So Let Me Tell You About My Salsa Chicken Obsession
Alright, so you know those nights when your brain’s moving at the speed of a slow internet connection? That’s usually when I throw together this crockpot salsa Chicken. I swear it’s like a magic trick — chuck a few things in the slow cooker, wander off (I’ve literally gone to weed the garden mid-recipe), and come back to dinner that tastes way fancier than it should. First time I made this, I accidentally used pineapple salsa instead of regular. Long story short: now my kids ask for “the sweet one” — but no one agrees on which salsa is actually the best, so we just call it family drama in a bowl.
Why I Keep Making This (Even When I’m Outta Spoons)
I make this when dinner can’t get complicated (which is… a lot). My family dives in face-first because somehow they never get bored of it. Plus, I can toss it together in like five minutes flat (sometimes less, especially if I skip hunting for the garlic press). Also, truthfully? There’s basically nothing to scrub afterwards. If you ever had a crockpot disaster stick to the bottom, I feel you. Salsa Chicken just slides right out — unless I forget to spray the darn thing, but that only happened twice (okay, maybe three times).
Stuff You’ll Need (and What You Can Swap If You Run Out)
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs, honestly; thighs don’t dry out as much if you’re prone to, erm, losing track of time like me)
- 1 jar (about 16oz/450g) of salsa — any style. My grandma swears by that fancy roasted kind, but sometimes I just use the store brand and no one notices. Pineapple salsa brings a fun twist if you’re feeling wild.
- 1 packet taco seasoning (1oz/28g) — or just shake in a hefty handful of chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and pepper if you don’t keep packets around
- 1/2 cup (ish) corn, frozen or canned (I’ve left this out plenty of times and it’s still good)
- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or pinto if you’re rooting in the pantry for beans and all you find is pinto — it happens to the best of us)
- Optional: a handful of shredded cheese for topping afterward (I sometimes forget this and nobody cries… usually)
How I Actually Throw This Together
- Find your slow cooker (I mean, unless you have it out on the counter, in which case, you’re already winning). You don’t really need to grease it, but if you hate scrubbing, give it a quick spray.
- Lay those chicken pieces flat in the bottom. Sometimes mine overlap or get a bit squished. Doesn’t matter; they’ll get cozy soon enough.
- Pour over the salsa (just glop it right on), then sprinkle the taco seasoning evenly. I do a little shimmy shake for good luck — not required, but it makes me smile.
- Dump in the corn and black beans on top. No need to be cute about it; just pile ‘em in. Stir if you feel fancy, or leave it be if you’re in a hurry or feeling lazy.
- Pop the lid on and set the crockpot to low for ~6 hours or high for ~3 hours. I confess, I usually check at 5 hours because I get impatient. The chicken should shred easily with two forks — that’s when I sneak a taste (chef’s rights… or at least, that’s my argument).
- Shred the chicken right in the crockpot with two forks or just sort of mash it around in there. If you used thighs, it’ll fall apart without much persuasion. Stir it so everything’s mixed and coated with saucy goodness.
- Serve hot, sprinkle with cheese if you remembered it, and dig in.
What I’ve Learned (The Hard Way)
- Once I tried dumping everything in all at once, including extra tomatoes — turned out a bit soupy, but not in a bad way. Just needed chips to scoop it up.
- If you start with frozen chicken, it takes a bit longer, but seems fine — just check the temp before eating so you don’t get any nasty surprises. Speaking form experience!
- Forgot the beans once? Still tasty (but my husband missed them; apparently he’s a bean loyalist).
Swaps and Switch-Ups I’ve Risked (Not All Are Winners!)
- I tried it with green salsa (salsa verde): extra tangy, really nice if you’re into that sort of thing (one kid claimed betrayal but ate seconds anyway).
- Once, I threw in some chopped bell pepper and it somehow vanished into the sauce — couldn’t taste it, but hey, more veggies are never bad.
- The only fail: I swapped the salsa for just canned tomatoes because I ran out, and honestly? The depth of flavor just wasn’t there. Wouldn’t do that again, but maybe you’ll like it (or maybe you’ve got magic tomatoes that taste like salsa).
What You’ll Need in the Kitchen (And If You Don’t Have It)
Obviously a slow cooker is handy, but I’ve honestly baked this in the oven, covered, at 350F for about 40ish minutes and it worked okay. If your slow cooker’s on the fritz or AWOL (ours walks off to the neighbor’s house a suspicious amount), don’t let that stop you.
How I Store It (Or, Theoretically Could)
Supposedly this’ll keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container, and you can freeze it for later. (Real talk: in my house, it barely survives til lunch the next day — I once made a double batch and STILL only got a tiny bowl for leftovers. It’s good cold, too, straight from the fridge, with a fork when no one’s looking.)
How We Eat It — and a Bit About Family Dinner Debates
You can scoop it onto rice, wrap it in a tortilla, or just pile it on tortilla chips for lazy nachos (big favorite here — especially if you eat in front of the TV, which, according to my mom, is only allowed on Fridays). My personal preference? Over a bowl of warm brown rice, with extra lime and lots of cilantro. My spouse insists it’s better in a taco shell with all the toppings, but honestly you can’t go wrong.
Pearls of Wisdom (AKA Things I Learned After Messing Up)
- Don’t try to “speed up” by using high heat the entire time. I once did this and the chicken kind of went tough and stringy. Slower is better here.
- Always check if the chicken is actually done before shredding. One time it looked perfect but was still a bit raw in the middle — never again! I use a meat thermometer now, or just stab it and see if it’s not pink anymore (not technical, but hey, it’s worked).
Real Questions I’ve Actually Gotten (And Will Probably Get Again)
- Q: Can I use beef instead of chicken?
- A: Technically, sure, but it’ll taste different — and beef needs a bit more cook time in my experience. I’d use shredded pork if you wanna swap it up.
- Q: Is there a way to make this not spicy?
- A: Absolutely! Mild salsa, skip the spicy taco seasoning, and you’ll be totally fine. On second thought, you can even add a dollop of sour cream at the end if things go sideways on the heat scale.
- Q: Crockpot or slow cooker — same thing, right?
- A: Pretty much, yeah! Crockpot’s a brand, but honestly nobody in my house calls it anything fancy.
- Q: Do I need to brown the chicken first?
- A: Nope. I mean, you can for a different flavor, but usually I’m just all about the minimal effort here (and one less dish!).
- Q: Can I double this recipe?
- A: For sure. Just don’t overfill the crockpot — leave room for stirring, even if it looks like a mountain of food at first.
Anyway. If you try this and it becomes your new go-to dinner, I’ll count that as a win! (And if you figure out a way to get the leftovers to actually last more than a day, please let me know — I still haven’t managed it.)
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups salsa (mild or spicy, as desired)
- 1 packet taco seasoning (about 1 oz)
- 1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup canned corn, drained
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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1Lightly grease the bottom of the crockpot with olive oil.
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2Place chicken breasts in a single layer at the bottom of the crockpot. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
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3Sprinkle taco seasoning evenly over the chicken.
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4Pour salsa over the chicken, then top with black beans and corn.
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5Cover and cook on low setting for 6 hours or until chicken is tender and cooked through.
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6Shred chicken using two forks, then stir in shredded cheddar cheese and fresh cilantro. Serve hot with your favorite sides.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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