📖 2-Ingredient Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
This easy slow cooker salsa chicken recipe is prepped and ready to cook in your crockpot in minutes and can be used to make a variety of dishes your whole family will love!Â
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time6 hours hrs
Total Time6 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 146kcal
- 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 16 oz salsa of choice (red salsa, salsa verde, black bean & corn, etc.)
Add a small layer of salsa to the bottom of your slow cooker, and then place the raw chicken breasts into an even layer in the crockpot.
Top with remaining salsa and cover. Cook on low 6-8 hours, or high 3-4 hours until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F.
Shred chicken. Use two forks to gently shred chicken, or use your stand mixer with a paddle attachment (my favorite kitchen hack!) on low to medium speed for 1-2 minutes.
Place shredded chicken back into the crockpot with the salsa and juice and stir to coat.
Recipe Variations and SubstitutionsÂ
- Use different cuts of chicken. Alternatives to chicken breast include boneless skinless chicken thighs or chopped chicken tenderloins. Â
- Add taco seasoning. Option to add 1-2 Tablespoons of taco seasoning when cooking.
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Ways to Enjoy Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken
You can enjoy this easy slow cooker salsa chicken in so many ways! Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy this versatile recipe: Use for salsa chicken tacos, serve your chicken as the main protein, make burrito bowls, use on salads, use in lettuce wraps, use for homemade enchiladas, or make pulled chicken sheet pan nachos.Â
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Expert Tips Â
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If you have the time, cook your salsa chicken on low. Doing so will result in juicier chicken!
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Some salsas are more watery than others. If your chicken seems too liquidy after you've shredded your chicken and mixed it back into the liquid in your crockpot, simply spoon some of the liquid out. Alternatively, take most of the liquid out of the crockpot when you take the chicken out to shred. Then add back in the amount of liquid you'd like to coat the shredded chicken.
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This recipe is really easy to double. All you have to do is double the ingredients. The recipe steps and the cooking time will not change. I recommend adding a layer of salsa between layers of chicken if they are not in a single layer in your crockpot.
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Cooking Time Note: Typical slow cooker cook times for chicken are on LOW for 6-8 hours, or on HIGH for 3-4 hours until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F. However, in my 6-quart slow cooker, my chicken is often to temperature on LOW at 3 hours and 30 minutes. For the first time making this, I would recommend cooking on the LOW setting and temping your chicken around the 3 hours and 30 minutes mark to confirm if it's done. If not, continue to cook to 165°F.
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Note: According to research conducted by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, it is NOT recommended to use frozen meat or poultry when using a crockpot to cook. It is recommended that the meat is thawed prior to cooking.
Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 503mg | Potassium: 566mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 306IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg