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.
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
- 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.
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).
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.
4. Serve- Toss the chicken back in the cooking liquid until evenly coated. Enjoy immediately, or store for later.
FAQ
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.
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.
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.
Check out my favorite meal prep containers!
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
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
that fits a full batchMore slow cooker chicken recipes
- Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken Recipe
- Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken
- Sticky Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs
☆ Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear how it turned out! Leave me a review and star rating in the comments below. Your reviews help so much!
Crockpot Salsa Chicken (4 ingredients!)
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.
Notes
- 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.
