Easy Crockpot Salsa Chicken (2024)

Simple Ingredients Needed For This Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken Recipe

1. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
2. Kosher Salt & Black Pepper :A little extra seasoning for the chicken breasts.
3. Taco Seasoning Packets :The recipe calls for two of these, so use the same one or use one mild + one hot, or any combination that you want.
4. Mild Rotel Diced Tomatoes
5. Salsa :Use your favorite salsa, or even a homemade salsa, for the best flavor! I recommend using a really good salsa, like the jars of fresh salsa that you can find in the refrigerated section of the produce area; near the cold salsa dressings and salad mixes.

How To Make It (Printable Recipe Card Below)

Spray the insert of the crockpot with cooking spray.

Rinse the chicken breasts under cold water and then pat them dry with paper towels. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle the chicken with the taco kosher salt, black pepper, and then the taco seasoning packets. Use your clean hands to rub and press all the seasonings into the chicken breasts on both sides.

Dump the can of Rotel tomatoes over top the chicken and then the salsa. Ensure that the chicken is covered, use a spoon if needed to spread it around.

Cover with the lid and cook on LOW heat for 6-8 hours. The chicken should be super tender and easily shreddable, and of course the proper temperature of chicken should be an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

When the chicken is done use two forks to shred it directly in the slow cooker, or you can remove the chicken to a bowl and use an electric hand mixer to shred it like the restraints do, or remove the chicken to a cutting board and use two forks to shred it there and then place it back into the crockpot. Serve & enjoy!

Serving Suggestions For Salsa Chicken

This is a great recipe because not only can you serve the salsa chicken in so many different ways, but there will probably be plenty of leftovers – so use up that leftover salsa chicken and make meal prep containers for lunches, or repurpose the chicken and use it in any recipe that calls for already cooked chicken. Here are some serving ideas and options for this easy & versatile shredded chicken.

• Burrito Bowls –Use your favorite cooked rice as the base, top it with some salsa chicken, black beans, squeeze of lime juice, and all your favorite burrito toppings like sour cream, Guacamole, salsa, Pico de Gallo, shredded cheese, etc. I love making myCilantro Lime RiceorEasy Mexican Rice, but you can also use cooked white rice, brown rice, or even cauliflower rice. Drizzle this amazingCafe Rio Dressingover top the burrito bowls – trust me!
• Taco Night Tacos –Use the shredded chicken and make tacos! Fill a flour tortilla or crunchy taco shells and add your favorite taco toppings.
• Chicken Taco Salad –Make a salad bar with shredded green leaf lettuce as the base, rice, beans, shredded salsa chicken, and then all your favorite taco toppings.
• Shredded Salsa Chicken Nachos –Make a nacho bar with tortilla chips, along with your favorite toppings like black beans, chopped cilantro, dollops of refried beans, shredded cheese, Pico de Gallo, and guacamole. Warm up each nacho serving inside the microwave or follow the cooking method for theseOven Baked Nachos.
• Burritos –Use the salsa chicken as a filling for burritos inside a large flour tortilla. Add some cooked rice and black beans if wanted, and of course shredded cheese. Burritos are even better when you brown them inside a skillet pan for a few minutes.
• Salsa Chicken Quesadillas –Use the chicken along with some shredded cheese to make the best quesadillas for an easy dinner idea.

How To Store Leftovers

Store any leftovers inside an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to 4 days. The salsa chicken can also be frozen, inside a freezer-safe bag or container, for up to 2-3 months.

Recipe Tips For Success

• Make It Spicy! :This salsa chicken is so easy to adapt to your spice preference. Use hot taco seasoning packets, use a can of hot or medium Rotel tomatoes, or try adding some spicy dried seasonings (along with the salt & pepper on the chicken) like chili powder, cayenne red pepper, chipotle pepper, garlic powder, etc. You could also add a small, or large, dash of hot sauce as well. Pick all of these spicier options or just choose one of them.
• Wash The Raw Chicken :This may seem pointless but it helps a lot. Raw, fresh chicken can have some goopy stuff on it out of the package so it’s important to wash it off and then pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels. This will help all the dried seasonings adhere to the chicken and really seep all that flavor into the chicken during the slow cooker cooking time.
• Don’t Use Frozen Chicken :Using frozen chicken will add more liquid to the crock pot which will make the final shredded chicken ‘soupier’. If all you have is froze chicken then I recommend letting it thaw completely in the fridge before adding it into the crock pot. For the best flavor I recommend buying a fresh package of chicken breasts at the grocery store and using it right away.
• Cooking Time :Because all slow cookers vary in their cooking temperature, your salsa chicken may be done cooking sooner than what the recipe calls for. Regardless of temperature, I always cook mine for 7-8 hours for one main reason – with the longer cook time the chicken gets ultra soft and tender, but still stays moist thanks to the tomatoes and salsa. But if you check the internal temperature the chicken and it’s at 165 degrees then you can remove the chicken and either shred it or chop it up.