Salsa Verde Chicken Bake

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 3/4 cups tomatillo salsa verde
• 4 ounces grated Monterey jack and/or pepper jack cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the chicken breasts in halves. Arrange the pieces in a 1 1/2 to 2 quart casserole baking dish, covering the bottom as fully as you can. Pour the salsa verde over the chicken so every piece is coated; bare spots may dry out.
2. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. If you have a meat thermometer, use it, and take the dish out when the breast meat registers 150 degrees F.
3. Scatter the cheese over the chicken, raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees F, and return the dish to the oven for 5-10 minutes, just long enough for the cheese to melt and the sauce to bubble.
4. Take the casserole out of the oven and serve right away. Spoon it over cooked rice or quinoa. Finish with chopped fresh cilantro. Add tortilla chips for crunch, if you like.