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Easiest Salsa Verde Chicken (Slow cooker or Instant Pot)

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This is the easiest Salsa Verde Chicken recipe made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot, perfect for tacos, tostadas, bowls, and more!

Salsa Verde Chicken Bowl
Salsa Verde Chicken

Chicken tenderloins or chicken breasts are simmered in jarred salsa verde with cumin and spices for the easiest chicken ever! This makes easy shredded chicken, a great base for chicken tostadas, over cilantro lime rice, in tacos, as a filling for enchiladas, whatever! Here’s my chicken verde tostada recipe!

how to make a chicken rice bowl

Some weeknights are hectic in my house with after school activities, and that’s when I turn to my slow cooker. I love making this easy shredded chicken, similar to my slow cooker chicken tacos only made with jarred salsa verde instead. The chicken is always tender and so flavorful! My favorite way to eat this is to turn it into a rice bowl!

How To Make A Salsa Verde Chicken Bowl

  1. Start with quinoa or rice as your base, you can use cooked brown rice or cilantro lime rice, my favorite.
  2. Add the shredded salsa chicken.
  3. Add my quick black beans for fiber and more protein.
  4. Then top with your favorite veggies such as fresh tomatoes, red onion, corn, avocado, cilantro, lime for squeezing.
  5. Optional toppings, pico de gallo, corn salsa, guacamole, or cheese.

Variations

  • Use chicken breast or chicken thighs in place of chicken tenders.
  • Use your favorite tomato based jarred salsa in place of salsa verde.
  • Add some corn or black beans along with the chicken.
  • Add some sazon seasoning for more flavor!

Meal Prep

This chicken is also great for meal prep, an easy way to make tasty lean protein to use in bowls. Refrigerate the cooked chicken for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Salsa Verde Chicken Bowl

More Chicken Recipes

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Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken

4.87 from 50 votes
0
Cals:167
Protein:26.5
Carbs:5
Fat:3.5
This is the easiest Salsa Verde Chicken recipe made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot, perfect for tacos, tostadas, bowls, and more!
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Salsa Verde Chicken Bowl
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Serving Size: 1 /2 cup chicken

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs raw skinless chicken tenders, or chicken breast
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/8 tsp oregano
  • 1/8 tsp ground cumin
  • salt, to taste
  • 16 oz roasted salsa verde, **check labels for Whole 30 compliance

Instructions

Slow Cooker

  • Season chicken with garlic powder, oregano, cumin and salt and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
  • Top with half the salsa verde (8 oz), cover and cook HIGH 2 hours or low 4 hours.
    Slow Cooker shredded chicken
  • Remove chicken, shred with 2 forks.
  • Remove 2/3 cup of liquid from the slow cooker, and discard (unless you want it over rice).
  • Place shredded chicken back into the crock pot with remaining salsa, adjust seasoning to taste if needed and keep warm.
    Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken

Instant Pot

  • Season chicken with garlic powder, oregano, cumin and salt and place in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
  • Cover with salsa verde, cover and cook HIGH pressure 20 minutes. Quick or natural release.
  • Remove chicken, shred with 2 forks.

Last Step:

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 /2 cup chicken, Calories: 167 kcal, Carbohydrates: 5 g, Protein: 26.5 g, Fat: 3.5 g, Saturated Fat: 0.5 g, Cholesterol: 83 mg, Sodium: 776 mg, Fiber: 1.5 g, Sugar: 3 g

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318 comments on “Easiest Salsa Verde Chicken (Slow cooker or Instant Pot)”

  1. Hi! I’ve made this recipe as-is and it’s a family favorite, but I have a couple cans of green enchilada sauce in my pantry that I want to use. Do you think that would work?

  2. Avatar photo
    Stevie Morris

    This is by far one of the easiest and tastiest recipes we have found for shredded chicken. Great for tacos, on salads, very versatile.

  3. Such an easy weeknight recipe and my whole family loves this! It’s my go to when I need a no brainer meal.

  4. Tasty and simple. Made it in an instant pot. Served it over rice; there’s a good amount of sauce . Also served as taco’s.
    Listed this recipe in my recipe app as “favorite/ Go To”

  5. My absolute go to when I get lazy with meal prep or need something quick and easy! It’s such a versatile recipe!

  6. I’ve been making this recipe for years. I make a big batch, eat some, freeze some. My favorite way to have it is quesadillas–chicken, black beans, provolone/mozzarella mix, and cilantro. Delicious.

  7. So delicious…I made it in the instant pot, I added a packet of the Goya seasoning and it turned out amazing!!!

  8. I’m confused as the recipe doesn’t signify how much salsa at the beginning and at the end. I’m assuming 8 oz to start and 8 oz to finish?

  9. Avatar photo
    Debbie Jacobs

    My favorite new recipe! It was easy to make and tastes Amazing!
    Will be making this again and often. Thank you for sharing.

  10. Made this tonight in the pressure cooker for the first time. Made it previously before in slow cooker. The flavor was more intense in the pressure cooker. After shredding added some lime juice and cilantro for brightness. Will put the remainder on salad greens for lunch tomorrow. Simple and easy. I cheat and season with Adobe.

  11. This is a huge winner in my home. I make it almost once a week and on the slim chance there are leftovers they never last long. 100% recommend!

  12. This could not be any easier! It’s really tasty and can be used for tacos, burrito bowls, or on top of nachos

  13. I’ve made this recipe numerous times! It’s always great 😊 I usually use chicken tenders instead of breasts. I make tacos with this, put it over Mexican rice and serve refried beans on the side. It’s so versatile and always tastes delicious.

  14. So easy and family loved it! Made burrito bowls with the chicken like in the picture. Also made the black bean recipe to go with it. So good! Will definitely be in our rotation fit fast and delicious.

  15. Avatar photo
    Michele M Olson

    We love this recipe and have made it several times.  Our grocery store was out of roasted salsa verde, only had ‘regular’.  Has anyone tried the recipe not using the roasted salsa verde?  I’m imagining the roasted has a deeper flavor.  

  16. Avatar photo
    Nicole Piorkowski

    This is a big hit with my family! Its a weekly staple now! Recently I used a ranch dressing seasoning packet in lieu of the oregano/cumin and it turned out great! I make basamati rice and mix in butter, garlic and sea salt! My girls love the “create your own” aspect of picking their own toppings. We love it!

  17. Great recipe. ingredients are spot on…I added some Goya Sazon and it tastes better than Chipotle!! People – Save your money and make this!

  18. Avatar photo
    Nichelle Rachal

    Would like to give this recipe a try, is there any notes for making this on the stove top or in the oven?  I don’t have a slow cooker and haven’t mastered instant pot yet. Thanks!

    1. I gave away my crockpot because I didn’t like the consistency of the things I cooked in it. I now cook “slow cooker” recipes in the oven and they all com out fabulous. Here’s a conversion formula from JustaPince.com:

      converting crock pot recipe to oven

      1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover the food with the lid and place it into the oven.
      2. Convert the time. If the recipe required that the food needed to cook for a certain amount of time on “Low,” divide that number by 4 to get the oven time at 325 degrees F. If the dish needs to cook in a slow cooker on “Low” for 8 hours, it will only take 2 hours, covered, at 325 degrees F.
      3. Divide the slow cooker cooking time on “High” by 2 to get the oven cooking time at 325 degrees F. For instance, a recipe to cook on “High” for 3 hours will cook in the oven, covered for 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees F.
      4.Test the meat in your dish by putting a meat thermometer into the thickest part, away from the bone. If the meat is still not cooked at the end of the cooking time, add more time in 15-minute increments until the meat is thoroughly cooked.

  19. So yummy!!!!  I made the slow cooker version.  I made a bowl with sautéed zucchini peppers & onions, cilantro rice, black beans, corn and topped with chopped fresh tomatoes and a dollop of guacamole.  

  20. It was just ok for me, not a fan of crockpot chicken I guess. I should have used more seasoning perhaps. 

  21. What is a good brand of Salsa Verde? I want to try this but have not liked many of the salsas I have tried.

    1. Herdez (bottled, not canned) is my favorite brand of salsa verde. They make both regular and roasted versions; roasted is a bit chunkier.

  22. OMG! We are in love! And it is zero points on our plan! I doubled the seasoning just because we like a good kick and also put in 1/4 tsp of adobo. I think I am going to do a double batch of this amazing stuff on Sunday. Thank you!!!

  23. I’ve made this a million times! SO easy and SO delicious! Thank you!  I add a large onion cut into slices/rings on the bottom of the crockpot. 

  24. Is there anything different about the recipe you’re posting here in February 2022 than the one you posted several years ago? I’ve made this several times with different kinds of salsa, and it’s always really good. Just curious if this is an update or just a re-post.

  25. I have made this so many times and used for tacos with pickled onion and a bit of Mexican cheese. . Haven’t really ever made a skinny taste recipe we didn’t love. 

  26. I LOVE this recipe!!  As tacos (with coleslaw mix “marinated” in lime juice, and a little cheese on top), in a green salad, over rice, over zucchini / butternut squash noodles / spaghetti squash, mixed with eggs…..so any options and SO EASY!  Definitely my go-to when I don’t know what to make for the week.  And by having so many ways to use it, it doesn’t seem like having the same leftovers every day because I always make a big batch of it since it also freezes well.  

  27. I bet this could be made into a yummy soup by adding chicken broth, onions, diced green chiles, beans and corn!!!  Has anyone tried?? Might not be any extra points on blue!

    1. It’s great as a southwestern stew and a nice way to clean out the fridge with red bell peppers/carrots/onions/garlic/lime/bean/corn/rice etc. You can garnish with sour cream and tortilla strips and hot sauce.

  28. I’ve made this too many times not to comment. Done both the slow cooker and the insta pot. It’s very tasty and SO EASY. I’ve used frozen chicken or thawed, chicken tenders or chicken thighs (our preference), and usually toss a bag of frozen corn on the chicken before covering with the salsa verde. We add a can of rinsed beans and serve over rice usually! 

  29. Delicious! I added some sazon instead of the cumin/oregano/garlic powder and added some frozen roasted corn kernels and cannellini beans after cooking in the instant pot. Definitely a keeper. 

  30. Seriously impressed with this chicken! I’m new to the Instant Pot and as I’m currently injured, I was looking for easy recipes I wouldn’t have to stand too long to accomplish. This was so easy and SO flavorful. My husband had no notes and went back for seconds. I made rice in the instant pot first, and served that with the chicken. Easy, healthy meal that we both loved. Thank you so much for this recipe!

    1. Avatar photo
      Loweda Little

      I cook my chicken for 4 hours on high( crockpot) no matter how much chicken. It is always tender and shreds easily. 

  31. Holy cow with the IP!!!  The chicken was SO easy to shred. So glad I have one now. I don’t know that I’ll ever make it in my crock pot again. 

  32. This was awesome!! I served this with sautéed bell peppers, onions and jalapeños, corn salad and corn tortillas. 5 stars. So good. So simple. So healthy! 

      1. I love this recipe.  Only problem is sometimes I get the “burn” notice for the Instant Pot.  Any pointers for this?

  33. This is a go to recipe for me.   It’s so easy to make and super delicious!  Great for a quick weeknight meal and my family loves it.

  34. Can’t believe it has been all this time till I have tried this. I used skinny taste salsa verde. I try to always make extra and freeze it so I am ready to make a recipe. I merged two skinny taste recipes, this and the chicken and black bean taco slow cooker. I just did a green version using the chicken, salsa verde and a whole can of navy beans, as I only had a 12 ounce chicken breast. I put this in my smaller slow cooker for 4 hours on low and it was perfect. My husband said better then a restaurant. I used Penzey chicken taco seasoning called for in the taco recipe plus the spices called for in this recipe. We loved it! I got about 5 half cup servings out of the amounts that I used. This was terrific. So simple too.

  35. I cooked this in my Instant Pot (as directed) and received a “burn” message. I added more water and gave it a stir and it cooked successfully on the second try. The end result was very watery (probably due t the additional water). We ate it on tortillas and even after draining the liquid with a spoon, we had a lot of liquid on our plates. How watery should the sauce be under normal circumstances?

    1. So I know some of you are having issues with my IP recipes. I never get the burn message when I test a recipe, so trust me I am as frustrated as you are. After doing some research, this is what I found- The newer IP models have a hair trigger burn sensor that can’t tell the difference between a slight caramelized residue, which is good, and totally burnt. To avoid this, when using the saute button always deglaze the pot after sauteeing with a tablespoon or two of water or broth before adding your other ingredients.”

      1. Hi, I am still confused.  The recipe doesn’t call for sautéing?  My IP (also new) had the “burn” indicator twice so far.  I gave everything a good stir and scraped the bottom and restarted the pressure cooking process.  Hoping it works this time!

      2. Avatar photo
        Tracy Spence

        I also got the burn notice. I scraped the bottom and restarted it. Hope it works!

    2. Pour the salsa into the IP first, and then nestle the chicken atop the salsa. I have an IP with the hair-trigger burn notice and doing what I described worked perfectly.

  36. This was fabulous and easy and tasty and I wish I’d doubled it! When cooked thru, I shredded the chicken in my KitchenAid mixer, returned to slow cooker and kept it on warm until we were ready for dinner. I used it in the tostadas.  

  37. This was my first instant pot recipe! Fool proof, easy and DELICIOUS. I’ve never been able to make chicken that tastes so good.

  38. This was so easy and so delicious! It ended up for us being like a chicken salsa soup. I will definitely be making it again.

    Do you have any other suggestions for other types of pre-made sauce that you could throw in with chicken like this?

  39. I’ve made this recipe so many times now I felt I should add a comment here. It’s honestly almost embarrassing how much my family loves this chicken, compared to the effort I put into other recipes, haha. I only buy La Costena salsa verde; at my grocery store it was the only one actually made with tomatillos plus it’s my favorite salsa brand anyway.

    I double or even triple this recipe and we eat it as tostadas, tacos, in burritos, over rice, with eggs (best one!) or even straight out of the bowl. It’s definitely the best yummy :: effort ratio of anything I cook. Thanks Gina!

    Pro tip – dump it all into a stand mixer on low and the chicken shreds itself. Just to make this REALLY embarrassingly low-effort. 🙂

  40. This was tasty! I made it as is in the IP, plus added a cup of brown rice, a cup of water, a chicken bouillon cube, and a bay leaf for 22 minutes high pressure. The chicken shredded beautifully and the rice was perfect! I threw in a bag of frozen corn and about 3tbsp lofat cream cheese, and it was a complete meal garnished with diced tomatoes and avocado. My 8 year old asked for leftovers in his thermos for school tomorrow! Thank you!

  41. This was AWESOME! I used a jalapeño based verde salsa to add spice. Served it as burrito bowls over your cilantro lime rice with corn, black beans, the cabbage from your tostada recipe, and cheese. Like others had suggested I added some sour cream (and flour to thicken) to the leftover salsa to make a sauce. I took it for lunch, still enjoyed it! I hate doing leftovers more than once. I was gonna make the leftovers dinner again (which I never do after 2 meals in a row) as tacos, but wasn’t feeling it so turned the rest of the chicken, cheese, and sauce into enchiladas! I almost like that even more. My husband also ate it 3 times in a row (which he never does) twice as tacos and once as a bowl. Such a versatile recipe, and can easily add variety to a week, even when just eating leftovers.

  42. This is good with poblano peppers – you can actually take it and put it on corn or flour tortillas as soft tacos

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    1. I removed a little less than a cup of the liquid from the crock pot then put all the shredded chicken back in with the sauce that was left. 

  44. Hi there! If I double the recipe what do I do with cook time? 1.5 lbs = 2 hours on high. How long to cook 3 lbs on high? 

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  47. I can’t recommend this dish enough! This meal is inexpensive, fast and easy to make, and ridiculously easy to clean up. My husband is a food snob and he loves it! I add purple cabbage, onion, and sometimes carrots to the slow cooker as well. I also add a touch more of the seasonings. We put it over brown rice. I usually get sour cream to top it off and sometimes avocado. I add sunflower seeds for extra crunch sometimes. 

  48. Salsa Verde chicken is one of my weekly go to’s when I can’t think of anything else to make. My whole family loves it. I can’t believe how easy and delicious this recipe is. I’ve been making it in my instant pot following the same directions as the salsa chicken. I’ve just started doubling it because my family always wiped it out and I love having it for leftovers for quesadillas and burrito bowls. I’ve also used this as a filling for Weelicious’s Mexican lasagna recipe. Another winner!

  49. The flavor was great, but my chicken was overdone with 2 hours in the slow cooker.  I used boneless skinless breasts cut into tenders.  Maybe this would have worked better on low for 4 hours rather than high for 2?

  50. Can I request you update this with instant pot cooking time? I lOVE this recipe and am too afraid to mess it up by trying to manually calculate. Your recipes are a life safer!

      1. Same questions re: frozen chicken breasts in the instant pot! How long should I leave it in? 

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  52. This recipe is a regular in my dinner rotation, so good. I like to add zucchini or yellow squash to the mix which tastes amazing with the salsa Verde!

  53. This has become one of our slow cooker favorites and I make it often.  I add sour cream to the leftover liquid to make a sauce. Even our picky eater likes this chicken. 

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  57. This was amazing!!  I used Trader Joe’s salsa verde and it turned out great! We just had over rice but I will be trying this chicken in/on other things as well! Thanks for the recipe!

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  59. This is probably my 5th time making this My husband said he could eat it every day It is amazing! thanks for the awesome recipes Lisa

  60. HI! Huge fan of yours and have been for years!! I have a lot of hungry boys to feed, if I double the recipe how long should I cook in the crock pot? Last time I doubled it and the chicken wasnt cooked through. Thank you!!

  61. So delicious and so easy!  I reserved all the juices from the bottom of the crockpot.  The next day for lunch I added a little broth, baked a left over tortilla for chips, added avocado….Tortilla Soup!  

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  64. Great recipe! I tried it and love it, only thing I did differently was after I shredded it I placed it in the oven and let it broil for just long enough to crip the edges. 

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  66. Super easy and delicious. I added a can of corn, white beans, and peppers. I also adjusted seasoning to taste after shredding the chicken 🙂 makes a ton of food and can be used in many different ways. will beat eating this over rice, with eggs for breakfast, and in tortillas 🙂 thanks Gina! 

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  69. I just looked through a ton of comments and didn’t see…could you use chicken thighs for this? I wasn’t sure if they would “shred” the way they should.

    1. I made this with my Instant Pot this past weekend and 25 minutes with natural release (mostly because I just forgot about it :D) was perfect!

  70. To make this recipe even easier, use electric hand beaters to shred the chicken. It will be shredded in seconds. My daughter told me about this tip and I use mine all the time now, when I have to shred meat.

  71. This was delicious! My husband loved it and he can be a picky guy. This will be going into the busy work week rotation. One thing I did differently was added the chicken frozen and cooked in slow cooker for 6 hours with no issues.

  72. Made this tonight and it was a hit. Simple and delicious. Will be adding to monthly menu of meals

  73. Avatar photo
    Kelly Friedberg

    Made this many times and is a family favorite! We add low sodium black beans and serve over rice! Unfortunately my slow cooker broke.  I’ll be trying it tonight in the Dutch oven, any suggestions?!

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  75. This is a favorite in our house. I’m making it today so it can cook while we trick or treat and we can come home to a yummy hot meal. In honor of Halloween we are renaming it Zombie Chicken though. Thanks so much.

  76. So, i made this about a month ago, and I’m about to do it again because it was amazing..the whole fam totally loved this!!!…i actually added like 1 & 2/3rd packages of CREAM CHEESE,, plus sum chopped onion…soooo flipping good, it made an extremely flavorful, extremely creamy verde chicken…while myself and the kiddo thought it was perfect, my hubby felt it could use a lil bit less crm chz (tho still loved it)…it should be noted that i am a cheese-aholic, so i do suggest for “normal ppl” using only about one package….obvi my version would not be considered as healthy a take, but if that doesn’t bother you, then i HIGHLY SUGGEST TRYING THIS WAY, and this time i”m also going to try adding corn and prob black beans….YUM

  77. We love this on our weekly rotation! Once I cover the chicken in the salsa I place sliced bell pepper, onion garlic and fresh cilantro for some extra “fajita style” veggies. The veggies kind steam on top of the chicken and still have some texture to them… Perfect for tacos, burrito bowls and quesadillas for kids! 

    Thanks again! 

      1. Avatar photo
        Daniela Joanides

        Are there any advantages to cooking in low for longer time? I’m out of the house for longer and would love to do that but don’t want to compromise the dish! Thanks! 

  78. Do we think if I put some salsa verde in with some chicken and freeze it will it be okay? I want to give this to my sister in law for a post baby meal! 

  79. I do something similar with a pork roast! Just salsa verde, taco seasoning, and the pork. Delish! Going to have to try with chicken now too. Love your recipes. It’s mostly all I cook for my family anymore.

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  81. Added pickled jalapenos while cooking and it added a nice spice to the dish. How can I use the leftover salsa verde to make into a dip?

  82. Avatar photo
    Jessica Sherwood

    So I had an awful weekend and didn't prep food to eat at work for the week… That led me to desperately search out something that was quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive to throw together on a work night. I hate making food on work nights 'cause it just takes so long, and I'd rather be hanging with and hugging my boyfriend. I found this. I may have had salsa verde once, and it was iffy. But chicken's awesome. Chicken made in the crock pot is drop-dead amazing. So I figured I'd give it a shot. AND OH. MY. GOD. I could've just eaten the entire pot full of friggin' chicken it was SO GOOD. It just fell apart and was so juicy and flavorful! I kept sneaking bites as I put it away… I'll be eating it over brown rice. Due to the packaging of the tenders, I ended up putting in almost 2.5 pounds. I doubled the spice mixture to account for that and threw it all in for 3 hours just to be on the safe side. Wasn't at all overly liquidy (especially after cooling for a bit) even without removing anything. This is going to be a good week of work dinners!! Thank you so much for the recipe! I can't help but think this'd be a great opportunity to throw veggies into my food, but I have no idea what… Any suggestions?

    1. Avatar photo
      Skinnytaste Gina

      SO happy you liked it! Sure you can add black beans and corn if you wish, or serve it over a big salad with avocado!

  83. Do the points values change if you use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken tenders?

  84. I have made this recipe several times and I love it! So easy and so good, perfect combination. My husband raves about it and asks when I'll make it again!

  85. I made this last night – delish! Making the tostadas for lunch today.

    Gina, this, and every recipe I've tried of yours either on-line or in your book, are fantastic! I'm a WW and have found recipes through you that are truly flavorful. Thank you so much!

  86. Avatar photo
    Vickie Scholl

    This is amazing. I made it a couple of weeks ago. I'm doing Weight Watchers and your meals fit perfectly into my plan. Your photos are wonderful. I have been sharing your website with all my friends.

  87. Is this too soupy for sandwiches? I'm considering taking the crockpot to an event and putting it on rolls on a tray for lunch.

  88. I usually put it on low for 8 hours and it works beautifully. FYI, this recipe works with pork too, I throw trimmed chops in the crock pot with the seasoning and salsa (though I like Hernandez brand personally!) and let 'er go for 8 hours! wonderful over rice or on its own and leftovers are even better!

  89. Made this the other night. Rather than removing 2/3 cup juice after cooking, I reduced the salsa added to the pot initially. Came out great, using the extra salsa as a topper.

  90. Can you use frozen chicken with this recipe? I bought 2 lbs frozen chicken at Trader Joes and wondering if I need to defrost or just cook it frozen.

  91. I made this the other day and have been experimenting with different ways of serving it. Today, I mixed 1/2 a cup of the salsa verde chicken with 1/2 cup of black beans and added it to a lettuce wrap. I made some fresh pico de gallo and sliced up a bit of red bell pepper and wrapped it all together! It was absolutely delicious! This will definitely be a staple recipe in my family.

  92. I made this exactly as the recipe stated and it came out PERFECT! 🙂 Loved it, thanks so much!
    Chicken was done after 2 hours on high, I shredded it, took out some liquid and put it back in to warm with just a little more fresh salsa and spices to get the flavor back. (After cooking for a while, the spices tend to get muted)

    It as great and so easy!

  93. Yum! I made this on the stove top since I do not have a lead free crock pot (I am on of THOSE people). Simmer it for half an hour with a lid on low-medium for those of you who are crock potless.

  94. Avatar photo
    Billie Stevens

    I made this tonight, used it to fill burritos for my husband and I. We both thought it was great. I took 1.5 cups of the left overs and mashed it with an avocado, salt, sriracha, and a little lime juice for chicken salad sandwiches tomorrow, and still have enough left over for enchiladas with black beans and green sauce for dinner! Wonderful base recipe!

  95. I make this all the time! It is delicious and so easy! The first handful of times I could not for the life of me find tostadas anywhere. That turned out to be fine. I found hard taco shells that are 3 for 3 points (I still do OLD WW point system.) I evenly distribute the 1/2 cup serving between shells, add lettuce and a sprinkle of cheese. That is THREE tacos for 6 (old) WW pts! Also good as a dip of sorts w/nacho chips.
    We are having it tonight. I def. recommend!

  96. Made this today with chicken breasts in the crock pot. I missed the part about removing some of the liquid so they were a little soupy but delicious. I shredded the chicken in the kitchen aid mixer with a beater blade. So quick! Wish I had cabbage but it was great with lettuce and scallions.

  97. Made these into nachos tonight topped with cheese tomatoes and jalapeños. Perfect food for playoffs! They were amazing!! Thanks Gina!

  98. It's in the crockpot now for the 3rd time in a week. I use the chicken to make quesadillas with reduced fat cheddar and jalapenos and serve it with fat free sour cream and your southwestern black bean salad. Hubby is addicted and so am I. Thanks for all your amazing recipes Gina!

  99. Made this tonight in the Pressure Cooker! I used 3 chicken breasts from Sams Club, Cooked it for 20 minutes to perfection! DELICIOUS!

  100. Once again, you deliver a delicious recipe. We've made so many of your recipes and never have been disappointed. It's shocking how good they are and still healthy. I prefer your recipes over a lot of full fat/calorie recipes out there. Thank you so much! Delicious! The kids liked it as well 🙂

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    Sarah Caminker Weiss

    If I am cooking 6 pounds of chicken, how long would you set the crockpot for and on high or low? Thank you!

  102. This is a super easy recipe and it is DELICIOUS! Gina, you are amazing and I am very grateful to you for your recioes. You've helped my family be even more intentional about healthy choices- my husband and I have lost over 160lbs on ww. Your recioes have helped us keep it off for several years! Keep up the great work!

  103. This is one of my favorites! So easy to make and so delicious! I couldn't find regular salsa verde, but my supermarket had an Avocado Verde, so I tried it. Not spicy at all, but creamy and flavorful. My young children loved the chicken with the shredded Mexican cheese, and my husband probably ate 4 tostadas all by himself! The cabbage slaw is super easy and delicious too! Definitely going in the regular rotation.

  104. My husband made this for us and declared it was the easiest recipe ever. When I thanked him for making it, he said he didn't actually do anything 😉 (those are the kinds of recipes I like!)

    We have a super crock pot that cooks everything really fast and since I rely on it while I'm at work, I'm not able to shut it off. I had him add a 1/2 c of chicken broth just so it wouldn't get dried out but otherwise left the recipe as it was. It was soooo good! We used the Herdez brand of salsa and served it on tortillas with cheese, corn, and sour cream. Delicious!

  105. I've made this for the 2nd time, and my family really enjoys it. I love that it cooks in just 2 hours (I suppose because chicken tenders are skinnier and cook faster). The first time I used the Target brand salsa verde, and this time I used the Herdez brand. Both worked well. I upped the cumin to a full teaspoon in the recipe, and added cilantro at the end. We served ours over rice, with roasted peppers and carrots on the side. So good!

  106. Made this today! Family loved it. I actually only used a 8 oz can of the salsa verde, and it turned out fine.

  107. Thanks Gina!
    Everything went perfectly, and my brother and boyfriend loved it! Totally worth finally getting a crock pot. We had the chicken in tortillas piled high with tomato, lettuce, beans, and a little cheese, and smothered the burritos in leftover sauce. Very awesome!

  108. Tried this tonight using Herdez Salsa Verde and chicken breasts. Served atop shredded romaine with seasoned black beans, red onions, cilantro, with some Mexican cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Fantastic! (And under 300 calories for the meal 🙂 Reminded me of a Chipotle-style salad.

  109. Avatar photo
    Its MY Day :)

    This was so good and so easy – my husband requested it again this week. I am tripling the recipe for those lazy days 🙂

    Your recipes are the best, I can't wait for your book to come out so I can support you. I have made dozens of things from this site and everything has been flavorful and delicious. I love that you don't use a lot of processed foods.

  110. We made this last night and it was so good! I used Kroger brand salsa verde cuz I rarely get to Target but I think it tasted better than when my friend made it for me using the Target Salsa Verde! I do want to say we had to cook nearly 4 hrs instead of 2, but that could have been my crock pot. Its pretty and pink so I don't mind if it isn't the most efficient 😉

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    Stacey McCarthy

    Bought the Salsa at Target. Did not make it to the crockpot. Ate with chips. So good. Will try again tomorrow. LOL

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    The Gustafsons

    Does anyone know if the salsa verde is gluten free? I cant find the ingredients list online anywhere. Thanks!

  113. I was surprised to see the cook time only 2 hours on high as opposed to the 4 hours on high I usually see for chicken breasts for shredding. I'm planning to make this for a pot luck lunch so will probably use breasts or more tenders and am just a little nervous that the chicken won't be done and/or won't be tender enough to shred easily. Any recommendations or tips? Thanks!

    1. We made this last night and ended up having to cook on high for almost 4 hrs. I don't know if it was because we used breasts instead of tenders, but we thin cut the breasts and it still almost took 4 hrs…

    2. I made this last night using about 3lbs. of chicken breast. I just cut them in half and doubled the salsa verde. I also cooked it on high for 3 hours instead of 2, and they were perfect. Some pieces were even falling apart as I was removing them from the crock pot.

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    Shannon Wilkinson

    These are fantastic! And the lime cabbage slaw is imperative. I made the slaw about 2.5 hours before serving and the cabbage soaked up the lime and was wonderful.

  115. Hi, I have made this for my boyfriend and I before and it is delicious! I am hosting a small party this evening (about 10 people) should I just double the recipe? Will it take the same amount of time to cook?

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    Heather Rawlyk Stone

    Made this tonight! It was delicious! We could not find tostada shells despite looking in multiple grocery stores and Target, so just went with regular Ortega taco shells, which were 3 pts for 3. With the verde + shells (and some cabbage slaw mix on top) it was about 6 pts! This was SO easy to make in the crockpot it is def going to be one of our staple recipes. Love it!

  117. This has become one of our absolute favorite recipes! We're having it tomorrow night with cilantro brown rice and all kinds of yummy toppings.

  118. Gina thank you so much for this great recipe. I love the fact that you have pictures, it's so helpful. My entire family loved it and it was even better the next day on top of rice. You are awesome

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    Crystal Ponti

    This looks like such a delicious (and easy) recipe! I love anything that includes salsa. 🙂 Please feel free to share with our G+ Community, The Crock Pot Crowd! We welcome recipes from bloggers!

    http://bit.ly/Zmy5vZ

  120. Awesome recipe. I tried something a bit new with it once it was done. I used 1/4 cup in an egg white omelette. So good with some shredded Jack cheese with fruit for breaky. Point friendly and filling. Thanks!

  121. The chicken I intended to use went bad so I pulled out a couple frozen tilapia filets. I also used the Salsa Verde from TJs instead. In just under 2 hours it was perfect. Yummy and simple…my favorite.

  122. I just had lunch using Target's Archer Farms Vindaloo Simmer Sauce and two chicken breasts in the crock pot on 2 hours on high. It came out really delicious and was inspired by this recipe, I just happened to have the Vindaloo in the cabinet. Used a whole jar and definitely could have done more than 2 breasts, but I wasn't sure how it would come out. The chicken is perfectly pullable, moist and has great Indian-inspired flavor.

  123. Wow – made this yesterday afternoon & it really is just as simple & delicious as described! Everyone in the family loved it – not too spicy, but flavorful! Definitely going into the recipe box!

  124. I just made this for lunch, and good heavens it's delicious!!!! I put mine on a low carb tortilla with a layer of low sodium refried beans, then the chicken on top. It's a definite winner!!!

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    Jessica Miller

    I made this tonight and put mine into a spaghetti squash boat (with lots of cheese on top!) since I liked your other recipe for that so much. I loved it that way for my low carb diet!

  126. This is looking really good, Going to try it and I'm thinking it will be great for a Birthday Party…ty..with love Janice

  127. We really enjoyed this. Made it into soft tacos for dinner tonight, and topped it with the Southwestern Black Bean Salad (and other taco toppings). I doubled the spices on the chicken. Very tasty!

  128. Totally yummy and my fave kind of recipe – super easy. I used it on whole wheat tortillas with cheese, green onion, tomatoes & sour cream.

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    Quiltin' Jenny

    This was amazing. My only tip is that if you have hungry teenagers, double the chicken and leave the sauce the same. My family demolished the 1.5 lbs of chicken and a bunch of rice and tortillas. They loved it!

    Thanks so much for your healthy, delicious recipes!

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    christine reilly

    Just made this today. It's DELISH!!! I'm using it to make your tostadas. Thanks for another great (and WW friendly) recipe. 🙂

  131. Made this for dinner last night and it was absolutely delicious! This may be an extremely dumb question, but I am a novice when it comes to slow cooking… If I were to double the recipe, do I need to double the cooking time??

    1. I'm right there with you Kara! Would I literally double everything, even though you dump out some sauce at the end?

  132. I don't have a crock pot, but I couldn't pass this recipe up. It worked beautifully in the dutch oven for 1 1/2 hours at 335 degrees.

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    Heather of Kitchen Concoctions

    I make a similar recipe and it is one of our favorites! Always so good and like you said so versatile!

  134. I made this last night and it was easiest dinner I ever made. Throw it all together in the crock pot. When my daughters and I came home from soccer practice the whole house smelled wonderful. It was delicious, mouth watering. Thank you for the recipe.

  135. Gina, your crockpot recipes are the best. Since I found your website, my poor crockpot has been getting a workout. I'll also second the posts praising the Archer Farms sauces, they're out of this world. Thanks for the great recipes.

  136. Looks amazing, like all your other recipes! I don't have a slow cooker but I do have a dutch oven and I've always wondered for many of your crockpot recipes, what temperature and time to cook for?

    it would be great as well if you can provide that info for all your other crockpot recipes! thanks in advance!

  137. Waaah! No slow-cooker in my household…alas! Could I possibly do this in a RICE COOKER? Anyone? This is a perfect skinny solution to satifying Cinco de Mayo fare, and easy to "paleofy" over cauliflower tortillas or riced celery root or cauliflower.
    Thanks Gina!

  138. Gina – this looks delicious! I have never seen "roasted" salsa verde around here. If I can't find it, would regular salsa verde work? Maybe I could toast it in a frying pan first for a bit (like the tomatos in the salsa roja?)?

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    Jessica Strom

    Looks delicious! I have to say that MANY of the Archer Farms products are little hidden gems at Target. They tend to be less expensive and of good quality. Thanks for posting this recipe– I look forward to trying it! 🙂

  140. Just started the crock pot for this recipe a few minutes ago. I used frozen chicken, so I've got concerns on that. As with every recipe I find online, I double the spices… but I don't even have a 1/8 tsp spoon! So I went 1/2 tsp on everything but the garlic powder, 1/4 tsp on that.

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      Skinnytaste Gina

      When I cook for myself, I never measure the spices, I just eyeball it. Frozen I would imaging would take longer.

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    Cookin' Canuck

    This makes me realize that I really need to pull out my slow cooker more often. What a simple, flavorful meal!

  142. Oh my goodness we were just looking for a chicken tostada recipe because we forgot the black beans for your crock pot chicken taco recipe. This will work PERFECTLY!! You are awesome!

  143. I'm totally making this for my Cuatro de Mayo / early birthday dinner party on Saturday. Thanks for the idea!

  144. Looks SO tasty and simple! I'm going to make this for our party this weekend. What are the garnishes on top in the first picture?

    1. does the cabbage slaw have any dressing on it? It looks like it's just shredded cabbage which is fine by me. Cabbage is soooo good for you!

      1. Avatar photo
        Zouhir Boukhari

        Welcome to my website specialized in health, healthy nutrition and weight loss
        https://www.uphealthnutrition.com/

  145. Yum! I was going to make crockpot Santa Fe chicken (a regular here in our house) but may just have to switch it up tomorrow night! This looks great!

    1. Emma – I've made other Skinnytaste slowcooker recipes on the stove before, but usually those that call for whole chicken breasts, which take about 40-45 minutes to cook. I'd assume chicken tenders cook up much faster though. Gina, what do you think?

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      MaligatorMomma

      I buy frozen chicken tenders and let them defrost in the fridge–usually two days, letting them marinate in whatever during that time frame. Oven at 375, let'em go 25 minutes and they're a perfect 165 internal temp–and juicy.

  146. We also add in black beans and corn at the end and eat it over rice. My girls (5 & 8) count this as one of their winner dinners.

  147. I love this! I make it for the car races (we race so we are there all day) and serve it with rice… it's a huge hit!
    I actually use 1-2 bags of frozen chicken breasts and 1 jar of the salsa!

  148. I roast the largest chicken I can find for dinner on night one. Then the leftover chicken is used for enchiladas verde on night two. The shredded chicken picked off the carcass is heated in purchased salsa verde.

    This doesn't work so well using store-roasted chicken because those chickens are generally smaller and there's too little leftover meat for more than maybe one sandwich. But, I've often gotten enough chicken meat for three different meals from one large home-roasted fresh chicken.

  149. This looks so good! If I were to use chicken breast instead of tenders, does the cook time need to be adusted?

    1. I know not everyone has access, but Costco has a 'large' roasted chicken for $4.99 in the deli. Best deal going, and not filled with additives !

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    toohottieforthatbody.com

    I'm on a total Mexican kick these days. Just made your chicken enchiladas, tonight I'm having tacos and I think tostadas are in order as well. Now, if I can keep away from the margaritas then I'll be in good shape ;)I've gotta tighten it up for summer so that I can look good while I drink margaritas in my bathing suit.

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    Rachel Incorvaia

    This looks yummy!! I would prepare this before going to work, would I set the crock pot on low (6-8hrs) so its ready when I get home? I am new to using a crock pot and want to make sure the chicken & salsa would be ok for this amount of time!
    Thank you!!

    1. I wouldn't cook chicken breasts that long, especially not 8 hours. Why not cook it in the evening when you are home for the next day.

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      Lauren Lehmuth

      Your crock pot should be able to cook it for the 4hrs and then have a keep warm the kicks on once that is done.

    3. yes you can put it on low for 8 hours in the crock pot. I do that all of the time. It will then just fall apart very easily when you shred it. Yum.

    4. I cooked mine on high for 2 hours like the recipe states and my chicken wasn't completely cooked, and far from shreddable. I put it back in for 2 more hours.

    5. I just made the recipe tonight and it was perfectly cooked after two hours on high. I bought chicken breasts instead of tenders and cut them in quarters before cooking because they were so thick. If I had left them whole then it would have taken longer to cook. Delicious!

  152. we have been doing this with their salsa verde for months now! LOVE theirs the best! it's so good. 🙂

    We usually make burrito bowls with the chicken, black beans, brown rice or quinoa, corn, cilantro, tomatoes, cheese, and avocado. GOOD STUFF! 🙂

  153. We have bought that salsa verde before.. Its delicious!!!!! We definitely think this recipe is a home run!!

    1. Absolutely! I've been making this for years and love to have a bag or three in the freezer for quick meals.

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      Merwin R Severtson

      You can freeze before or after! We buy bulk steaks & chicken at Costco, season them with olive oil & Red Robin season, bag them up raw, freeze them & thaw when we're ready to grill. They are FABULOUS!