Tex-Mex Chicken Parmesan

Cheesy, crunchy, spicy chicken bathed in salsa! This is a dinner that is sure to vanish in the blink of an eye.  You can enhance the spice or keep it mild depending on your preferences.

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:

8 chicken tenders (or boneless chicken breasts cut into strips)

1 bell pepper cut into strips

½ onion cut into strips

1 15 ounce jar of salsa

2 cups tortilla chips

1-2 cups shredded cheese (Pepper Jack, Monterrey Jack, Mexican blend, etc…)

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

¼ teaspoon chili powder or 1 teaspoon chipotle lime seasoning blend

Optional: plain nonfat Greek yogurt, avocado, guacamole, etc…

Directions:

1. Spray an 9×13 dish with olive oil spray. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray a nonstick pan with olive oil spray.  Sauté the chicken over medium heat until lightly browned on both sides.  Sprinkle chili powder or other seasoning over the chicken.
3. Spray another nonstick pan with olive oil spray. Sauté the pepper and onion over medium heat for 5 minutes to soften.
4. Spread the chicken out in the 9×13 pan.  Spread the peppers and onions out over the chicken.  Pour the salsa over the chicken and peppers.
5. Crush the tortilla chips in a food processor until they are in small pieces but not crumbs.
6. Sprinkle the tortilla chips over the salsa.
7. Top with shredded cheese.
8. If baking now, bake for 25-30 minutes.  If prepping a head of time and refrigerating bake for 45 minutes to allow dish to warm through.
9. Top with fresh cilantro. 
10. Serve warm.  Top with plain nonfat Greek yogurt, avocado, guacamole, etc…