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    Home » Recipes » Slow Cooker

    Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

    Published: Jul 13, 2015 · Modified: Mar 8, 2023 by Jessie · This post may contain affiliate links; if you buy something we'll earn a commission at no cost to you.

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    This two-ingredient slow cooker salsa chicken recipe is perfect for meal prep!

    Shredded chicken in a green bowl. this recipe

    Shredded slow cooker chicken MIGHT be one of the greatest meal prep inventions of all time. And this PARTICULAR crock pot chicken recipe needs just two ingredients: boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, and a big ol' scoop of your favorite salsa.

    Chicken breasts and salsa in the bowl of a slow cooker.

    And, okay, to call this crock pot salsa chicken a "recipe" is probably a bit generous - more like "put two things in a bowl and wait for a slow cooker to do all the work" - but the real fun comes after the chicken is cooked and you get to work it into a bunch of different meals during the rest of the week. Personal favorites: Enchilada Lasagna, Cilantro Chicken Chopped Salad, Burrito Bowls, ALL OF THE TACOS.

    Hands using two forks to shred chicken in a black bowl.

    How to serve this salsa chicken:

    • Add a handful to tacos, fajitas, quesadillas, or burritos
    • Make a chicken burrito bowl or taco salad with shredded chicken, lettuce, cilantro, bell pepper, black beans, and corn.
    • Toast a dinner roll or burger bun, top with a scoop of chicken, some fresh arugula, and a dollop of plain Greek yogurt or sour cream. Done aaaaaand delicious.
    • Toss into your favorite mac and cheese recipes!
    Two forks lifting shredded salsa chicken out of a black bowl.

    Can you freeze this salsa chicken?

    Yes - absolutely! Let chicken cool completely, and store in an airtight container in the freezer for 3-4 months without losing flavor. You can also store extra shredded chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

    PLEASE NOTE: If you want to make shredded chicken with an Instant Pot, you WILL need liquid in the bowl to allow the pot to come to pressure. We recommend using the slow cooker setting if you’d like to use an Instant Pot here, or finding a recipe that has been specifically developed for the instant pot!

    Sandwich roll with shredded chicken and arugula on a dark background.

    Video: Four ways to make slow cooker chicken

     

    Love this recipe? Try our bbq chicken crockpot sandwiches →

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    Man's hands shredding chicken in a black crock pot.

    Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

    ★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
    • Author: Jessie
    • Prep Time: 10 mins
    • Cook Time: 6 hours
    • Total Time: 6 hours 10 minutes
    • Yield: Makes 4-5 cups 1x
    • Category: Main Dish
    • Cuisine: American
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    Description

    An easy slow cooker salsa chicken recipe - perfect for meal prep and busy weeknights!


    Ingredients

    Scale
    • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 large chicken breasts)
    • 1 cup of your favorite salsa

    Instructions

    1. Toss chicken and salsa together in a slow cooker.
    2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken is tender and cooked through.
    3. Remove lid and let chicken cool for 10 minutes or so before shredding (so we don’t burn ourselves!)
    4. Use two forks to shred the chicken right in the crockpot. The chicken will absorb any liquid in the pot as you shred it - no need to drain any of the liquid.
    5. Serve immediately or let chicken cool completely before transferring to airtight containers. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 months.

    Notes

    Equipment. We love our Crock Pot slow cooker for this recipe! Store cooled chicken in a Pyrex container or Stasher Bag (a reusable, dishwasher-safe alternative to ziploc bags).

    Chicken cuts: We use boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this recipe, but you can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in chicken if you prefer. Always make sure your chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees for safety. 

    To scale this recipe for a crowd, use as many chicken breasts as you like - just plan to use about ¼ cup of salsa per chicken breast. With more chicken, you may also have to extend the cook time - so keep an eye on it and make sure to test the internal temperature before serving.

    Freezing and storing shredded chicken. This chicken will last 3-4 days in an airtight container in the fridge or 3-4 months in the freezer without losing flavor. You can freeze in portion sized helpings or a larger container - just remove the chicken to the fridge the day before you plan to use it so it can defrost.

    In a hurry? Cook chicken on high heat (instead of low) for 3-4 hours. The chicken will typically be cooked through after 3 hours, but the additional hour of cooking time makes it much easier to shred.

    Use this slow cooker chicken in tacos, salads, enchiladas, pasta, and more! We love adding it to a burrito bowl, an enchilada lasagna, or our favorite mac and cheese recipes.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ½ cup
    • Calories: 84
    • Sugar: 1.3 g
    • Sodium: 258.5 mg
    • Fat: 4.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 2.2 g
    • Protein: 9.6 g
    • Cholesterol: 27.8 mg

    Keywords: crockpot, meal planning, meal prep

    Tag @lifeasastrawberry on Instagram to show us what you're cooking! Nutrition information is calculated per serving; it is approximate and will vary based on many factors.

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    I'm Jessie, and I like to talk about food. Tag your recipes #LifeAsAStrawberry on social media to share your creations! Learn about our team!

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    1. Jessica

      August 25, 2022 at 4:08 pm

      I love having meal prepped chicken on hand but it gets boring when it's just the same plain chicken every week - I am in LOVE with this version! Adding salsa to the mix seems so simple, but it really adds a ton of flavor. This is in my regular rotation for sure!

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • Team Life As A Strawberry

        August 26, 2022 at 12:32 pm

        WAHOO! This recipe is a meal prep superhero!

        Reply
    2. KCole's Creative Corner

      July 14, 2015 at 8:27 am

      I LOVE crockpot meals! They make the meat so tender and delicious! This looks soooo flavorful; Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
      • Jessie

        July 18, 2015 at 4:19 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Danielle

      July 13, 2015 at 12:50 pm

      So many possibilities for this chicken! I say crock pot. I love desktop emojis but sometimes they don't show up in comment boxes, so picture my blergh face, too.

      Reply
      • Jessie

        July 13, 2015 at 11:55 pm

        Yay for blergh face! And I'm glad someone else says crock pot too.

        Reply

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