Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken made with corn, black beans, tomatoes and seasonings – no pre-cooking, and made with pantry staples.
Slow Cooker Santa Fe Chicken
This recipe has been one of the most popular recipes on Skinnytaste since I started this little blog. It’s the perfect dump and go slow cooker recipe – no pre-cooking, and made with pantry staples. It’s also healthy, inexpensive and can be enjoyed so many ways. Instant Pot directions are now included!
And if you’re on Weight Watchers it’s now 0 Freestyle Smart Points (minus the toppings and rice).
You can top this with a little sour cream and reduced fat cheddar cheese and call it a meal, but I often serve this over cilantro lime rice or cauliflower rice. And don’t forget the toppings – chopped scallions, fresh cilantro, fat free yogurt or sour cream and cheddar are my favorites. Leftovers are great over baked nachos with reduced fat cheese and jalapeños or served over greens for a Santa Fe Taco Salad. It’s even great used as filling for enchiladas. Here’s the basic recipe, how you use it is completely up to you!
It’s also kid-friendly, freezer friendly and gluten-free. In its’ honor I decided to revive it from the archives and give it some love.
Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken Freezer and Meal Prep Tips:
- To meal prep, place in microwave safe plastic or glass containers with rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice and toppings and refrigerate to reheat for the week.
- To freeze, divide and freeze in 1 cup portions in freezer safe containers for homemade freezer meals, ready anytime. Reheat by thawing overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave.
How To Make Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
And since so many are asking, although I have and love my Instant Pot, I still love my slow cooker! I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker (affil link). I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it’s done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This slow cooker is so great, I actually own several!
More Easy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes:
- Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili
- Crock Pot Sesame Honey Chicken
- Slow Cooker Harrisa Chicken
- Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken
- Crock Pot Chicken and Black Bean Taco Salad
Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
Ingredients
- 24 oz chicken breast (1-1/2 lbs)
- 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
- 15 oz can black beans rinsed and drained
- 8 oz frozen corn
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 14.4 oz can chicken broth
- 3 scallions chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper to taste
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine chicken broth, beans (drained), corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the slow cooker.
- Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top.
- Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.
- Thirty minutes before serving, remove chicken and shred.
- Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste.
- Serve over rice or tortillas and with your favorite toppings.
Instant Pot Method:
- Cook high pressure 25 minutes, quick or natural release.
Always so delicious! Have Mae it 3 or 4 times but last night tried it with cilantro cauliflower rice. It was amazing!!
Too watery. It had more of a soup consistency.
I have 1 chicken breast that is .91lbs would you recommend keeping the rest of the ingredients the same on this?
Love this! Served with your Lime Cilantro rice and it was perfection.
Thanks Noelle!
Made this for the first time for dinner tonight. Made it in the Instant Pot. Very easy and tasty. Added a can of chopped green chilies. Served it over rice with avocado, sour cream and hot salsa.
One of my favorites. I do find though that it does not need 8-10 hours on low to cook. Usually after 5 hours on low the chicken is done.
Could you turn this into a soup?
I added in a jalapeno and some mushrooms!
Made this this evening with cilantro lime rice. My family loved it! So easy and tasty! Thank you
I make this recipe a lot! Always is amazing and easy. Put it over rice or cauliflower rice.
We loved this recipe. So easy! I plan on making enough to freeze for future meals.
Super easy way to have a healthy meal waiting for me when I get off work. Love it. Thanks!
Absolutely loved it! But I put just a tad bit of taco seasoning mix. I would love next time to try other veggies. Thank you for such Ana amazing recipe. ❤️
This is the best tasting chicken recipe I have eaten in a long time. It is easy and fast to make. It taste awesome! It
freezes great to eat later, too.
4-6 hours is a big gap of time. I’m worried about overcooking it. What’s the actual recommended time?
So I used a smaller crock pot, and only used two breasts. I did 4 hours on high, and the chicken was perfect. After I broke up all the chicken, I put in on warm for another 30-45(I was preparing rice) and made the chicken nice. It also got the yummy juice in the chicken. If your making a large about I would start with 5 hours.
How would one adjust the recipe if using dried beans (out of canned beans). I am thinking 1/2 amount of beans. Could I put the beans in uncooked or do I need to cook them in advance?
This was fantastic. The only thing I did differently was add a half of a chopped red onion in with everything at the beginning. I served it over cilantro lime rice. Topped it with sharp cheddar, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream. Yum! Truth is it didn’t need any of that on top it was so good on its own.
My family loves this recipe and it is so easy to cook. Not only is it easy, and taste delicious alone or with the cilantro like rice, my picky eater ask me to make this all the time. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
Smelled and tasted amazing! So easy, the chicken was so tender. Served with brown rice. A definite repeat recipe.