Chicken Salsa in Slow Cooker
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- Chicken Salsa in Slow Cooker
- ❤️ Why You'll Love Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
- 🍲 Ingredients
- 👩🍳 How to Make Chicken Salsa in Slow Cooker
- 🪄 Tips and Tricks
- 🗒 Variations:
- 🗒 Substitutions: Green Salsa Chicken
- Other recipe substitutions:
- 🗒 Best served with:
- 👝 Other Meals to Make with Salsa Chicken or Green Salsa Chicken
- 👝 How to Store Leftovers
- 🤔 Common Questions
- 🗒 A Taco Party Menu: Why the Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Is Perfect for Entertaining
- 🗒 Taco Party Ideas
- Taco Party Menu Ideas
- Taco Party Menu Recipes
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
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!
❤️ Why You'll Love Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
1. One-Pot Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
One-pot meals save time and freeze you up to do other things with your life. Ad in minimal cleanup and deliciousness and you got the perfect dish. Just bro, everything in your slow cooker and let it do the work for you.
2. Budget-Friendly
You can make this expensive chicken salsa dish with ingredients you may already have on hand. It's surprising how good this is considering how expensive it is 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.
🍲 Ingredients
Chicken Breasts- Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salsa - Your favorite store-bought or homemade salsa
👩🍳 How to Make Chicken Salsa in Slow Cooker
Add the chicken and salsa to a crockpot and let it go!
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).
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Add chili peppers or hot sauce for a kick.
- After cooking add cilantro or parsley or freshness.
- Try using chicken thighs for an enexpensive and tender option.
🗒 Variations:
- Slow Cooker Green Chile Beef: Use roast beef and enchilada sauce instead of salsa.
- Black Beans – Adds protein and a hearty texture
- Corn – Sweet and slightly crunchy, a perfect contrast to the saucy chicken.
- Cream Cheese – Stir it in at the end for a creamy, rich twist.
- Bell Peppers – Adds color and a bit of sweetness.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo – For a smoky, spicy kick.
🗒 Substitutions: Green Salsa Chicken
Green Salsa Chicken Photo by Downshitology
To make green salsa chicken in the slow cooker, swap the red salsa for a green salsa verde. Store-bought or homemade is perfect. 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 Green Salsa Chicken?
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.
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.
Other recipe substitutions:
- Substitute chicken for pork butt
- Substitute chicken for beef roast
- Use enchilada sauce instead of salsa.
🗒 Best served with:
- Rice
- Refried or black beans
- Tortilla Chips
- Taco Shells
- Cilantro
- More salsa!
👝 Other Meals to Make with Salsa Chicken or Green Salsa 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, avocado, shredded cheese and top with a creamy southwest dressing or more salsa and sour cream.
For Dressing Combine:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice, (3 ounces)
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons taco or hot sauce
3. Nacho Party
Add tortilla chips to a baking sheet, sprinkle with cheese, add reheated chicken salsa and top with more cheese. Bake until the cheese melts, then add jalapeños, sour cream, and guacamole. And serve with, you guessed it, more salsa!
4. Make a Soup
- 1 can of chicken broth or stock
- 1 can of drained corn (or creamed corn)
- 1 can of diced tomatoes (I like fire roasted)
- 1 can of green chilies
- 1 can drained beans of your choice
- and your leftover salsa chicken. I like to add a little chili in adobo sauce for a bit of heat but that's optional. Add as much or as little chicken broth to get your desired consistency. To thicken the soup, add a couple of corn tortillas and let them simmer until they break up and thicken the soup. They also add a great flavor. They will dissolve and make a fabulous thicker soup! If you want a creamy soup, add some of heavy cream. Finally taste the soup and add more salt and pepper as needed. Delish!
5. Wrap or Sandwich
Top each slice of bread with a slice of Monterey Jack or pepper jack cheese, the chicken salsa, avocado, mayo (chipotle mayo if you have it) and grill it up. Panini style or in a skillet like you would a grilled cheese . There you've got a tasty sandwich.
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Got leftovers? No problem! Let the chicken cool down, then toss it in an airtight container. It’ll hang out just fine in the fridge for about 4 days. Want to keep it longer? Freeze it in portioned bags for up to 3 months—perfect for quick meals later. Just thaw and reheat when you're ready to dig in!
🤔 Common Questions
Of course!
Use less spicy salsa. If you already make it and it's too spicy, If your food’s got too much kick, just add some dairy! Milk, yogurt, or sour cream can help tone down the spice since they’ve got a protein that cools things off by balancing out the heat.
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.
I use a thermometer to double check if the chicken is done, which is at 160-165 internal temperature).
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.
Reheating Tips
Add a little water or broth and reheat in the microwave. This keeps it moist and only takes a minute or two.
Skillet: Place a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the ingredients, a bit of water if needed and stir 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. The crockpot is also great I would have an a party. You can make it in the crockpot <rserbon in the crockpot, and it keeps it hot during the whole party.
🗒 A Taco Party Menu: Why the Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Is Perfect for Entertaining
One of the best things about the salsa chicken is how many recipes you can make with it and that you can make it a couple of days ahead! Whether you're looking for taco party menu ideas, a casual family dinner, or even a holiday gathering, this dish adds a playful touch to any spread. Here are a few reasons why it's a go-to for entertaining:
🗒 Taco Party Ideas
A taco party is the perfect dinner party menu—fun, flavorful, and totally stress-free when you keep things simple. I love making salsa chicken taco cups or taco soup.
Including the table setting as I shared in my recent article. Set the mood (here are some of my (Amazon Taco Party Decor Ideas) with a fun playlist, light a few candles, and offer a signature batch cocktail so guests can help themselves while you relax and enjoy the evening. I always ask guests to bring what they'd like to drink in addition to my signature cocktail. It keeps things easy and everyone satisfied.
The secret to knowing how to host a dinner party and actually enjoy it? Do as much as you can ahead of time. That means prepping ingredients, setting the table, and even cueing up your favorite playlist (here's a fun Mexican Party Playlist on Spotify) before anyone rings the doorbell. With the main dishes ready to go, you’ll have more time to chat, laugh, and be present. Hosting a dinner party should be just as much fun for you as it is for your friends—and with the right menu, music, and a few cozy touches, it totally can be.
Taco Party Menu Ideas
- Taco Cups
- Taco Ring
- Sheet Pan Fajitas
- Tortilla Chips
- Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
- Guacamole
- Black Bean Dip
- Pico de gallo
- Big Batch Margaritas
Taco Party Menu Recipes
Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken breast
- Salt and Pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 16 oz salsa or 2 cups your favorite Red or Green Salsa
Instructions
- Add the chicken, salsa, salt, pepper, and cumin to a slow cooker. Mix it all together, then add the lid, and cook it for 2 ½ to 3 hours on high or 4 to 5 hours on low.
- Remove and shred if desired. Serve (see notes)
- You may add the cooking liquid back to the shredded chicken if desired. Add as much or as little as you'd like.
- Top with additional salsa if desired.
Notes
- Substitute chicken for pork butt
- Substitute chicken for beef roast
- Use enchilada sauce instead of salsa.
Add a little water or broth and reheat in the microwave. This keeps it moist and only takes a minute or two.
Skillet: Place a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add the ingredients and a bit of water if needed and stir 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. The crockpot is also great if you're serving for a party. It keeps it hot during the whole party.
