Salsa Chicken made in the Crock Pot
Chicken Salsa in Crock Pot- Versatile & Delicious
If you want an incredibly easy recipe that's full of flavor and doesn't break the bank, then chicken salsa in the slow cooker is perfect for you. It's seriously so easy. There's almost nothing to do. You just put everything in the crock pot, set it, and forget it. If you want a yummy and super simple meal that's also very cheap, you've got to try this chicken salsa in a crock pot recipe!
What Makes Chicken Salsa in the Slow Cooker So Great?
1. One-Pot Wonder: Chicken Salsa in the Slow Cooker
One-pot meals save time, and this dish really shows how great they can be. You won't have to wash a ton of pans or deal with a mountain of dishes from this easy-to-make meal. Just mix everything together in your slow cooker and let it do the work for you. Dinner will be ready in a few hours.
2. Budget-Friendly Hero
You can make this cheap chicken salsa dish with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. You probably have chicken, some salsa, and maybe a few spices or canned beans lying around. This is a southwest chicken recipe that tastes really good even though it's easy and inexpensive to make.
3. Customizable!
If you really like spicy food, choose a salsa that's as hot as you are. Or even add some chipotle in adobo sauce. Yum! If you don't like that much heat, there are plenty of salsas that are mild and maybe even sweet. Pick a salsa you love to dunk your chips in and you will be go to go!. Veggies and herbs in salsa can make it almost addictive.
Looking for the best crock pot to buy?
Let me save you the search – the Cuisinart MSC-800 7-Quart 4-in-1 Cook Central Multicooker is a total game-changer! It’s not just a slow cooker; it sautés, steams, and browns too. Talk about multitasking! My favorite part about this crock pot is if I want to brown some hamburger or sear a pot roast before slow cooking, I can do it right in the insert on the stove! YAY, one less pot. When it comes to the best crock pot brand slow cooker, Cuisinart is hard to beat. So if you’re after the best slow cooker brand, trust me—this one’s worth every penny (and your dinner guests will agree).
How to Make Chicken Salsa in a Slow Cooker
The MVP of kitchen gadgets is the crock pot. It really shows how good it is when making chicken salsa in the slow cooker. Here's what you need to know:
Organize your group: chicken breasts or thighs, your favorite salsa. If you want to bee extra, add taco seasoning packet or some chipolte in adobe for extra flavor.
Just toss everything in: There's no need to sear or pre-cook anything. Just layer it all in your slow cooker.
Set it and forget it. That's the beauty of slow cooking. You can cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Either way, you get chicken that falls apart and is packed with the yummy flavors of salsa.
This cooking method is super satisfying but also super lazy.
Sweet Savory Steph
Chicken Green Salsa or Salsa Verde
Let's discuss green salsa chicken (also called chicken salsa verde). If you haven't tried salsa verde, it could really brighten your cooking. It's a sauce made from tomatillos, which are like little green tomatoes. Tomatillos have a bright, tangy flavor. When they're mixed into the salsa, their lively taste is perfectly balanced with savory, slightly spicy, and creamy flavors.
Why Salsa Verde?
It goes perfectly with chicken and makes it fresh and tangy.
It's the quickest way to make bold Southwest flavors with no extra effort.
Make It Your Own
Either buy salsa verde at the store to save time or make your own at home if you want to put in the effort and enjoy cooking.
If you want to increase the level of heat, add a can of green chiles or diced jalapeños.
If you're in the mood for creamy chili, add a spoonful of sour cream.
Not only is salsa verde delicious; it's also really useful. You can serve your salsa verde chicken over rice, fill it in tacos, or even spoon it over nachos for a really great snack.
How to Make Chicken Salsa in the Oven
Can you cook chicken salsa in the oven? Of course you can. Is it easier to make chicken salsa in a crock pot? Definitely. But if your slow cooker is busy making other delicious things, cooking chicken salsa in the oven will still give you the same tasty results.
If you're feeling like baking, here's how to do it:
Get the Chicken Ready: Put chicken breasts or thighs in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper. Pour your salsa (red or green) over the chicken.
Put some foil over it and bake it at 375°F. After about 30 to 40 minutes, or when the chicken is done. (see note below) I love it when chicken is shredded right in the dish, soaking up all that saucy, savory goodness.
How to know if chicken is done?
I use a thermometer to double check if the chicken is done which is at 160-165 internal temperature).
How to tell if chicken is undercooked?
If you slice into the chicken and the juices aren’t clear and meat is still pink the chicken is undercooked. Keep cooking until you see clear juices and opaque white/dark meat.
Pro Tip:
The oven method works, but it's not as easy as using a slow cooker. When I need to cook this faster, I actually like making it on the stovetop. I just make all the sauce ingredients into a sauce in one pan. Then, I put the chicken in and cover it until it simmers. The chicken gets really tender in about 20 minutes.
How to Store Leftovers
Assuming you manage to not eat everything during the meal (which usually happens), here's how to keep the food you don't eat safe and fresh.
Make sure your chicken salsa is at room temperature before you put it away for later.
Put everything in an airtight container. You can keep it in the fridge for up to four days.
Keep It for Later: You can easily freeze chicken salsa. Put it in a container or bag that can go in the freezer, label it, and freeze it for 1 to 3 months.
Reheating Tips
To microwave something safely and easily, add a little water or broth. This keeps it moist and prevents it from drying out. It only takes a minute or two. And if you do it right, you won't lose much taste or texture.
Skillet: Place a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the ingredients, stirring occasionally.
Got time? Just set the Crock Pot to low and heat it up. The food will slowly get warm and taste almost like it did when it was freshly cooked.
What to do with shredded chicken
Here are a few great ideas for what to make with leftover shredded chicken.
Besides the obvious, using the thicken in tacos or quesadillas, I’ve got even more ideas!
1. Burrito Bowls
Put some chicken salsa on rice, then add beans, avocado, and a little sour cream. There you go—it's just like what you get at Chipotle.
2) Taco Salad
Top a bed of lettuce with chicken, beans, corn, red onion, avodaco and top with a creamy southwest dressing.
For Dressing Combine:
1 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice, (3 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons taco or hot sauce
3. Nacho Party
Arrange tortilla chips on a baking sheet, cover them with cheese, and add reheated chicken salsa on top and more cheese. Bake until the cheese melts, then add jalapeños, sour cream, and guacamole. And serve with, you guessed it, more salsa!
4. Soup Starter
To quickly make some southwest chicken soup, use a pot to mix your leftovers with: chicken broth, a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, canned corn and drained black beans. Just add as much chicken broth as needed to get your desired consistency. If you want a thicker soup, add a couple corn tortillias torn up and simmer away. They will disolve and make a luscious soup!
5. Sandwich Time
Top a bun with chicken salsa, cheese, sliced tomato, avocado and grill it up. Panini style or in a skilet. There you've got a tasty sandwich.
6. Salsa Chicken with Rice
Simply serve your salsa chicken with rice. Top with cream cheese, avocado, jalapeños, chopped tomatoes, onion, canned drained beans, or any other accoutrements you love.
Why You’ll Love Chicken Salsa in the Crock Pot
Making this dish is about as easy as it gets. It doesn't require much skill, and it isn't very fancy. But you know what? Sometimes we just need some good, simple comfort food. And trust me, you'll get lots of "Mmm, this is so good!" sounds coming from everyone at the table.
There's no need to waste time when you can grab your crock pot, choose your salsa, and start cooking. That's exactly what we're going to talk about in this post. This dish is super flexible. You can prepare it the way you want, and it will turn out great.