Crockpot Salsa Chicken

There is no such thing as too easy.

The word easy gets thrown around all the time in kitchens and depending on your skill level, it may be that easy. Oftentimes however one persons “easy” can be a real challenge for someone else. This is not the case with this crockpot salsa chicken. It is absolutely one of the simplest and easiest recipes I have ever come across, period. Including seasoning this delightful one pot dish has only five ingredients. You read that right only five ingredients!

Some of the best dishes I have ever had came from just a few quality ingredients. Often in cooking, less really is more. If you have good ingredients they don’t require much to really shine. Now just because we only used five items doesn’t mean the flavors are simple, oh no. This crockpot salsa chicken is super tasty and incredibly versatile. You can eat it on its own or with a side of rice and a salad for the perfect healthy meal. Use this chicken as a base for tacos and burritos or make yourself some amazing nachos. I’m a sucker for nachos.

So easy a kid can do it!

Not only is this dish budget friendly and super healthy, it is also kid friendly. If you have any youngsters running around that are interested in cooking, this recipe is an excellent place to get started. Plus the smile of accomplishment on their little faces when dinner is ready knowing they made it, is absolutely priceless.

Then there is the flavor and I have had friends tell me “This is the most delicious and flavorful chicken ever!”. Then go on to ask me “What’s my secret and how in the world did I get the chicken so moist?”. I tell them, the answer is all in the name, with our crockpot salsa chicken you literally just add your ingredients to the crockpot and let it do its magic.

I love one pot meals, not just for the ease of cooking but they also seal in all of those amazing flavors and all of the vitamins and minerals. Believe me, this in one healthy dish, low in fat and high in protein. It’s a great source of iron, calcium and potassium as well as vitamins A and C.

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs total)
2 cups of your favorite salsa
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh lime wedges for serving optional

How to Make Crockpot Salsa Chicken

Step 1: Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker.

Step 2: Pour salsa over the chicken and toss to ensure each piece is fully coated.

Step 3: Cover the slow cooker and set to cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

Step 4: Once the chicken is tender, shred it with a fork and mix with the salsa and juices. Serve hot.

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

To make this dish ahead of time, just follow the above recipe, then cool it off. Once cool, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days, or in the freezer for up to three months. This crockpot salsa chicken is delicious cold and excellent on salads, but is also super easy to heat back up. Place a serving of chicken in a sauté or shallow pan and add an ounce or two of either water or stock and heat over medium heat until the chicken is hot.

Is there a trick to cooling down my chicken in a hurry?

Yes, once you have your chicken shredded, spread it out evenly on a sheet tray or baking tray then place in the fridge uncovered, if you cover the chicken while it is still warm it will continue to steam and cook the chicken further. Once your chicken has cooled, remove it from the sheet tray or baking tray and put it into an air tight container and store it in the fridge.

Is this a good recipe for meal prepping?

Absolutely, this is the perfect meal for meal prepping and great for anyone with a busy schedule. For meal prepping simply cool your chicken as directed above, then portion it out into individual serving containers. Add in a veg and some carbs and you have a delicious well balanced meal.

Serving Suggestions

The best part about this crockpot salsa chicken is how amazingly versatile it truly is. You can do so many wonderful things with the recipe as is like the tacos, and burritos I mentioned earlier or you can take it up a notch or two with the addition of a few ingredients. Instead of just the salsa and lime add in a little oregano, cumin, cayenne or paprika. Toss in a few hot chilies for a little kick, or add in some chopped fresh herbs and slices of avocado to elevate the dish even further. I love this chicken with a side of rice, some tangy sour cream and a handful of tortilla chips, so delicious. This Tex-Mex inspired chicken falls apart perfectly and is a great dish for parties, gatherings, or social events. Adaptable to so many flavor profiles this is definitely one dish you need to have in your culinary repertoire.

If you are looking for a few more recipes to try look at this Slow Cooker Jambalaya and get even more use out of that trusty crockpot. If you are still thinking about the tacos i mentioned earlier here is a great link to our Shredded Chicken Tacos. If all of these savory goodies have you craving sweets give our Cream-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes try.