This one-pan Santa Fe chicken brings bold southwest flavor to any weeknight dinner. Cheesy, hearty, and on the table in 30 minutes.

Close up of Santa Fe chicken with melted cheese, black beans, corn and cilantro.

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30-Minute One Pan Santa Fe Chicken

Santa Fe Chicken comes together in a single skillet, which means less cleanup and more time to enjoy dinner! The chicken simmers with black beans, fire-roasted corn, and Rotel, then gets topped with a blend of melted cheddar and Monterey Jack.

Much like my cheesy chicken fajita casserole and this Mexican chicken casserole, it’s the kind of hearty and flavorful meal that feels indulgent, but super easy to make. We love it on busy weeknights, served over rice or in a bowl with tortilla chips for scooping!

Ingredients Notes

Ingredients for Santa Fe chicken including chicken, black beans, corn, tomatoes, cheese, onion, garlic and spices.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Chicken breasts: Cut into bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly and evenly, and soak up all the seasoning.
  • Diced tomatoes with green chiles: The most commonly used is Rotel; They add tang and a little kick without any extra chopping!
  • Black beans: Drained and rinsed.
  • Fire-roasted corn: For a smoky, slightly charred sweetness that regular corn doesn’t have. You can use regular sweet corn in a pinch.
  • Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese: The combo melts beautifully and gives that classic gooey, cheesy topping.
  • Aromatics and seasonings: Diced onion, minced garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, and fresh cilantro.

How to Make Santa Fe Chicken

Brown the seasoned chicken in a large oven-safe skillet until golden on the outside and mostly cooked through. Set it aside.

In the same skillet with residual oil (add more if needed), sauté the onion and then the garlic. Then, add the diced tomatoes with green chiles, beans, corn, chili powder, and cumin. Stir until everything is well combined.

Bite-sized chicken pieces browning in a skillet.
Cooked chicken mixed with black beans, fire-roasted corn, tomatoes and onions in a skillet.

Transfer the chicken back into the skillet and let everything simmer for a few minutes until the chicken heats through. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top, cover with the lid, and once the cheese has melted, garnish with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Shredded cheese being added to Santa Fe chicken with black beans, corn and tomatoes in a skillet.
Overhead view of Santa Fe chicken skillet with melted cheese, black beans, corn and fresh cilantro.

Recipe Tips

  • Use a large skillet. This one-pan meal holds a lot, so you want to make sure you have enough room.
  • Cut the chicken evenly. This is so that each piece cooks at the same time.
  • Don’t overcook the chicken in step one. It will finish cooking when you return it to the skillet, so pulling it slightly early keeps it from drying out.
  • Use freshly shredded cheese if you can. It melts more smoothly and creamier than pre-shredded bags.

Serving Suggestions

This Santa Fe chicken is delicious served over cilantro lime rice, with a dollop of sour cream, sliced avocado, or a handful of tortilla chips for scooping!

If you’re looking to kick up the spice a notch, add some sliced jalapeno on top. Cayenne pepper in the mixture also works!

Santa Fe chicken served over rice with black beans, corn, melted cheese, avocado and cilantro.

More one pan Mexican recipes include one pot burrito bowl recipe, one pot Mexican chicken and rice and sheet pan chicken fajitas.

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Close up of Santa Fe chicken with melted cheese, black beans, corn and cilantro.

Santa Fe Chicken

5 from 4 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
This one-pan Santa Fe Chicken brings bold southwest flavor to any weeknight dinner. Cheesy, hearty, and on the table in 30 minutes.
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Ingredients 

  • 2 large chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 teaspoon salt , divided
  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 10-ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles (such as Rotel)
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup fire-roasted corn
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • Fresh cilantro for serving

Instructions

  • Brown chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned and mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and discard chicken juices.
  • Sauté: Add the onion to the skillet and sauté until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the diced tomatoes with green chiles, black beans, fire-roasted corn, chili powder, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until combined.
  • Simmer: Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until heated through. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top, add lid to the skillet until cheese is melted.
  • Serve: Top with fresh cilantro and serve warm with your favorite toppings.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

If you would like, you can broil the cheese on top for a few minutes in the oven. 
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 472kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 40g, Fat: 29g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 126mg, Sodium: 1078mg, Potassium: 636mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 792IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 438mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.