Easy 5-Ingredient Crockpot Salsa Chicken
A simple, slow-cooker meal featuring chicken breasts cooked in salsa and taco seasoning. Perfect for busy weeknights, this dish requires minimal prep and yields tender, shreddable chicken.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 to 8 hours (LOW) or 3 to 4 hours (HIGH)
- Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes (LOW) or 3 hours 5 minutes (HIGH)
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 to 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
- 16-ounce jar medium salsa (such as Pace or Herdez)
- 1 packet taco seasoning (approx. 2 tablespoons) or homemade blend
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Optional toppings: shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, tortilla chips
Instructions
- Rinse chicken breasts under cold water and pat dry. Trim any excess fat or tendons. Place chicken in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker.
- Sprinkle taco seasoning and cumin evenly over the chicken.
- Pour the entire jar of salsa over the chicken, scraping out all contents from the jar.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours until chicken is tender.
- Remove chicken from the pot and shred using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot and stir into the sauce. Let sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Chicken breasts can dry out if overcooked; check at the 3-hour mark if using HIGH heat. For a thicker sauce, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and stir in during the last 30 minutes. Can be made with frozen chicken by increasing cook time to 8-10 hours on LOW or 5-6 hours on HIGH. Ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup of chicken wit
- Calories: 275
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 450
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 1.5
- Carbohydrates: 12
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 30
Keywords: crockpot, slow cooker, salsa chicken, easy dinner, meal prep, 5-ingredient recipe, chicken tacos, healthy dinner