Sour Cream Chicken with Salsa Verde is packed with rich flavor. Bathed in a sauce of sour cream and salsa, the chicken gets extra flavor from Mexican spices and cilantro. Delicious over Baked Rice, it’s a super easy 30-minute meal!
With just five ingredients, this dish is the ultimate Company Dinner Idea that won’t break the bank. Serve it with Homemade Pico de Gallo and Air Fryer Tortilla Chips for a fun southwest-inspired supper.
When I don’t know what to make for dinner, I make this dish. Even my picky eater gobbles it down and asks for more. It’s so simple, it’s actually kinda scary.
Saute chicken with your favorite taco seasoning. In a bowl, stir together sour cream and salsa verde. Pour that over the chicken and simmer until everything is all tasty and delicious. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve over rice. Mischief managed.
This Sour Cream Chicken with Salsa Verde is so simple and yet so delicious. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. Serve it atop rice or in burrito bowls like here.
Why Make This
It’s quick. This dish takes less than 30-minutes to make, even less if you use chicken tenders that you don’t have to chop.
It is easy. With just five ingredients plus cooked rice, this is a simple dish that can easily make the weekly rotation.
It’s amazingly delicious. The secret is in the sauce of this Sour Cream Chicken. You’ll notice it’s the same sauce I use on Poblano Chile Enchiladas and it is just fab!
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for this Sour Cream Chicken with Salsa Verde:
boneless, skinless chicken – You can use chicken breast halves or chicken tenders. Leave the tenders whole if you like or chop the chicken in to bite-sized chunks. You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if that is what you prefer.
taco seasoning mix – I make my own taco seasoning mix, but you can use a commercial blend if you prefer.
sour cream – Sour cream tends to be cheaper per ounce when you buy a large tub of it. If you do so, be sure to make a plan for the leftovers, like in Homemade Sour Cream and Onion Dip or Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole. If you’re in a pinch, you can use Greek yogurt instead.
salsa verde – Not all salsas verdes taste the same. I recommend Herdez or Trader Joe’s Hatch Valley Salsa for best flavor. You won’t use the full jar, so plan to use the leftover in Salsa Verde Beef or as a dipping sauce for Baked Chicken Flautas.
fresh cilantro – Cilantro is excellent for topping this dish but you won’t need a whole bunch. If you grow your own, you can clip just what you need. Otherwise, follow these tips to keep cilantro fresh.
cooked rice for serving – Serve this dish over cooked rice. You can bake the rice or cook rice in your instant pot.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make this easy Sour Cream Chicken with Salsa Verde:
1. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and season it with the taco seasoning mix. Cook, turning, until cooked through, about 7 minutes.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream and salsa. Pour the sauce over the chicken and simmer until heated through.
3. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, and serve over hot cooked rice.
FAQs & Recipe Costs
You can use a different type of salsa if you like, but keep in mind the color will change depending on what you use.
Plain Greek yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream when cooking chicken, either as a sauce or a marinade.
Sour cream chicken is delicious served on cooked rice, mashed potatoes, or buttered noodles.
Recipe Costs
Knowing how much it costs you to prepare a recipe can help you decide if it’s the type of recipe to make regularly or one you might want to save for special occasions. Let’s crunch some numbers and see how this recipe pencils out.
- oil – $0.10
- chicken breast – $2.84
- taco seasoning mix – $0.08
- sour cream – $1.00
- salsa verde – $1.00
- fresh cilantro – $0.15
- cooked rice for serving – $0.35
While your costs may vary depending on where and how you shop, you can expect to pay about $5.52 for a batch of Sour Cream Chicken, about $1.38/serving.
More 30-Minute Meals
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Sour Cream Chicken with Salsa Verde
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 lb cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning mix
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup salsa verde (or a 7-ounce can)
- 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro (chopped)
- rice (cooked) for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and season it with the taco seasoning mix. Cook, turning, until cooked through, about 7 minutes.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream and salsa. Pour the sauce over the chicken and simmer until heated through.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, and serve over hot cooked rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Tried this Recipe? Tell us what you think!Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.This post was originally published on August 16, 2015. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Emilia
This is incredibly quick–it took me just a few minutes–and absolutely fantastic. I always think the best recipes are simple, and this one proved my point! I also didn’t have tenders, so just sliced some boneless, skinless chicken breast and it worked perfectly. My Taco Seasoning Mix was no more (need to make more!) so I used your Chipotle Taco Seasoning Mix I had in the fridge. Another great recipe, Jessica!
Jessica Fisher
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!
Kalotina
Hello! This was so lovely and I’m wondering how could I make this a freezer meal… or is that a no-go because of the sour cream… thank you!
Jessica Fisher
No, this isn’t a good one for freezing, because the sour cream sauce will separate. It is yummy, though! Glad you liked it!
Jess
Since we no longer live across the street and I can’t sample your cooking…I made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it! Even C&W chowed down. Definitely going on our list of dinners we love.
Jessica Fisher
Miss you, Jess! So glad the boys liked it!
Cindy
Delicious! Will definitely make this again! One Question though, the sauce was quite runny, is that themway it supposed to be? The salsa verde I bought was quite thin, maybe I will buy another brand next time.
Jessica Fisher
It’s not a thick sauce, but I’m not sure I would call it runny or thin, either. However, the thickness of your sour cream as well as your salsa could effect it. You could just add salsa until you get the thickness you like.
Aimee
This looks amazing! Could Greek yogurt be subbed for the sour cream? The hubs is trying to bring down his cholesterol. Thanks!
Jessica Fisher
I have not tried that, but I imagine it should work.
Joybird6
Funny – I was going to ask about the Greek yogurt too! I don’t know how to sauté chicken though – I’ve always baked it or used the crock pot… ??
Joybird6
That’s funny too – I had too silly faces and it converted them to ?? – lol!
Jessica Fisher
Just heat the oil, add the chicken, flip a few times, cook until no longer pink. You can do it!
Kristin
LOVE this recipe! This will definitely make it into our regular rotation. I use so many of your recipes now; we have similar tastes in types of food, and I shop at Costco and Trader Joe’s regularly, too. With a family of 12 to feed, I have to balance cost, nutrition, picky tastes, ease of cooking, etc. Your recipes fit the bill! Thanks for sharing them!
MCL
Made this for dinner last night- it was delicious and easy. Thank you for the recipe!
Amber
What kind of rice is that in the picture? Looks delish! 🙂
Jessica Fisher
Basmati cooked in the rice cooker.
Amber
Thanks!
Laura
Making this now but Trader Joe’s was out of cilantro 🙁
The number of servings is more like 4 , correct?
Jessica Fisher
Um. Yes. My bad. Sorry.
Pamela
I made this tonight, and we loved it! Thanks for real food, super simple recipes! Keep ’em comin’ please!
Jessica Fisher
Yay! So glad you liked it!
Melanie A.
Tried this for dinner last night, and it was amazing! (and easy) This is one I will definitely be using again! The whole family enjoyed it!
Jessica Fisher
Love it! Yay!
Stephanie
I was wondering what kind of rice you use? it always looks so light and fluffy not sticky and clumpy.
Jessica Fisher
Basmati, cooked in the rice cooker.