Crockpot Salsa Chicken

Name: Crockpot Salsa Chicken (4 ingredients!)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 250 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts (see note 1); 2 cups salsa; 1 tablespoon cumin; 1 tablespoon chili powder (see note 2)

Fall apart tender and perfectly seasoned, crockpot salsa chicken is a 4 ingredient recipe that is perfect for busy nights! Use it up in tacos, burrito bowls, or enjoy as is.

The slow cooker can make your life so much easier, particularly on busy weeknights! Assembling simple meals like crockpot stuffed peppers, slow cooker peanut stew, or this salsa chicken earlier in the day will make the 5-pm rush much easier to deal with.

crockpot salsa chicken in tortilla on plate

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Serve this salsa chicken up in tacos, burritos, on taco salad or as an entrée! It works great for meal prep as well, and can be assembled in freezer packs.

Reasons you'll ♡ this recipe

it is made with a few simple ingredients that you may already have on hand
it works great for meal prep and can be assembled ahead as a freezer crockpot meal
it's versatile and can be used in a variety of meals including tacos and burrito bowls

Recipe video

See exactly how to make your own crockpot salsa chicken by watching the video below! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Ingredient notes

ingredients required to make slow cooker salsa chicken

chicken- you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts (3-4 hours low) or boneless skinless chicken thighs (4-5 hours low) to make this recipe
salsa- choose your favorite salsa, and be sure to choose a mild salsa if you are serving this up to your children
chili powder- refers to a paprika-based blend and does not refer to pure powdered chiles. Here's a recipe if your grocery store doesn't carry a mild blend.

Step by step directions

1. Assemble- in the insert of your slow cooker, stir together the salsa, chili powder and cumin. Mix until the spices are dissolved, then add the chicken. Use tongs to turn the chicken until evenly coated in the liquid.

slow cooker with low 4 hours on the timer

2. Cook- Place the lid on the slow cooker, and set the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours (for chicken breasts) or 5-6 hours (for chicken thighs).

salsa chicken shredded in bowl with hand mixer resting beside it

3. Shred- When the chicken has cooked through, transfer it to a clean bowl using tongs. Use an electric hand mixer or two forks to shred the chicken.

shredded salsa chicken in slow cooker with tongs and two lime wedges

4. Serve- Toss the chicken back in the cooking liquid until evenly coated. Enjoy immediately, or store for later.

FAQ

Is it better to cook chicken on low or high in the slow cooker?

Slow cookers vary greatly in their temperature settings, and the high setting can be quite vigorous. For chicken breast, it's best to use the low setting, which is more gentle and less prone to overcooking.

How long does chicken take to cook in the slow cooker?

It can vary by different slow cooker models, but in general, 3-4 hours on low is sufficient to cook a chicken breast through. You can use an instant read thermometer to ensure your chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F when inserted into the thickest part to be sure.

Does this recipe work in an Instant Pot?

I have successfully cooked this in my older 6 quart Instant Pot, however I have not tried in the newer (and more burn warning-prone) 8 quart model. You could try, and if you get a burn warning, add ¼ cup water and try again? 8 minutes high pressure for chicken breast, 10 minutes high pressure for thighs, both with a quick pressure release. Leave us a comment to let us know how it goes for you!

How to serve salsa chicken

burrito bowl- serve with rice (or cauliflower rice), corn and black beans, cheese, pico de gallo and your favorite additions
quesadillas- add with shredded cheese and fresh tomatoes. See healthy chicken quesadillas
wraps- top with romaine lettuce, shredded cheese, avocado and sour cream
nachos- top tortilla chips with salsa chicken, jalapenos, tomatoes, red onion, bell peppers and cheese

Meal prep & storage

Leftovers/reheat meals

Salsa chicken stores really well in both the fridge and freezer. Here's how to do it:

Cool completely, then portion out into an air tight container or reusable silicone bag.
Store in the fridge (4 days) or the freezer (3 months).
Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot, or in a frying pan, using tongs to stir and flip it up, until steaming hot.

Favorite Meal Prep Containers

Our tried and true favorite meal prep containers and jars that will keep your food fresh, help you reheat it evenly, and withstand the test of time. No more wasting your money, these are the absolute best containers out there!

Keep reading

Crockpot freezer meal

A crock pot freezer meal is assembled ahead and frozen before cooking. This way, when it's time to cook, you simply dump the ingredients into the slow cooker and skip any measuring. This is a great recipe to prepare for someone who is expecting a baby.

Here’s how you can turn this recipe into a freezer meal:

Combine the chicken, salsa, chili powder and cumin in a ½ gallon or larger freezer bag or silicone bag, or an 8 cup meal prep container. Stir to combine, and squeeze out as much air as possible.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw completely, then cook as directed in the recipe card.

TIP- make sure you label the bag with thawing and cooking directions

tongs lifting salsa chicken from crockpot, juices dripping

Equipment notes

this is my favorite 6 quart slow cooker that fits a full batch
if you want to cut the recipe in half, use a smaller slow cooker like this 2.5 quart slow cooker; keep the cook time the same

More slow cooker chicken recipes

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

Crockpot Salsa Chicken (4 ingredients!)

5 from 12 votes

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 4

Total Time: 4 10

Print Rate

Fall apart tender and perfectly seasoned, crockpot salsa chicken is a 4 ingredient recipe that is perfect for busy nights! Use it up in tacos, burrito bowls, or enjoy as is.

Ingredients

▢ 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts see note 1
▢ 2 cups salsa
▢ 1 tablespoon cumin
▢ 1 tablespoon chili powder see note 2

Instructions

Assemble- in the insert of your slow cooker, stir together the salsa, chili powder and cumin. Mix until the spices are dissolved, then add the chicken. Use tongs to turn the chicken until evenly coated in the liquid.
Cook- Place the lid on the slow cooker, and set the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours (for chicken breasts) or 5-6 hours (for chicken thighs).
Shred- When the chicken has cooked through, transfer it to a clean bowl using tongs. Use an electric hand mixer or two forks to shred the chicken.
Serve- Toss the chicken back in the cooking liquid until evenly coated. Enjoy immediately, or store for later.

Tips:

1- roughly 4-5 large chicken breasts; you may swap for 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs (increase cook time to 4-5 hours on low)

2- this refers to a mild, paprika-based blend that should be found in the spice aisle of your grocery store; do not use pure powdered chilies

3- nutritional information is for 4 oz of chicken; roughly ½ a breast or ½ cup shredded chicken.

Cooking a half batch

If you wish to cut the recipe in half, you'll need to use a small (2.5 quart) slow cooker, otherwise the liquid will be too thin, may not cover the chicken, and it can end up dry.

Storage

Cool completely, then portion out into an air tight container. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheating

Heat in the microwave until steaming hot, or heat in a pan over medium heat, using tongs to stir and turn the chicken for 5 or so minutes; until steaming hot.

Crockpot freezer meal

Combine the chicken, salsa, chili powder and cumin in a ½ gallon or larger freezer bag or silicone bag, or an 8 cup meal prep container. Stir to combine, and squeeze out as much air as possible.
Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw completely, then cook as directed above on the recipe card.

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 0.5cup (note 3), Calories: 219kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 72mg, Sodium: 547mg, Potassium: 467mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 710IU, Vitamin C: 1.2mg, Calcium: 42mg, Iron: 1.8mg

Author: Annie Holmes

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

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6 Quart Slow Cooker

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Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.