or Mexicorn, drained
- 1 (4-ounce) can green chiles drained
- 4 ounces shredded pepper jack cheese about 4 ounces; use Monterey Jack for a milder dish
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- ½ medium lime
Instructions
- Place racks in the center and upper third of your oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Place the chicken on a cutting board. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap to keep things tidy. Lightly pound into an even thickness (this will help ensure it cooks evenly without the edges drying out). Pat very dry.
- In a small bowl, stir together the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture all over the chicken, rubbing to coat.
- In a cast iron skillet or similar thick, sturdy oven-safe skillet, heat the oil over medium high. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken smooth-side down, lowering it into the pan away from you to protect yourself from splatters. Don’t crowd the chicken (the breasts should not overlap—cook in batches if needed). Let cook, undisturbed for 3 minutes, until the chicken looks nice and brown underneath and releases easily from the pan. Flip and cook for 30 seconds on the other side. Remove to a plate.
- Add the tomatoes to the skillet. Stir, scraping along the bottom of the pan to loosen stuck-on bits. Let simmer 1 minute, scraping periodically. Add the black beans, Mexican-style corn, green chiles, and remaining half of the spice mixture.
- Stir to combine, then nestle the chicken into the pan browned-side up and pour any juices that have collected in the pan over the top. Spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken so it is covered.
- Transfer the skillet to the center oven rack and bake for 7 to 10 minutes, until the chicken registers 160 degrees F on an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part. If some pieces finish sooner than others, transfer them to a plate and cover to keep warm while the others finish cooking.
- Return any chicken that finished early to the pan and sprinkle the cheese all over the top. Broil on the upper rack until the cheese is melted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Squeeze the lime over the top and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve hot, with lots of yummy corn black bean sauce served alongside.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm chicken in a baking dish in the oven at 350 degrees F or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze leftovers in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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So far, so good. Trying it now. But 3 chicken breasts for 4 servings? Trying to figure out how to divide it up…
Hope you enjoy it Kurt!
Can you Substitute the black beans for another bean
Hi Jill! I haven’t tried it myself, but you likely could.
Made this last night and it was delicious!
Hi Teresa! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Wow! This was excellent and easy. We’re making it again tomorrow.
Hi Kimberly! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Sooooo good! We didn’t have Mexican corn, so we used regular corn and added bell pepper. Also didn’t have smoked paprika, but used regular and added liquid smoke. Served with chicken chopped and over rice. Highly recommend this recipe!
Hi Jessica! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Was a really easy recipe and so good! Served over rice today but planning on over lettuce or possibly a baked potato with the leftovers. Only had shredded rotisserie chicken so I heated it up in the pan with some water to moisten it up and added the seasoning. Worked great!
Hi Cindy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Can’t hardly read the recipe for all of the ads that keep sending you back to top of page.
I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience the ads caused you, Turner! I will certainly keep paying close attention to the number of ads and how they load, as I never want them to hinder your ability to view the recipe or the blog post. I do truly appreciate your feedback and apologize again for the inconvenience! Also, there is a quick and convenient “jump to recipe” button that will help you get to the recipe faster and a print button to have the recipe quickly at your fingertips. Hope this helps!
Howdy Turner: click on the ‘Print’ button in the top right corner of the Recipe section. You’ll be able to view an ad-free page. I do this when I am in cooking mode, and I just need to see the recipe and instructions.
LOVED this recipe! Sooooo much flavor. I have a generous garden this time of the year so I roasted my own tomatoes in my Ninja Foodi, chopped up and sauteed green peppers, serrano peppers and green chili peppers also from my garden. Added some tomato juice to make up for the juices missing since I roasted my own tomatoes. FABULOUS flavor! Big fan of Smoked Paprika. Staple in my pantry. Keep ’em coming, Erin!
Hi Molly! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review! And thank you for the feedback about the print button!
This recipe is super delicious and easy to make!! The chicken was juicy and flavorful and the sauce was so yummy and spiced to perfection. I served it over rice and it was a meal I’m looking forward to having again! Highly recommend !
Hi Lyss! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Fantastic flavor! Family couldn’t say enough about it! I used skinless chicken thighs and legs, and cooked on top of stove, and it worked well.
That’s great to hear! Thank you!
SO good and SO easy! I used chicken thighs because it was what I had on hand. My husband LOVES this recipe, he prefers it over rice but it is hearty enough to stand alone in my opinion. Shared it with my mom and she loves it, too! Thanks Erin!
Great to hear, thank you Becky!
Easy and delicious. Family loved it.
Thank you Penny!
Will make again!
Great! Thanks Lisa!
Seriously one of the best meals I have ever made. I love the combination of flavors. The black beans, corn, cheese and of course the chicken taste really well together. I served them with cauliflower rice and it was absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for this recipe!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Phoebe!
Oh wow it is bursting with flavors. I used boneless chicken thighs for this recipe because my kids like it better than chicken breast. They like rice best with it. I ended up chopping the chicken and spooning the veggies and chicken over rice.
Great to hear, thank you Julia!
This looks like something I just have to make! Yesterday, we got a dozen ears of corn and removed the kernels from the cobs in order to freeze them. They usually last throughout the non-fresh corn season and I love to use them in salads and other recipes. The ingredient list says Mexicorn which we like but what do you think I could add to these fresh-frozen kernels to sort of mimic that? Thanks!
Yes! Enjoy Chris!
This came out amazing! My family goes crazy over it. This is the only way to go for chicken breast from here on out, seriously. I never comment on recipe blogs but this one is a legit winner.
Yay! Great to hear Peyton! Thank you!
Great simple recipe to make, tasted well, spicy without being hot.
Thanks for the feedback, Ronald! Glad you enjoyed the chicken!